freeline102 - Flipbook - Page 164
ASH GEDEN
yo u in a bit ,” I mumbled to mys el f a s I we n t a b o u t g e t ti n g t h e
ro ds out o f the sleeves an d my h o m e s o r te d. I wa s i n n o ru s h
d e spite a racing heart and th a t a n x i o u s fe el i n g t h a t h a d b ee n
b u ilding up. I took my time i n s et t i n g u p n i c e a n d q u i e t ly w i t h
t h e kettle on and getting my f re sh ri g s s o rte d a n d Co m p l ex-T
f l uoro pop-ups finely balan c e d . I fe lt a n ervo u s w re c k by t h e
t i me I was ready to get in to th e wa te r to li n e u p fo r my f i rs t
c a st just as the light was fa di ng . I t wa s o bv i o u s i t wa s g o i n g
to kick off with what I had b ee n w i t n es s i n g . G e t t i ng t h e d ro p s
I was happy with was very f r u st ra ti n g , w i t h t h e l eft ro d b e i n g
a marginal area I had cho s en a t a b o u t te n ya rd s ’ ra n g e . I to o k
l i terally 15 casts around t he r ug g e d , we ed c ove re d m a rg i n a l
s h elf until I finally g ot a so li d c ra ck d ow n i n a b ou t 5f t o f wa te r.
The middle rod was just a s m u ch a gg ro b u t wa s th e on e t h a t
I paid most attention to, s i n c e th e are a th a t I h a d s e e n t h e
m ost shows and feeding act iv i ty at a b o ut 3 0 ya rd s ’ ra n g e ove r
p revious weeks, and when I f i n a lly g o t t h e c le a n d ro p t h a t fe l t
t h e one in about 9ft of wa te r b e twe en t wo l arg e we e d b e d s
o u t there, I really did feel q ui te exc i te d, a s I wa s re a l ly h a p py
w i th that rod. Thankfully t he ri gh t h an d ro d we n t ou t a b i t
s moother, taking on ly thre e c a s ts to l an d i n a n i c e s i l t y a re a
i n about 7ft of water at ab o u t 4 5 ya rd s ’ ra n g e . I wa s c u rs i n g
myself a b it due the amo un t o f di s t u rb a n ce I h a d j u s t c au s e d
i n getting the rods out . I re al ly sh o u l d have l e ad e d aro u n d i n
t h e area a lot more during b ai t u p tr i p s p r i o r to th e s e s s i o n ,
b u t I had always left the le a di n g ro d i n t he m o to r to s to p t h e
te mptation of becoming to o p i ck y ab o u t wh a t I wa s l a n d i n g
o n out there. I wanted to t arg e t t h i s a re a d i f fe re n t ly f ro m t h e
s t art and didn’t want to b e c re at i n g a t i gh t fe e d i ng s p o t , a s
t h e shows and feeding activ i ty I h ad se e n h ad b e en al l t h e way
FREELINE 42
