My 4th Carp Fishing Trip at Shunyi Xuzi Big Fish Pond: Did I Break Even?

Okay, let’s be real—last week I hit three fishing spots in a row and actually broke even every single time. That kind of streak doesn’t happen often for a guy who’s half-decent at casting but still struggles to keep his line from tangling like a Christmas tree light. So when the weekend rolled around, I thought, “Why not keep the momentum going?” This time, I picked a spot I’ve fished before: Shunyi Xuzi Big Fish Pond. Wait, but hold on—their “big fish” pond wasn’t open yet? Lame. But the mixed-species pond was, so I rolled with it. Let’s dive into this chaos.

First Impressions: The Pond, the Rules, and the “Flexible” Guidelines

Let’s start with the basics, because if you’re like me, you’re already Googling “Shunyi Xuzi fishing price” before you finish reading this. The ticket was 100 yuan (about $14 USD, for my international readers). They limited rods to 4.5 meters—no longer, no shorter. Now, here’s the thing about Shunyi Xuzi: their rules are… let’s say “suggestions” more than hard-and-fast rules. I saw guys sneaking in 10 minutes early to cast before the official 8 AM start. Others were using “super long lines” (like, way longer than the rod) to fling their bait across the pond. The owner? He just kinda shrugged. For 100 yuan, I guess he’s not gonna chase anyone around like a hall monitor. Fair enough.

What’s in the Water Right Now?

The day before my trip, the pond posted a fish update: they dumped two “carts” (whatever that means—probably a truckload, but who knows) of mixed fish: crucian carp, common carp, grass carp. No tilapia, no piranha, no black carp yet—those are seasonal, so they’re still waiting for warmer water. Last year, I caught tilapia and carp here, so I knew the mixed pond could throw some surprises. But right now? It was all the “basic” guys.

My Gear Setup: Playing It Safe (Or Trying To)

I stuck with my go-to setup for this kind of pond: 4.5-meter rod, exact line length (no extra slack, because some ponds check that—this one didn’t, but old habits die hard). I mixed up a pound of “sanpao” (that’s the loose, fluffy bait we use to attract fish—think of it as fish candy). For hooks, I went with size 10 Wolf Claw hooks—big enough for carp, which I was targeting because they’re heavy and help you break even faster. I also brought live worms for backup, just in case the sanpao didn’t work. Spoiler: I ended up switching to worms after a few hours.

The Fishing: From Carp Hopes to Crucian Carp Reality

Official start time: 8 AM. I cast my line, waited… and waited. Then, 20 minutes later, bam! A bite. I reeled in a decent common carp—probably 2 pounds. Nice! That’s a good start. Another 10 minutes, another carp. I was feeling pretty cocky. “Yeah, I’m gonna crush this,” I thought. Then… nothing. For an hour. Just… nothing. So I checked my bait, switched to worms, and suddenly—tiny bites. Tiny, tiny bites. I reeled in a crucian carp. Then another. Then another. Ugh. Crucian carp are cute, but they’re tiny—like, 6-8 ounces each. Not exactly the “break even” fish I was after.

Here’s the tea: the carp were so biased to one corner of the pond. Like, the guys on the far left edge were hauling in carp left and right. Me? I was stuck in the middle, catching nothing but crucian carp. Why? Probably because the water was still cold (it was early spring, after all). Cold water makes fish lazy—they don’t wanna move far, so they cluster in one spot. That’s the worst part of spring fishing, if you ask me. You can do everything right, but if the fish aren’t in your area? You’re screwed.

By 11 AM, they turned on the aerator. Usually, aerators wake up the fish, but not this time. After that, the bites slowed to a crawl. I waited 30 minutes, caught one more tiny crucian carp, and decided to call it a day. No point in wasting time when the fish are napping.

Breaking Even? Let’s Do the Math (Sort Of)

Now, the big question: did I break even? The pond’s break-even weight is 33 pounds (because they pay 3 yuan per pound if you sell your fish back). I weighed my catch… okay, I didn’t actually weigh it. I just picked up the bucket and thought, “Hmm, that feels like 33 pounds?” Maybe? Probably? Let’s be honest, I was too lazy to find a scale. But here’s the thing: the pond lets you take your fish home if you want. I didn’t wanna wait for the fish buyer (he was taking forever), and a friend texted me saying he wanted fresh crucian carp for dinner. So I gave all my fish to him. Did I technically “break even”? Maybe. Did I feel like I broke even? Hell yes. Because I didn’t lose money, and I had fun. That’s all that matters, right?

Honest Thoughts: What Worked, What Didn’t, and Why I’ll Come Back

Let’s recap the good, the bad, and the ugly:

• Good: The price is unbeatable—100 yuan for a day of fishing? You can’t beat that in Beijing. The owner is chill, so no stress about rules. And even though I caught mostly crucian carp, they’re fun to reel in (tiny fights, but still fights).
• Bad: The fish were super biased to one spot. If you don’t get that corner, you’re gonna struggle. Also, cold water = lazy fish. Wait until summer if you want more action.
• Ugly: Those guys with the long lines? Rude. But the owner doesn’t care, so whatever. Just don’t be that guy.

Would I go back? Yeah, definitely. Next time, I’ll get there super early to grab that left corner. And I’ll wait until the water warms up a bit—no more cold water struggles. Maybe next time I’ll even catch a big grass carp or something. Fingers crossed.

At the end of the day, fishing isn’t just about breaking even. It’s about getting outside, forgetting about work for a few hours, and maybe even catching a few fish. I left Shunyi Xuzi happy—even if my haul was mostly tiny crucian carp. And hey, my friend had a great dinner. Win-win.

Oh, and one last thing: if you’re new to fishing in Beijing, this spot is perfect for beginners. The rules are loose, the price is low, and even if you don’t catch much, you’ll have fun. Just don’t forget your warm clothes—spring water is still freezing!