Return to Dong Dam: Catching Big Bream by the Lake, What a Rush!

Long Time No Fish Diary—But Finally, Some Action!

Okay, let’s be real: I haven’t written a fishing update in ages. Not ’cause I wasn’t fishing, but ’cause most trips were total snoozefests—no big catches, no crazy stories, just… well, small stuff that didn’t feel worth putting down. And then life hit me with a curveball: my kid was sick for almost a month. Man, that drained me. I was so tired I could barely tie a knot, let alone drag myself to the water at 5 a.m. But hey, this week? School started, and suddenly I had way too much free time on my hands. Cue the restlessness—fishing fever was creeping back in, big time.

Over the weekend, I was stuck in class (boring!) when a buddy texted: “Dong Dam’s blowing up right now—tons of big bream!” My eyes practically popped out of my head. I’ve been dying to get back there, but last time? Total disaster. But first, I checked the weather for Monday. Ugh—strong winds. No way I’m messing with a big lake when the gusts could yank my rod right out of my hands. So I hit pause on Dong Dam for a day.

Monday’s Consolation Prize: Hongqiao Lotus Pond

Since Dong Dam was off-limits, I hit up Hongqiao Lotus Pond with the same buddy. Same spot we’ve fished a hundred times. Same bait, same everything. But guess what? The fishing gods hated me that day. I caught a dozen tiny “palm-sized” bream—nothing to write home about. My buddy? Dude reeled in four solid slabs. I sat there, staring at his catch, feeling like a total rookie. Why me? I even changed my bait twice, adjusted my float, moved my spot… nada. Just more tiny fish. Let’s just say I left that day with a serious case of fishing envy.

That’s his haul, by the way. My little guys? Not worth showing. Total buzzkill.

Tuesday’s Big Day: Finally Back to Dong Dam

But Tuesday? We were going all in. A group of us decided to hit Dong Dam, no excuses. Let me tell you—this place has been on my mind since May. That’s when I last went, and the fish were practically invisible. Not a single bite all day. So this time? I was nervous. Like, “will I even get a nibble?” nervous. But the buddy who texted me swore the bite was on, so I dragged myself out of bed at 5:30 a.m. (my alarm felt like it was screaming at me) and met him at 6. By 6:40, we were at the dam.

First problem: the main gate area was packed. Like, every spot had a rod sticking out. So we drove south, past all the crowds, until we found a stretch with no one else. Perfect—wide open, no one crowding us. The view? Wow. That endless lake stretching out in front of you? There’s nothing like it. But here’s the thing about Dong Dam: the good fishing never lasts long. It’s hit or miss, and you never know when the bite will turn off.

Our First Mistake: No Prepping, Just Casting

We were so excited to get started that we skipped the most important step: scouting the bottom. Yeah, we just plopped down two bait stations each and started waiting. Big mistake. The guy next to us had been there since 5 a.m., and he hadn’t caught a thing. That made my stomach drop. I waited 30 minutes before dropping my line in. First cast? I felt a tug—then nothing. The worm was gone. Twice more, same thing: the float moved, I set the hook, and nada. The wind was so strong, the waves were rocking the float like crazy—I couldn’t tell a bite from a wave. So I swapped my float for a smaller one, hoping that would help.

Boom—first cast with the new float, and it settled at one eye. I lifted the rod, and bam—weight! I reeled it in, but right as it hit the shore, the line went slack. One-and-a-half ounces, tops. Ugh—lost it. But hey, at least I knew there were fish there. I rebaited and cast again. Within minutes, another tug—this time, a small bream, maybe one ounce. Better than nothing!

By then, only two or three of us in the group had caught anything. My buddy? Still zero. The two old guys next to us? They packed up and left before 10 a.m.—that’s never a good sign. I thought my first bait station was the hot spot, but after two small fish, it went dead. So I moved to my second station. Second cast, and snag—line snapped. Probably a crab pot or some old debris. Great, now I had to retie my line and find a new spot.

The Hot Spot Finally Turns On

I set up a new bait station next to my first one, then went back to the original. Waited 30 minutes, switched to red worms (my secret weapon), and bam—float went under. I set the hook, and this time? Whoa—solid weight. I reeled it in fast, and a nice big bream popped out of the water. Side-flipped it onto the shore—yes! That was the rush I’d been missing.

Over the next hour, I caught four or five more—all solid, two ounces at least. But the rest of the group? Still struggling. My buddy hadn’t caught a thing, and the other guys were getting antsy. Then, just before 10 a.m., my first bait station went dead again. The new one? Nothing. I was starting to panic. “Is this it?” I thought. My buddy was ready to pack up—until his float went under. He set the hook, and wow—that was the biggest fish of the day. Probably three ounces, maybe more. Total beast.

I rebaited my first station with extra bait, waited 20 minutes, and boom—two more bream in a row. That was the last of the good action for me.

Afternoon Slump: The Bite Dies Hard

By noon, the lake turned into a ghost town for us. I caught two more tiny bream in the afternoon. My buddy? Nada. We stuck around until 3 p.m., but it was clear the bite was over. Let’s tally up: I had 10+ bream, most around two ounces. My buddy? Two fish total—one small, one the big one. The other guys? Barely a handful each.

We later found out the guy who was killing it was just a few spots down from us—his three bait stations were all catching fish. So what was the difference? Location, location, location. We picked the wrong stretch. The fish were only in a small area that day, and we missed it. Lesson learned: always scout the bottom first, and don’t be afraid to move if the bite is slow.

Why Dong Dam Is My Favorite (Even When It Sucks)

Let’s be real: Dong Dam can be a total pain. The fish disappear for weeks, the wind can blow your rod into the lake, and half the time you leave with nothing. But there’s something about this place. I’ve fished rivers all over, but Shao Bo Lake (where Dong Dam is) is my number one. It’s not just the big fish—though those help. It’s the feeling of standing on that wide shore, looking out at the endless water. When you hook a big bream there? The rush is unlike anything else. That’s why I keep coming back, even after bad trips.

What’s Next? No More Daily Diaries—But Follow My TikTok!

Full disclosure: I’m not gonna write a diary every time I fish. Most trips are still boring, and I’m too lazy to type up nothing but “caught 5 tiny fish.” But I will post short videos on TikTok after every trip—good or bad. If you wanna see the highlights (and the fails), follow me there. Next time I hit Dong Dam? I’m gonna scout the bottom first, pick a better spot, and hope for more big bream. Fingers crossed the fishing gods are on my side.