freeline-97 - Flipbook - Page 154
DARREN BLUNT
was soon plotted up in Jay ’ s B o a rd s . T h i s sw i m h ad b e e n k i n d
to me, having captured T h e Ha ms te r at 4 0 l b f ro m t h e re t h e
p revious year. I was up ea rly a n d s ca n n i n g t h e wa te r, b u t a l l
was quiet . As the day wen t by, my a t te n ti o n wa s d raw n to an
a rea between Spotters an d T h e Wo o d s , an d t h ey we re t h e re .
M y gear packed and I was o n t h e move . I kn e w a fe w h a rd s p o ts
o u t in the lake from the p rev i o us ye ar a n d wa s h o p in g t h e
weed wouldn’t mess up my p la n s . Ro d s o u t i n t wo c a st s … m e ga
d rops… oh, happy days. O n c e a ga i n t h e n i gh t p a s s e d w i t h n o
s i gns they were still in and a ro u n d t h e a re a. U n ex p ec te d ly th e
l e ft-hand rod was away t we n ty mi n u te s la te r, a n d a s to c k i e
was soon netted and retur n e d wi t h n o f u s s .
That evening a little soc i a l wa s h a d i n M i ck y G ray ’s sw i m ,
a n d watered and fed, I was i tc hi ng to g e t b a ck to th e sw i m . Two
c a sts later and a good help i n g o f Tre n t B a i ts Fre s h S h ri m p , a n d
i t was watch and wait tim e. U p e arly aga i n t h e n ex t m o rn i n g ,
a n d it was a repeat of the n i gh t b e fo re .. . al l q u i et o n D i n to n .
T h e bobbin on the left-han d ro d th e n s l owly c l i m b e d, a n d I
was once again connected to a c arp , b u t t h is fe l t c o mp l e te ly
d i f ferent , heavy and with a p u rp o s e . T h i s f i s h fo u gh t h a rd fo r
f i f teen minutes... Three atte mp t s to n e t t he f i s h ha d t h e vo i c e
i n my head saying, “ Please s t ay o n ! ” A f te r ga i n i n g f u l l c o n t ro l ,
I managed to guide the fis h i n to my n et . . . re l i e f a n d e l a t i o n .
A quick look into the net a n d my eye s we re m e t w i t h t h e mo s t
p e rfect looking carp. I’d cau gh t S o n o f Tr i p l e Row. A fe w tex t s
to my good friend Ben, and h e arr ive d i n my sw i m . At a we i gh t
o f 46lb 4oz, the fish looke d a ma z i n g – b la c k s h o u l d e rs , b row n
b e lly and golden scales – t h e f i s h wa s p e rfe ct i o n . P h o to s we re
t a ken, and Son of Triple Row wa s s o o n re le a s e d b a c k i n t h e
d e pths of Dinton “
FREELINE 42
