With both lines marked at the correct
distance, I left the area rig-free to allow for the fish to move in and gain confidence feeding there and instead, flicked out a couple of zigs at short range in open water. With an uneventful day on the zigs and light failing rapidly, both rods were then cast to the baited area, followed by a dozen freebies with the throwing stick.
6:30am
– A rapid dropback which had me scrambling out of the bag and lifting into my first fish of the session. Paranoid of getting weeded, I kept the rod tip low and maintained steady pressure to help keep the fish in the upper levels and avoid any hazards. After a hairy 10-minute battle, I finally gained the upper-hand and slipped the net under a chunky bronze Common. Result! By now my friend in the next swim had come to offer a helping hand and the fish was soon hoisted onto the Reubens confirming a new PB at 24lb on the nose!