Fishing at Yangcheng Lake: Braving the Wind and Waves to Reel in the Catch!

Let me tell you, this fishing trip to Yangcheng Lake was one for the books—total chaos, a little luck, and a whole lot of shivering from the wind. I’ve been itching to try the early bite here for ages, especially since my last few trips were night fishing. Everyone says Yangcheng’s morning bite is legendary, so I set my alarm for 2 AM, packed my gear, and daydreamed about a “bag overflow” (you know, the kind where your catch is so big it spills out of your basket) the whole way there. Spoiler: Mother Nature had other plans.

The Great Wind Disaster (and a Friendly Local Fisherman)

After a quick shower and a hearty breakfast (you gotta fuel up for early mornings!), I hopped in my car and zoomed to the lake—40 minutes of speed, no traffic, just me and my fishing playlist. I pulled up to my usual spot, and… WHOA. The waves were crashing like a mini hurricane. My excitement? Gone. Poof. Just like that.

I scanned the shoreline and spotted two guys casting lures (they were doing some serious fishing!). I walked over, and they’d already caught a handful of red-tailed fish—impressive, even with the wind. One of them noticed me eyeing his spot (it was a perfect platform, sheltered a little from the gusts) and said, “Hey, if you want this spot, I’ll move. No big deal!” Dude, that’s the kind of kindness you don’t forget in the fishing community. Total legend, right?

But honestly, the waves were so crazy I didn’t want to waste time fighting them. I thanked him, hopped back in my car, and drove 10 miles to “Thirteen Tu”—a spot that was a viral hit last year. I’ve had great luck here before: once I reeled in 30+ pounds of fish! Today? It was a last-ditch effort. Thirteen Tu is one of the only spots on Yangcheng Lake that’s somewhat sheltered from north-east winds, so I crossed my fingers (and my rods) that it’d work.

When I pulled up, there was already one car there—another die-hard angler, probably napping in his car (smart move, honestly). I parked, grabbed my gear, and headed to my old go-to spot. No sooner had I set down my bag than two more cars rolled up. Yangcheng Lake really does have that magic, huh? Even with wind that could knock over a small tree, people show up. We’re all crazy, but the good kind of crazy.

Setting Up Shop: Gear, Bait, and Wind-Proof (Sort Of) Tactics

First things first: setting up my chair and rod. I’d planned to use a 7.2-meter rod, but the wind? No way I could cast that. So I swapped it for my 5.4-meter “Qianliu” rod. Here’s the gear breakdown (for all my fellow tackle nerds):

• Rod: 5.4m Qianliu
• Line setup: 1.2 main line + 0.6 leader
• Hook: Size 5 barbless gold hook
• Floater: 2.3g weight (I needed something heavy to cut through the wind)
• Bait: Mixed fermented corn, rice wine bait, and half a pack of “Fishing Home” secret bait (gotta load up for big water!)

I mixed the bait like a pro—corn, powder, secret sauce, all stirred together. Then I scattered a ton of it into the water. Big lakes need big bait, right? I didn’t want the fish to miss my offering.

Oh, and I tried to take a photo of the canola flowers nearby? Total fail. The wind was so strong they were swaying like crazy—couldn’t get a clear shot to save my life. Typical.

The Wait: Wind, Waves, and a Lot of Shivering

I started with dough bait, casting as far as I could (which wasn’t very far, thanks to the wind). Since the waves were bouncing the floater like a rubber ball, I just waited for it to hit the bottom and reeled it back in. Repeat, repeat, repeat. By 6 AM, the sun was up, and the lake looked like a washing machine—waves crashing, wind howling. My hands were already numb.

Then, around 6:30, the guy who’d been napping in his car (I’ll call him “Car Nap Guy”) reeled in a small crucian carp! Finally, a sign of life! That gave me hope—at least the fish were awake, even if they were playing hard to get.

I switched to red worm bait (a classic for tricky days). A little while later, the floater twitched! I yanks the rod… and pulled up a tiny snail. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I stared at that snail like, “Really? After all this wind?” Snails are the worst—they steal bait and give you false hope. Ugh.

By 7 AM, I was freezing. My teeth were chattering so loud I could hear them over the wind. I moved to the bank behind my spot—there was a little shelter from the north wind. Finally, some relief! But I didn’t take my eyes off the floater for a second. Can’t miss a bite when you’ve waited this long.

The First Catch (and a Surprise Bonus!)

And then—BOOM. The floater dipped sharply. I sprinted to the rod, lifted it, and… YES! A fish! It was a small crucian carp, but it was my first catch of the day (and the first for my 5.4m Qianliu rod—its debut! Talk about a warm-up). I was so happy I did a little dance (even though my legs were still numb). “Okay, fish,” I thought, “let’s do this.”

I rebaited, cast again, and waited. About 15 minutes later, the floater disappeared—black float! I grabbed the rod, lifted, and this time it felt heavy. “Big crucian?” I wondered. I reeled it in, and… holy cow, it was a huge yellow catfish (or “angry fish,” as I like to call them)! It was at least 2-3 ounces—massive for this spot. I whooped so loud the other anglers turned to look. Worth it.

The wind never let up. Waves kept crashing, and I kept casting. An hour later, the floater twitched again. I lifted… another snail. Ugh. I swear, those snails have a personal vendetta against me. I stared at it, then tossed it back into the lake. “Next time, bring a friend that’s a fish,” I muttered.

Wrap-Up: 9 Hours, No Big Fish, But a Lot of Lessons

By 11 AM, I’d been up for 9 hours (2 AM wake-up!) and fishing for 6-7 hours. No monster catch, no “bag overflow”—but I didn’t care. I looked around, and there were still a handful of us braving the wind. We’re all crazy, but that’s the fun of it. Fishing isn’t just about the catch—it’s about the early mornings, the friendly strangers, the tiny wins (like a first catch or a nice catfish).

I packed up my gear, said a quick hello to the other anglers, and drove home. My hands were still cold, but my heart was full. Next time, I’m checking the weather twice (okay, three times) before I go. But even if the wind is crazy again? I’ll be back. Yangcheng Lake has my number, and I’m not giving up.

Oh, and if you’re ever at Thirteen Tu and see a guy muttering at snails? That’s probably me. Come say hi—we can complain about the wind together.