freeline-105 - Flipbook - Page 220
DANNY HOLLAND
I decided to attempt the u n th i n ka b le , f i s h i n g t h e ma i n l a ke
c l ose in, something in re ce n t t i m es ra re ly d o n e , esp e c i a l ly
w i th all three rods. With no p ar t i c u la r p l an s , j u s t my l i t t l e 12 f t
2 ¾ tc rods and baby reels , I wa s ra r i n g to g e t s t a rte d . I wa s
s t ill fishing the same as al l my o t he r f i s h i n g i n my l a s t a r t i cl e ,
u s ing my customary 20 lb B la c k Ve lve t w i th c l ea r ta pe re d
m ono leaders and fluoro b o t to m b ai t r i g . Ju s t b e c a us e I wa s
c h anging tactics, I couldn’ t c ha n g e my te r mi n al a p p ro a c h t h a t
h a d brought such success i n p rev i o us ye ars .
With new tactics underway, my f i r s t s h o r t ra n g e s e s s i o n wa s
i n a peg I knew had do ne f i s h i n th e p a st , e s p e ci a lly i n t h e
fa bulous hot weather we we re ex p e r i e nc i n g , wh i c h c o n t i n u e d
a l l summer, but back to my f i rs t c l o s e i n s e s s i o n … W i t h t h e
weather basking hot , I had d e c i de d to t a rg e t a s m a ll c o rn e r o f
t h e massive expanse o f the m ai n la ke . T h i s ba r a n d p l a te a u c overed corner was a perfe ct a re a to m ake a s t a rt . S t i l l w i t h
my trusted 1.2mm halibut p e l le t s s o a ke d i n B a i t Te c tu n a a n d
k r ill oil, I’d decided to fish a ll t hre e ro d s o n a p rev i o u s ly ve ry
p roductive gravel bar that s tre tc he d s o m e 8 0 ya rd s a c ro s s t h e
e n tire swim. There was p le n ty o f ro o m fo r th re e ro ds – s a m e
m i ndset , one baited area, t h re e ch a n ce s o f a p i c k- u p . I t’ s
n o t how most fish but cert ai n ly my p re fe rre d a p p ro ac h ove r
p revious years on these u l tra -d i f f i c u lt R i n g wo o d l ow s to c k
p i ts. All three rods set with s h al low wa te r i n m i n d , I wa s f in a l ly
o n my way to trying so me th i n g d i f fe re n t . I wa s n o t ex p ec t i n g
m uch action, as it really wa s b a ki n g ho t o n my s e c on d d ay i n to
my session.
Sat on my bed chair sun b a t hi n g , al l o f a s u d d en o n e o f my
ro ds was away. Bearing in m i n d i t wa s 1 : 3 0 p m an d 3 0 d e g re e s ,
I was sure the sun had coo ke d my b ra i n g e t ti n g a t ake i n t h o s e
FREELINE 42
