It's Hard To Fish When...

Click on photos for full size image.

...your stupid dog is drowning.
I was ready to hike down to the river. I had gotten work out of the way and had been looking forward to a stretch of time this afternoon for uninterrupted fishing.
Lidia, home sick, was supposed to keep Rocky in the house until I was out of sight. (Koko is sick too, and wasn't going anywhere.) Lidia hates to have the dogs in the house. I had barely gotten a good start when the door opened and Rocky flew out, saw me, and ran right over like he was invited. So, against my better judgment, I let him come.
Things were fine--at first. He had a great time playing with the water and exploring the shoreline. Lord of his domain...
I let him mess around and got ready to fish.
Then, when he seemed to be under control, and to have figured out the obvious boundary issues, I waded out into the current. It would have been great if he had stayed right there and waited loyally for his Master to return.
But no, he wanted to go. He'd wade in, feel the current, and wade out. Then wade back in, wade out.... Then he got in too deep--me trying to fish all this time--and got swept a ways downstream. I was encouraged to see that he turned and paddled toward shore; but I was dismayed to see him, when he came to my line in the water, pick it up in his teeth and drag it to shore with him.
When we got that sorted out I was hoping he'd learned some kind of lesson and would let me fish some more. I actually got a series of casts in and gradually worked my way under the bridge.
Then I heard a big splash and Rocky was in the water. I was amazed to see him start swimming purposefully for the opposite shore. Got to give him points for ambition. He actually made it two-thirds of the way across.
Then, unaware that he was acting out an old joke, he decided he couldn't make it and turned around to swim back.
I was already reeling in my line and wading toward him as fast as I could on the slick rocks when he got into some trouble. The current there is fast, and the river is deeper than he is, and I think he sensed he was in trouble and instinctively--I guess--turned and began swimming into the current.
So there he was, paddling for all he was worth and staying in one spot. So I began calling and encouraging and he turned toward me, quartering on the current, and made it to a shallow area where his feet could touch.
Good dog! But did he stay there until I could get to him? Nah. He tried to get to shore which put him right into the strongest and deepest part of the run.
Here he is going down for the second time. I wouldn't have taken time for a quick shot if it was the third.
I managed to reach him and drag him to shore. He promptly shook himself and took off up the bank to explore some more. Now my concern was that he'd stay away from the river and wander up to the very busy highway that runs across that bridge.
So...I aborted the mission and took him home.