freeline-104 - Flipbook - Page 162
DAVE HYDE
l e aning backwards into a b l ac kb e r ry b us h . I c o u l d fe e l th e f i s h
d e sperately trying to gain s an c t ua r y i n t he p o t a m o g e to n , a n d
t h e rod was by now almo s t fo r m i n g a co mp l e te l o o p . l h e l d
t h e fish like that for a goo d t wo m i n u te s, wh ic h d oe s n’ t so u n d
l o ng until you’ve actually tr i e d i t . T h o s e mi n u te s we re n e rve
w racking to say the least , a n d I l o s t co un t o f t h e p raye rs , fo r
i t was obviously a good fis h, b u t eve n tu a lly t h e f i s h sw i rl e d o n
t h e surface just within the f i r s t fe w l e ave s a n d t he n t u rn ed a n d
m ade its way towards the li ly b e d . A ga i n st a l l t h e m e ch a n i c s ,
I wound against the full b en d o f th e ro d a n d j u s t ma n a g e d to
t u rn the fish before it reac h e d th e li l i e s .
Once that snag was neg o t i a te d, I k n ew t h a t b a r t h e h o o k
p u lling, the fish was mine, b ut i t wa s st i l l a f u l l t we n t y m i n u te s
b e fore the fish was finally i n t he n e t . I n a l l t h e ye a rs I ’ ve
s p ent carp fishing, I’ve neve r kn ow n a c ar p to f i gh t l i ke t h a t
o n e did. Not wanting the s am e to ha p p e n to t h i s f i sh as th e
l a st one, I bit through the li n e a n d d i s ma n t l e d t h e a rm s o f
t h e net . I couldn’t resi st t he te mp t a ti o n to we i gh i t t h e re a n d
t h en despite the fact that I h ad c au gh t t h e f i s h t h e p rev i o u s
s e ason at 27lb. I watched t h e sc a le s a s t hey c l i p p e d ro u n d we l l
i n to the red… 27… 28 … 29 … 3 0 a n d f i n a lly re s t a t 3 0l b 8o z . I
s u ppose in the heat of the m o me n t , l te mp o ra ri ly forg o t t h a t
t h e landing net weighed c o n s i d era b ly m o re t h a n t h e we i gh
s l i ng, but realisation soo n c a me , a n d t he f i s h wa s we i gh e d
c o rrectly at 27lb 12oz. I wa s d ea d c hu f fe d to s ay t h e l e a s t .
I t’s amazing the way a fe w f i s h ca n c ha n g e yo u r wh o l e f ra m e
o f mind – forgotten was the ti re dn e s s . I d i d n’ t even ca re t h a t
I had a bum full of blackb e rr y b u s h th o r n s , a n d fo r th e f i rs t
t i me in my life, my arms we re ac t u al ly a c h i n g t h ro u gh l a n d i n g
c a rp. I just couldn’t believe wh at wa s h ap p en i n g ; in fa c t I h a d
FREELINE 32
