After Rain Clears and Sun Shines: Warm People, Comfortable Fish, and Smooth Fishing at Qi River
Ugh, those gray, rainy days with dropping temps? Total buzzkill for fishing! For days, I’ve been struggling—even my go-to spot at Taishan Road couldn’t save me from near-empty nets. Yesterday? I almost went home with zilch if I hadn’t switched spots last minute. Let’s be real: us anglers don’t mind “skunking” (okay, maybe a little), but not knowing why? That’s the worst part. It’s like, “Fish, what’s your problem?!”
Weird thing though: two days ago, when it was still cold and raining, the fish under the bridge were biting like crazy! I guessed it was because bridge water stays warmer. But yesterday? Same cold temp, same bridge spot—nada. Not a single nibble. Still confused about that one. Fish logic is so random sometimes, am I right?
But hey! Today? The sun’s finally out! After rain, clear skies, and rising temps—finally! I know what you’re thinking: “First sunny day after a cold snap? Fish hate that!” And you’re not wrong. Big temp swings mess with their mojo, and sunlight heats the surface fast, making ’em float up instead of feeding. But… I couldn’t resist. Gotta try, right? Plus, who wants to waste a sunny day cooped up?
My Fishing Setup for the Day
Let’s get to the gear—because details matter! Here’s what I packed:
- Date: April 25th
- Location: Old Fishing Spot at Qi River
- Weather: Sunny (thank goodness!)
- Rod: 3.6m Zhulu Crucian Carp Rod (love this one for small ponds)
- Bait: All-purpose mix + Red Tail Green (super effective for local fish)
- Float: Yiwei Reed Float (sensitive—great for tiny bites)
- Hook: Size 1 Sleeve Hook (perfect for small crucians)
- Line: Main line 1.5, Leader line 0.6 (oops, leader was a bit thick—more on that later)
- Adjustment: 1 eye to catch 2 eyes (my go-to setup for calm water)
Morning: Sunlight, Hesitation, and a Lucky Break
Woke up, peeked through the curtains—sunbeams on the floor! Instant mood boost. But I knew the catch: first sunny day after cold? Fish are finicky. So I dragged my feet, did chores… until 9 AM. Couldn’t wait anymore. Decided to hit my old Qi River spot—even if I just sunbathed, I’d be happy to shake off the rainy-day chill.
Got to the spot, and wow—sunny days bring out everyone! The head of the river had 3 anglers already. Wild fishing is crazy like that: if a spot hits yesterday, everyone’s there today. I don’t bother fighting for spots—too much hassle. But hey, luck was on my side! Under the bridge, only a couple was fishing… and they had a net in the water. That’s a good sign—more fish means more bites, right?
Check out their setup: wife was reeling, husband was baiting and casting. Total team! When they saw me, the guy goes, “We’re leaving soon to pick up our kid—you can take our spot!” No way! Talk about good karma. I thanked them a million times—saved me from setting up a new spot from scratch. Sometimes, fishing’s just as much about luck as skill, am I right?
Fishing Time: Bites, Double Hooks, and a Line Mistake
Set up my rod quick—they were packing up fast. Cast a couple times to find the depth: this spot’s one float shallower than the bridge. Bottom’s clean, no weeds… but a little right? Float wouldn’t stand up—weeds galore. So I stuck to my spot.
First cast: float sinks, settles at 3 eyes. I pressed the line down, gave a tiny tug to “tease” the fish. Then—boom! A 1-eye bite. I yanked the rod—fish on! A tiny crucian, but hey, first catch of the day? Winning.
Time check: 10:30 AM. I only had until 11:30 to fish—gotta cook lunch at home. So I cranked up the pace: float settles, no bite? Reel, cast again. Fast rhythm = more fish, right? That’s what I’ve learned from years at this spot.
And it worked! Bites got faster… even double hooks! Can you believe it? Yesterday this spot was dead, today it’s a feeding frenzy. I was grinning like an idiot—every cast had a bite. But wait… my line was wrong. Leader line 0.6 was too thick for tiny bites. So many times I saw a nibble, yanked, and nothing. Annoying! But hey, still catching more than most people today.
Wrap-Up: Sun, Fish, and a Quick Look Around
Before I left, I walked to the big part of the river. Yikes—most anglers were skunked! Empty nets, sad faces. So I got lucky with my spot. The sun heated the water, but under the bridge? Maybe it stayed just right. Fish love that stable temp, I guess.
Headed home at 11:30, happy even with the line mistake. These days, weather’s all over the place—warm one day, cold the next. If you go fishing, hit the early morning window before the sun gets too hot. That’s when fish are most active. And hey, be patient—true golden fishing days are coming soon, I can feel it!
Check out my catch pics below—tiny, but tasty! Can’t wait to go back next week when the temps stay steady. Who’s joining me? Let’s hit Qi River and catch some big ones!
