freeline-101 - Flipbook - Page 158
AIDEN
LEE GRIFFIN
BILL
DICK
PHILLIPS
GAYNER
SAVAN
n o more than 50 yards apa r t . T h e le f t h a n d s i d e o f t h e m o o r i n g
l o oks decent enough for a f i s h o r two , b u t t h e r i gh t h a n d s i d e
b l ows it away. The right han d s i de co n si s t s o f a s eri e s o f p i l i n g s
i n cluding a few overhangin g b us h e s a n d eve n m o re p er ma n e n t
m oorings.
Having moved on in Febr ua r y, t h e 1 6 t h co u l d n’ t c o m e q u i ck ly
e n ough. However with the d aw n o f th e n e w s e as o n al m o s t u p o n
u s , the huge amoun t of un s e as o n a l ra i n ha d t a ke n i t s to l l o n
t h e river. The water levels a n d s p e e d i t wa s f l ow i ng a t m a d e
i t virtually impossible to p re se n t a b ai t i n a g ive n p o s i t i o n fo r
a ny amount time.
Whilst the upper river re ma i n e d o u t o f s o r t s , t h e ma i n fo c u s
was concentrated on the ch an n e l t h at co n ne c te d th e t wo we i rs
t h at encompassed our isla n d. I t s o o n b e c am e a p p a re n t t h a t a
l o t of carp had pushed up ha rd i n to t hi s p i e ce o f wa te r. T h e
m ost logical approach was to b ai t th e c h o c o l a te c o l o u re d wa te r
o n the near side margin clo se to a ny fe at u re s. A f te r a fe w d ays ’
s teady baiting, the first op p o r tu n i t y a r rive d. A s ho rt u n d e ra rm
f l i ck positioned the bag exa ct ly wh ere i t ne e d e d to b e . B e fo re
t h e bobbin could even be at t ac h e d to t he l i n e, t h e ro d wa s
r i pped from my grasp . The f i gh t th a t e n s u ed wa s d ra m at i c to
s ay the least , as the fish to re i n to th e m ai n f l ow, an d I fe l t a s
t h ough I was just hanging o n , n o t h i n g mo re . S te a dy p re s s u re
eventually got the fish to tu r n , a n d i t s b u lk c o u l d b e fe l t s i d eo n in the flow. More steady p re ss u re , a n d t h e ga p be twe e n t h e
f i s h and m e had been narrowe d to a me re 5 0 f t , s o I fe l t a s t h e
o d ds were slightly in my favo u r to l an d t he u n s e e n f i s h . T h en
t h e hook pulled. You know t ha t s i n ki n g fe el i n g .
After a short sulk, new r i g wa s ti e d , b a g o n a n d b ac k
i n position. It didn’t take l o n g, p erh ap s te n m i n u te s , a n d I
FREELINE 38
