Morning: A Poetic Start to a Fateful Fishing Day
“One night without dreams, dawn breaks through the dark
Morning birds chirp, urging me to wake
Groups of them gather in the trees
I can’t tell if it’s early winter or autumn”
I jotted down this little poem on the spot, just for fun. Looking out the window at the morning light, I had no idea what the temperature was today. These days, even the weather forecast can’t be trusted, right? But my main goal was clear: hit a new lake to target those big crucian carp—they’ve been elusive for me for over two years, not even a half-pound fish to show for it.
But wait, I’d overslept. I napped in the morning, then napped again at noon. By the time I woke up, I felt all sluggish. I had to pick up a delivery, so I quickly got myself a new subline box. My old half-mainline, half-subline box (made of paulownia wood) was a mess—too few spools, and with so many hook types, it was confusing to me. Plus, the old one got “recruited” by someone else, so I had to scramble for a new one.
Personal tip: Gear can be a hassle, but if you don’t organize it, it’s double the hassle. Classify your gear, keep it neat—your mood will thank you!
Why the Weather Was a Mixed Bag (and Why I Still Tried)
The sun outside was blazing, temperature soaring. Last night, I was still thinking about where to catch big crucian carp or big carp… now I didn’t have to choose. The weather was unpredictable: it rained according to the forecast in the morning, but now the sun is out. The sudden temperature drop must have made the fish less active, right? Wait, no—maybe it was the opposite. The best fishing days are when fish are active, but the temperature’s just right.
Let me explain my “fishing frenzy” logic:
- Recent temperature drops and low air pressure made fish less active, only nibbling half-heartedly.
- Seasonal transition: fish are gorging to store fat for winter—this is peak feeding time for them.
- Temperatures around 30°C (high), perfect for both us humans and the fish.
- If fish density is decent, you don’t need fancy skills—just bait up and “attack.”
- No “blank day” unless the lake’s completely fishless.
So I grabbed my gear and headed out: direction 3 o’clock, speed 210 (metaphorically, of course), let’s go, great angler!
My Gear for Shua Lian Lake
- Fishing Rod: 5.4m Big Fish King “Giant Carp”
- Line Group: Homemade, main line 4.0, subline 2.0, 12th Maruse hook
- Float: Big Fish King LW08, size 3
- Adjustment: 6 divisions without a hook, fishing between 8-4 divisions
- Bait: Corn cake, Tianyuan-brand corn, and my secret “super explosion protection red corn” (self-made, effective for catching)
- Water Depth: ~1.2m
Arriving at Shua Lian Lake: Setup & First Bites
Arrived at the lake, set up gear quickly. Hooked a corn kernel, found a spot, cast a quick nest: corn cake + Tianyuan corn. Time to fish!
Half an hour into the noon heat: the float moved—“Whoa, is that a grass carp?” I cast, pulled… weight, but not a grass carp. At least not blank! Good start.
My secret red corn caught a redtail—“New species unlocked!” I thought. Then another big bite: black float, steady… “Perfect!” I struck…
Empty!
No, where’d the fish go? I was about to chase the next bite, but my phone rang. The worst timing—my “chase” got cut short.
I had to leave, so I let the fish go. Even though I didn’t finish, I still had fun. Lesson: always have backup plans, and… maybe silence your phone on fishing days?
Shua Lian Lake is a solid spot for redtail and crucian carp. Next time, I’ll block my schedule—no phone calls, just fish! Who knows, maybe next time I’ll get that “fishing frenzy” I dreamed of.
