freeline102 - Flipbook - Page 227
SI LLEWELLYN
s t raight to the first shallow, s n ag g y b ay by t h e c ar p a rk . I
n e rvously peered over the fe n ce , s ta n d i n g o n t h e f irs t wo o d en
b e am, elevating me to ga i n a b et te r v i e w o f t h e t a p -c l ea r
water. I could not believe wh at my eye s wh e re c h a n n e l l i n g
i n to my brain! Carp soup! F i r s t th e re wa s a g o o d c om m o n o f
a round the upper 20 mark , te ari n g th e s i l ty b o t to m to s h re d s ,
a c companied by a few mi rro r s o f a ro u n d t h e s a me s i z e. 2 0
ya rds to the left , there wa s a h ug e l i n ea r an gr i ly c h arg i n g u p
a n d down the margin. At on e p o i n t , s h e t u rn e d s i d e ways , m a d e
eye contact with me, stare d de e p i n to my s o u l a n d p owe re d
o f f in to the main bo dy o f t he la ke . S he kn e w my i n te n t i o n s
a n d knew it was time to g o – c l eve r g i rl . I co u n te d a ro u n d 2 0
f i s h in that bay; surely it c o u ld n’ t b e t hi s ea sy ? M y f i rs t t ri p
a n gling on this notorious p i t a n d I ’d fo u n d mo s t o f i ts s to c k
i n the first nook I’d care d to i nve st i ga te … A s t h e g re a t B . B
a dvises: ‘Cultivate your luc k .’
I was soon wheezing my way up to t h e co r ne r o f t h e f i s h - f i l l ed
b ay, the barrow laden wit h a ll t he g ea r I ’d n e e d fo r my fo u rd ay stint on my newly discove re d S ha n g ri L a . A s I e n te red t h e
t i ght swim as stealthily a s I c o u ld , an o t h er g o o d f i s h b o s h ed
o u t no mo re than fifteen ya rd s f ro m t h e b a n k – i t wa s go i n g
o f f ! Nervo us wreck does n o t q u i te c ove r h ow I wa s fe e l i n g a t
t h is stage; I was physical ly s h a ki n g a s I t ri e d to g e t th e r i g s
b a ited and check the sharp n e s s o f th e h o o ks . O u c h ! Ye a h t h ey
were sharp enough alright .
The first rod was shipp e d to g e th e r, an d a s i m p l e b ra i d e d
b o ttom bait rig was flicked o nto t he c le a r a re a I ’ d s e e n t h e f i s h
te aring up not half an ho ur a g o . D e c i d i n g to ke e p d i s t u rb a n c e
to a minimum due to the c lo se p rox i m i ty o f t h e ac t iv i t y, two
ro ds would suffice for time b e i n g , s o a p o p -up wa s p l a c ed o n a
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