Fishing at My Friend’s Reservoir Amid a 10-Degree Temperature Plunge (Low of 0°C!)
Let me tell you—waking up to a howling north wind that dropped the temperature by 10 degrees overnight? Not exactly the vibe I was going for. But when my buddy texted saying he wasn’t going out, I thought, “What the hell, let’s hit his reservoir.” Spoiler: It was a wild mix of frozen fingers, zero bites, and one lucky catch that made the whole thing worth it. Let’s dive in.
First Impressions: The Freezing Morning Reality Check
I dragged myself out of bed at 8 AM (yes, 8 AM—I’m not a morning person on a good day, let alone a 0°C one) and called my friend. “You still free?” I asked. “Yep, reservoir’s all yours,” he said. Perfect. But wait—0°C? That’s not just “chilly” for Meizhou. We haven’t seen temps that low in ages! I grabbed my jacket, gloves, and crossed my fingers the sun would show up.
By 9 AM, when I headed out, the temp had climbed to 10°C—thank goodness. No rain, just clear skies and a breeze that still made my ears tingle. The drive to the reservoir was 45 minutes of me second-guessing: “Am I really doing this? Fish don’t bite when it’s this cold, right?” But curiosity won. I had to see if the cold snap had messed with the fish.
Reaching the Reservoir: A Wind-Sheltered Gem
Got to the reservoir at 10 AM—finally. First thing I noticed? The wind was way calmer than I expected. My friend’s spot is in a little mountain cove, like a natural windbreak. If it were open water, I’d have bailed in 5 minutes. Instead, I set up my gear, muttering to myself: “Okay, let’s get this show on the road before my hands turn into popsicles.”
My Initial Setup: Targeting Bottom-Feeding Fish
Since it was a big temperature drop, I went with a simple setup for bottom fishing—classic for cold days, right? Here’s what I used:
- Main line: 1.2
- Leader: 0.6
- Hook: Size 3 single hook
- Rig: Adjusted to 6 eyes (float) and set to 4 eyes when fishing
- Bait: Just Blue Carp bait (single mix—no fancy stuff)
I mixed in some rice wine to the bait as a “warming” trick (heard it might wake up the fish) and tossed a handful as chum. Then I let the bait sit for 10 minutes to “wake up” before casting. The first 30 minutes? Crickets. Not a single bite. I reeled in, cast again, reeled in—nothing. “Ugh,” I thought. “The fish are probably huddled at the bottom, refusing to move.”
Switching Tactics: From Bottom to Float Fishing for Big Fish
Then I noticed something: tons of grass carp and black carp swimming near the surface! They were cruising around, like they didn’t care about the cold. I thought, “Screw bottom fishing—let’s go after these guys.” Time to switch up the setup.
New gear for float fishing (targeting bigger fish):
- Main line: 2.5 (way thicker—needed for big carp)
- Leader: 1.2
- Hook: Size 0.5 New Guan Dong (stronger for big bites)
- Bait: Switched to a fishy-smelling mix (more protein to attract hungry carp)
- Rig: Set float to 7-8 eyes, and with bait on, it sat at 3 eyes (perfect for mid-water)
I put bait on the top hook and corn on the bottom (carp love corn—duh). Casted out, waited… 30 minutes. Still nothing. I could see the fish in the middle of the reservoir, just chilling. “Are they mocking me?” I joked to myself. I even moved my spot a little, but no luck.
The Big Break: Finally a Bite!
Another 30 minutes passed—total of 2.5 hours without a single nibble. I was about to pack up when… “Oh!” The float twitched. Just a tiny tap, then nothing. I adjusted the float to fish half a meter shallower (maybe the fish were closer to the surface). Casted again, waited 5 minutes…
Then—WHAM! The float slammed down. I yelled, “YES!” and jerked the rod up. Hook set! The fish took off, pulling my rod down. I held on tight, my gloves slipping a little from sweat. “Don’t you dare break my line!” I thought. It fought for 10 minutes—every second felt like an hour. Finally, I reeled it in: a nice grass carp! I was so happy I did a little dance (even though my toes were numb).
Wrap-Up: A Cold Day, But a Great Catch
After that, I called it quits. Just one fish, but for a 10-degree drop? That’s a win. I packed up my gear, loaded the carp in the cooler, and headed home. The drive back was quiet—my hands were still cold, but I was grinning from ear to ear. Sometimes the worst weather leads to the best stories.
Would I do it again? Maybe, but next time I’ll bring a better jacket. And maybe a thermos of hot coffee. But hey—when your buddy has a secret reservoir spot, you don’t say no, even if it’s freezing. That’s fishing, right? Half the battle is dealing with the elements, and the other half is that one lucky bite.
