Andy Fielder
New member
- Joined
- Jun 12, 2004
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well it had to happen one day, i suppose.
Tonight, evening session on my local river; started off with a nice 6lb barbel before it got dark - looking promising. Move on to a new swim, cast out, sit back. Two hours later, thinks, 'I'll pack up at midnight - what's the time now?' Looks at mobile phone to check time - blink of an eye, rod's had a three foot twitch, and its gone in! Drop phone, dive for disappearing cork handle, bash knees on stone, just catch rod and lift. Clutch screams in protest, rod completely bent double - OMG! Straight under a willow, in through the bankside brambles. Careful, careful, don't apply too much pressure... line frees, fish comes out and goes full tilt upstream, straight past me. Head torch is on full, and there it is, illuminated in all its bronze and golden splendour, right on the surface, the mother of all barbel !! F*&%* !!
the hook pulls, and the line falls slack....
I'm sat at home now, 1am, drinking copious amounts of cheapo Sainsbury's lager, and reflecting on what might have been. For the first time in my (very long) fishing 'career', I am absolutely devastated. Without doubt, that barbel would probably have been a lifetime best for me. A new PB ? goes without saying.. but it wasn't to be. So, what now?
Anybody else out there shared in the 'experience'? Painful, isn't it.
sorry about that, folks, just had to get it off my chest. Now, where's that bottle opener?
Tonight, evening session on my local river; started off with a nice 6lb barbel before it got dark - looking promising. Move on to a new swim, cast out, sit back. Two hours later, thinks, 'I'll pack up at midnight - what's the time now?' Looks at mobile phone to check time - blink of an eye, rod's had a three foot twitch, and its gone in! Drop phone, dive for disappearing cork handle, bash knees on stone, just catch rod and lift. Clutch screams in protest, rod completely bent double - OMG! Straight under a willow, in through the bankside brambles. Careful, careful, don't apply too much pressure... line frees, fish comes out and goes full tilt upstream, straight past me. Head torch is on full, and there it is, illuminated in all its bronze and golden splendour, right on the surface, the mother of all barbel !! F*&%* !!
the hook pulls, and the line falls slack....
I'm sat at home now, 1am, drinking copious amounts of cheapo Sainsbury's lager, and reflecting on what might have been. For the first time in my (very long) fishing 'career', I am absolutely devastated. Without doubt, that barbel would probably have been a lifetime best for me. A new PB ? goes without saying.. but it wasn't to be. So, what now?
Anybody else out there shared in the 'experience'? Painful, isn't it.
sorry about that, folks, just had to get it off my chest. Now, where's that bottle opener?
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