My First Fishing Trip of 2025: Big Crucian Carp Nowhere to Be Found

Let’s be real—fishing isn’t just a hobby for some of us. It’s that itch you can’t scratch, that escape from the chaos of adulting. And this year, 2025, I was determined to kick things off right… even if life had other plans at first. Between caring for my aging parents and watching my kid shoot up like a weed, I’d blown off my cousins and friends way too many times. But when my buddy Xiao Zhi called after pulling an all-nighter at work, saying he had a free afternoon? I didn’t hesitate. “Let’s go,” I said. “I’m tired of being the ‘no-fun’ guy.”

The Setup: A Familiar Reservoir, New Challenges

We hit the road 30 minutes later, gear stuffed in the trunk, grinning like kids. The reservoir we chose? We’ve fished it a dozen times—full of carp, crucian carp, and even the occasional surprise. But today, the water was down a full meter from its deepest point. A few other anglers were already set up at the “waist” of the reservoir, but they waved us over: “Go to the dam—deeper water, better chance for big fish.”

My Rig: 5.4m Rod, 1.5 Mainline, 0.6 Subline, 4# Hook

I went with a tried-and-true setup for deep water:

• 5.4-meter rod (perfect for reaching the dam’s depths)
• 1.5-pound test mainline, 0.6-pound subline (light enough for crucian carp, but wait—we’d soon learn that was a mistake)
• 4# sleeve hook (small, but supposed to be deadly for big crucian)
• 1.7g nano float, set to 1 eye, fishing 1-3 eyes (I wanted sensitivity for light winter bites)

I tossed a handful of red worm pellets to bait the spot, then settled in with a handful of pre-mixed dough bait. Xiao Zhi, meanwhile, grabbed his 6.3m rod—long enough to reach the shallower spots he preferred.

The First Hour: Xiao Zhi’s Lucky Streak (and My Torture)

Winter water is tricky—fish move slow, bites are light. I started with big dough balls (thumb-sized) because deep water means bait needs to hold up. I’d cast, wait 90 seconds, reel, and repeat. Xiao Zhi? Dude was casting his 6.3m rod like a pro. On his 12th cast, the float twitched. Twitch-twitch-pop! He reeled in a tiny carp—definitely a “second or third generation” of the reservoir’s big carp. Then another. And another. By the time he pulled in three bright red koi, I was seething.

“21-0,” he yelled, grinning. “You still haven’t caught anything?” I switched to his 6.3m rod, casting as far as I could. Finally—flick—the float moved. I reeled in a tiny carp. “1!” I shouted. “22-1,” he corrected. Ugh. Then another tiny carp. But that was it. My float went dead again.

Experiment Time: Does Line Thickness Matter in Winter?

Xiao Zhi got bored of beating me, so he swapped his 0.6 subline for 2.5-pound test. “Let’s test if thick line kills winter bites,” he said. We used the same float, same hook, same setup. The difference was immediate. His float signals went from “dancing” to “almost nothing.” He only caught 3-4 tiny carp after that… but wait—one of them was a small crucian carp. Our only target fish of the day. Figures.

My Big Break (and Epic Fail)

With Xiao Zhi’s streak broken, I doubled down. I noticed my float was only moving a tiny bit—like a hair’s breadth. I tried striking, and bam—small carp. Another tiny twitch, another carp. Then I saw a half-eye drop. I struck hard. “Whoa,” I thought. This was bigger. I reeled it in, and there it was: a 1-kilogram carp (about 2.2 pounds). “Take that!” I yelled at Xiao Zhi. “I’m catching big fish now!”

Then the worst happened. I went to reel in another big bite—snap—the line broke. “Did I just lose a big one?” I yelled. Xiao Zhi laughed. “Probably. Should’ve used thicker line!” But then, another bite: a half-eye drop. I struck, and this fish was even bigger. I pulled it toward the bank… but we had a problem. We brought the net pole, but no net head. “Fly it in!” Xiao Zhi yelled. “You’re a pro!” I tried, but the fish fought back. My line went slack. I reeled in—hook was empty. “NO!” I screamed. “It got away!”

Wrap-Up: No Big Crucian, But Great Memories

By sunset, the valley got cold. Other anglers wandered over, asking about our catch. “All small carp,” one said. “Same here,” another agreed. We laughed—no one caught the big crucian we came for. Xiao Zhi was already bragging: “20-something to 3. I win!” I threw my leftover bait into the water, mad but laughing. “Whatever,” I said. “Next time, I’ll bring a net and thicker line.”

As we drove home, Xiao Zhi was still cackling about the fish that got away. I was already planning my next trip. Maybe I’ll hit that same reservoir. Maybe I’ll try a new spot. But one thing’s for sure—next time, I’m not leaving home without a net head. And I’m definitely beating Xiao Zhi. Mark my words.