October 13, 2024: A Day of Wandering & Fishing Along the River

Let’s be real—when the midday slump hits and the office feels like a cage, what’s a fishing nut supposed to do? Grab my rod, hit the road, and chase that river breeze, that’s what. October 13, 2024 started as just another weekday, but it turned into a chaotic, fishy, totally unplanned adventure along the water. No schedule, no big expectations—just me, my gear, and a river begging to be explored. Let’s break down the chaos (and the occasional fish) from that day.

First Stop: Huanfa Bridge Area—Where Shallow Water = Bite City

My first pit stop was the Huanfa Bridge area. First thing I noticed? Crowds. Like, way more people than I expected for a random Tuesday. But here’s the thing: the water right by the bridge? Way too deep. Not just “deep enough to make you nervous” deep—like, I didn’t even want to cast near there. But 2 meters in? Game on.

The shallow spots were popping. Small white fish (let’s call ’em “river dinks” for now) were everywhere. You’d drop your float, wait for it to settle… and bam! It’d pop right back up. Wind was cranking too—so much current that I had to switch to a sliding sinker setup (runned sinker, for my fellow anglers). No way a fixed rig was staying put in that flow. Pro tip: if the current’s dragging your float like a leaf in a storm, runned sinker is your BFF.

Second Stop: Upstream Inlet—Proof That “Noon Bites = Myth?”

Next up, I cruised to the upstream inlet. Inlets are usually gold, right? More oxygen, food washing in—fish love ’em. But today? Slow. Like, “stare at your float for 10 minutes and nothing happens” slow. The water was shallower here, which should’ve helped, but noon hit, and… yeah. You know the old saying: “Even the gods can’t catch fish at noon.” Turns out it’s true some days.

Silver lining? The maple leaves. Oh my gosh—October is when they turn that insane red and gold. I took a minute to just stare, no rod, no fish. Sometimes the best part of fishing isn’t the catch—it’s the view. Worth the slow bite just to see that foliage glow in the sun.

Third Stop: Tonggu Jiazi Rubber Dam Release Area—Meh, Onward!

Third stop was the Tonggu Jiazi Rubber Dam release area. I’ve had luck here before, but today? Blah. Bites were few and far between. I stuck around for 20 minutes, watched a couple guys cast with no luck, then decided to keep moving. No sense wasting time where the fish are ghosting you, right?

Fourth Stop: Daqiao Village Release Area—Flooded & Fishless (Mostly)

By the time I hit Daqiao Village, I was already tired of driving, but curiosity got me. Turns out Qipanshan had released water into the Pu River—so the whole thing was flooded. Current was brutal, and the higher up I went, the worse it got. I saw one guy hook a big’un… then lose it. Classic. And since it was still noon, bites were basically non-existent. I stayed 15 minutes, left empty-handed, and cursed the flood gods.

Fifth Stop: The One That Got Away (From Me)

Fifth stop? I didn’t even get out. A bunch of sea rod (surf casting) guys had staked out the spot, and there was zero room. No way I was squeezing in—those guys take up way too much space. So I just drove past, muttering about “selfish anglers” and kept going. Some days, the river’s already claimed by the pros (or the pushy ones).

Sixth Stop: Yijing Shengxicheng Release Area—Small Fish = Chaos

Sixth stop was Yijing Shengxicheng. The spot had a cool feature: a set of steps that blocked the current. Perfect for a still rig! But here’s the catch—small fish were going crazy. Like, every cast, they’d steal the bait before the big fish could even think about it. I watched for 10 minutes, debated setting up, then decided against it. No sense feeding the tiny guys all my worms.

Side Quest: Hui Mountain Detour & a Fan Encounter

After Yijing, I swung by Hui Mountain just to check. Two little kids were just setting up their rods—adorable. Then I headed back to grab lunch (yes, fishing + lunch = mandatory combo). And get this: I ran into a truck driver who was a fan of my 818 fishing series! Small world, right? We chatted for 10 minutes about spots, lures, and how the river’s been this year. Made my day—nothing beats connecting with a fellow angler out of the blue.

The Final Stretch: Back to Hui Mountain—Kids = Prodigies?

Post-lunch, I zoomed back to Hui Mountain. Those two kids? They were catching fish left and right! Like, nonstop. I couldn’t believe it. So I scrambled to set up my gear—4.5m 37-tone rod (aka my “noodle rod,” since it’s super flexible), 3m depth. And let me tell you: those fish had muscle. Even the small ones pulled that noodle rod like crazy. I even found a pair of hooks on the ground while setting up—too bad they had barbs (I only use barbless). Bummer, but free hooks are free hooks.

The best part? This spot was totally sheltered from the wind—no matter if it’s north or south, it’s calm. Game changer. I thought, “Hey, let’s go for a day-night session—catch a bunch, then grill ’em for dinner!” But night hit… and the bites died. I got 3 fish total after dark. Total buzzkill. So I packed up, took some pics with the catch (catch-and-release, obvi—can’t mess up this spot for everyone), and headed home. No grill night, but hey—at least I didn’t go skunked.

Quick Tips for Your Next River Wander (From My Mistakes)

Before I wrap, let’s drop some real talk—things I learned (again) that day:

• Shallow water > deep water when current’s crazy. The fish hide where they can stay put.
• Runnded sinker is non-negotiable for fast current. Don’t fight the flow—work with it.
• Noon bites are overrated. Save your energy for early morning or late afternoon.
• Maple leaves in October? Stop and stare. Life’s too short to rush past pretty stuff.
• Barbless hooks only. Catch-and-release keeps the river healthy (and your spots alive).

Oh, and for the spot in Hui Mountain? I’m not spilling the exact location. Why? Because lately, there’s no net fishermen or electric shock guys messing it up. That’s rare, and I don’t want to ruin it. If you’re in Hui Mountain, just wander—you’ll find it. Trust me, the sheltered spot with the calm water is hard to miss.

All in all, October 13 wasn’t about big catches. It was about driving around, chasing good water, laughing at the bad luck, and high-fiving a kid who outfished me. Sometimes the best fishing days aren’t the ones where you haul in a bucket of fish—they’re the ones where you just… be. With the river, the wind, and the occasional random fan encounter. Can’t wait to do it again next weekend—maybe I’ll actually land that big’un this time. Fingers crossed (and rods ready).