freeline-101 - Flipbook - Page 74
EXCLUSIVE
t o be. I just about fou nd m y I h a d 9 f t r o d s . m y h e a r t w a s
l e gs…shaking, obvio usly a f t e r p o u n d i n g a nd I w a s q u i e t l y
4 days of waiting… an d I li f t e d p r a y i n g t h e r i g, t h e l i n e a n d m y
i n to what felt like a t r a i n k n o t s we r e a l l b e t t e r t h o u g h t
w i th fins, the fish po we r e d o u t t h a n m y r o u t e o f c h o i c e.
o f f heading straight for t h e T h e n t h e l i n e t i g h t e n e d ag a i n .
c h annel between the isl an d s . I t w a s o n .
I leaned into it and slo w l y
T h e b a t t l e w a s s a v a g e.
s t arted to gain some li ne b a c k
T h e f i s h s t a y e d l o w, u s i n g
a n d i had that brief dang e ro u s e v e r y o u n c e o f i t s w e i g h t .
t h ought that the hard p a r t M y a r m s w e r e b u r n i n g a t
m i ght be over.
this point and my legs were
But no.. the clutch screa m e d u n c o n t r o l l a b l y
s h a k i n g,
I
a g ain.
t h i n k th i s i s t h e p a r t w h e r e I
The fish changed direc t i o n c o u l d n ’t b r e a t h e. I ’d w a i t e d
a n d charged for the l eft-h a n d f o r t h i s m o m e n t .
c o rner, straight towards t h e
W h e n th e f i s h f i n a l l y ro l l e d
b i g willow tree. At that po i n t , u p to t h e s u r f a c e, I h a d n o
i t wasn’t j ust a fish o n it wa s i d e a h o w b i g i t w a s I t h i n k m y
a f ight between me, the c a r p , b r a i n h a d c l e a r l y c h e c k e d o u t
a n d the willow tree.
m i d - f i g h t.
I could feel the lin e gra t i n g
W h e n I f i n a l l y s a w i t , I k n e w.
t h rough the branches, e v e r y I t wa s u n l i k e a n y t h i n g I ’d e v e r
v i bration
coming
stra i g h t s e e n . L e t ’s j u st s a y I f r e a k e d
t h rough my little 9ft rod. I h a d o u t a l i t t l e, I w a s t r y i n g t o k e e p
o n e option. I had to fol low i t . m y h e a d t o g e t h e r, i m a n a g e d
I pushed my way th ro u g h t o g u i d e t h e f i s h t o w a r ds m y
r e eds and branches in t h e p a r t n e r w i t h t h e n e t . A n d t h e
d a rk, rod held as h igh a s I m o m e n t i t w a s i n , I c o u l d n ’t
c o uld. Thank god at this p o i n t b e l i e v e i t .
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