Hey guys - I might need some help here. After a lifetime of fishing for small trout on small streams with small flies, I decided to "graduate" to big water and bigger fish. Recently bought a NW Boat and got the dealer to throw in some electric Scottys. Time to begin learning the salt! Safe to say I am 100% certified greenhorn. That being said, I have no idea if what happened today (in front of the Oil Docks) happens...ever. After landing my first coho within 5 minutes of my first trip on my new boat, I was in fishing heaven. HOWEVER, around noon had a huge tug in about 50 feet of water (purple haze hi fly, purple flasher). I thought I would wait to see if there would be another tug on my 'rigger line. Turns out there was, A tug so hard it pulled my brand new rod and new Okuma right into the salt and into the depths. A fish pulled my rod and reel right of the rod holder! After staring blankly at my now empty rod holder for about 60 seconds, I got my wits to at least backtrack and see if the rod/reel somehow was floating, or being dragged by the fish that took all my gear!

The photo is my set-up shortly before whatever it was took my brand new rod and reel right out of the rod holder and into the Sound.

Two questions for any old salts on this forum:
1) If you see the attached photo, Did I set the rod holder up correctly?
2) Has this ever happened to anyone else? A fish taking your entire set-up right of the rod holder? Since I am a total newbie, I have no idea if this is a thing or not.

Beautiful, crazy, whacky day. One coho in the boat and gear somewhere in the salt...Thanks