freeline-104 - Flipbook - Page 165
ASH
DAVEGEDEN
HYDE
i n strength to a force 5 a n d wa s b low i n g d i re c t ly f ro m t h e
west . It was the exact opp o s i te o f t he co n di t i o n s I k n e w to b e
g o od for the lake, namely a ve ry ove rc as t s ky w i t h a s o u t h e rly
o r northerly wind that wo u ld b l ow t h e f u l l le n gt h o f th e l o n g ,
n a rrow lake. I elected to f i s h a sw i m a th i rd o f t he way al o n g
t h e lake at the point where t h e l ake n a r rowe d f ro m 3 0 ya rd s to
2 5 yards wide. One bai t wa s ca s t to t h e o p p o s i te b an k as c l o s e
a s possible to a reed bed wh i ls t th e o th e r wa s s i m ply l owe re d
i n to the water to the left o f t he sw i m u n de r a n ove rh a n g i n g
b u sh. The bedchair was p ul l ed o u t o f s i gh t , a n d I sa t ba c k an d
re laxed with a cup of coffe e.
Twenty minutes passed, a n d I co ul d fe el mys e l f d ri ft i n g i n to
s l eep when a sudden loud co n t i n u o u s b ee p s e n t me f ly i n g f ro m
t h e bed chair just in time to s ave t he ro d f ro m b e i n g d ra g g e d
i n to the water. It was always t h e s a me o n t hi s l a ke – eve ry f i s h
would always tear away so q u i c kly t h at t he re e l h a nd l e c o u l d
n ever keep up with it . A s th e ro d wa s li f te d, i t i ns t a n t ly to o k
u p the curve as the fish ma d e i t s way al o n g th e b a nk towa rd s
a l ily bed. I immediately p u t a h a lt to i t s p ro g re ss , ma k i n g i t
c l ear from the start that the re wa s n o way i t wo u l d b e a l l owe d
to get there. The fight then d eve lo p ed i n o p e n wa te r. I t wa s a
to tal contrast to the other la ke , b ei n g a b le to l e t t h e f i s h t a ke
l i ne from t he clutch and st i ll k n ow t h at I wa s i n to t a l c o n t ro l . I
f u l ly appreciated those few m i n u te s, e n j oy i ng eve ry s ec o n d o f
i t until finally the fish rolle d o n i t s s i d e an d I d re w i t towa rd s
t h e waiting net . The fish wa s we i gh ed a t 2 0 lb 1 2o z.
I felt as if I had kicked th e w i n n i n g go al i n t h e FA Cu p F i n al .
I f it wasn’t for the fact th at t h ere h ad b e e n o t h e r a n gl e r s o n
t h e lake, I would probably h ave be e n ju m p i n g u p an d d ow n .
O K, it wasn’t a big fi sh by a ny s t a nd a rd s , a n d o n any o t h e r
FR E ELINE 35
