freeline-96 - Flipbook - Page 246
BOBBY
JACK
THOMPSON
COOTE
a ny big ones. So witho ut wa st i n g t i m e, I ca rr i ed o n wa l k i n g
a round the park and popp ed i n to t h i s l i t tl e b ay o n t h e b a c k
o f the lake. I climbed the tre e o n t h e e d ge o f t h e b a n k to g e t a
b e tter look over the bushe s a n d c o u ld s ee a c o u p l e o f g o o d f i s h
p a rtnered with one that l o o ke d c o n si d e ra b ly b i g g e r. Arm e d
w i th just a packet of ho o ks a n d a lo a f , I d i d n’ t t hi n k I wa s
g o ing to be able to get the b re ad o ut fa r e n ou gh .
A few minutes pass ed, an d t h e te mp t a ti o n g re w s t ro nge r to
h ave a cast at the fish, as e i th e r way h e wa s g o i n g to d i s a p p e a r
s h ortly. I pinched on a bi g ge r b i t o f b re ad a ro u n d t h e h o o k
to get a slightly heavi er b a i t to c a st , le a n t b ac k a n d c a s t i t
a s far as possible, and to my s ur p r i s e I m a d e t h e d i s ta n c e
w i th it landing a coup le o f fe et to th e s i d e o f t h e b i g g e r f i s h .
I t certainly disturbed him, an d ju s t a s I t h o u gh t I ’ d ru i n e d
my chance, the fish tur ne d towa rd s th e s l owly s i n k in g b re a d
a n d sucked it in. I was so am a ze d a n d i n s ho c k t h a t I fe l t my
re actions were slightly be h i n d o n t he st ri ke , o r m ayb e i t wa s
t h e sore head, but I did m a ke c o n t a ct wi t h i t , a n d t h e f i s h
went absolutely mad, takin g li n e an d ru n n i n g s t ra i gh t i n to t h e
s n ags. I kept steady pressu re o n an d ma n ag ed to ke ep t h e f i s h
m oving, which is half the s e cre t .
W hen it came free, I waste d n o t i m e g o i n g fo r i t , wh i c h l u c k i ly
e n ded up with a net full o f a n am a zi n g o l d d ark m i rro r. I j u s t
was totally amazed at wh at wa s ly i ng i n t h e m e s h , a t y p e
o f carp that doesn’t come a ro u n d t ha t o f te n . W i th th e p a rk
g e tting busy, I wasted no t i me g et t i n g th e f i s h we igh e d a n d
p h otographed, and to my a m az e me n t , i t we n t ove r t h e 3 0 l b
b a rrier. W hat a fish, and wh at a way to c atc h i t ! I t wa s t h e
m ost incredible old, dark wa rr i o r t ha t ha d be e n l eft a l o n e fo r
ye ars and years.
FREELINE 102
