My Wild River Fishing Disaster: Wind Ruined Everything!
Let me tell you about my frustrating fishing trip on October 9, 2024. I was so excited to try a new spot, but Mother Nature had other plans. Wind, no bites, and missed chances—this day had it all. If you’ve ever fought wind while fishing, you’ll feel my pain.
Pre-Trip Plan: Chasing Big Fish at Xiaosongzhuang River
I’d been eyeing the Xiaosongzhuang section of the wild river for weeks. Other local spots weren’t giving me any big carp, so I decided to drive out here. The river’s about 300 meters long and 100 meters wide, with depths up to 7-8 meters—perfect for hiding big fish. But since it’s far from home, I’d only been once before this year.
I packed all my gear the night before:
- Rods: Ren Zhan 5.4m and Shen Ji 7.2m
- Line sets: 3+2 (for carp) and 1.5+0.8 (for crucian)
- Hooks: Jin Haixi #9 (carp) and #4 (crucian)
- Bait: Old altar corn, wine rice
- Hook baits: Old altar corn, all-purpose fragrant lure, earthworms
Weather forecast said sunny—no mention of strong wind. Big mistake.
Early Morning Arrival: Quiet, Weedy, and Suspicious
I got to the river at 7:30 AM. Not a single other angler was there. The wind was light (1-2 north wind), and since the river runs east-west, I planned to fish from the north bank for easier casting.
I walked along the bank, but there were no worn fishing spots—just tall weeds. That made me nervous. Did no one fish here this year because the bite was bad? But I’d driven so far, I had to try.
Setting Up: One Nest, Two Rods
I picked a spot behind some water plants. I threw old altar corn and wine rice into the water about 1 meter in front of the plants to make a nest. My plan: use two rods at once. One with corn to wait for carp, the other with lure to catch crucian (to pass the time).
First, I tried the all-purpose fragrant lure for crucian. Nothing. For over an hour, not a single bite—big or small. I switched to earthworms, and bam! The float moved right away. I pulled up a crucian about 1 liang (50 grams) heavy. Finally, something!
The Wind Hits: Chaos Ensues
Then the wind got worse. The poplar trees along the bank were whistling. Casting became a nightmare. I could barely get the bait near the nest. When I did, the wind would blow the float 1 meter away in 2-3 minutes. The float bounced up and down, left and right—how was I supposed to tell if it was a fish bite or just the wind?
I saw carp jump out of the water twice! They looked about 2 jin (1 kg) each. If the wind hadn’t been so bad, I might have hooked one. But every time I tried to cast to the nest, the wind pushed my line off target. It was so frustrating.
Final Results: A Few Small Crucian, No Carp
After 2-3 hours, I only had 10+ small crucian. No carp bites at all. The wind was too strong to keep going. I packed up and left, feeling defeated.
Lessons Learned (The Hard Way)
What did I take away from this mess?
- Always check the hourly wind forecast, not just the daily one.
- Bring heavier sinkers for windy days—they help keep bait in the nest.
- Don’t give up on earthworms! The crucian here hated lure, but loved worms.
- If a spot has no fishing signs, it might really have bad fish activity—trust your gut.
Have you ever had a fishing trip ruined by wind? Share your story in the comments—I’d love to commiserate (or laugh at your funny fails).
Photos from the Trip
