freeline-107 - Flipbook - Page 192
CHARLIE CUNNINGHAM
u p until the start of M arc h, s o I t h o ugh t i t wa s g o i n g to b e
to ugh, especially after cu t ti n g t hro u gh my h a n d to t h e b o n e
w i th a hatchet only two we eks b efo re . A f r i e n d an d I g o t se t u p
o n the main point of the la ke , f i sh i n g s o m e o f t h e m ai n a re a s
t h at have done me well ove r ti m e , f i s h i n g w i t h my tr u s ty h o m e
c o oked particles and the eve r fa i th f u l D y n a mi te Co m p l ex-T
ra nge. All we could do was wa i t …
The first morning came, a n d a t ha l f p as t f ive , I s t ru ck … I t
was all very sudden, but I fo u n d mys el f i n b at t l e w i t h t h e f i r s t
l a goon fish of the year, sc re am i n g my m ate ’s n a me a t th e to p
o f my voic e to wake him u p a n d l et h i m k n ow t h e s i t u a t i o n . I
c o uldn’t play and land f ish , a s I ha d s t i tc he s i n my l ef t h a n d . I t
was all so sudden, but in sh e we n t , j u s t s hy o f 21 lb – fa n t a s t i c !
B a ck to bed I went , and two h o u r s l ate r, I fo u n d mys e l f p l ay i n g
a n other fish – the rain wa s ho r re n do us ! I a c t u a l ly p l aye d t h e
f i s h in the bivvy until it g o t cl o s e r i n , b u t t h a t p l a n d i d n’ t g o
well. I knew it was a decen t f i s h a s s o o n as i t s ta rte d s t r i p p i n g
l i ne off the reel, taki ng m e ro u n d i n to t he B a c k B ay. I wa s
h o ping and praying it staye d o n , a n d af te r a l o n g fi gh t , i n to
t h e net she went . We loo ke d a t e ac h o th e r… h mm … t h at ’ s a
b i t bigger! It was a lovely da rk mi rro r we i gh i n g 2 4 l b 8o z –
fa ntastic! In the sling she we n t a n d i t wa s b a c k to b e d fo r m e …
This time only an hour l ate r, I fo u n d mys el f p l ay i n g a n o t h e r
f i s h! After a short battle, i n to t he n et i t we n t a s m a l l 13 l b
c o mmon, probably a fish th a t e sc a p e d i n th e f l o o d s f ro m t h e
p o nd over the other side of t h e t ra ck . T h ere we re a fe w o f t h e m
i n there… Fast forward to t he n ex t n i gh t , a n d I wa s awo ke n i n
t h e early hours, and again h a d t wo b i te s d u r i n g t h e n i gh t – a
l o ng, lean 22lb common an d th e mo st b e a ut i f u l m i rror o f 1 8l b
8 o z with so many shades o f c o l o u r o n h i m . Id e a l ly I wa n te d to
FREELINE 74
