freeline-99 - Flipbook - Page 203
CRAIG
DICK McEVOY
GAYNER
my reel disappeared into t he d ep th s o f t he c u t . I p u l l e d a n d
p u lled at the line but all t h at h a p p e n ed wa s m o re a n d m o re
l i ne got pulled from the re el , u n t i l I h ad a ri gh t o l d b i rd s n e s t
o f Maxima next to me on th e tow p at h . M o m d i d n’ t h ave a c l u e
what to do, but luckily the o ld g uy f ro m u p t h e tow p a t h s aw
what was going on and cam e d ow n to he l p . He h a d a Y s h ap ed
ro d rest , and he proceeded to fo l low th e li n e f ro m t h e ro d i n to
t h e margins of the canal a n d m an a g ed to h o o k t h e b a i l a rm o f
t h e reel and fish out the re el fo r m e !
I was so happy! He smil ed , a nd l i ke so me s o r t o f m a g i c i a n ,
o u t of his pocket , he pulled o u t t wo p i e c es o f b i c yc l e i n n e r t u b e
a n d proceeded to slide the m u p t he ro d b u tt . He t h e n a t t ac h ed
my reel, sliding the inner t ub e ove r t he re el , s e c ur i n g i t f i r mly
to the rods. He winked at m e a nd s ai d, “ ’E re yo u a re , l a d , yo u
won’t lose your reel anym o re .” A n d wi th th at h e h a nd e d m e
my rod and reel an d mad e h i s way b a ck to h i s b l u e p l a s ti c
S h akespeare seat box.
I continued to fish… well , m o re li ke f ly f i s h , a s I s p e n t m o re
t i me reeling in and casting o u t t ha n f i s h i n g. I m u st h ave l o o ke d
m ore like a lure fisher man t h an a co ar s e f i s h e rm a n … we l l , boy !
T he next thing I remembe r w i l l l ive w i th m e fo reve r a n d wa s
t h e catalyst to the fire th a t s t i ll b u rn s st ro n gly i n s i d e m e to
t h is day! “I’m in, Bob!” I hea rd , a n d a s I lo o ke d up t h e towp a t h ,
t h ere was the helpful old guy s to o d u p , ro d i n h an d w i t h i t b e n t
d o uble. My mum and I wa tc he d i n awe as a n a m a z i n g b at t l e
c o mmenced. The unseen mo ns te r, o n th e o th e r e n d o f h i s l i n e ,
to re off up and down the ce n t re c h an n e l o f th e c a n a l . I f I c l o s e
my eyes, I can still hear hi s s c re am i n g d ra g f ro m hi s to rt u re d
o l d reel! The old guy held o n fo r d e ar l i fe , hi s ro d c re a k i n g a s
i t engaged in battle. Soon a b i g b la c k b a ck b ro ke t h e s u rfa c e
FR E ELINE 79
