When a Friend’s Fish Story Makes You Ignore the “Bad Fishing” Alert
Let me set the scene: It’s December 2, 2024, and my local fishing app is screaming at me that today is NOT a good day to fish. The air is hovering between 0°C and -3°C with a nippy 2-north wind, and the barometric pressure sits at 1036 hPa. But did I care? Not one bit. Because yesterday, a fellow angler hit the jackpot at Xingbei Main Canal (also known as the East Xincun Sand Pit) — he caught a carp AND a grass carp using nothing but earthworms, in this freezing cold! I saw the photos, so I knew it wasn’t just a tall tale.
My brain immediately started racing: If he could land big fish with earthworms, how much better would redworms work? I scarfed down lunch early, detoured to the local tackle shop on my way to the canal, and grabbed a pack of redworms, already daydreaming about hauling in a monster carp. I mean, how could I not get excited? Winter carp is the ultimate flex for anglers around here!
Setting Up Camp at Xingbei Main Canal
I pulled up to the canal at 12:58 PM, and sure enough, a handful of other diehard anglers were already set up. But when I wandered over to check their progress? Nary a bite to be seen. Most were staring blankly at their floats, already looking like they were debating if the cold was worth it. But I was still fired up — I had a plan, dammit.
Finding the Perfect Spot (Or So I Thought)
You know the old saying: “No nest, no fish.” I wasn’t about to skip this step, especially not when chasing big winter fish. I scouted the area and settled on a spot where the canal widens and narrows — it had a perfect drop-off, the kind you dream of for carp. The shallow side was 1.2-2.2 meters deep, and the drop-off plummeted to 2.6 meters. That’s carp gold, right?
I mixed up a batch of rice wine-soaked millet and old altar corn, packed it into two badminton-sized balls, and heaved them into the deep end of the drop-off for my carp target. Then, I walked 10 meters to the narrower side of the canal and tossed a smaller nest of the same mix for backup, just in case the carp weren’t biting and I needed to switch to small crucian carp.
My Overly Ambitious Gear Setup
I came prepared for everything, or so I thought. Here’s what I brought to the fight:
- Rods: 6.3m heavy rod for big fish, plus a 5.4m rod for more versatile casting
- Line Combos: 2.0 main line + 1.0 leader, and 1.5 main line + 0.8 leader for smaller targets
- Hooks: Iseama #5 and #6 for carp/grass carp, plus Golden Sleeve #4 for crucian carp
- Bait: Rice wine millet (for nesting), redworms, earthworms, and a all-purpose scented commercial bait
Originally, I planned to use three rods at once: the 6.3m with corn for carp, the 5.4m with redworms for carp and grass carp, and a 4.4m combo rod with earthworms/redworms for crucian carp. But when I saw every other angler was getting zero bites, I chickened out a little. I scaled back to two rods, swapping the small line combo onto the 5.4m rod just to be safe. Maybe the cold had made the fish extra skittish?
The Great Winter Fishing Flop: 2 Hours of Nothing But Cold
I cast both rods at 1:38 PM, adjusted my floats, and settled in to wait. I had my redworms baited up, my eyes glued to the floats, and my brain still picturing the huge carp I was about to land. And then? Nothing. Nada. Zilch.
Thirty minutes passed, and not a single twitch on either float. I started begging for literally anything — even a tiny minnow or a lousy roach would have made the cold worth it! But all I got was the wind picking up, blowing straight into my face, and making my fingers feel like they were going to fall off. I watched the other anglers start packing up one by one, their shoulders slumped like they’d just lost a championship.
By 2:14 PM, I couldn’t take it anymore. My toes were numb, my hands were frozen solid, and my floats hadn’t moved an inch. I packed up my gear, defeated. No carp, no grass carp, not even a single tiny crucian carp. Just two hours of sitting in the cold, staring at empty water, and questioning every life choice that led me to this point.
The Post-Fishing Rant: Why Did This Happen?
On the drive home, I couldn’t stop replaying everything. My friend caught carp here yesterday with earthworms — why couldn’t I catch anything with redworms? Let’s break down the possible culprits:
1. The “Bad Fishing” Alert Wasn’t Lying
Okay, fine, maybe I should’ve listened to the app. Winter fishing is already a crapshoot, but when the fishing index says “not suitable,” it’s probably not worth risking frostbite. The sudden temperature drop and steady wind might have made the fish hunker down in the deepest parts of the canal, too far for my rods to reach.
2. My Bait Choice Might Have Been Off
Wait, maybe redworms were too much? My friend used plain old earthworms, which are less “flashy” than redworms. Maybe the carp were spooked by the brighter, more active redworms? Or maybe the corn I used was too dry, or the commercial bait didn’t have the right scent to cut through the cold water?
3. Maybe the Fish Just Hated Me That Day
Let’s be real, fishing is 90% luck and 10% skill. Maybe all the carp and grass carp in the canal were having a secret party on the other side, laughing at me and my fancy redworms. Maybe the crucian carp were all napping, or just didn’t feel like eating. It happens to every angler, right? Even the pros go home empty-handed sometimes.
Final Thoughts: Would I Do It All Again? Hell Yes.
Look, going home empty-handed on a freezing cold day sucks. I spent two hours shivering, my fingers are still a little stiff, and I wasted perfectly good redworms and corn. But here’s the thing: That’s part of the magic of fishing.
That split second when I pulled up to the canal and saw the other anglers? That’s community. The daydream of hauling in a huge carp on a winter day? That’s the thrill that keeps us coming back. Even the cold, the empty floats, and the defeated drive home? It’s all part of the story. Next weekend, I’ll be back at it — maybe with different bait, maybe a different spot, maybe just a warmer pair of gloves. Because even when you catch nothing, you’re still chasing that perfect bite.
If you’re a fellow winter angler who’s ever gone home empty-handed after chasing a fish story, leave a comment below — let’s commiserate together. And if you have tips for catching carp in freezing cold canals? I’m all ears! I need to redeem myself next time.
