freeline-97 - Flipbook - Page 184
LEE GRIFFIN
b o bbin was bouncing up an d d ow n . A s I l i f te d t h e rod , t h e t i p
was tapping away, and sti ll I t ho ugh t i t wa s a te n c h , b u t t h e re
was a bit of weight to it , a n d th e n th i s m as s ive c o m mo n j u s t
ro lled in front of me. M y k n ee s we n t , a nd i n a bl i nk o f a n eye
s h e was in my net! I was s p e e c hl e ss a s I l o o ke d d own i n to th e
n e t … All along, I’d played t h i s b i g c o m mo n l i ke i t wa s a te n c h ,
a n d oh, how I was so than k f ul i t wa sn’ t .
As I lifted her out of th e wa te r a n d o n to t h e wa i t in g ma t ,
i t was obvious this was on e o f t h e A- te am . I p e el e d away t h e
m esh and looked in awe, fi n d i n g my s i z e 5 h o o k h a d a b s o lu te ly
n a iled her in the bottom l i p . A f te r a q u i ck l oo k a t h e r d o rs a l ,
i t was clear it was o ne ca ll e d “ t h e Ho l e i n t h e D o r s a l ”, o n e I
d e arly wanted in my albu m. Wi t h t h e s li ng re a dy a n d sc a l e s
z e roed, I hoisted her up , a n d th e ne e d le sw u n g p as t 4 0 a n d
s e ttled at 46lb 8oz – targ e t we ll a n d t ru ly c o m p l ete – a n d
w i th her back on the mat , a fe w f i s t p u mp s fo l l owe d . W i t h
h e r resting in the sling in th e de e p ma rg i n fo r a fe w mi n u te s ,
I set up my camera equip me n t a n d t he s p o t l i gh t to do s o me
s e lf-takes. Normally doing s e l f -t ake s i s n’ t a p ro b le m , b u t I ’ ve
n ever had to do them with a P B b e fo re , so I g o t h e r o u t , l i f te d
h e r up, and thankfully go t th e b e s t p i c t u re s I c o u ld ma n a ge .
I t was time for her to go b ac k h o m e, a n d a f te r a few s n ap s i n
t h e sling and a kiss on the h e ad , s h e p owe re d away b a c k to t h e
d e ep. Wow, what a momen t – o n e I’ l l n eve r fo rg e t – a n d w i t h
n o further action, I packed away a n d wa s o n t h e way h o m e a t
9 : 30 one very happy carp an gl er.
I t just goes to show tha t eve n w i th l i mi te d t i m e, yo u c a n
a c hieve your targets. My B u n dy ’ s adve n tu re w i l l c o nt i n u e , a s
t h ere are at least three bi g g e r c o mm o n s h i d i n g i n th e d e p t h s
o f this special lake.
FREELINE 72
