freeline-101 - Flipbook - Page 207
DAVID
DICK GAYNER
WALLEN
t h is time I was drivi ng, and a f re sh fa ce d 1 7 - ye a r- o l d m e h a d
b e come obsessed with barb e l, n o t o n ly f ro m t h e T h am e s b u t
f rom all rivers up and dow n th e co un t ry : t h e Ha m p s h i re Avo n ,
t h e Kennet , the Stour, Wa rks Avo n , t h e L o d d o n … a l o ng w i t h
m any others. I covered many m i le s c ha s i n g s p e c i me n c h u b an d
b a rbel, never catching barb e l to mo re t h an 1 2l b 5 o z a n d c h u b
to 5lb-plus, but I learnt a he l l o f a lo t al o n g th e t h e way ! I s p e n t
f rom the age of 17 to 21 ta rg e ti n g ba rb e l! T h e f i ght t h ey gave
a n d the sheer power and a g g re ss i o n wa s wh a t I wa s a f te r! I t ’ s
awesome sport on the righ t ge a r – t r u e wa rr i o r f i s h !
The road I’m on now all st a r te d t he d ay I s aw a g ro u p o f 5 - 10
c a rp in one of the shallow t ri b u ta r i e s I a lways f i s h e d i n my
FR E ELINE 87
