freeline-101 - Flipbook - Page 209
DAVID
DICK GAYNER
WALLEN
e a rly teens. I had seen the o d d c arp b u t a lways t h o u gh t i t wa s
i m possible to catch them. T h e se f i s h lo o ke d a d i f fere n t l eve l
to the chub and barbel tha t I wa s u s ed to c atc h i n g – l o n g d a rk
a n d thick, 20-30lb-plus fi s h r i gh t b e fo re my eye s – I j u s t h ad
to try and catch one.
I had already fished the T h a me s fo r te n ye a rs a n d h a d n eve r
c a ught nor even seen mo re th a n o n e o r two , b u t I t ho u gh t
t h at this was clearly a goo d t i me to h ave a g o . B e i n g an a n gl e r
who loves a challenge, I s et mys el f to t as k o f c a tch i n g o n e ,
I grabbed the gear o ut the m o to r a n d go t to i t . I n s h o r t , I
d i dn’t manage one the fir s t fe w ti m es dow n , a s th ey c a n b e
ve ry tricky in shallow, cle ar wa te r. T h e mys te ry o f wh a t t h ey
a c tually look like or how m u ch t hey we i gh ed wa s o n my m i n d
b i g time. I just knew that I h a d to c atc h o ne o f th e s e rive r c a rp
to see what they are all abo ut !
After targeting the carp fo r a fe w m o n t hs a n d n o t ca tc h i n g
t h em and the weather ge t ti n g c o ld e r, t h e f i s h s l owly m ove d
o u t back into the main rive r, s o I d e c i de d I ’ d l e ave i t u n t i l t h e
n ext year before I had ano th e r g o a nd fo c u s o n s o m e p re d a to r
f i s hing through the colder m o n th s ! ! A f te r a no t h er co l d wi n te r
a n d long close seaso n, I ex p e cte d t h e c a r p m i gh t s h ow u p o n
t h e spawning grounds and d e c i de d I wo u ld p u t s o me b ai t i n i f
t h ey did. Sure enough, a we ek la te r t h ey s h owe d u p , an d w i t h
t h e opening day loomi ng, I s ta r te d b a i ti n g u p i n a n e f fo rt to
h o ld the fish there.
On opening day, the bank wa s ab s o l u te ly p ac ke d wh e n I c a m e
d own to fish! Obviously eve r yo n e ha d t he s a m e i d e a . A fe w
d ays passed and the press u re g o t to o mu c h, s o t h e f i s h m ove d
o u t , as did all of the other a n gl ers . L u c ki ly i t ’ s l o c a l to m e a n d
FR E ELINE 89
