freeline-95 - Flipbook - Page 219
ROBIN MONDAY
h e clipped over the line b et we en t he b u tt r i n g a n d t h e n ex t
r i ng up the rod. The rods we re b a la n c ed , we l l o f f th e g ro u n d ,
o n two rod rests with rub b er M i c key M o u s e e ar s a t t h e f ro n t
a n d two back rests suppor t i n g t h e b ut t s. B ai t s we re f re e l i n ed
b a lls of paste that had be en p re -b o i l e d i n wa te r to s to p t h e
b ream from feeding o n th e m an d ca s t a ro u n d t h i rt y ya rd s
o u t into the lake. We sat p a t i en t ly wa i ti ng , wh i l e b i rd s s a n g
a n d the mist rose up and d r i f te d ove r t h e l a ke . Al as n o th i n g
h a ppened, but we both h ad a me m o ra b le s e s s i o n re c a p p i n g
o u r childhood.
Another trip was planned fo r a n eve n i n g se s s i o n th e fo l l ow i n g
week. Paul hoped to borrow o n e o f h i s m a te ’ s ro d s s o t h a t I
c o uld have a go myself. Paul ’ s m ate D i c k a rr ive d w i t h t h e ro d s ,
b u t he had decided to fish hi m s el f , wh i c h le f t m e a s a s p ect a to r
a gain. Darkness soon fell, a n d a s t he ba i t s h a d n o t b ee n v i s i te d
by any carp, Paul and Di c k d e ci de d to wa lk ro u n d t h e l a ke
to see ano ther friend fi sh i n g o n th e o t he r s i d e o f b i g l a ke . I
was now in charge of four b a i te d ro d s wh i le t h ey wen t o f f to
s e e Fred. I had been given i n s t r u ct i o n s o n wh a t to d o s h o u l d
a nything happen but was to l d to s h o u t an d t h ey wo u l d c o m e
r u nning back. I reckon they mu s t h ave j u st re a c h e d Fre d wh e n
o n e of Dick’s yellow bottle to p s lu rc he d upwa rd s towa rd s h i s
ro d. When it reached the ro d , I s t r uc k , a n d al l h e l l b ro ke l o o s e .
I c annot recall much of wh at ha p p e n e d a f te r I c a l l ed fo r h e l p ,
b u t it seemed an eternity b efo re th ey re tu r n e d to th e sw i m . I
was still hanging on for g r i m d ea t h a s my n ew p e r s o n a l b e s t
f i s h wallowed in the marg i n s , D i c k n et te d t h e f i s h an d t h e n
weighed it in at 13lb 1 2oz. M y f i r s t m i r ro r ca rp e nc o u n te r wa s
over, and little did I realis e th a t I h a d j us t s t a r te d o n t h e ro a d
to becoming a carp angler. L a te r o n , I ha d a v is i t f ro m Fre d , th e
FR E ELINE 83
