Just Cooled Down, Small Fish Are Still Nuisances – A Fishing Diary

When the Cold Hits, But the Small Fish Don’t Quit

It’s the Start of Winter (Lìdōng in the Chinese solar terms, but let’s keep it casual here) and I was itching to catch some crucian carp—you know, those plump, tasty ones that make all the early mornings worth it. Last week, I spent hours dealing with nothing but tiny fish nipping at my bait, so this time? I picked a Sunday right after a cold snap. Figured the smaller fish would be too cold to move, right? Fish are cold-blooded, after all—less body mass means they’d freeze up first, right?

Boy, was I wrong. Woke up to rain and howling north winds—definitely a big temperature drop. My wife nagged me to layer up, but I waved her off (classic angler move: “I’ve got this”). First, I had to knock out a COVID test (mandatory stuff, ugh) and drop off some things at my mom’s place. By the time I set up at the pond, it was almost 9 AM. Better late than never, I guess?

New Gear Day! 6.3m Rod Takes Its First Dip

Last time, my 4.5m rod couldn’t reach the deeper spots where the big fish hide. So I splurged on a 6.3m crucian carp rod—today was its “first light” (angler slang for first use, duh). Had to get the setup just right for cold weather fishing: easier casting, better bite detection. Here’s what I went with:

• Rod: 6.3m crucian carp rod (brand new, still smelled like fresh plastic—love that)
• Main Line: 6.3m 2# spotted line (blends in, so fish don’t get spooked)
• Leader Line: 50cm folded 0.6# spotted line (super thin, perfect for finicky bites)
• Hook: #3 barbless gold sleeve (less harm to fish if I release ’em)
• Floater: Xiao Yang Ren #3 drainage float (drains water fast, so you see bites immediately)
• Bait: Homemade rice wine bait (for attracting crucian carp) + store-bought mix
• Groundbait: Da Yu Wang (fishy, cold-water formula) + homemade shrimp powder + tiny bit of gluten (for binding) + pond water + a splash of “Gong Ji” crucian carp attractant. Water ratio: 1:1 (I measured it—no guesswork here)

Location? Songjiang New Town Central Park, Pond #2. Spot? West side, the covered platform—backed the wind so I wouldn’t freeze my ears off. When I got there, a worker was in a boat cutting lotus leaves and stems. Smart move—lotus can mess with your line. I set up 3 meters away from the lotus edge, and he was cool about it—rowed off to the right once he was done. No drama, just two guys doing their thing.

The Usual Suspects: Small Fish Take Over

You know the drill. First bite? A tiny whitebait (silver minnow, basically). Then another. Then… crickets. Wait, no—just more small fish. I was casting the 6.3m rod nonstop, trying to train my arm (and maybe tire out the small fish? Fat chance). Then, out of nowhere, my phone rings. It’s a client asking about horse quarantine and arena watering methods. Ugh—work follows me everywhere. I talked for 15 minutes, and when I hung up? Still no crucian carp. Just more tiny bites.

Then I spotted a egret (white heron, super pretty) and pulled out my phone to take a pic. Waited 10 minutes for it to pose, and when I looked back at my float? It was under water! I reeled in—wait, that’s not a fish. It’s a snail! A SNAIL. In winter? Does it even eat bait? I guess everyone’s hungry, even snails. Took a pic, released it (gently—snails have feelings too, maybe?), and went back to casting.

Wait, What’s That? A Crawler? (And It Escaped!)

After an hour of nothing but whitebait, I felt a tiny tug. Reeled in—oh, a crawler (maybe a loach or a goby? Not sure, but it’s a bottom dweller). I thought, “Cool! I’ll take it home for my native fish tank.” But when I went to take a pic before releasing it (wait, no—keep it, right?), it wiggled out of my hand and swam away. Darn it! All I got was a blurry pic of it in the water. Classic. Can’t catch a break.

By then, I realized the problem: the water hadn’t cooled down enough yet. Even though the air was cold, the pond water was still warm from the previous days. So the small fish—whitebait, minnows, bitterlings, even those tiny “horsehead” fish—were still active. They’re the first to eat when the weather changes, but the big crucian carp? They’re hiding deeper, waiting for the water to drop more.

Wrap-Up: No Big Fish, But Some Fun (And a Snail)

By noon, I packed up. No crucian carp, just a bunch of tiny fish, a snail, and a escaped crawler. But hey—new rod worked great! Casting 6.3m is way easier than I thought, and the float setup let me see every tiny bite (even the snail’s). Next time, I’ll wait a few more days for the water to really cool down. Maybe then the small fish will hibernate, and the big ones will come out to play.

Oh, and here’s a throwback: years ago, I caught a huge crucian carp and a koi right here at the same spot. Check out the pic below—reminds me what’s possible. Until then, I’ll keep making my homemade bait, practicing my casting, and nagging my wife to let me go fishing every weekend. She’ll cave eventually, right?

What about you? Ever had a cold snap fishing trip where the small fish won? Drop a comment—love to hear your horror stories (or success ones, I guess).