freeline-95 - Flipbook - Page 180
ADAM SPILLER
I ’ d been baiting in the we ek . A c h o i c e h a d to b e m a d e , an d
I decided on a move. T ha t eve n i n g, t hre e f re s h ly s ha rp e n ed
s n owman rigs were po si ti o ne d o ut o n to th e s p o t w i t h a fe w
m ore handfuls of boilie ove r th e to p j u s t to b e s u re I h a d b ai t
over the rods in case I ha d b ee n c l ea re d o u t f ro m t h e n i gh t
b e fore.
First light rolled around o n t h e t hi rd mo r n i n g , a n d t h e a la r ms
h a d remained silent . By th i s p o i n t , I st i l l h a d ye t to eve n s e e a
c a rp show, so you can imag i n e my s u rp r i s e wh e n 8 . 3 0a m ro l l ed
a round and my right hand ro d s t a r te d s cre am i n g away a t m e!
I n my haste to the rods, I fo rg o t my wa de rs by t h e b iv vy, a n d
w i th a camo net between m e an d t h e ro d s , t h ere wa s n o way
I was reaching them. So o f f t he b o o t s a n d t ro u s e rs c a me , a n d
o u t into the water I went . I’ m su re n o rm al ly I wo u l d h ave b e e n
s c reaming in pain walking a c ro s s al l t h e g rave l b a re fo o t , b u t
w i th the adrenaline p ump i n g a n d h o o ke d i nto wh a t fel t l i ke a
p owerful f ish, I was actual ly a bl e to wa de ac ro s s m o s t o f t h e
way to where the fish was h o ld i n g o u t a t , no d o u b t t ry i n g to
t a ke me out around so me b uoys g ive n t h e c h a n c e. Howeve r I
q u ickly closed down onto i t .
I was about ten yards fro m i t wh en a m as s ive s e t o f s h o u l d e rs
b roke the surface. This wa s wh en I re al i s e d n o t o n ly wa s I
h o oked into my first carp f ro m t he p i t b u t a l s o a ch u n k . M y P B
a t this point at this point wa s 3 7 l b , a n d I ’d l a n d e d a l ow 40
fo r a good mate of mine a c o u p le ye ars b a ck s o k n e w wh a t a
d e cent carp looked like, b u t th i s th i n g dwa rfe d even t h o s e . I
t h en spotted it had a half l i n ea r s ca l e p a tte rn d ow n i ts s i d es .
I knew of one big carp for c e rt ai n t h at h ad t h i s s c a l e p a tte rn !
T h is is when my knees st a r te d to s ha ke a n d n e rve s g ot t h e
b e tter of me. When I went to n e t i t , I’ d g o t t h e w ro n g s i d e o f
FREELINE 44
