2024-3-25 26th Fishing Trip: 256 Small Crucian Carp at Daoshuzi

Weekend Fishing Crew & Uncle Fu’s Invite: Let’s Chase Small Crucian!

Okay, let’s kick this off—man, I’ve been itching to get back on the water since my last trip, and when the Weekend Crucian Crew hit me up with “Uncle Fu’s got a spot at Daoshuzi,” I didn’t even hesitate. For those who don’t know, Daoshuzi is this little gem of a spot we’ve been eyeing for weeks—word on the street was the small crucian (you know, those tiny but feisty guys) were starting to wake up from their winter slumber. Let’s be real, after a cold, fishless winter, any “possible bite” sounds like a dream. So yeah, we locked in the date: March 25th, 2024—our 26th fishing trip together, and let’s just say it did NOT disappoint.

Pre-Trip Hype: Are Small Crucian Finally Biting?

Leading up to the trip, we were blowing up the group chat with theories. Uncle Fu—bless his old-school fishing soul—swore he’d seen a few locals pulling in small crucian the week before. But let’s be honest, early spring fishing is always a gamble. Water temps are still low, fish are slow to move, and one wrong move (like using the wrong bait or setting up in the wrong spot) can mean zero bites. We debated everything from bait choices to line thickness for days. Some wanted to stick with worms, others swore by artificial lures, but Uncle Fu just chuckled and said, “Wait till you see the water—then we’ll know.” Spoiler: He was right.

6:30 AM Departure: Chasing the First Light (and Maybe the First Bite)

Let’s get one thing straight: 6:30 AM on a Saturday? Normally, I’d be curled up under my covers with a coffee. But fishing? Fishing changes everything. I dragged myself out of bed, threw on my layers (it was COLD—like, breath fogging up, hands numb before I even hit the water cold), and met the crew at our usual spot. The drive to Daoshuzi was quiet at first—everyone half-asleep, but by the time we hit the dirt road leading to the lake, the excitement was buzzing. We could see the water glistening in the early light, and let me tell you, that first glance? It hit different. No wind, calm as a mirror—wind flat, as we say in the fishing world. That’s a good sign, right? Wind can mess with your float and scare the fish, so still water? We were already high-fiving (mentally, since our hands were frozen).

Morning Struggle: Cold Hands, Slow Bites (But We Persisted)

First Hour: Float Sits Still… And It’s Freezing

We set up our rods—all 4.5m rods, by the way, since that’s the sweet spot for small crucian in Daoshuzi. The air temp was probably around 5-6°C (41-43°F), and even with gloves, my fingers were numb. We cast our lines, sat back, and waited… and waited… and waited. The first hour? Nada. Zip. Zilch. The float just sat there, mocking us. Uncle Fu kept saying, “Patience, kids—small crucian are slow in the cold. They need time to warm up.” But let’s be real, when you’re freezing your butt off and haven’t had a bite in an hour, “patience” feels like a dirty word. I even started joking that we’d end up eating the snacks we brought instead of catching fish. But then—wait a second! A tiny twitch. A half-bite. My heart skipped a beat. I lifted the rod… nothing. Ugh. So close, yet so far.

Mid-Morning: Sun Comes Up, Bites Start (Finally!)

Just when I was about to give up and grab a snack, the sun peeked over the trees. Oh, thank goodness. The water started to warm up—slowly, but surely—and you could almost see the fish waking up. The float started to move: a half-dot, a tiny dip. That’s the telltale sign of small crucian—they don’t hit hard like big fish; they nibble, test the bait, then take it. I focused, watched the float like a hawk, and when that half-dot turned into a slow sink, I lifted the rod. YES! A tiny crucian, maybe an ounce or two, but it was a bite. That was the first of many. The crew started cheering—we were finally in the game.

Non-Stop Action: Linking, Laughing, and Loving the Chaos

Rod: 4.5m Spinning Rod (Perfect for Small Crucian)

Once the sun was up, the bites turned into a frenzy. Linking? Oh yeah—one after another, no time to breathe. We were using 4.5m spinning rods (I swear, that’s the only rod I bring to Daoshuzi now—it’s light enough to feel the tiny bites but strong enough to pull in the bigger ones, even if they’re just 2-3 ounces). Let’s talk gear, because that’s make or break for small crucian:

• Main line: 0.6 (super thin, so it’s invisible to the fish)
• Leader line: 0.2 (even thinner—small crucian have tiny mouths, so you need light line)
• Hook: Size 3 competition hook (small enough to fit in their tiny mouths, sharp enough to hook them)
• Float: 1.5g balsa wood float (balsa is sensitive, so you can see even the tiniest bites)
• Adjustment: 4 eyes to 2-3 eyes (we set the float so the tip is 4 eyes above water, then catch at 2-3 eyes—perfect for small crucian)

And the bait? Fresh shrimp punch bait. Oh man, that stuff works like magic for small crucian. We mixed it up fresh that morning—no pre-made junk, just fresh shrimp, a little flour, and some secret sauce (okay, maybe just a tiny bit of garlic, but don’t tell Uncle Fu). We didn’t use a hook holder (you know, that thing that holds the fish while you unhook it)—we just used our hands. It’s more “relaxed” that way, Uncle Fu said. No rush, just enjoying the moment.

Counting the Catch: 256 Small Crucian (And We Could’ve Hit 300!)

We didn’t keep a running count at first—we were too busy laughing and reeling in fish. But by mid-afternoon, someone yelled, “Hey, let’s count!” So we started piling them up (in a bucket, of course—we released the tiny ones back, but kept the bigger ones for dinner). 10, 20, 50, 100… by the time we were done, we had 256 small crucian. Wait, 256? That’s crazy! Uncle Fu laughed and said, “If we’d used a hook holder, we could’ve hit 300 easy—we wasted so much time grabbing them with our hands.” But honestly? The hand-grabbing was part of the fun. No pressure, just friends, fish, and good times.

Post-Fishing Feast: Xincheng Street Donkey Dumplings (So Good, I Could Cry)

After a long day of fishing, we were starving. Uncle Fu had the perfect spot: Xincheng Street Donkey Dumplings. Oh my goodness—if you haven’t had donkey dumplings, you’re missing out. They’re juicy, savory, with a hint of garlic and ginger, and the dough is perfectly chewy. We ordered a plate (okay, three plates) and devoured them in minutes. Washed down with a cold soda? Chef’s kiss. We sat there, full, tired, and happy, talking about the day’s best bites—who caught the biggest crucian (Uncle Fu, of course), who missed the most bites (me, oops), and who spilled their soda (also me, double oops). It’s the little moments like that that make fishing worth it, not just the number of fish you catch.

Final Thoughts: Fishing Isn’t About the Fish (Okay, Maybe a Little)

Let’s be real—256 small crucian is a lot, but that’s not why this trip was memorable. It was the early morning drive, the freezing hands, the first tiny bite, the post-fishing dumplings, and laughing with friends. I’ve had trips where I caught zero fish and had a blast, and trips where I caught a ton but was bored out of my mind. This one? It hit all the right notes. If you’re into small crucian fishing, Daoshuzi is a spot you need to check out—especially in late March, when the water warms up just enough to get them biting. Just make sure you bring layers, fresh shrimp bait, and an empty stomach for those dumplings. Trust me, you won’t regret it.