freeline-97 - Flipbook - Page 188
MIKE BRIDGES
9 8 6mb of air pressure, the f i r st t i me i t h a d b e en un d e r 1 0 2 0
i n months. Upon arrival, th e wh i te fo a m f ly i n g a n d t h e s i gh t o f
b i g waves that a win dsurfe r wo u ld b e p ro u d o f h a d me t h i n k i n g
t h at there was a massive w i n d ow o f o p p o r tu n i ty s t a ri n g m e i n
t h e face. The lake had be en f i s h i n g ve r y s lowly i n d e e d , l i ke
m ost places since I’d o bta i n e d my ti c ke t . F ive n i ght s i n , I h a d
n ever felt close to catchi ng o n e , wi t h o nly te n c h to my n a m e,
b u t I used the time wi sely i n re ga rd s to re c o n n a i s s a n c e by
f i s hing different areas of t h e l a ke i n o rd er to l o ca te l i ke ly
a reas.
My confidence was furthe r bo o s te d wh en i t b e c a me ap p are n t
a couple had been caught f ro m di f fe re n t a re a s o f t h e l a ke a n d
t h at they had been very a c t ive i n th e ni gh t , wh i c h wa s n o
s u rprise, as this weather wa s a di f fe re n t b e as t a l to g e t h e r. I
d ropped into a swim I’d n eve r f i s h e d b e fo re i n o rd e r to g e t
r i ght on the end of the eve r i n cre as i n g SW w i n d , b ut I s e t
a b out fishing it complete ly d i f fe re n tly u p o n l o c a t i n g a d e e p
s i l t depression at what is c l o s e ra n ge fo r t h at p a r ti c u l a r sw i m .
Three multi rigs were fa n n ed o u t ove r t h e z o n e , fo l l owe d
by a few hours of baitin g u p wi t h a th row i n g s t i c k , fo u n d
m e content and at peace t h a t f ro m a n a n gli n g p e r s p e c t ive I
c o uld do no more. A few ho ur s p as s e d, an d t h e w i n d a n d ra i n
b e came relentless and sava g e, s o mu c h i n fa c t t h a t my b ro l ly
was smashed to pieces, lite ra lly b e i n g h e ld u p by i ts p e g gi n g
a n d connected storm pole s. I n t he eve n i n g fo r a b rief t i m e
t h e wind s eemed to subsid e, s o I d e c i de d to re c a s t w i t h f re s h
h o okbaits and obtain a b e tte r l i n e l ay. T h e n i gh t prove d to
b e a very long one, as I b as i c a lly h a d to s it p e rc h e d on my
b e dchair holding on to my bro l ly o r i t wo u ld h ave be e n b l ow n
away and out of the water p a rk . M y f ri e n d Re g h a d ca u ght o n e
FREELINE 76
