november-2026-free-line-part-2 - Flipbook - Page 96
FREE LINE / FIELD JOURNAL
JAY NEWTON
FIELD NOTES
My plan from the start was simple: find the fish, establish potential patrol
routes, rake spots and bait, so this is exactly what I did.
I cleared my diary to get a solid five days on, which comprised of a lot
of swim hopping and work in my chosen areas, so it was no wonder why
I blanked the opening week with the amount of disruption I was causing.
Besides, I wasn t in a massive rush to bag my first specimen, as my thinking
was it s a marathon, not a sprint. The work I do at the beginning will
hopefully pay off throughout the year. Also it was not a complete waste of
time; the raked areas were getting cleared off each night as they began to
glow up through the gin clear, deep Wraysbury water, the reaction to my
chosen bait was strong and they were getting amongst it in a big way. I left
the lake happy and massively confident in my plan.
The next week in work was horrendous, I had a total lack of concentration
for everyday activities. All thoughts had been blocked out with the idea of
Wraysbury, the beauty of the lake and its residents that reside there.
April 25th, tools down, work done, and I was off again. I hurried back down,
weaving between the traffic so eager to pick up where I had left off. I loaded
the barrow like a man possessed; it felt like every second counted. Off I went
like a racehorse, and much to my delight, my swim was free.
FREE LINE
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