freeline102 - Flipbook - Page 173
ASH GEDEN
o u t , but af ter a couple of at te mp t s a t g e tt i n g t h e m b o t h in t h e
r i ght position so that the gh o s ti e c o ul d n’ t e sc a p e , a n d wh e n i t
wasn’t loo king, I sank the n e t , q u i ck ly sc o o p e d , a nd s h e wa s
m i ne.
After carefully unhookin g th e L i n i n t h e n et , I j am m e d t h e
n e t pole into a tuft of reed s i n th e m arg i n to s e cu re t h e n et
i n a position so they were sa fe ly re cove r i n g a n d c ou l d n’ t g e t
o u t over the net cord. I qu i c k ly g o t t h a t mi d d l e ro d b a c k o u t
o n the spot again with a f re sh r i g a n d p o p -u p I h a d re a dy to
g o . Another three pouches o f Co m p lex-T fo l l owe d b e h in d i t
b e fore taking a couple of m i n u te s to h ave a s m o ke an d re f l e c t
b a ck and try take in what h a d a c t ua lly j u s t ha p p en ed h e re . Al l
I knew was not so long ag o I h a d n o ca r p i n my n e t , an d th e
n ext thing, I had over 9 0lb s o f T h a me s c arp i n t h re e h o u rs to
g e t the weighing equipme nt a n d s el f - ta ke sys te m s o r te d fo r.
By the time I had got sorte d, we t t he c ra dl e a n d s l i n g a n d g o t
t h e scales zeroed with wa te r s u p p ly a n d c a rp c a re t re a t me n t
a t the ready, it was now li gh t en o u gh , a nd th e m i s t h ad b u rn t
o f f just that little bit need e d to no t s te am t h e l en s u p . I s e t
u p the camera tripod and to o k a c o u p le o f te s t ta kes to g et
everything in the right po s i t i o n s o t h a t I wa s h a p py w i t h th e
s h ots, and one by one, I set a b o u t d e a li n g w i t h my h ard e a rn ed
p r izes in order of capture . F i r s t u p wa s t h e o n e I h a d s e e n
s h owing most over the las t fe w d ays , a p ro p e r s c a ly h a m m er
g o ing 23lb 12oz. Just havi ng t hi s g e m a lo n e , I wo u ld h ave b e e n
well happy any day! N ext up wa s t h e gh o s ti e co mm o n , wh i c h
I had seen mooching abou t i n th e m a rg i n s w i t h t h e mi rro r a
fe w days previously. He sp u n t he n e e d le ro un d to 2 8 l b 1 2 o z …
g o on, mate!
With both of them treate d fo r d am a ge , d e al t w i th and s afe ly
FR E ELINE 51
