Great story. Similar thing happened to me earlier in the year. Was drifting near Niagara and caught a decent walleye. Turned to put it in the cooler and heard a noise. Turned just in time to see my 2nd pole go overboard. I immediately cast 2 poles upwind and let them go to bottom. 20 seconds later one of them started to bend. Set the hook and slowly cranked it in. I had hooked the handle 2" up from the end. And it still had a 18" sheep on the other end. Perhaps the same thief that tried to steal yours!!!!