Fishing at Longkou City’s Caojia Reservoir: A First-Timer’s Windy, Fish-Filled Adventure

Okay, let’s cut to the chase-if you’re a fishing newbie like me, you know the struggle of picking a spot that doesn’t suck. I’d heard whispers about Longkou City’s Caojia Reservoir from a buddy who swears by it for big crucian carp (that’s European perch, basically, but way bigger here). So I dragged my lazy self out of bed at 6 AM on a Saturday-yes, 6 AM-to check it out. Spoiler: It was chaotic, frustrating, and somehow the most fun I’ve had fishing in months. Let’s break it down.

First Impressions: Where the Heck Is Caojia Reservoir, Anyway?

First off, the location: It’s south of Guicheng Caojia Village, right? I plugged it into my phone and drove like a man on a mission (okay, maybe a little lost). The drive was pretty-rolling hills, some farmland, then boom-there it was. The reservoir looked huge from the road, but I had no clue where to set up. Pro tip: Don’t just park and guess. I learned that the hard way.

My First Mistake: The Northeast Corner (AKA “Hang Your Line City”)

I headed straight for the northeast corner because it looked sheltered. Nope. Wrong. The ground was a mess of rocks-big, jagged, uneven. Trying to set up my float? Forget it. I spent 20 minutes adjusting, dropping it, and watching it tip over like a drunk penguin. Then, when I finally thought I had it right? Snag. Line caught on a rock. I had to yank it free, which probably scared every fish within a mile. Ugh. Lesson 1: Northeast corner = rock city. Avoid if you hate retying hooks.

Second Mistake: The Dam Base (AKA “Wind Central”)

Okay, so northeast corner was a bust. I packed up my gear (which takes way longer than it should when you’re flustered) and hiked over to the dam base. It looked more open, right? More space to cast. But then-WHOOSH-the wind hit me like a freight train. My float? It was gone. Blown across the water before I could blink. Also, the water depth was wild: One step in was 2 meters, step back 10 cm and it was ankle-deep. How do you even set a depth marker for that? I sat there for 10 minutes, staring at my float bobbing like a cork in a hurricane, and thought, “What am I doing?”

Just as I was about to throw my rod in the water (kidding… mostly), an old guy walked up. He had a weathered hat, a bucket full of fish, and a grin like he knew exactly what I was thinking. “First time here?” he asked. I nodded. “10 yuan to fish, kid. Northeast corner’s better-just find the spots without rocks. Dam base is garbage when it’s windy.”

Oh. So I paid the guy 10 yuan (total steal, by the way-most spots around here charge 20-30), and trundled back to the northeast corner. This time, I was smarter. I found a tiny patch of flat ground, sat down, and tried the heavy lead method with short leaders and a small sliding sinker. Finally-stable. The float didn’t tip over. I didn’t snag immediately. Progress!

The Fish: Big Crucians, Hungry Sharp-Beaks, and a “That One Got Away” Story

Let’s talk fish. First, the sharp-beaks (they’re like small, aggressive carp, I think?). There were tons of them. My bait barely hit the water before one would grab it. I caught three in 5 minutes-all big, too. But I was here for crucians, so I kept trying to adjust my bait to avoid them. That took forever. I mixed up rice wine bait, some store-bought mix, and even threw in a handful of dry mix as chum. By the time I stopped messing around, it was almost noon. And then-bam.

Crucian Carp Bonanza (Finally!)

At 11:45 AM, my float dipped. I yanks-fish on! It was a big crucian, way bigger than any I’d caught before. I reeled it in, whooping like an idiot. Then another. Then another. For an hour and a half, I was on a roll. Every cast, another crucian. They were all decent size-15-20 cm, maybe? No tiny “baby crucians” like I get at the local pond. That was a win.

Then, around 1:30 PM, more people showed up. They all headed to the dam base, which I thought was weird. I tried casting over there once, just to see-nothing. Zero bites. So my initial thought was right: Dam base = no good, especially when it’s busy. Stick to the northeast corner (or, as the old guy said, “up the hill” – I didn’t try that, but next time).

The One That Got Away (I’m Still Mad About This)

Okay, let’s get to the drama. I was casting away, catching small crucians, when my rod bends-hard. Like, almost bent in half. I thought, “Great, another rock.” But then it moved. Left. Oh my god, it’s a fish! I stood up so fast I knocked over my bucket. I reeled a little, but it fought back. Hard. My line was too thin (I’d been using 0.25 mm line for crucians-total mistake for a big fish). I didn’t want to yank too hard and break the line, so I just held on. It struggled for 10 seconds, then-pop. Gone. I didn’t even see it! It never broke the surface. I stared at my hook, which was fine, and thought, “What the hell was that?” The old guy later said it was probably a big grass carp or a catfish-they’re in there, but hard to catch. Ugh. I’m still salty about that one.

My Gear Fail (Pro Tip: Don’t Be Me)

So, earlier, I’d snagged a rock and pulled my rod tip off my 4.5 m rod. Oops. I was panicking-no rod tip, no fishing. Then I remembered I had a 6.3 m rod in my car. I took it apart, grabbed the 4.5 m line, and taped it to the 6.3 m rod (don’t judge-desperate times). And you know what? It worked. Better than my original setup. I caught more fish with that Frankenstein rod than I did with the real one. Go figure. Pro tip: Always bring a backup rod. Or at least duct tape. You never know.

Afternoon Fishing: Hit or Miss

By 3 PM, the bites slowed down. Sometimes I’d go 20 seconds without a bite, so I just cast again-like I was chumming. That seemed to help. I caught a few more crucians, some more sharp-beaks, and even a tiny carp (I let it go). The key was to keep casting, even when it felt like nothing was there. Patience, right? Even for newbies.

The Catch (And the Dead Fish Problem)

When it got dark (around 6 PM), I counted my fish. It didn’t look like much in the bucket, but when I weighed it later, it was 1.5-2 kg (3.3-4.4 lbs). Not bad for a first time! But here’s a bummer: All the crucians died in the bucket. I think the sharp-beaks were harassing them, or maybe the water was too warm. I ended up releasing the smaller ones (there weren’t many tiny ones, which was nice-most were decent size). The big ones? I took them home for dinner. They were delicious, by the way.

Final Thoughts: Is Caojia Reservoir Worth It?

Let’s be real: 10 yuan is nothing. Even if I didn’t catch a single fish, sitting there watching the water, listening to the wind, and chatting with the old guy was worth it. The scenery is great-hills all around, quiet (except when I’m yelling at my rod). And the fish? They’re big. No tiny ones. No annoying small fish (okay, the sharp-beaks are annoying, but they’re big too). The only downsides are:

• Rocky spots that snag lines (avoid the northeast corner’s worst areas)
• Wind at the dam base (stay away when it’s windy)
• Fish die easy in buckets (bring a aerator if you can)

But overall? It’s a solid spot for newbies and experienced anglers alike. The old guy said in winter it’s harder, but in spring and summer? It’s a goldmine. I’m already planning my next trip-this time with a thicker line, a backup rod tip, and no duct tape (fingers crossed).

Oh, and one last thing: I picked up all my trash, and even some other people’s. Don’t be a jerk-leave the place cleaner than you found it. The reservoir’s nice, let’s keep it that way.

So if you’re in Longkou City and need a cheap, fun fishing spot? Head to Caojia Reservoir. Just don’t forget your patience (and maybe a rock-picking tool for snags). You won’t regret it-even if you lose the big one like I did. Ugh. Still mad.