Wind, Rain, and YQ: A Fisherman’s Story of Persistence in Kunming This Mid-Autumn
Ugh, the annual Mid-Autumn Festival was finally around the corner-and then YQ hit Kunming out of nowhere. As someone who lives for wandering mountains, rivers, and open spaces, I was so bummed I didn’t even feel like buying mooncakes. But hey, I’m a traditional Chinese uncle-what can I do? I had to grab a few. Can’t go home to my folks, and the big grass carp I promised my father-in-law got stuck in static control. First time spending Mid-Autumn in Kunming, so I had to make it halfway decent, right?
Waited and waited for good news… none came. But nucleic acid tests? Had to do those. Gotta be a good citizen, so I herded my two “household leaders” (wife and kid, obviously) to line up in pouring rain. Even in a downpour, we stuck it out-responsibility first, folks.
Test done? Bolted home. Who stays out in this rain unless they’re crazy? 
Day 1: Stuck at Home-Simulating Fishing to Keep Sanity
September 11th, still raining. Stuck indoors, not even allowed out. Funny thing-today was supposed to be a special day (let’s just say YQ moved the celebration to the Gregorian calendar, close enough). But man, I was going stir-crazy.
So I did what any obsessed fisherman would: I dragged out my gear and pretended I was on the water. Mimicked casting, setting the hook, reeling in a big one, even netting it-“unlocked a new species” in my head, ha! Wrote a little poem to vent:
- This Mid-Autumn’s not the same
- Rain and YQ stole the moon’s flame
- Sorting gear, housebound, going insane
- Heart’s moldy, jittery-can’t contain
- Lying still, listening to wind and rain
- Counting drops tapping the window pane
- Blurred vision: fish splashing again
- Wake up-oh, it’s just the rain playing games
Yeah, I’m definitely addicted. Someone joked, “Come to Kunming this Mid-Autumn to see rain… and hear the sea cry!” (Total exaggeration, but the rain was that heavy.) 
“Rain, rain, go away?” Nah-let it pour! I’m not walking in it anyway. Just… please let tomorrow be better.
Day 2: Plotting the Great Fishing Escape
Next morning, ate breakfast and “helped” my kid build blocks-though my mind was 100% on fishing spots. Texted a friend to ask about control rules, and boom-a brilliant plan popped into my head: mapped the route, thought up excuses for my wife… perfect! Pat myself on the back.
Reminded myself: Master Cui would fish through anything, and Zheng Zhihua’s song (twisted a bit) says, “What’s a little rain and pain for a fisherman?” Plus, the old saying goes: “Big wind, big rain = big fish!” Found my reason-now to convince the boss (wife).
Packed my gear like a soldier prepping for battle. 
When I stepped out, my feet felt lighter than air-nothing beats the walk to go fishing!
Finally Fishing: Rain, Friends, and That Sweet, Sweet Vibe
“Lonely people are shameful?” Not me! Got to the spot, and other fishermen were already set up-umbrellas up, rods out, ready to “fight” the fish. One guy under an umbrella laughed: “I don’t care if they bite-I’m just here to watch the rain!” Total kindred spirit.
Rain kept pouring, and the vibe was… chaotic, but in a good way. Mixing bait? Had to use less water-otherwise, the sky would “help” me overwater it, and I’d be stuck with a mess. I hate fishing umbrellas (never bought one-feels like overkill for a casual trip), so I just got wet. Quoted a silly line I made up: “Rod and hat like a sword, love-hate with fish-under sky and earth!” Cheesy, but it made me grin.
My bait recipe? “All-Kill Star * Fragrance” (a local brand) mixed 1:1-like hero and beauty, loyal to each other. Water ratio? Supposed to be 1:0.7, but the rain added extra, so it ended up 1:0.9-1-perfect for both casting and rubbing. Watched too many Liu Zhiqiang (a famous Chinese angler) videos, so I grabbed my 7.2m “short rod” (yes, that’s a joke-7.2m is long!). Line: Qianli Lai 4 main + 2.5 leader. Hook: Big Fish King New Kanto #3. Float: Big Fish King Lake Version #3, 3 thick round tails-my “big eyes” to spot bites.
Before the rain messed it up, I rolled 7 bait balls and tossed them as chum-should be enough to lure some fish. 
More fishermen showed up-suddenly, the place was lively. We were all there for the same thing: forget YQ, forget rain, just fish.
Waited and waited… no big grass carp, no black carp, not even a common carp. Silver carp? They were there, but we couldn’t take them home (local rule), so why waste bait? Someone said, “To catch more, drop your phone in the water!” (Old fisherman’s joke-distraction = bad fishing.) I was too broke to risk my phone, so I stopped taking photos after that.
So no epic fish photos, no viral videos-just my 4.9g float dancing in the wind, rain, and waves. Pure chaos, but I loved it.
Wrap-Up: Safety First, Hope for Next Time
Heads up: The country roads were narrow and slippery from rain. Told my buddies to drive slow-we came to fish, not to end up in a ditch. Safety always comes first, even for obsessed fishermen.
Got home, and my wife laughed: “Where’s the fish?” I pointed to the fridge (okay, I caught a small one, marinated it for later). She rolled her eyes but smiled-win!
Mid-Autumn in Kunming this year was wild: rain, YQ, no moon. But here’s the thing-fishing isn’t just about catching fish. It’s about the thrill of planning, the joy of being with fellow anglers, and forgetting the world’s chaos for a few hours. Even in wind, rain, and YQ, we fishermen find our way to the water.
To all my fellow anglers out there: Stay safe, follow YQ rules, and keep that fishing spirit alive. Can’t wait for the next trip-hopefully with less rain and more big catches! Tight lines, everyone!
