Couple weeks ago I went fishing over at Medicare Beach on the Reservoir (as opposed to Cardiac Arrest Beach, where I had the rattlesnake run-in).

A beautiful day, the water was clear and the breeze was from behind me. I got some good casts in, using bait and a simple float/weight/hook arrangement. Sat back, enjoying the peace.

The bobber went down, I reeled in, the line snapped. Dunno what the problem was -- it was good ten-pound test when I put it on the spool 23 years ago.

So I rigged a sinking Rapala and as I was doing so my hat blew off. Last seen it was scudding along towards the dam.

I cast the lure, watching my hat sail further and further way (straw hat). Then I had a strike -- and I set the hook! About ten seconds later the line snapped, and I lost lure and line.

Naturally there was no more line to speak of on the reel and my back up reel decided not to take up.

So I sat and pretended to fish. I did get a bit of sunburn out of a nice day, though.