“Black Fishing Story” Double Phone “Baiting” – A Catch of Mixed Fortunes (and Broken Tech!)

Let me start this post with a heavy, frustrated sigh. If the title didn’t give it away, I’ll spell it out: this fishing trip ended with me “baiting” the ocean twice – with my phones. Yep, that’s right. My Huawei and Honor are now resting at the bottom of the sea (well, okay, 40cm deep, but still!). This isn’t my first rodeo either – I’ve lost three phones to water before. But two at once? Total gut punch.

The Day That Started With Promise (and Fish!)

Let’s rewind to the good part first, before the chaos. My buddy Tony and I headed to spot A – a coastal spot we’d been eyeing for weeks. The morning was calm, the water glistening, and I was actually excited. I didn’t catch a ton of fish, but man – the variety was wild. It was like the ocean threw every random species at me. Let’s break down the catch (since I lost all my on-water photos, I had to snap these later with my tablet – sorry for the quality!):

1. First Catch: The Tiny Red Drum (But a Big Fight!)

My first bite was a tiny red drum – nothing to brag about size-wise, but it hit like a freight train. Full-on black float (that’s a “black bite” for non-anglers) – I almost dropped my rod! I tossed it in the fridge with my other frozen fish for a future “miscellaneous fish stew.”

2. The “Water Torpedo” That Got Away (And Broke My Hook!)

Next up? A mullet – they call ’em “water torpedoes” for a reason. Their pull is insane. I’ve heard some anglers say mullet fight harder than milkfish – and I’m not here to argue. Let me tell you, I almost landed a monster first: a 5-pound mullet, probably half a meter long. I missed three top bites first – I thought the hook was too small. So I swapped to a size 4 Iseni hook and 3.0 fluorocarbon line. Bam! Hooked it. The pull felt like I’d snagged a rock – I knew it was big. I fought it for minutes… but then snap. The hook broke. Even BBK hooks (supposedly tough!) couldn’t handle that “general” mullet. Ugh. Then I caught a smaller mullet later – not the giant, but still a fun fight.

3. Yellowfin Bream vs. Yellowtail Bream: Spot the Difference!

I landed one yellowfin bream and three yellowtail bream – and let’s be real, most new anglers mix these up. They look so similar! But here’s how to tell:

• Yellowfin bream have a rounder head;
• Yellowtail bream have a pointier head;
• Check the scales – their patterns and shapes are totally different too!

The yellowfin was a decent size – I was low-key stoked when I pulled it up. The yellowtail were solid too – each around 3 ounces. Not huge, but perfect for eating.

4. The “Lucky” Orchid Crabs (By Chance?)

And then… three orchid crabs. All hooked legitimately – not just snagged. How do you catch crabs while fishing? Honestly? Chance. I was just casting for fish, and suddenly my line felt heavy. Pulled it up, and there was a crab – claws and all. Three times! Total fluke, but fun. I saved them for later.

The Disaster: Two Phones Down (And No Backup!)

Okay, enough of the good stuff. Let’s get to the part that ruined my day. It was getting dark, so I started packing up. I’d tossed both my Huawei and Honor into a mesh bucket with my fishing tools – big mistake. I don’t know how, but the bucket tipped, and both phones went straight into the water. Seawater – the worst kind for electronics.

I panicked, jumped into the shallow water (it was only 40cm deep – I knew the bottom, so no risk), and grabbed them immediately. But by then, they were already dead. Black screens. Nothing. I rushed to pack the rest of my gear, then drove into the city to find a phone repair shop. But here’s the kicker: both phones were dead. No navigation. No Google Maps. I drove around for ages, lost, until I finally found a random shop.

The guy cleaned them, but they still wouldn’t turn on. He said I needed to take them to an official Huawei service center in the city – so I wasted another 2 hours driving there, plus $50 for the useless cleaning. To make it worse? My headlamp and night light also got soaked – they’re dead too. I threw them in the trash, fuming. Today was not my day.

The Silver Lining (Sort Of): Crab Noodles for Dinner

That night, I cooked the orchid crabs into crab noodles. They were delicious – sweet, fresh, perfect. But honestly? Even lobster or abalone would’ve tasted like cardboard. My mood was so bad, I couldn’t enjoy it. I just ate while staring at my dead phones, thinking about how stupid I’d been.

Lessons Learned (The Hard Way)

That night, I lay in bed and replayed the day over and over. Here’s what I’m never doing again:

• Never put all your phones in one place – especially near water. If one dies, you need a backup for navigation, calls, etc.
• Waterproof everything – I’m buying waterproof cases for my next phones, no exceptions. Even if it’s a “shallow” spot, seawater is deadly.
• Don’t be lazy with gear storage – the mesh bucket was a terrible idea. I’m getting a hard, waterproof container for electronics from now on.

This isn’t my first phone loss – I’ve lost three before – but losing two at once? Total wake-up call. I can’t believe I was so careless.

Wrapping Up (And Begging for Sympathy)

So that’s my “black fishing story” – a day of great fish, then a total tech disaster. I’m still mad. Still sad. I even opened JD.com (my go-to for phones) to look at replacements, but every time I see the prices, I want to cry. My Huawei and Honor were good phones – I’d had them for ages.

Hey, if you’ve ever lost a phone (or two!) while fishing, drop a comment below. Tell me your horror story – I need to feel less alone. Did you ever get your gear fixed? Or did you have to shell out for new stuff too? I’m listening.

Thanks for reading, everyone. If you’ve got tips for waterproofing fishing gear, or cheap phone replacements, hit me up. I’m desperate.