freeline-104 - Flipbook - Page 159
ASH
DAVEGEDEN
HYDE
The car park was the on ly p la c e wh ere t h e b a n k wa s w i d e
e n ough for the camera, f ish , m e o r a l l t h re e to g e t he r n o t to fa l l
i n to the lake, but just as I ha d ta ke n t h e s e c o n d ph o to , S o d ’ s
l aw was to strike, as it h a d d o n e o n a n u m b e r o f o c c a s i o n s
t h at season. I knew on thi s o cc a s i o n t ha t i f I h a d b e e n s i t t i n g
by my rods I would never h ave ha d a r u n . Q u i c k ly as I co u l d ,
I wrapped the fish up in t h e ca rp sa c k a nd p l a c e d it o n t h e
g round praying that no on e wo u ld d rive i n to t h e ca r p a rk an d
s q uash it , and then ran bac k ro u n d t he l ake to my ro d s .
By the time I arrived, th e ru n h ad s to p p e d . T h e t ake h a d
o c curred on the bait fishe d to th e l i ly b e d, a n d my i m m ed i a te
t h oughts were that it wou ld b e a p re tt y ho p e l e s s t as k t r yi n g
to get it out of there. I too k my ti m e , ga th e re d my b re a t h a n d
c a lmly began to panic. The ro d wa s l i f te d a n d p u l l e d i n to a g o o d
b e nd. I watched as the wh o le l i ly be d m ove d a ya rd towa rd s
m e. One minute the fish ro l le d o n t he o t he r s i d e o f th e l i ly b e d
a n d the next on my side, fo l lowe d by i t l ea p i n g c o m p l e te ly o u t
o f the water, showin g me t ha t i t wa sn’ t a ve ry b i g f i s h .
I pulled and wound as h ard a s I d a re d u n t i l th e f i sh wa s
s a fely within the landing n e t . I c o u ld e as i ly re c o g n i s e t h e f i s h
f rom the previous sessio n a s o n e I h ad c a ugh t a t a b o u t 1 5l b .
T he net was pulled up ove r t h e f ro n t o f t h e sw i m , l eav i n g t h e
f i s h in the water, and then a s q u i ck ly a s I c o u l d , I ra n b a c k
ro und the lake to where th e o th e r f i s h l ay. I s u p p o s e I wa s n’ t
away from the fish for mo re th a n a b o u t t wo mi n u te s , b u t n o t
wanting to add to its misery, I to o k i t to t he wa te r’ s e d g e to l e t
i t swim for freedom. I then ga th e re d u p t he c a me ra a n d t r i p o d
a n d returned to my swim.
Fortunately the fish had n o t towe d t h e n e t i n to t h e wa te r a n d
was lying there perfectly st i ll . T h e n e t wa s l i f te d f ro m t h e wa te r,
FR E ELINE 2 9
