trophy

So picture the scene … it’s August 21st 2006 … 1.15pm to be precise.

I’ve been crouching behind a tree for the best part of two hours without touching the water … watching … alert … scanning the surface.

But I’m poised … really poised.

The lake is deserted.

The clouds are parting, the sun glints in my eyes, then says goodbye …

Rod in one hand; pedigree chum mixer in the other … scanning movements with my Polaroid’s …  Every ten minutes I flick another mixer biscuit into the water and wait.  Still.  Quiet (yes I can be quiet …!).

One then two … dark, large shapes swim out of the lilies; sniff about and dive back in; swirling and twisting.  Nonchalance rules.  The time has come.

My solitary “mixer biscuit” hits the surface; two feet away from where I am crouched.

A mere ripple.

10 minutes …

20 minutes …

The sun blinks …

I don’t … just in case I miss my moment …  I see the ripples first; spreading from one of the lily pads.

Here comes a shape; a grey shape … a “bloody hell that’s big” shape.

It can’t see me and I pretend I can’t see “him” … but I can.

I brace myself.

He heads straight for me.  They usually swerve away at this moment but he didn’t.  He hit my “chum mixer” with force; mouth out the water, fins aloft, completely oblivious to me behind the grass.  And then he bolted/ran; back to his “lily” home …

I wasn’t going to spend nearly 3 hours waiting to miss him.  Not now.

20 minutes; 30 minutes … he was mine.  Landed; in the net.  Lilies and all.  Not sure who was the most knackered!

I’d waited 3 hours for him.

In fact, I’d waited 36 years … been fishing since I was 8 …

After he’d gently swum away … gracefully; I had to lie down in the grass; photograph the memory in my head (21st August 2006, 1.15pm … cloudy day) to replay at any time.

26½lbs for a mirror carp, off the surface, on mixer … two feet out … under my feet …

My Personal Best (PB).  What’s yours …?

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NOTE:    Personal Best from Aviva is launching this week.  Speak to an Aviva member of staff to find out more details.  Win a day out doing a hobby you love for the best “Personal Best” story submitted to John.Kitson@aviva.co.uk

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Terms and Conditions for JK blog comp

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•    Please submit a small description of your personal best, along with your chosen day out hobby.
•    Competition is open to the UK only.
•    The competition entitles only one entry per person.
•    Entrants must be 18 years or older.
•    No purchase is necessary.
•    John Kitson will be the official adjudicator of the ‘personal best’ competition and the decision of the adjudicator is final.
•    The competition will close on Wednesday 1st July 2009 at 5.00pm and a winner will be chosen on Thursday 2nd July 2009.
•    The winner will be notified no later than 5 working days after the closing date. This will either be by telephone or email.
•    Some hobbies maybe dependent on availability, cost and practicality.
•    The hobby chosen must be accessible in the UK only.
•    The promoter reserves the right to refuse any entry if it is deemed to contravene the spirit of the promotion.
•    The prize is non-transferable and no cash alternative will be made available.
•    The name of the winner will be made available after 2nd July 2009 upon request in writing to JRK PB blog, Ryan Mason, Sienna 2, PO BOX 6, Surrey Street, NR1 3NS.
•    The winner maybe asked to participate in post-event publicity.
•    The data collected is to be used solely for the administration of the competition.
•    The promoter reserves the right to vary the Terms and Conditions.

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Aviva Insurance UK Limited is the official promoter – Registered in England No. 99122. Registered office: 8 Surrey Street, Norwich, NR1 3NG. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.
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