freeline-98 - Flipbook - Page 152
BILL PHILLIPS
q u arry, seeing, hearing, se n s i n g an d eve n s me l l i n g i t c a n b e
i m mense. I realise that suc h p l a ce s d o st i l l ex i s t b u t a re l i ke ly
to be in the form of exclu s ive c lo se d s h o p , c o s t p ro h i b i t ive
sy ndicates.
A nother aspect so close to my h e art b a c k i n th e d ay wa s ma rg i n
c r ust fishing for clooping c a r p . M a ny o f to d ay ’ s c arp a n gl e r s
w i ll never have had the op p o r tu n i t y to p re se n t a f lo a t i n g b a i t
to that beautiful sound of a s u r fa ce fe ed i n g c a r p fo l l owe d by
t h e heart stopping wrench o n th e ro d wh en t h e t a ke o c c u r s .
To try and portray the esse n c e o f t he m ag i c t h a t was ava il a b l e
to all who were prepared to l o o k , I t ake yo u b a c k to th e e a rly /
m i d-seventies and a wate r t ha t gave al l th e a b ove an d s o m e ,
t h e club pond.
I g uess I was fortunate livi ng i n Ke n t a t t he t im e w i t h a h o s t o f
k n own carp waters potenti a l ly ava i la b le to m e . Howeve r, I wa s
aware of a small pon d very c lo se to my h o m e t h a t wa s a l l e g e d
to hold a few big carp , whi c h wa s o f m o re t ha n a l itt l e i n te re s t
to me. The pond was an old b r i ck p i t o f l es s t h a n a c o u p l e o f
a c res nestled in the middle o f a h o us i n g e s ta te . S ou n d s aw f u l
I k now, but due to a high fe n ce , t re es a n d d e n s e u nd e rg row t h
yo u would never know i t ex i s te d. M y f i r s t re c c e wa s i n th e
s u mmer of 1973, achieved by c li m b i n g t h e fe n c e a n d c rawl i n g
t h rough the bushes. A s soo n as I la i d eye s o n t h e pl a c e I k n e w
I h ad to get a ticket . Standi n g o n a h i gh b a nk l o o ki n g d ow n wa s
t h is beautiful lily clad po o l wi t h a m a ss o f o l d t re e s n a g s to
my right , I could make out a fe w da rk s ha p e s d ri f tin g b e t we e n
t h e old dead branches. I c l i mb e d a t re e a b ove t h e sn a g s a n d
ga zed down into the enta n gl ed b ra n ch e s to s e e a h a n d f u l o f
c a rp that appeared to be i n th e t we n ty- p lu s bra c ke t . T h es e
were very big fish in those d ays .
FREELINE 30
