My COVID-Interrupted Fishing Plan: From Sick Days to Island Adventures
COVID has been wreaking havoc everywhere, and my family wasn’t spared—two of us tested positive last Friday. That meant my planned fishing trip got completely derailed. I spent the day worrying, but by Saturday morning, their symptoms had improved a lot. After lunch, I just couldn’t sit still anymore. The urge to fish was too strong, so I grabbed my gear and headed to the island anyway.
Chilly Weather Woes: Gear Shop Closed & Lure Fishing Failures
Man, it was freezing! The local fishing tackle shop was shut tight—I guess the owner was also fighting COVID? Traditional fishing methods never really clicked for me, so I stuck to my usual bait mix plan for small crucian carp. I got to Dongtan around 2 PM and tried lure fishing in the big river first. Total disaster! Two hours of nothing but snags and zero bites. Being a lure fishing newbie is so frustrating sometimes.
Finding a Sheltered Spot & Setting Up Shop
With the northwest wind blowing, I knew I needed a sheltered spot. I found a small, wind-blocked river and set up my gear. First things first: my homemade bait. I tossed three handfuls as a base (my usual ritual). Then I mixed my bait: Algae Element, 918, Red Storm, and a crucian carp combo—just a random mix, honestly. I was scared to use too small a line because who knows, maybe a big crucian would bite in the wild? So I started with 1.5 main line, 0.8 leader, a 3g long-legged, long-tailed jujube-shaped float, size 3 hooks, one hook touching the bottom (fishing “sensitive”), and planned to fish the first half of the night.
The Struggle: No Bites Until I Switched Floats
I kept casting regularly, but two hours later? Barely any bites. The temperature was just a few degrees lower than last Friday, but my water bucket for washing hands had frozen over! I couldn’t believe how much a week’s difference made. I decided to switch to a small, broken-mesh float—and finally, I could see the fish’s movements! While I was on the phone with Brother Fang, the biggest crucian of the trip bit. I wasn’t letting it get away—my net finally got to do its job (gotta have that little bit of ceremony, right?).
Night Fishing & Morning Slumps
Nighttime bites slowed down a lot, and the fish were smaller than last week. I fished until almost 11 PM, then called it quits to sleep. Next morning, the bites were still super slow. The fish were tiny—sometimes I’d get 3-5 bites just to catch one, or even none at all. I switched to 0.6 leader and size 2 hooks, and wow, the bites got way clearer! I caught and released as I went. By 4:30 PM, I packed up.
Catch Highlights & Future Plans
Here’s my total catch: [Image: Cold Weather Fishing Adjustments: Bounty of Small Crucian Carp] I took some home (my usual) and packed out all my trash, of course. This spot? Never again. Now I’m stuck wondering—where should I go next time?
Key Lessons for Cold Weather Crucian Carp Fishing
If you’re fishing for crucian carp in cold weather, here are my takeaways:
- Smaller floats (like broken-mesh ones) are game-changers for seeing subtle bites when it’s cold.
- Downsize your line and hooks! 0.6 leader + size 2 hooks made bites way more obvious.
- Keep casting regularly to attract fish, even if bites are slow.
- Always check the weather—even a few degrees drop can kill the bite.
Final Thoughts
This trip had its ups and downs, but that’s fishing, right? The cold weather tested my patience, but switching up my gear saved the day. I’m already brainstorming my next spot—any suggestions? Let me know in the comments!
