Day 5 of Fishing Spree: Ditching Work for a Fishing Trip Feels Great – A Variety of Fish Species Show Up!

When Boredom Leads to a Spontaneous Fishing Plan

Let me tell you, last night was a total drag. I was rummaging through my storage room, and guess what? I found a bunch of old fishing gear—rods, reels, and let’s not forget the *tons* of bait mixes stashed in a dark bag. Most of them were from online platforms: all-purpose blends, Big Fish King series, big and small packs. With my current fishing frequency? I could probably use them until next Spring without buying more. No joke.

Here’s the thing: I’ve been fishing four straight midday sessions lately, and that’s not by choice. If I could squeeze even a tiny bit of free time during normal hours, who’d waste their noon gambling on a “maybe” bite? But work’s been crazy, so midday was the only window… until Friday hit.

Friday Morning: The Perfect Excuse to Skip Work (For Fishing, Obviously)

Monday to Thursday? Total grind. But Friday? *Boom*—suddenly, I had nothing to do at the office. No meetings, no deadlines, nada. So I did what any self-respecting angler would do: I called in “sick” (okay, fine, “personal leave” to be technical) and booked a half-day fishing trip. Priorities, right?

First order of business: mandatory morning COVID test (yes, still a thing where I live). Then breakfast, drop the kid at school, and by 8 AM? I was in my car, flooring it to my go-to spot: Bali Bay. Wait, Bali Bay? Yeah, that’s the local name—used to be a *legendary* fishing spot. Big carp, crucian carp, even silver carp and bighead carp? They’d practically jump into your net back in the day. But now? Total bummer.

Some greedy jerks bought the rights a few years back, split it into “fishing zones” and “no-fishing zones.” And get this—even in the fishing zones? They’re always poisoning the water, netting everything, or just messing with anglers to drive us away. But hey, local fishing spots are scarce. When you’re desperate to catch something, you’ll take what you can get. And since my buddies were all busy with work, solo fishing it was.

Setting Up Shop at Bali Bay: Gear That’s (Sort Of) Ready

Got to Bali Bay around 8:15 AM. The water near the shore was a bit shallow, so I grabbed my 4.5-meter 28-tone rod. Normally, I love soft rods—they give you that *perfect* fight with fish. But last time I cleaned my gear, I snapped the tip of my favorite soft rod. Threw it away, didn’t even bother replacing it. And my backup rod? Left it at home like an idiot. So 28-tone it was—meh, better than nothing.

My Go-To Bait Mix (No Fancy Stuff Needed)

For bait? I stuck to my old reliable: 1 part Big Fish King (fishy flavor) + 1 part Big Fish King (aromatic) + a handful of musk rice. No fancy pre-mixed blends, no secret ingredients—just what I’ve used for years. And here’s a hot take: I *hate* pre-baiting. Why? No pre-bait rod, and I’m a total klutz with hand-thrown bait. Every time I try to toss it, it lands in a 2-meter circle around my spot. Embarrassing. So I just “pump” the bait—cast, reel, cast, reel. After years of this, my accuracy’s actually pretty solid now. Win-win.

The Wait (And the Payoff): Fish Start Showing Up!

Got there early, so the water was still cold. I pumped bait for 30 minutes, and… nothing. Nada. Zilch. But that’s normal for cool mornings—fish are slow. I figured I’d dumped enough bait in the spot, so I switched to small, quick casts. Every time I cast, I’d wait 5 seconds, give the rod a tiny twitch (to “tease” the fish), then reel in and re-bait. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

Then, *boom*—around 9 AM, the bite turned on. First, a tiny crucian carp. Then a small silver carp (or was it a bream? Doesn’t matter, it was a bite!). Then, get this—a little freshwater gar? They’re pests, but hey, a bite’s a bite. And then? The big one (well, *sort of* big): a 4-5 ounce bream. But here’s the problem with my 28-tone rod: it’s so stiff, I felt *nothing* when I reeled it in. Just dragged it straight up. No fight, no fun—just a “oh, there’s a fish” moment. Bummer, but still a win.

10 AM: Sudden Stop, Sudden Exit

By 10 AM? The bite died. *Completely*. No taps, no pulls, nothing. And guess what? I had stuff to do at home—kid’s after-school pickup, laundry, the usual adulting garbage. So I called it quits. Packed up my rod, dumped all the leftover bait (no waste!), and released every fish I caught. Yeah, I’m one of those “catch and release” guys—fish are friends, not food (okay, sometimes food, but not today).

Final Thoughts: Was It Worth Ditching Work?

Let’s be real: Bali Bay isn’t what it used to be. The greedy owners, the lack of big fish, the stiff rod—none of that was ideal. But here’s the thing: I got to escape work for a few hours. I got to feel the sun on my face (after it cleared up—started cloudy, ended sunny, classic weather). I got to catch *something* (even if it was small). And that’s all that matters, right?

Next time? I’m bringing my backup soft rod. And maybe I’ll try a new spot—somewhere the owners don’t hate anglers. But for now? I’m just glad I took the chance. Fishing’s not about the big catches, anyway. It’s about getting away, forgetting about deadlines, and just… being. Even if it’s just a few hours. Even if you have to ditch work to do it.

Oh, and if you’re wondering: yes, I’ll be back. Maybe next Friday. Fingers crossed the bite’s better. And maybe I’ll bring a friend—solo fishing is fine, but fishing with a buddy is *always* better. Stay tuned for Day 6 (if I can sneak away again).