freeline93 - Flipbook - Page 192
KEITH PICKET
b l eeps and the line tighten ed . W i t h th a t I wa s l e an t i n to wh a t
fe lt like a decent fis h. Slowly p u mp i n g h er b a c k , s h e c a me i n
fa irly easily. As she came up towa rd s th e n et , I c o u l d i n s ta n t ly
s e e it was one of the M ill ’ s A- te am . T h e n a l l o f s ud d e n , s h e
h a d other ideas and decid e d s he wa s h av i n g n o n e o f i t . S h e
s t ripped line off my reel a n d h ea d e d o f f to my l e f t s t ra i gh t
towards some margin sna g s . S o t i gh te n i n g u p , I h ad to ap p ly
p ressure and then the un th i n ka b le ha p p e n e d – t h e ro d f l ew
b a ck, and she was gone! I s to o d t h e re i n t h e d a rk , s o a k i n g we t ,
b e ing battered by the wi n d a n d wa s a bs o l u te ly d eva s t a te d .
I couldn’t believe what ha d ju s t h a p p e n ed . I t h re w t h e ro d
d own, went back to my b iv v y a n d s u lke d fo r a wh i l e , g o i n g
over and over what had h a p p e ne d a nd wh at we n t w ro n g , b u t
I k new I had to pull mysel f to g e th e r a n d g e t t h e ro d b a c k o u t
o n the spot . Once all was s o r te d, I wa s b a ck i n my biv vy, we t ,
c o ld and still gutted! Like we a ll d o , I wa s s o o n o n t h e p h o n e
to my pal Stuart , telling hi m t he s to r y, an d l i ke a l l m a te s , h e
was trying to cheer me up, te ll i n g me I wa s o n t h e m a n d wo u l d
s o on get another chance.
Sure enough, 5am, and th a t
s a me rod screamed off. I wa s
a l l arms and legs trying to
g e t to the rod, heart pump i n g
t h rough my chest , but I wa s
eventually bent into wh at
fe lt like another decent f i s h .
S i milar to the last one, s h e
was just plodding and do i n g
d e ep lunges, but I wa sn’ t
t a king any chances this ti me .
FREELINE 66
