freeline-95 - Flipbook - Page 206
ROBIN DIX
Although I could have co n t i n ue d to b a i t t h e s m a l l pa tc h i n
t h e corner of the lake, I wa n te d to tr y a n d f i n d a s p o t d ow n t h e
fa r end of the lake, near th e b a r s , t ha t wo u ld n o t b e d i s t u rb e d
w i th the noise of June 1 6 t h . T h i s wo u ld m ea n a l o t o f t h e c l o s e
s e ason would again be sp e n t u p va ri o u s t re e s , wa tc h i n g t h e
p a trol routes that these fis h to o k . L ow d en s i t y s to c k i n g o f fe rs
a whole new group of prob l em s . Yo u n ow h ave to l e a r n to t h i n k
l i ke the fish… Yes, it is po ss i b l e to b ai t s p o t s i n o p e n wa te r,
b u t often this is wasted b a i ti n g , w i th i t e i th e r b e i n g e a te n by
d u cks or tench. You may s e e ca r p c ru i s e ove r t h es e s p o t s , b u t
i t is not a natural area fo r t h em to fe ed i n , s o a ga i n I re ga rd
t h is as a waste of time.
The lake in the close seas o n wa s a q u i e t p la c e to be . T h e f i s h
c o ntinued to follow their n a tu ra l p a t hs an d we re q u i te h a p py
fo r me to watch them perc he d i n a t re eto p . T h e c l o s e s t p l a c e
fo r me to intercept them wa s th e to p b a r. I wa s a b le to wa tc h
t h em swim along the bar j u s t un d e r t h e s u rfa c e , b u t wo u l d
l o se them in the sun’s glare . I t h ap p en e d to o m a ny t i m es to b e
a coincidence, and thi s on ly l ef t o n e mo re t h i n g for m e to d o :
g e t in the lake with them.
Please don’t get me wron g ; I wo u ld n o t c o n d o n e t h i s p ra c t i ce
n ow, but most of the water wa s n o t mu c h m o re t h a n a n k l e d e e p .
I walked along the bar to t h e p o i n t th a t th ey wo u l d d i s ap p ea r,
a n d lo and behold I found a s te p d ow n i n th e b a r, so f t , s q u i d gy
a n d full of food, and I kn e w t h at wa s my sp o t . I p u t a s m a l l
s t i ck in the bar to mark the s p o t . I wa s n ow a b l e to b a i t exa c t ly
where I wanted it in one o f t h ei r n at u ra l l a rd e rs .
No need to change my base mix, though I did think about
changing the flavour. Rod Hutchinson asked me what I was looking
for, and I really wanted to use a Juicy Fruit Bubblegum flavour,
FREELINE 70