freeline-105 - Flipbook - Page 236
DANNY HOLLAND
by Neil, who I owe a hug e th a n k yo u to , as t h i s sw i m i s s o
awkward due to bankside o b s ta c le s . I t’ s a n i gh t m a re to s ay
t h e least .
M y h e a r t wa s t h u m p i n g a s N e i l i n fo r m e d m e i t wa s a g o o d
o n e . We g o t h e r o n t h e m a t , a n d j u s t by c h a n c e , D ro i d t h e
h e a d b a i l i f f wa s h av i n g a wa n d e r a ro u n d a n d i m m e d i a t e ly
re c o g n i s e d t h e f i s h t o b e t h e o n e c a l l e d t h e S e r g e a n t , a s i t
h a d t h re e ve r y d i s t i n c t s c a l e s o n o n e s i d e l i ke a s e r g e a n t ’ s
s t r i p e s . S h e t i p p e d t h e s c a l e s a t a m a s s ive 4 5 l b 1 2 o z , a n d I
wa s a b s o l u t e ly g o b s m a c ke d . I c o u l d n’ t b e l i eve my l u c k ! I t
wa s j u s t a n i n c re d i b l e f i s h a n d o n e o f t h e l a ke ’ s ra re v i s i t o r s
t o t h e b a n k , I wa s s o p l e a s e d .
I c o n t i n u e d i n t h i s a re a fo r t h e n ex t m o n t h a n d d i d n’ t s o
m u c h a s s e e a f i s h i n my a re a , l e t a l o n e c a t c h o n e . T h e f i s h
t u r n e d u p i n n u m b e r s o u t i n f ro n t o f my o l d favo u r i t e s w i m ,
p e g 4 2 , t h e c o m p l e t e o p p o s i t e e n d t o t h e p rev i o u s ye a r. I t
j u s t g o e s t o s h o w t h e y h o l d a l l t h e c a rd s a n d we c a n o n ly
h o p e . T h i s wa s t o b e t h e e n d o f my t i m e o n Ro c k fo rd a f t e r
a fo u r - ye a r q u e s t . I d i d n’ t q u i t e m a n a g e t o c a t c h t h e m i g h t y
Single Scale, but I did manage to catch some spectacular big
f i s h a n d fo r m s o m e l i fe l o n g f r i e n d s h i p s w i t h g uys I s t i l l t a l k
t o re g u l a r ly t o d a t e .
I wo u l d l i ke t o t h a n k yo u a l l fo r t a k i n g t h e t i m e t o re a d
t h i s a r t i c l e a s m u c h a s I ’ ve e n j oye d w r i t i n g i t . I a m n o w o n
my way b a c k t o a n o t h e r g i a n t wa t e r w i t h j u s t a fe w i n , s o
h o p e f u l ly we w i l l m e e t a g a i n . T i g h t l i n e s t o yo u a l l , a n d m ay
a l l yo u r d re a m s c o m e t r u e .
Thanks,
D a n ny.
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