Free Line 109 — October 2026 - Flipbook - Page 170
ALEX
PAUL HANSON
STEVE
BENNETT
BRIGGS
o f line if a boat propeller c a tc he s yo u r l i n e ( s ) . On a c o u p l e
o f occasions, I have actua lly ma n a g ed to p u l l a m o to r b o a t i n
which wrapped my lead co re a ro u n d i t s p ro p a n d s t al l e d t h e
e n gine (much to the owners d i sm ay ) . T h a t s a i d , I n ow a m a
p roud boat owner myself an d mu c h o f my f i s h i n g i s d o n e o f f
my boat .
Night-time kayaking seem s to b e a “ t h i n g ” n ow, a n d i t i s n o t
s t range to get a run at 4 am f ro m a b u rly b lo ke i n a kaya k w i t h a
gl ow stick as a spotlight! I n re ce n t we eks , wh i l s t p i ke f i sh i n g ,
I had an encounter with a n o t he r ma le ca n o e i s t wh o sava g e ly
went through a pike setu p w i th a wh o le m a cke re l re s u l t i n g
i n an almighty girly scream . T h i s d i d a mu s e m e a s mu c h a s i t
a n noyed me.
First committed se ason f o r c a r p i ng o n t h e r ive r M e dway :
I n my first proper seas o n o n th e R ive r M e dway, i t wa s a
wet summer with the river f l o o d i n g a we ek b efo re th e s ea s o n
s t arted. I focused my effo rt s a t th e Rive r B a r i n Mai d s to n e
town centre, which is now a T h ai re st a u ra n t by t h e t wo ro a d
b ridges. I had prebaited fo r a wh o p p i n g t hre e we e ks b e fo re
t h e start of the season, eve n wh i ls t t h e r ive r’ s b a n ks we re
b reached.
On the opening day, I wa s re wa rd ed w i th a 2 3l b c o m m o n to
s t art the season, followed by t hre e mo re n i gh ts , whi c h p ro d u c e d
t wo 21lb fully scaled mirro r s , a n u p p e r d o u b l e c o m m o n , a 2 0l b
m i rror and a 35lb mirror, wh i c h I h a d se e n l u rk i n g by t h e
b ridges for the previ ous f ive s um me rs . T h e 3 5 l b mi rro r wa s
o f ten seen with a large gho s t c a r p a n d th e l o n g e s t c o m mo n yo u
would ever have seen! A fte r c atc hi ng th e s e s i x f i s h, I s t a rte d
p rebaiting another spot d ow n st re am , a nd d u ri n g a c o u p l e o f
d ay sessions, I managed to c a tc h a d o u bl e c o m mo n a n d a 2 0l b
FREELINE 56
