freeline102 - Flipbook - Page 98
EXCLUSIVE
s e emed like an etern ity, s h e
f i n ally slid over the ne t c o r d .
I s tood there staring i nto t h e
m esh, barely able to pro c e ss
w hat was lying there.
I rang Harry straig ht awa y.
Within minutes, Rob and H a r r y
H a les were bankside with t h e
m at and sling. Everyth ing wa s
s o aked down properl y, t h e
nonsense and not making
much sense at all. Back in
t h e b i v v y, I s a t s t a r i n g a t t h e
p h o t o s a n d v i d e o s, l e t t i n g i t
s l o wl y s i n k i n .
E v e n tu a l l y
instinct
took
o v e r a n d, o f c o u r s e, t h e r o d s
went back out before dark. I
d i d n ’t e x p e c t m u c h a f t e r a l l
t h e c o m m o ti o n .
s c ales zeroed. The mom e n t
c a me. The needle spu n aro u n d
a n d settled at 63 lb 8o z. I
g e nuinely didn’t know wha t t o
s a y. I was in complete sh o c k .
S t anding in the water hol d i n g
h e r for the photos fe lt su rr e a l .
S h e was immaculate — n o t
a mark on her. An in cred i b l e
c a rp in perfect condition .
After a final look, a q u i e t
t h ank you, and a kiss on h e r
f l a nk, I watched her g lide b a c k
i n to the cold blue water.
For a lon g time afterward s, I
j u st stood there trying to m a k e
s e nse of it all. Once every o n e
h a d left, I found m y s e l f
p a cing the bank on the ph o n e
t o my dad, probably talk i n g
S l e e p w a s a l m o s t i m p o s s i b l e.
I was still replaying the capture
in my head when, sometime
in the night, a screaming take
j o l t e d m e a w a k e. I f l e w o u t
o f t h e b i v v y, h a l f a sl e e p , a n d
managed to guide another
h e a v y m i rr o r i n t o t h e n e t —
38lb to finish the session.
Four carp. 28lb. 33lb. 38lb. And
the lake’s biggest at 63lb 8oz. A
session I will never forget.
M a s si v e t ha n k s t o R o b a n d
Harry Hales for allowing me to
fish such a special venue and
for providing the confidence
in the bait that made it all
p o s si b l e. S o m e d a y s c h a n g e
e v e r y t h i n g. T h i s w a s o n e o f
them.
BigCarp 96
