freeline-98 - Flipbook - Page 192
LEE GRIFFIN
BILL
DICK
PAUL
PHILLIPS
WILKINSON
GAYNER
s p awned from the original s to c k a t j u st ove r 17 l b s , a n d a ga i n ,
o n ce several photos had bee n ta ke n a n d I’ d b a i te d up a ga i n , th e
t i me had flown to around m i d day. J u st a f te r m i d d ay, I re c e ive d
a n other bite, and after ano th e r e p i c b a tt l e, a n o t h er mi rro r l ay
o n the mat at 25lbs. It loo ke d li ke t he Pe rc h, b u t I wa s u n s u re ,
a s the Perch was normally aro u n d t he 3 0 l b b a rr i e r.
I was sitting there havi ng a b re w an d p as s i n g t i m e , l o o k i n g
o u t across the lake thinkin g to mys el f , wh at a d ay o f a l l days –
J u ne 16 t h . What a session! Ju s t as t h e s un s t a rte d m e l t i n g away,
t u rning cooler in the eveni n g, c ra sh … j us t ove r t h e m i d d l e ro d ,
fo llowed by a bloody great b i g f i z z ove r t h e to p o f my m i d d l e
ro d. Before the alarm sign al l ed , th e re wa s a n a l m i gh t y sw i rl
over the area. I was on tha t ro d q u i c ke r t h an a f ly o n s h i t , a n d
I was in. This time I knew I h ad a n o t he r b i g o l d g irl , a n d t h e
b a ttle commenced. I knew by th e f i gh t wh a t I h a d h oo ke d . I
was thinking I had got Ygo r, an d th i s o ld b r u te k n ows h ow to
f i ght , believe me. Again, Ph i l wa lke d a ro u n d to d o t h e h o no u rs ,
a n d the scales settled at ju s t ove r 3 2 lb s . Wh a t an u n b e l i eva b l e
s e ssion, and I still had fou r n i gh ts l e f t i n f ro n t o f me .
I n between my bites, I did m ake t he jo urn ey a ro u n d t h e P h i l ’ s
swim on a couple of occas i o n s , a s P h i l h ad m a n a g e d to b a g
L i ttle Two Scales at 2 5lb-p l u s, a n d I a m s u re i t was M a d d o c ks ’
W ildie Common, just into d o u b le f i g u re s. S o I a m to l d t h i s
W ildie Common was put i n to Wo rm leyb u ry a f te r t h e m u c h
t a lked about testing of L en ny M i dd l eto n’ s h a i r ri g . P h i l s ai d ,
“ I might as well sit with yo u i ns te ad o f ke ep wa l k in g aro u n d to
yo u doing a David Bailey.” We s at t he re l au gh i n g , an d a s h o rt
while later, I walked back to h i s sw i m. Ju s t a s h e g o t b a c k an d
l o oked across the lake, I wa s al re ady i n aga i n . I wa s l a u gh i n g
a c ross the lake, and back h e c a me aga i n . By t h e t i me I l an d ed
FREELINE 70
