Friday afternoon I took my son fishing down at the lagoon by Summerfest.  The dog came with us and was so excited to go fishing, he ran ahead and climbed down these huge rocks.  He doesn't like to jump in the water - not knowing where the bottom is, and I was packed down like a mule.  I didn't want to have to drop everything again and go get him - as he can't pull himself up the cliff like rocks.  After many - Seamus jump in the water, he finally did.  I walked ahead to get to the beach.  I knew if he saw me there he would turn and get away from all the rocks.  My son stayed on land encouraging him as he went.  There were a few moments I thought I would have to jump in and save him, but he finally made it across the whole lagoon.

OK fine, we all got to the beach, the dog can swim, the kid can fish and we can all be happy - right?  I forgot the bait in the car - so my son ran back for me and got it.  We baited up the fishing lines and started casting.  The dog started chasing after the bobbers - thinking it was a game of fetch.  Now for a dog who won't give you a ball back when you want to play, I was amazed that he even thought he would even think of chasing a bobber.

Fish were flopping all around - but no bites on our line.  We enjoyed listening to the African Fest musicians practicing, and about 5:00 it was time to head home.  I promised we would go in the morning and try again.

Saturday morning came and I really didn't feel like going.  We finally got going around 11:00.  All our bait was dead.  Since my son went fishing with the Urban Ecology Center and caught fish with macoronni and cheese, we decided to give that a try.  We headed down to Vetran's Park - set up camp - no fish biting.  The guy next to us was catching fish, but not us.  We decided to change to fishing lures.  I'm casting and casting and realize that the lure is probably to big for the fish that are in this pond.  We pack up and head to the boat launch breakwater on Lake Michigan.  We forget the chairs, just have a backpack, our tackle box and the two poles.  We start fishing off the breakwater.  I'm hot, tired, bored and really annoyed.  I was using my husbands fishing pole and he is left handed, so to mix things up a bit, I thought I would try casting left handed.  His pole, is the kind that you hold on to the line with your finger, then let go while casting.  Right handed, I tried really hard to get my line farther and farther.  Left handed, I pulled back and really let it rip !  Since I was doing this left handed and I'm right, I not only let go of the cast line, but the whole darn fishing pole too!  Yup, it all went flinging in the air and landed straight into Lake Michigan!

I looked down and watched it sink to the bottom.  I wasn't sure how deep it was, so I didn't want to jump in - I also had my swim goggles and the swim beach was just to far with the waves and all.  I knew I could make it , but I know the currents are really strong- I just didn't want to risk it.  I asked two fishing boats that came in to help, the Milwaukee County Parks employee working the gas area - no such luck.  I even stopped a guy that had a Blood Hound rescue dog - trying to see if he could help.  My son kept telling me it was really expensive.  The whole time, I'm thinking a couple of hundred dollars.  Frustrated - my options were gone - that was it, we were going home. 

On the way back to the car, I felt a little better as my son said the pole was $50.00's.  He gave me three options.  1.) we don't tell Daddy and when he goes fishing we just don't know where the pole is.  2.) we buy a new one and don't tell him or 3.) I completely blame him.    I said we are just going to tell the truth.

We arrive home, my husband, mom and dad are sitting on the back patio having a lunch break and I go in the house - I had to get my contact out of my eye.  My son follows.  The three of them are sitting there dumbfounded.  I came out, my husband asks me if my son threw a pole in the lake.  I said he told you?  (See child advise #3) Then the three of them all asked what happened.  I relayed the story and my husband starts laughing that it was a $15.00 pole and he only got it because it was the only one available at the time he went to the store (good reason not to follow child advise #2)  His whole bill came to $50.00's, including the license.  (Whew) and a good lesson not to risk your life just for a fishing pole - remember no one can try to pull one over on a dad AND always tell the truth!

I think I'm done fishing for a bit!