Double Hookup with Big Plate Carps! Monster Black Carp Snapped My Leader Line

Okay, let’s cut to the chase-working 12-hour night shifts for a whole week straight? Total mind and body drain. I was this close to turning into a zombie, staring at the clock every 10 minutes, counting down to… wait, only one day off for Mid-Autumn Festival? Are you kidding me? But hey, desperate times call for desperate measures-fishing was my only shot at not losing my sanity.

How I Ended Up at This Random Reservoir (Thanks, Fellow Grinders)

Here’s the tea: I met some new work buddies during those soul-sucking shifts, and one of ’em-let’s call him Li, the resident fishing nerd-swears by this hidden reservoir. Said it’s not too crowded, the water’s clean, and the fish? “Big enough to make your rod bend like a noodle,” he grinned. I was like, “Sign me up-anywhere but the factory floor.”

So Mid-Autumn rolled around, I slept in till 10 (bless), scarfed down a greasy lunch (fried rice + dumplings, don’t judge), and hauled my beat-up rod to the spot. Got there around 1 PM-sun was high, but not scorching, which was a win. The water looked calm, a little murky from yesterday’s rain, but Li said that’s perfect for carp.

First Things First: Bait & Setup (No Fancy Gear Here)

Let’s be real-I’m not a pro. My gear’s basic, but it works. For the reservoir, I went with a classic mix that never lets me down:

• 50% “918” carp bait (that sweet, fishy-smelling stuff)
• 50% “Blue Crucian” bait (the one with the bright blue package)
• A handful of snowflake powder to soak up extra water and keep it crumbly

Mixed ’em up, let ’em sit 3-5 minutes (Li’s rule, not mine), then kneaded it till it was loose-like a damp sandcastle. Why crumbly? Because when you cast, it breaks apart in the water, releasing scent and drawing fish in. Smart, right? I’m not a genius, just a guy who listens to his fishing buddies.

Now the setup: Water depth was 4+ meters, so I set my float to “half water”-around 2 meters down. Tuned it to “5 up, 3 down” (if you fish, you know what that means-float sits 5 eyes above water, 3 below). Why? Because when the water’s deep, you want the bait to drift a little, not just sit on the bottom. Carp love chasing moving snacks, apparently.

The Wait (And Why I Didn’t Panic)

I cast that line out 15 times-okay, 10, but it felt like 100. My arms were already sore from work, but I kept going. Why? Li’s golden rule: “If you don’t feed ’em, they won’t come.” So I just kept casting, letting the crumbly bait break up, then reeling in and doing it again.

Then-boom-I saw it: tiny bubbles popping up around the float. Yes! That’s fishy business. I kept casting two more times (can’t be too greedy), then the float did this little twitch. I didn’t jerk the rod-Li yelled at me once for that, said it scares the whole school. So I waited. Then another twitch… then a real bite-float dipped, then popped up, then dipped again. That’s the one!

I lifted the rod, and wham-weight on the line. Then another? Wait, double hookup! Two big plate carps (those are the chunky ones, right? The ones that look like they ate too many snacks) fighting at the same time. I was grinning like an idiot-my first catch in weeks, and it’s a double? Li was right! The first one fought like a tiny warrior-zig-zagging, trying to get away, but I reeled it in slow and steady. The second? Same energy, but a little bigger. I got both to the net, and let me tell you-their scales were shiny, almost silver. I took a pic (obviously) and dropped ’em in my bucket. Game on.

Then the Monster Showed Up (Spoiler: It Broke My Line)

After that, the bites were nonstop-mostly plate carps, all hitting the bait as soon as it hit the water. I was in heaven. Then… silence. Like, dead silence. No bubbles, no twitches, nothing. I thought, “Great, the fish left.” But then-SLAM-the float disappeared. Blacked out. I lifted the rod, and WHOA-that thing pulled so hard, my rod almost flew out of my hands. I held on tight, and this fish? It wasn’t like the carps. Those were like tiny martial artists-this one? A raging bull. It bolted to the left, then right, then straight down. My reel was screaming-you know that high-pitched zzzzt? Yeah, that. I was yelling too, probably scaring every bird in the area.

Then it popped up to the surface-black carp! Big one, too. Dark, shiny, and mean. I thought, “I got this!” But then… ping. Line went slack. I reeled in, and my leader was snapped. Clean cut. Oh man, I was gutted. But then I thought-if that one was big, the next one’s bigger. So I switched to corn. Why corn? Because the little plate carps love the 918/Blue Crucian mix, but big black carps? They go crazy for corn. Smart move, right?

Ten minutes later-another bite! Float dipped, I lifted, and there it was. Another black carp, bigger than the last. I reeled it in slow, careful not to yank. Got it to the surface, and it was huge-like, bigger than my forearm. I was so excited, I forgot to lift the rod tip when it was near the bank. Pop-it spit the hook and swam away. NOOOOOO! I wanted to throw my rod in the water. But I took a deep breath, changed the hook (switched to a bigger one, duh), and tried again.

Five minutes later-boom. Another bite. I lifted the rod, and that force? It was different. Steadier, stronger. Like pulling a log. I knew this was the big one. Then-snap. Again. My leader broke. I reeled in, and the hook was gone. I stared at the broken line, then at the water. “You little…,” I muttered. I changed to a thicker leader: 1.5 main line, 1.0 leader, size 5 hook. “This time,” I thought, “you’re not getting away.”

Then… I looked away for two seconds. Just to grab a drink. When I turned back? My rod was gone. GONE. Floating away in the reservoir. I ran along the bank, yelling, but it was too late. The fish had taken it. I stood there, staring at the water, and laughed. Not a happy laugh-more of a “are you kidding me” laugh. My beat-up rod, gone. Just like that.

Lessons Learned (The Hard Way, Obviously)

Let’s be real-today was a mix of wins and epic fails. But I learned a few things, and if you’re a fellow weekend warrior, listen up:

• When you catch a big fish and it gets away? Switch your leader immediately. I had 0.8 leader, 4 hook when the first big one broke it. Should’ve gone thicker right then.
• Never, never take your eyes off your rod. Even for a second. That’s how you lose your gear.
• Corn is your friend for big black carps. Don’t waste time on the tiny stuff when the giants are around.
• Sometimes, even if you don’t catch the monster, the little wins (like a double hookup) are worth it. I left with two big plate carps, and a story to tell. That’s better than going home empty-handed.

Am I mad about the rod? A little. Am I mad about the big one that got away? So mad. But hey-fishing’s not about catching every fish. It’s about getting away from the grind, hanging out by the water, and forgetting about work for a day. And today? I did that. Even if I lost a rod and a few big fish. I’ll be back, though. Next time? Thicker leader, bigger hook, and I’m not taking my eyes off that rod for a second. That monster’s still out there, and I’m gonna catch it. Mark my words.

Oh, and if you’re ever in the area? Hit me up. I’ll tell you where the reservoir is. Just don’t steal my spot. Or my corn. Deal?