Good Fishing Bait Speaks Through Catches; Big Crucian Carp Makes the Line Squeak
May is such a lovely month—neither too hot nor too windy, perfect for fishing! Ancient Chinese poems sing of may’s beauty: locust blossoms, pomegranate blooms, plump plums, lush calamus, ripe wheat, and lotus dreams. But for me? I’d add one more line: fishing frenzy. Lately, I’ve been chasing the best crucian carp bite like a man possessed—early mornings, late evenings, and always on the move. It’s exhausting, but totally worth it!
Today was no exception. Even though it was already late (almost 8 PM!), I drove 20+ miles to Longtan Port—North Taihu Lake’s most popular fishing spot right now. The place was packed when I arrived; I could barely see the other anglers in the dark, but I lucked out with a spot at the far end. The water in front was clear of weeds, perfect for my 5.4m rod. Time to set up!
My Night Fishing Setup
Here’s what I packed for the evening:
- Rod: 5.4m Qianliu Z comprehensive rod (stiff enough for quick fights in shallow water)
- Line: 1.5 main + 0.8 leader (balanced for big crucian carp without spooking them)
- Float: 2g electronic float (easy to see in the dark)
- Hook: Size 5 barbed gold sleeve (holds big fish without harming them)
- Bait: Whole nightcrawlers (I swear whole worms work better—more scent, more action)
- Chum: 2 packs of Wuliang Youjiu rice (proven to draw fish fast!)
The water here is super shallow—only about 90cm deep. That means I had to use a running sinker setup (no fancy tuning needed; just wait for a solid bite). First step: mix the chum. I dumped two packs of Wuliang Youjiu rice into a bowl, added some red worm powder, and a splash of water until it held together. Then I tossed three clumps into the spot—plop, plop, plop. Shallow water = big splash, so I had to wait 20 minutes before casting. No spooking the fish!
Checking the Competition (or Lack Thereof)
I wandered over to chat with a guy 10 meters away. He’d been there three hours and only caught one yellow catfish. “Everyone’s using worms here,” he said. Sure enough, most anglers I talked to were stuck with no bites—especially the afternoon crew. One guy even bought a $0.70 worm box from the shore vendor (they sell worms, red worms, smokes, and water—total fishing convenience!). By 8:30 PM, my chum had settled, so I headed back to my spot.
The First Bite: That Squeak Every Angler Dreams Of
I baited up with a whole nightcrawler, cast out, and waited. 5 minutes later, I’d twitch the rod a little to stir the chum. 20 minutes passed… nothing. I started overthinking: Did I mix the chum wrong? Is the water too cold? Did I scare the fish? Then—pop! The float shot up three inches! I whipped the rod up, and boom—a huge tug on my arm. This was no small fish!
I had to act fast. Shallow water = if the fish spooks the chum spot, it’s game over. So I reeled as hard as I could—no fancy fighting, just get it out of the hole. Seconds later, I hauled up a beast crucian carp—easily half a pound! The guy 10 meters away yelled over: “That’s a big one!” I grinned and yelled back: “Yep—big crucian!” Score!
Non-Stop Action (While Others Struggled)
I didn’t waste time—rebaited, cast, and waited. 10 minutes later: pop! Another top float! Up went the rod, and another big crucian landed. By 10:30 PM, I’d caught 5+ fish (wait, no—wait, let’s count: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5… yeah, five big ones!). The guys next to me? Still no bites. I didn’t want to brag, but one guy kept glancing over like he was jealous.
Time to Go (Reluctantly)
11 PM rolled around, and I had to call it quits—early morning drive to another city tomorrow. But before leaving, I turned to the guy who’d been struggling for hours. “Want my spot? Bite’s hot here.” He jumped at the chance! When he saw my bucket of big crucians, his eyes went wide: “Wow—you caught a ton!” I laughed: “Just lucky with the chum, I guess.”
On the drive home, I kept replaying that first tug. The squeak of the line when the fish pulled—that’s why I do this. No fancy gear, no expensive bait—just a proven chum mix, whole worms, and a little patience. May fishing is the best—next time, I’m bringing a friend to show off (and maybe share the chum secret… but don’t tell anyone!)
