Why I Decided to Revisit My Old Fishing Spot
It was Sunday, May 14th, 2024. The weather app said it’d be cloudy, but by afternoon, it was straight-up scorching with zero clouds—my skin was practically frying out there! Lately, wild fishing has been such a letdown. I haven’t completely blanked (thank god for small mercies), but I’ve only been catching 2 or 3 tiny fish each trip. No fun at all, right? So I wasn’t even planning to fish that day.
But here’s the thing: my wife was at work, my son was at tutoring, and I was bored out of my mind at home. By 10:30 AM, I couldn’t take it anymore. I ordered my son’s lunch delivery, grabbed my fishing gear, and hit the road. My goal was simple: scout some spots for future trips. I drove around thinking, “Where haven’t I tried lately?” Every place I usually go has either no bites or just tiny fish nibbles. The only spot I hadn’t visited this year was under river embankment repairs—cars couldn’t get close, so I’d have to walk 100+ meters. But it used to be good for fish before… why not check it out?
Setting Up at the Only Available Spot
When I got there, guess what? Only one fishing spot was usable, and no one else was around. Some fellow angler had jerry-rigged it temporarily—thank you, random friend! Since it was already set up, I didn’t hesitate. Time to get to work!
I set up two rods:
- A 4.5m rod for small fish: 1.2m water depth, 1.5 main line + 0.8 leader, size 4 Haixi hooks.
- A 6.3m rod for big fish (a guy can dream, okay?): 2.0 main line + 1.0 leader, size 5 Haixi hooks.
For bait, I used my go-to mix—half fishy, half fragrant. It’s a private recipe I buy online and swear by; never let me down before.
The Long Wait (and First Heartbreak)
Oh man, the wait was brutal. An hour passed before I got a slow, gentle bite. I was so eager I yanked the rod too hard—snip! The 1.0 leader line broke right away. No fish, just a broken line. But weirdly, that got me pumped! At least there were fish here, right?
Thirty more minutes of casting later, I was almost out of bait. Then… finally! A bite on the target fish. Yes! It was a beauty—my first catch of the day.
The Big Payoff: Catching Big Crucian Carp Left and Right
After that first catch, things went wild. Big crucian carp, the kind I rarely see these days, started biting like crazy. I fished until 5 PM, and by the end, I had 13 of them—each 2 to 4 liang (that’s about 100-200 grams, for you non-metric folks)! It was such a rush—casting, reeling, catching, repeating. I couldn’t believe my luck.
Final Thoughts (and a Tease for Next Time)
When I packed up, I was exhausted but grinning from ear to ear. Who knew this old, forgotten spot would turn into a goldmine? Walking 100 meters was totally worth it. If you’re feeling stuck with bad fishing trips, maybe revisit an old spot—you never know what’s waiting there. I’m already planning my next trip back… maybe I’ll catch even bigger ones next time! Happy fishing, everyone.
