2024’s 24th Fishing Trip: Wild Angling at Huangma River

Ugh, let’s start with the real tea: waking up at 4 AM for fishing? I must be crazy—but that’s the life of a wild angler, right? This was my 24th fishing trip of 2024, and I headed to Huangma River with zero regrets… well, almost zero. Let’s spill all the chaos, small wins, and weird moments from the day.

Pre-Trip Chaos: Packing Like a Madman (But Prepared)

First off, let’s talk about the prep. I didn’t just grab a rod and go—oh no, that’s amateur hour. I had to:

• Sort my fishing gear (rods, reels, extra lines, hooks—you name it)
• Boil water for coffee (non-negotiable; 4 AM needs fuel)
• Pack my lunch (a self-heating meal with beef and small yellow croaker—fancy, I know)
• Load 4 bottles of purified water (dehydration is a death sentence for anglers)

Then there’s the drive. The rural roads near Huangma River? Total nightmares. Potholes everywhere, narrow lanes, and I swear some parts were just dirt. It took way longer than I planned, and by the time I pulled up, I was already mentally ready to fight the fish… or the river, whichever came first.

First Stop Disasters: The Lock Pond That Broke My Heart

I’d planned to fish at the lock pond first—heard it’s usually a hotspot. But when I got there? Water was down 2 meters! Are you kidding me? The concrete slopes were fully exposed, and the muddy grassy area where I usually stick my rods? Way too far from the water. Casting was impossible—no way to get a good angle, and reeling in would’ve been a disaster. I stood there for 5 minutes, staring at the empty pond, thinking, “Did I waste all that 4 AM prep for this?”

After a quick panic attack (okay, minor), I made a split decision: change locations. No way I was driving all that way just to stare at concrete.

Second Stop: The Grassy, Tree-Filled Mess (But It Worked… Kinda)

I drove north 100 meters to the north side of the lock—muddy ground, lots of grass, even more trees. Not ideal for casting, but beggars can’t be choosers. I set up 5 casting rods and got to work.

The Struggles (Spoiler: There Were Many)

First, the low water level was a double whammy. Sometimes my cast would land on the opposite bank (oops), and the water was full of debris—lost so many leader lines and sinkers. Like, who just leaves random junk in the river? It’s so frustrating.

Then the bites? Almost non-existent. The fish were sparse. I thought maybe it was me, but then I saw other anglers packing up left and right. So at least I wasn’t the only one failing. Small wins, right?

The Random Guy Who Ignored My Warning (And Paid for It)

Mid-morning, a young guy showed up. I told him, “Hey, I’m casting here—stay back, okay?” Did he listen? Nope. He set up right next to me, even though I explained the space issues. Spoiler: he caught zero fish all day. Total air force. I wanted to say “I told you so,” but I’m too nice… mostly.

Unexpected Interruption: The Trash Boat That Made Me Mad (Then Proud)

Just when I thought the day couldn’t get weirder, a cleaning boat showed up. It was supposed to pick up trash and weeds from the lock, but here’s the thing: they dumped all the weeds and garbage on the shore! Like, what’s the point of cleaning if you just make a bigger mess?

I waved my hand like crazy and yelled, “Hey, that’s not right—take it to a bin!” To my surprise, they actually listened and moved on. Then I did my part: picked up all the trash they left near my spot and tossed it in a nearby bin. Environmental responsibility isn’t just a slogan—we anglers have to keep our spots clean too. Otherwise, no one will let us fish here!

Sun, Snacks, and a Surprise Find

The Sun That Tried to Cook Me

It’s autumn, but the sun was brutal. I set up my umbrella immediately—no way I was getting sunburned. Pro tip: always bring a big umbrella to wild fishing spots. Also, I kept my earthworms in the shade under the umbrella—if they dry out, they’re useless. Trust me, I’ve learned that the hard way.

Another downside: the ground was full of bindweed. I scratched my hand pretty bad and almost tripped twice. Note to self: wear thicker shoes next time. Bindweed + fishing = accident waiting to happen.

Lunch Time: My Fancy Meal vs. the Guy’s Cookies

By noon, I was starving. I pulled out my self-heating meal (beef and small yellow croaker—so good) and heated it up. The random guy next to me? He had cookies and a bottle of soda. Then he laid down on the concrete platform to sleep and scroll his phone. Every 10 minutes, he’d pop up to check his rod… which had zero bites. Classic.

The Surprise Floater I Found

While I was cleaning up my lunch trash, I spotted something in the water: a fishing float! It had been lying in the weeds for who knows how long. I fished it out, wiped it off, and it was still in good shape. Total win—free gear is always a win.

More Anglers Roll In (And Roll Out)

The Female Angler Who Didn’t Want to Travel

Afternoon rolled around, and a female angler showed up. She asked the random guy how he did (he said zero, obviously) then asked me. I told her I had about a pound of fish, but the bite was slow. She said she didn’t want to drive to Gaosong River (another local spot) because she lived nearby. She fished for an hour, caught nothing, and left. I get it—no one wants to drive extra, but sometimes you have to go where the fish are!

The Gaosong River Migrant

Then another guy showed up—he’d come from Gaosong River. He said he caught a pound of small fish and released them. He asked me how my spot was, and I said the fish were fewer but bigger. He stuck around for a bit, but I think he was still looking for better action.

My Fish Haul (Small, But Proud)

By the end of the day, I had about a pound of fish—mostly yellow catfish (they’re aggressive eaters, so they were the only ones biting). The problem? They swallow hooks deep, so I had to use a hook remover every time. Annoying, but worth it. I also caught a few other small fish, but nothing to write home about.

Check out the first view of my second fishing spot—grassy, tree-filled, but it’s home for the day.

My 5 casting rods all set up—fingers crossed for bites!

The area around the spot—you can see how low the water is (way down from usual).

My fancy self-heating lunch—beef and small yellow croaker, perfect for a day out.

All the trash I picked up—can’t leave a mess behind!

All in all, it wasn’t the best fishing day ever, but it’s days like this that make the good ones sweeter. I got to be outside, tried a new spot (well, new to me), and even picked up some free gear. And hey, I didn’t go home empty-handed—those yellow catfish will make a good dinner. To all my fellow anglers: keep casting, keep exploring, and always clean up your spot. Stay healthy, and tight lines!