freeline-96 - Flipbook - Page 200
APRIL CHIVERTON
A f ter a few big storms the we ek b efo re , t h e h o t we a t h e r wa s
b a ck, and so was I. I arrive d a t th e la ke m i d - a f te rn o o n an d
fo und only a few cars in th e c ar p a rk o f my sy n d i c a te , s o I
g rabbed my bucket and wa lke d d ow n to th e s h a l l ow e nd o f t h e
l a ke where I found a few b i g f i sh mi l li ng a ro u n d , h a p py b u t
n o t feeding. I climbed one o f t h e tre es a n d l oo ke d ove r a h u g e
weed bed, and then out o f th e co r n er o f my eye , I s p o t te d a
b i g mirror as it cruised un d e r n ea t h me . I t he n s aw a mas s ive
c o mmon join it . This carp l o o ke d li ke a re al l u m p , a n d I a l m o s t
fe ll out of the tree! I scra mb l ed to t he f lo o r a n d d ro p p e d my
b u cket into the same swim a s t h e l a st s e s s i on .
I set up and found the sa me s p o t s a s l a st t i m e, b u t t h e o n e
d i f ference was the lead we n t dow n wi th a c ra c k , s o I t h o u gh t
t h e carp must have been fe ed i n g o n my b a i t f ro m th e s e s s i o n
b e fore. I baited my po p-u p r i g s , b a la n c ed i t o u t w it h s o m e
p u tty, and I cast them out o n to my sp o ts i n t h e m a rg i n s a n d
u n der a tree, and then like b efo re , I b a i te d h e av i ly. T h e eve n i n g
p a ssed with only a few ble e p s , b ut I wa s c onv i n c e d th a t th e
c a rp were feeding on the bai t . A s d ark n es s fe ll , t he ro d s b e c a me
d o rmant , and a sense calm c a me ove r t h e l a ke .
I was awake at first light , wa i ti ng w i th a c u p o f c o f fe e in my
h a nd, when my right hand ro d j u st we n t i n to m e l td ow n a n d
a huge bow wave erupted f ro m my b a i te d sp o t . I wa s o n t h e
ro d in a flash, and it rippe d o f f a ro u n d 3 0 ya rd s of l i n e on t h e
f i rst run. This was big! Th e f i s h c ra sh e d t hro u gh th re e we e d
b e ds, leaving a trail of de s tr u c t i o n b eh i n d i t . I wa s n ow te n
m i nutes into the fight , and th e f i s h wa s s ti l l s o s t ro n g. T h e n I
s aw a huge flank turn in the wa te r, a nd my kn ee s wen t to j e l ly.
I k new this was a big fish … I wa s n ow s h ak i n g ! T h i s c a rp d i d
n o t want to give up! I slipp e d o n my c h e st wa d e rs , g ra b b ed t h e
FREELINE 56
