2024 Fishing Diary: My 21st Trip to Gaohu Village, Siyang (Hongze Lake Area)

Alright, let’s cut to the chase—this fishing trip to Gaohu Village in Siyang? Total rollercoaster. I’m talking early mornings, dead-end roads, fish that ghosted me, and a very dramatic chair rescue. If you’re into wild fishing diaries, grab a snack—this one’s got all the messy, real vibes no fancy fishing show will show you. Let’s dive in!

1. The Pre-Trip Grind: 4 AM Starts & Road Chaos

First off, let’s set the scene: it’s 4 AM. My alarm’s screaming like a toddler denied candy, and I’m already regretting every life choice that led to “let’s drive 2 hours to Siyang.” But hey, fishing’s not for the lazy, right? So I chugged coffee, stuffed my tackle box with every lure I own (overkill, I know), packed a sad frozen cover meal (thanks, Amazon), and hit the road.

1.1 Road Trip From Hell: Why GPS Lies Sometimes

Now, Siyang’s roads? Let’s just say they’re not exactly “Google Maps-friendly.” The main roads? Barely exist. The side roads? More like goat paths with delusions of grandeur. I followed my GPS for 45 minutes only to hit a dead end—like, literally a wall of trees. Cue panic: I’m in the middle of nowhere, it’s still dark, and my truck’s too big to turn around on that tiny dirt track. So I did what any self-respecting angler would do: reverse 3 KILOMETERS. Yeah, you read that right. 3 km of white-knuckle reversing, praying no cars come the other way.

Finally, I found a narrow dirt lane that actually led to the lake. But here’s the thing: it’s a one-way. No turning back. So I parked my truck 500 meters from the shore and hiked in. And what did I find? A bunch of small fishing boats flipped upside down on the bank—Hongze Lake fishermen’s gear, I later learned. No footprints, no fishing rods, no signs of life. Red flag #1, but I was too stubborn to turn back.

2. The Lake Setup: Shallow Water, Fish That Tease

When I finally got to the water’s edge, I did the classic “stomp the bottom” test. 50 cm deep. 50 cm! That’s like wading in a kiddie pool. But then—boom—fish started jumping everywhere. Like, big splashes, tiny ripples, the whole “fish are here!” party. So I thought, “Screw the depth—let’s fish!”

2.1 My Gear Overload (Spoiler: It Didn’t Help)

I set up four rods because why not? Two casting rods, a 13-meter pole (for those “farther” spots), and a 6.3-meter rod. I was ready to catch a whale. Spoiler: I caught zilch. The casting rods? Bells jangled once or twice, but nothing stuck. Lost two leader lines to… who knows? Probably snags or tiny fish that laughed at my lures.

The 13-meter pole? Total waste of time. The 6.3-meter rod? Got a few bites, but they were all tiny “minnow” fish. By the end of the day, I had maybe 1 pound of fish. 1 pound! I’ve caught more in my backyard pond. Ugh.

Here’s a pic of my gear setup—look at all that fancy stuff, and for what? Nada. Total gear flex fail.

3. The Locals: Boats, Lost Rods, and Cow Herders

Midday, the lake started to wake up—not with fish, but with people. First, an old local guy on an electric bike. He rolled up, asked about the depth, then zoomed north. Ten minutes later, he came back in a small fishing boat, yelling that he’d lost his rod. I told him, “Dude, you probably left it at home—no one’s here to steal it!” He just shrugged and left. Weird, but okay.

3.1 The “Island Fishing” Duo (Spoiler: They Failed Too)

Then two guys showed up in a car. They saw the fishermen’s boats, hopped in one (no permission, mind you—Siyang folks are super casual), and motored to a broken boat in the middle of the lake. Their motto? “You gotta fish on the island to catch fish!” (I think they meant the broken boat as an “island.”) They fished until 2 PM, then left empty-handed. Turns out shallow water is shallow water, even on a “island.”

Yep, that’s them—chilling on their “island” boat. Wonder if they still believe their motto now?

3.2 The Cow Herder Hero

Later, a farmer walked by with a cow. As soon as he saw me fishing, he grabbed the cow’s leash and said, “Don’t wanna scare your fish!” Then he walked the cow away. Total legend. Most places, you’d have a herd trampling your gear. Shoutout to Siyang’s polite cow herders!

4. The Day’s Low (and High?): A Chair, a River, and a Photo Op

By 4 PM, I was packing up. I’d already decided this spot was a dud—no big fish, too shallow, way too far. Then… WHOOSH! A gust of wind blew my fishing chair right into the lake. I froze for two seconds, then did what any angler would do: grabbed my phone, snapped a pic, then jumped in to save it. (Priorities, people.)

Proof! My chair taking a unscheduled swim. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve had to rescue gear from water—this is like trip #N+1.

5. The Fish, The Food, and The Wildflowers

Let’s talk fish: my haul was sad. Tiny, tiny fish—like, “can I even eat these?” tiny. The two guys from the “island” left me half a bag of worms (thanks, guys) and checked my fish. Their reaction? “Meh.” Same, buddy.

5.1 My Sad Lunch (But It Was Free)

For lunch, I ate that frozen cover meal from Amazon and six chicken nuggets I brought from home. Not gourmet, but it kept me going. I even remembered to throw my trash in a bin—no littering here!

Yep, that’s my feast. Exciting, right? At least it was edible.

5.2 Wildflower Steal (Maybe)

Before leaving, I noticed some pretty wildflowers by the bank. I pulled a few to plant in my garden—fingers crossed they survive! They’re tiny, purple, and super cute. If they die, I’ll just have to go back… but wait, no—this spot’s a dud. Maybe I’ll find better flowers somewhere else.

6. Final Thoughts: Will I Come Back? Spoiler: No

By the time I got home, I was exhausted. My back hurt from carrying gear, my chair was soaking wet, and my fish haul was laughable. So, will I return to Gaohu Village? Hell no. The road is a nightmare, the water’s too shallow, and the fish just aren’t there. But hey, at least I got a good story (and a few funny pics) out of it!

To all my fellow anglers: if you’re thinking about Siyang’s Gaohu Village? Save your time, your gas, and your sanity. Go fish a pond closer to home. Trust me, you’ll thank me later.

Oh, and one last thing: stay safe out there. Don’t forget your life jacket, don’t reverse 3 km on dirt roads, and for the love of fish—check the water depth before you drive all that way. Catch you on the next (better) trip!