My Carp Fishing Adventure: High Hopes vs. Empty Bucket
Let me start by saying—I was so pumped today! I had this big plan to catch some chunky carp, brought two rods (so four hooks total, duh), and showed up at this supposed “abandoned fish pond” feeling like I was gonna reel in a monster. Spoiler alert: I left with nothing but a sore back and a lot of questions. Ugh, why do fish hate me sometimes? Let’s dive into this mess of a fishing trip, shall we?
Quick Check-In: Local COVID-19 Situation First
Before I even grabbed my rods, I noticed the latest COVID updates on my phone—6 new local cases and 19 asymptomatic ones, plus high-risk areas jumped to 57. Yikes, the pandemic’s still hanging around like an uninvited guest. But since I was only going to a quiet pond (and masked up, obviously), I figured it was safe enough. Gotta balance hobbies with safety, right?
The Pond That Got Away (Mostly): Background Story
I’ve passed this pond a bunch of times before—usually, there are a few anglers scattered around, so I always wondered what’s up with it. Here’s the tea: back in spring, they stocked it with tons of carp fry, like 3 to 5 taels each (that’s 150-250 grams for you non-Chinese unit folks). But then summer hit, and a huge flood washed out the dam! So most of the carp escaped downstream—explains why those tiny ditches near Zhuangzhuang Village are full of carp now. But wait, the pond’s super deep—like, really deep—so I thought, “There’s no way all the big ones left! There must be some lunkers hiding down there.” That’s what convinced me to give it a shot today.
Third Time’s the Charm? Or Not…
This was my third time stopping by, and guess what? Four people were still fishing there! I was like, “Is this pond actually abandoned after the flood?” So I walked over to chat with one of the anglers—turns out, he was a first-timer too. He said he heard from other fishermen that it’s okay to fish here… as long as the owner doesn’t show up. If they do? Just slip them 20 or 30 bucks, and you’re golden. Well, since I was already there, I thought, “Why not? Let’s test my luck.”
Setting Up: Gear & Spot Choices
I got to the pond around 14:20 and immediately noticed the water level was way lower—like 2 to 3 meters down from what I remembered. I picked a spot that looked like a “veteran angler’s spot” (you know, the one with worn-down grass and old bait containers). First thing I did: tossed two handfuls of old jar sweet potato corn mixed with wine rice as bait. Then—score! I found a super long float (almost 70 cm) lying by the water. That’s the “rogue float” people talk about, right? I thought, “This is a sign! Today’s gonna be my day!” Spoiler: It wasn’t.
Since I was targeting carp, I adjusted my rig to “adjust 2, fish 2” (a common carp fishing setup where you set the float to show 2 eyes when adjusting, then 2 eyes when fishing—works for bottom feeders). I tested the water depth… and wow, 3 meters deep! I moved left and right 6 to 7 meters, and it was the same depth everywhere. Well, I already threw the bait, so I stuck with the spot.
The Gear Breakdown (For Fellow Fishing Nerds)
- Time: 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM, November 15, 2024
- Location: So-and-so Abandoned Fish Pond
- Weather: Sunny, 5°C to 15°C, west wind level 2, air pressure 1013 hPa (decent for carp, or so I thought)
- Water depth: 3 meters
- Rods: 6.3m + 5.4m (double rods = double the chances? Ha.)
- Line set: 3 main line + 2 sub line (strong enough for big carp, I swear)
- Float: 2.7g bright carp float (so I could see bites clearly)
- Hooks: Iseini size 6 (sharp, perfect for carp mouths)
- Bait: Old jar sweet potato corn + earthworms (carp’s favorite combo, right?)
- Target species: Carp (obviously)
The Waiting Game: Bites? What Bites?
First, I set up the 6.3m rod with corn on both hooks and cast it out. Then the 5.4m rod—upper hook with mixed bait, lower hook with earthworms (I read that combo works for picky carp). I sat down, grabbed my drink, and waited. And waited. And waited some more.
Here’s the thing: I saw carp bubbles! Like, big, fat bubbles that mean there are carp down there. But why weren’t they biting? I tried switching up the bait—more corn, more earthworms, even mixed some extra stuff in. Nada. Not a single tug. For over an hour! The other anglers? They weren’t catching anything either. I was like, “Are we all just here for the scenery?”
What Went Wrong? My Post-Trip Rant
Let me list the possible culprits because I’m still confused:
- Water level drop: The pond’s water was way lower than usual—maybe the carp moved to deeper, shadier spots I couldn’t reach?
- Too many anglers: Even though it’s “abandoned,” there were four of us there. Did we scare the carp away?
- Bait issues: Maybe the carp here hate sweet potato corn? Or the earthworms were too small? Or I didn’t let the bait sit long enough?
- Weather: Wait, 5°C is pretty cold for carp—do they slow down in cooler temps? I should’ve checked that before going!
- The “abandoned” myth: Maybe the pond isn’t actually abandoned, and the carp are used to being left alone? So when we show up, they hide?
I mean, I saw bubbles! That’s the most frustrating part. It’s like the carp were taunting me—“Hey, we’re here, but you can’t catch us!” Ugh.
Wrap-Up: Empty-Handed but Not Defeated (Okay, Maybe a Little Defeated)
By 16:00, the sun was starting to set, and I was freezing my butt off. I packed up my gear, gave the pond a dirty look, and left. On the way home, I kept thinking about those bubbles. Next time—yes, there will be a next time—I’m gonna do things differently: check the water temperature first, try different bait (maybe some spicy corn?), and go earlier in the day when the carp are more active. And maybe bring fewer rods? Or more? Who knows.
To all my fellow anglers out there—have you ever had a trip where you saw fish but couldn’t catch them? What did you do? Drop a comment (if this was a real blog) because I need tips. Until next time, tight lines… I hope.
