Len, Your story reminded me of a memory at one of my happy Places.
Halibut fishing in Tomales bay. I got lazy and took my small 8 foot aluminum pram one day. Tomales bay can get windy and is not a good place to be in a small "boat". I had caught a couple of Halibut (not really but it's my story) and all of a sudden the wind comes up. The ramp is about 1.5 miles away, but the bluffs are only about 1/4 mile away. The bluffs block the wind, white caps and rollers. I start my little 3hp outboard and head for the bluff. I didn't even take the time to real up my rods. I'm about half way there and my baits had come to the surface. A seagull grabs one of the baits! I'm trying to real him in and keep motoring in a straight line. I'm not getting anywhere! The seagull is taking out line and slowing me down. I try jerking on the rod and each time I do the seagulls wings fold and he crashes into the water. Wing flutter? I finally get him in close to the boat. My Yellow Lab, Rocket finally see's what going on. I've never seen him take an interest in any bird his entire life, until that moment. I'm now fighting the wind, waves, rollers, a seagull and a very curious yellow lab. I see I barely have the seagull hooked in the beak, by a single barb of the treble hook. I reach for the hook and pause! There's a chance I could become hooked while trying to free the seagull. The headlines flash before my eyes.
Man drowns while hooked to a seagull. His dog remained at his side!
I figure the right thing to do was not to become more "attached" to the situation and get to the bluffs, anchor up, control my dog and then use some pliers to release the seagull. And that's what I did.
The winds died down and I made my way back to the ramp and home in one piece.
Tomales is still one of my Happy Places!
Rocket and my pram. (different motor and location)
Tony