Mid-Autumn Second Session: Bream Keep the Fun Rolling
The Pre-Dawn Chaos That Led to My Fishing Obsession
Maybe it’s because we haven’t been home in ages—our little boss (my kiddo) got the hang of the new surroundings and suddenly turned into a night owl who refused to sleep. At 12 a.m., he was yelling to play with grandpa; by 1 a.m., his energy finally hit rock bottom, and he passed out in 5 seconds flat. The whole family sighed in relief and crashed into bed too.
But my biological clock is a cruel master. At 7 a.m., I couldn’t sleep anymore. Glancing at both the big boss (my wife) and little boss dead to the world, I couldn’t fight the urge. For the third time this trip, I grabbed my fishing gear and bolted for nearby Xiashi Port. This was my Mid-Autumn second fishing session—I wasn’t letting a sleepy house stop me.
Xiashi Port: The “Divine Needle” Disaster
Locals said someone caught carp here before. I’m not crazy about carp meat, but reeling in a carp’s got that satisfying heft—total eye candy for any angler. I found an abandoned boat to use as my spot and set up shop for the session.
I stuck with my 5.4m hand rod and 4+2 line set, threaded on some corn, and started checking water depth. Turns out every spot here was over 3 meters deep! That killed my plan to fish mid-water; I switched to one hook on the bottom, one slightly off, and settled in to wait.
Ten minutes… twenty… thirty… an hour passed. Nada. The float didn’t budge—like a needle stuck in place. To make it worse, the sun was scorching. No bites, no shade, no fun. By 9 a.m., I threw in the towel. “No empty-handed trips” is my last stand—I had to move.
Fish Pond Rescue: My Last Shot at Not Embarrassing Myself
I booked it to a fish pond near my old hometown. My bar was low: two fish, any fish. Crucian carp? Fine. Even silver fish—I wouldn’t turn them down. I was that desperate.
Baited the hook, found the bottom, adjusted to off-bottom fishing, cast the rod—all in one smooth motion. Then I crossed my fingers for Lady Luck to show up.
Five minutes later: a huge black float dive! Strike!
The second I lifted the rod, I felt the weight. I didn’t dare play with it too long—yanked it out fast, and boom: a big bream! Fish ponds have solid density, so the bite rate was chef’s kiss.
Re-baited and cast again. Five minutes later, another aggressive black float. Today’s goal? Checked. Now it was time to enjoy the vibe.
Next cast, the pull felt heavier—I thought it was a different fish. Nope, still bream… but this one was almost two pounds! It was so big I couldn’t hold it with one hand. Into the net it went. On we went.
Then came the bream parade—they were practically dragging their whole family ashore!
By 10:30 a.m., I figured the bosses would wake up soon, so I packed up. Just like yesterday, every catch was a bream. I swear, I’m turning into a bream specialist now!
Life After Fishing: Balancing Hobbies and Family
Back home, I immediately offered to take the big and little bosses into town. Fishing’s my escape, but life can’t revolve around it—plus, I was low-key buttering them up for a third session on the last day of Mid-Autumn. Fingers crossed!
To all my fellow anglers out there: Happy Mid-Autumn Festival! May your floats dip hard, and may you land big crucian and carp (or bream, if that’s your vibe) every time you cast. If you’ve got a go-to spot for bream or a trick to beat the “divine needle” float, drop it in the comments—I need all the help I can get for my next trip!
