eeeeee
Chris Nooorlander.

Around 9pm somewhere....... Around 9pm somewhere on the French river, it is starting to become twilight. The river is getting calmer, the wind had gone. Fish have started breaking the waters surface... All background noises are slowly disappearing. Somewhere on the other side of the river, the last train is passing by. Now is the time to sit stretched out near the rods. Frank is having the time of his life. Moreover, I am too. With the start of the darkness a full moon like a big bronze disc climbs slowly up from behind the hills on the other side of the river. Strange thought, this is the same moon in which Neil Armstrong in 1969 placed an American flag. The same moon which my girlfriend is probably looking at right now, from her bedroom window. Small trails of cloud make it all complete and mysterious. Rats are starting to become active. Mist falls down onto our bedchairs. The coffee is ready. Still no sign of carp. We are fishing this night on as new stretch of the river. Last night we arrived around 1am and pre-baited around two and a half kilograms 22 mm oily-crab boilies. Most of it went directly in the middle of the river, where ships mix up the bottom during daytime. This part of the river has something magical to offer. Beautiful gravel-beaches, lots of overhanging trees and bushes and last but not least, the narrower banks, which makes it more scenic and romantic. By just standing at the bank of this part, you can almost feel the big carp swimming around. Around midnight, the area became so quiet, that all we could do was wait for a take. In the meanwhile, the moon's standing full glory above the hills. From out of the darkness, and quietness, an optonic comes alive. One beep…nothing. Another beep and slowly developing to a full run. The rod in the middle of the river. Which else? Immediately after I took my rod, I felt the massive capacitance of a carp. After a short fight, Frank could successfully shove the net under this welcomed fish. My first carp from this new part of the river. My first full scaled mirror caught on an oily crab boilie. A big smile comes on to my face as I peer down it to the golden scaled pattern along the flanks of this carp. The captured carp becomes nervous and in tempo unpacked on the unhooking-mat. We are standing eye in eye with one of the most beautiful carp I have ever caught. Frank runs tense around with my rod, a bucket with water, and some weighting-equipment. Even Frank is over the moon. The fish of this session and the fish of a lifetime. 22 Dutch pounds, English 26.4lbs Mirror carp is where the pointer stops. Is that still important? Size is not so important when holding such a beautiful specimen. After some pictures the mighty fish swims back to where it came from, the mighty river. We enjoy another hour with some coffee, and hoping for a good session to come. The moon still stands at the same place. Like nothing happened. We know better. On the other side another train's passing by. Time for some sleep, more energy required for tomorrows session.   Chris Noorlander.