freeline-97 - Flipbook - Page 195
RYAN McGREGOR
a c ross the surface. I manag e d to ge t i t away fro m t h e ke l p , b u t
t h e reeds were the next pl a ce o f c al l, a nd w i t h i n te n mi n u te s ,
t h e fish had darted into th em , a n d th e h o o ke d p u l l ed .
The rest of the night wa s u n eve n tf u l , b u t I c o u l d st i l l h ea r
t h em crashing further ou t to my l e f t . I wa s awa re t h at th e
b l oke to my left , in the sw i m k n ow n as t h e Po i n t , wa s l eav i n g
e a rly that morning, and a t f i r s t li gh t , I wa s ro u n d t h e re w i t h
my bucket reserving the sw i m.
I was on the move and by 1 2 p m , I wa s s e t u p i n t h e p o i n t .
I t felt different , with more wa te r to wo rk w i t h , a n d w i th th e
c o nditions completely diffe re n t f ro m th e p as t fe w we e ks , I fe l t
ve ry hopeful. After a quick le a d a b o u t , I fo u n d t h re e s p ot s a l l
h a rd up to the kelp and we ed al l s p re ad ac ro s s t h e sw i m a n d
a t different ranges, with th e f u rt he s t be i n g 1 0 0 ya rd s a n d t h e
s h ortest at 65. Before putt i n g th e ro d s o u t , I a ga i n s t ar te d w i th
fo ur small Spombs o f the Pa ci f i c Tu n a b o i li e s a n d pe l l et s o n
t wo spots and scattered 1 kg o f b o i l i es o n t h e o t h e r. I d ec i d e d
to rest the swim, as I was awa re t ha t t he re h a d b e e n s o me o n e
i n the swim all week.
I put the rods back out ab o u t 3 p m , a n d by 9 pm , I was s t a rt i n g
to wonder what was going o n . T he c o n d i t i o n s s e e me d p e rfe c t
– overcast , 10mph sout hwe ste rl i es a n d p re s s u re a ro u n d
1 0 03/1005.
I was fishing 14mm No r th e r n S p ec i a l i n ye l l ow an d wh i te
a n d decided I would drop d ow n to 1 2 mm , wh i c h wa s p la c ed
o n my trusty and most reli a b le p o p - u p r i g – th e 3 6 0 . Fo r t h i s
r i g I use the Fox Camotex s o f t 2 5 l b l i gh t ca m o b ra id d ow n to
a Fox size 11 flexi ring sw ive l a tt a ch e d to a Fox s i z e 4 Cu rve
M edium. I find that o ut of al l t h e h o o ks I h ave u s e d , t h e Fox
Cu rve Medium seems to si t j u s t p e r fe ct a n d a t t h e r i gh t an gl e
FR E ELINE 83
