freeline-96 - Flipbook - Page 196
ADRIAN
BOBBY COOTE
WINTLE
T h e f o l l o w i n g m o r n i n g , t h e r i g h t r o d w a s a w a y. I t f e l t h e a v y
and put up a good scrap. I netted it and recognised it straight
a w a y a s a f i s h c a l l e d ‘ B r o k e n L i n’, a n o t h e r 4 0 I b’ e r a n t 4 3 I b
4oz. I knew this session was turning into something very
special. A few more stockies had their pictures taken, and
I topped up the swim with another few kilos of bait. I went
for a shower after all the action, did a lap of the lake, and
s a w a m i r r o r k n o w n a s ‘ N o N a m e ’ i n S u n n y m e a d s c o r n e r.
It’s got a two-tone colour so easily recognisable. It looked
huge, and when I got back to the swim, I joked to Carl that
it would be in my net by morning.
At around 4am the followin g m o r n i n g , t h e r i gh t ro d ri p p e d o f f ,
a n d I could feel it was ano t he r g o o d ’ un’. A s i t n e a re d th e n et , I
s aw the two-tone colour a n d k n e w i t wa s N o N a m e. I co u l d n’ t
b e lieve my luck! This wa s s o m e th i n g el s e! I t we n t ove r t h e
n e t cord safely, and No Nam e wa s m i n e. We g o t i t o n t h e m a t ,
a n d the frame of the f ish wa s h ug e . We we i gh e d i t at 43 I b
6 o z, and I went home in an a b so lu te da ze . I ’ d h ad 1 8 f i s h ove r
t h ree nights and five more o f t he ‘A-Te am’. Co n s i d er i n g I h a d
j o i ned Wraysbury hoping to g et t h ro u gh t h e s e a s o n ca tc h i n g
j u st one of the gems, I have exc ee d e d my ex p e c t a t i on s a n d fe e l
ve ry pleased with myself. S i n c e th e n , I ’ve h a d a c o u p l e mo re
s e ssions, and by mid-July h a d to t a ll ed u p 5 2 f i s h . S a d ly, d u e
to other commitments, I h ave n’ t b ee n a b l e to g e t ove r to t h e
l a ke lately, but as autumn ap p ro a c he s , I am re a dy a n d wa i t i n g
to see how the next few m o n th s p an o u t , a n d t h e h u n t fo r
t h e elusive King Fun gus an d J a cko’ s c o n ti n u e s … a n d s u re ly my
f i rst blank.
T i ght lines,
Adrian.
FREELINE 52
