The March Slump: A Month of Nonstop “Fishless Days”
Let me tell you, March was brutal. Like, “one bad fishing day makes me sad, every bad fishing day makes me miserable” brutal. I spent the entire month getting skunked—no bites, no tugs, nothing. Every time I packed up my gear at the end of the day, I’d just sigh and think, “Is this gonna be my whole spring?”
April’s Fresh Start: High Water and a Glimmer of Hope
Thank goodness March finally left! Then I noticed something— the Yangtze River’s water level had jumped 2 meters in a week. Wait a second… could this be a sign my luck was about to turn? I dumped all the random stuff cluttering my gear bag, and by 6:40 PM, I was finally sitting by the water. Mixing bait, finding the bottom, adjusting the float—boom, all done in one go. Before 7 PM, I cast my first line of April. This had to be better than March, right?
The Windy Challenge: Wobbly Floats and Doubts
The water level was perfect, but the wind? It was going crazy. Plus, the drain was pumping out more water than usual, so the waves in my fishing spot were way bigger than normal. My glow float wasn’t steady like it usually is—no clear, solid signals. Uh-oh… was I gonna keep the sad streak going from last night?
The Bait Experiment: From Lures to Earthworms
I used the same bait mix as last night. Third cast in, the float started changing color nonstop—like something was checking out the bait. Last night, I sat for four hours and didn’t see the float turn red once. Today? It was lighting up left and right. No way all those signals were just from the current pushing the float around, right? But after a bunch of empty casts, I started thinking: maybe my bait mix wasn’t working in the moving water.
I decided to switch to earthworms. But wait—right before I could change bait, my line got stuck on the bottom, and I snapped one of the sub-lines. Perfect timing, actually. I could swap both the sub-line and the bait. Let’s see if I can figure out what’s making that float flash so much.
“The Wilder the Wind, the Pricier the Fish”: Taking Cues from “The Knockout”
You know that line from *The Knockout* (that super popular drama)? Gao Qiqiang said, “The wilder the wind, the pricier the fish.” Makes sense—windy weather means fish are harder to catch, so they’re more valuable. If they’re harder to catch, I need to focus even more on every little signal. Since I was using earthworms, I made a rule: if the float stayed red for more than 3 seconds, I’d yank the rod. No wasting bait that way, at least.
The Fight: When the Float Finally Sticks
I lost count of how many empty casts I made. Then, the float turned red and twitched again. I lifted the rod like I always do… and this time, it wasn’t empty! I felt something on the hook. And whatever was under the water? It started pulling hard immediately. Definitely a fish—but what kind? I had to wait till it surfaced to know for sure.
This thing had some muscle! It wasn’t a tiny, easy-to-reel-in fish—its stamina was no joke. It used the current to its advantage, thrashing around like it didn’t wanna come up. I thought, “C’mon, I’ve waited this long—don’t let me down now!”
The Tug-of-War: Worries About Gear and a Helping Hand
We went back and forth for seven or eight minutes. A guy fishing nearby noticed the commotion and came over to check. When he saw me fighting the fish (which was still hiding under the water), he asked where my net was. Good thing I always set up the net before I start fishing! He grabbed it and tried to scoop the fish. First try? Missed. My heart skipped a beat— but he was being nice, so I just kept steadying the rod. Second try? Almost got it. Third try? THANK GOODNESS, it went in! I dragged the fish onto the shore, and that weight off my chest? Instant relief.
Shattering the Record: A Hybrid Crucian That Stunned Me
I turned on my headlamp to see what I’d caught. Whoa—another “crucian-not-crucian, carp-not-carp” fish, you know, the kind we call “engineer crucian” (hybrid crucian carp). And get this—it was almost the same size as the one I caught at the end of last year. That old one was 3 jin (1.5 kg) and broke my personal best for crucian carp. I couldn’t believe it…
When I got home, I measured it: 44 cm long, 1540 grams (that’s 3.3 pounds!). Wait a second— that’s bigger than last year’s! I accidentally smashed my own record! This fish didn’t just break the record, it broke that March “curse” too. Spring’s ending, summer’s coming—this is the golden season for river fishermen. I can’t wait to beat this record again soon!
Alright, enough talking—here are the photos!
Wrapping Up: Here’s to More Records
Man, what a day. From March’s nonstop skunks to breaking my personal best in April—fishing really is all about the ups and downs. If you’re out there struggling with bad luck, don’t give up! Sometimes a little change (like switching bait) or a weird weather day (hello, windy rivers!) is all it takes to turn things around. I’m already counting down to my next trip—who knows, maybe I’ll beat this 1540g record sooner than I think. Happy fishing, everyone!
