freeline-94 - Flipbook - Page 162
ED TYMAN
I had become to what I wa s re ad i n g , wa tc h i n g , l i k i ng an d
s h aring! During my first fe w we eks o n th e wa te r, I ju s t we n t
i n with preconceived i dea s a b o u t wh at wo u l d wo rk a n d wh a t
wouldn’t . I was impatient a n d u lt i m ate ly p a i d a h e av y p ri c e .
We will co me to that later.
Without question if you lo o k a t wh at s ep ara te s a g re a t a n gl e r
f rom an average one, it’s th e a b i l i ty to a d ap t to t h e c o n d i t i o n s
r i ght in front of you. T he a b i l i ty to ac t ua l ly u n d e rs t a n d t h e
to pography of the lakebed , m ove me n t o f t he c a rp , u nd e rs t an d
t h e incoming weather or p erh ap s t he b eh av i o u r o f you r fe l l ow
a n glers! The list is endle s s , b u t i t ’ s t h e a b i l i t y to d i g e s t i t
a l l and make sometimes su b t le a n d o c c as i o na l ly h u g e ch a n g e s
t h at allows great anglers to b e b e tte r t h an t h e re s t .
So it was back earlier at t he s t a r t o f t he s e a s o n towa rd s t h e
e n d of spr ing when I got my ha n d s o n my ti c ke t . T h e n o rm a l
G o ogling for information, fo r u m re ad i n g a n d t h e o c c a si o n al
walk round the lake kept m e b u sy b e fo re ha n d , b u t t h e d ay h a d
f i nally arrived, and I unlo cke d th e h e av y s te e l ga te s fo r t h e
f i rst time with the buzz you o n ly g et f ro m e n te ri n g a n e w wa te r
fo r the first time. As I drove th e ha l f -m i le d ow n t h e b u m py,
p o t hole filled track past th e g rave l wo rks , I fe l t c o n f i d e nt a n d
h u ngry to prove I had the r i gh t s ki ll s to c atc h s o me o f t h e s e
s t unning Norfolk carp.
The complex consisted o f s eve n l a ke s, b u t I d e ci d e d to t a c k l e
o n e of the smaller, tap -wa te r c le a r, f ive -a c re p i t s , a s a l t h o u gh
n o t home to the biggest fis h o n s i te , I fe lt t hey we re by fa r t h e
b e st looking. After an hou r o r s o le a di n g a ro u n d , I f l i c ke d my
g o -to pop-up rigs out , mo un te d a wh i te p o p -u p a n d sa t b a c k ,
a l most arrogant and certa i n ly i g n o ra n t to my s u rro un d i n g s .
T h is was my normal appro a c h o n p rev i o us wa te rs , a n d I h a d
FREELINE 52
