T18skyguy wrote:
Find yourself a local Snap-on dealer with a tool truck. On that truck they have two types of magnets on extensible sticks. The size of the magnets vary but you want one that obviousy fits down your dip tube. One of them extends straight like a telescope and will go down straight. The other is on a copper wire about the thickness of a coat hangar and will go down and follow the contour. My guess is that you may be able to retrieve it with one of those. I have both as part of my tool arsenal. They work well.
I had the same first thought. Fish it out with a magnet.