freeline-104 - Flipbook - Page 168
DAVE HYDE
m i nutes before the fish wa s i n e n o u gh o p e n wa te r for me to
b ring it to the net , Oh, did I s ay n e t? Wh a t n e t ? Th a t wa s 2 0
ya rds along the bank, tota lly fo rg o t te n a bo ut i n t he c o n f u s i o n .
T h e fish was still too clos e to th e l i li e s s i m ply to p u t t h e ro d
d own for a minute and to g o a n d ge t i t , s o th e re wa s o n ly o n e
t h ing to do and that was to j u mp i n to t he wa te r, s c o o p t h e f i s h
u p in my arms and then c la m b er b a ck to t h e b a n k . T he f i s h
was well worth the soakin g , th o u gh , a b e au t i f u l l o n g mi r ro r o f
2 5 lb 6oz.
The time was now 7.30 p m , th e s un h a d s u n k l ow i n t he
s k y, and it was time to move b a c k to t he l a ke I h a d f i s h e d
t h at morning to get set up b efo re d a rk n es s d re w i n . I t wa s a
welcome change not to h ave th e co ld wi nd b l ow i n g i n to my
fa ce. In fact the lake was so we ll s he l te re d t h at t h e o n ly s i g n
t h at there was any wind a t a l l c o u ld b e s e en by t h e f i rs t fe w
a u tumn leaves that had b e en b l ow n f ro m t h e t re e s a n d l ay
f l oating on the surface.
Once again the lake was de s e r te d an d a b s o l u te ly p e ace f u l ,
a n d despite the clear sky a n d c o o l eve n i n g I fe l t t h a t c h a n c e s
o f catching seemed good. T h e re we re n o s i g n s o f a ny b u bb l i n g
o r fish ro lling again, but f ro m ex p e r i e nc e o f t h e prev i o u s
s e ason, I knew my chances wo u ld m o s t p ro b a b ly c o me a ro u n d
m i dnight , which would give m e a c h a nc e to g e t a fe w h o u rs ’
s l eep. I sat awake until abo ut 1 0 . 3 0 p m wi th o u t h e ar i n g a s i n gl e
f i s h move, and by this ti me , I h a d c o nv i nc e d mys e l f t h at t h e
l a ck of activity was going to s i g n a l a n i gh t w i t h o u t a c t i o n .
The kettle was placed o n t he s tove fo r th e l as t t i m e b efo re
g e tting my things sorted o ut s o th a t I co ul d s e t t l e d own fo r
t h e night when I looked d ow n to s e e a l arg e s l u g p erc h e d o n
to p of the milk carton and a n o t h er o n e c li m b i n g t h e s i d e s to
FREELINE 38
