Waking Up to the Best News After 2 Weeks of Lockdown
Imagine spending 14 long days cooped up inside, staring at the same four walls, scrolling through endless news updates, and daydreaming about the one thing that makes your weekends feel complete: fishing. That was my reality for half a month, until one morning, I jolted awake to a notification that hit like a lightning bolt—lockdown was lifted, and we could finally leave our homes. I don’t think I’ve ever jumped out of bed faster. My hands were shaking as I grabbed my fishing gear from the closet, barely stopping to throw on a pair of jeans and a hoodie. The excitement was so intense, I could barely focus on packing; all I could think about was getting to my go-to spot and reeling in some big crucian carp.
Let me set the scene: it was a crisp, sunny morning, and the streets were just starting to come alive with other people who were clearly just as eager to escape their homes. I drove to my usual fishing spot, a quiet little lake hidden on the edge of town, my mind racing with all the what-ifs. Would the fish still be there? Had the lockdown left the water untouched enough to make the bite better? Little did I know, I was about to have one of the most chaotic, rewarding fishing days of my life.
A Rocky Start: The Case of the Too-Short Rod and the Bottom-Hooking Disaster
First Spot Fail: Why a 3.6m Rod Was a Terrible Choice
I pulled up to the lake, grabbed my gear, and rushed to my favorite corner spot—the one where I’d caught my personal best crucian carp last spring. I set up my chair, assembled my 3.6m rod, and tossed my line out, ready to get started. But within the first three casts, I knew something was wrong. Every time my line hit the water, it would get snagged on something below the surface. I reeled in, only to find my hook tangled in weeds, rocks, or some mysterious underwater debris. I tried adjusting my cast angle, switching to a lighter weight, and even moving a few feet to the left and right, but nothing worked.
After 20 minutes of struggling, I realized the problem: my 3.6m rod was way too short for this spot. The water near the shore had gotten shallower over the past few months, and the deeper, clearer water where the crucian carp liked to hide was just out of my reach. I sighed, packed up my gear, and started walking along the lake shore, scanning for a better spot. I passed a few other anglers who were just setting up, and we exchanged quick, excited nods—we were all in the same boat, desperate to make up for lost fishing time.
The Great Spot Hunt: Finding the Perfect Place to Cast
It took me almost an hour to find a spot that felt right. It was a small cove tucked away behind a cluster of trees, with deeper water visible just a few feet from the shore. The bank was flat enough to set up my chair, and there were no obvious signs of overgrown weeds or sunken logs. I quickly assembled my longer 4.5m rod (I should have brought this first, lesson learned!), set up my tackle box, and got to work prepping my bait.
Before casting, I knew I needed to build a good nest to attract the crucian carp. I mixed up a batch of my favorite rice wine-soaked rice, a classic bait that’s perfect for luring crucian carp and keeping them in the area. I tossed handfuls of the rice into the water at regular intervals, creating a small, concentrated area where the fish would gather to feed. Then, I let it sit for about 20 minutes, giving the rice time to sink and start drawing fish in.
The Chaos Begins: Minnows and Smallmouths Take Over (And How I Fought Back)
Dealing with Nuisance Fish: When the Bite Is Too Much (In the Wrong Way)
About 25 minutes after setting up the nest, I noticed my float start to twitch. I leaned forward, ready to reel in, but before I could even move, the float was pulled under the water. I set the hook, only to find a tiny wheat ear minnow wriggling on the end of my line. I laughed, tossed it back, and cast again. But within 30 seconds, the same thing happened—another minnow. Then another. Then a smallmouth bass that was barely bigger than my thumb.
For the next 45 minutes, I couldn’t keep a line in the water without a small fish snatching my bait. The float would barely hit the surface before it was tugged under, and I was reeling in one tiny fish after another. I started to get frustrated—this wasn’t what I came for. I wanted crucian carp, not a bucket full of minnows. I tried switching to a smaller hook, a lighter bait, and even casting further out, but nothing worked. The small fish were everywhere, and they were hungry.
The Game-Changer: Heavy Lead and Lying on the Bottom
I was about to pack up and try another spot when I remembered a trick I’d learned from an old angler last summer: using a heavy lead weight to let the bait lie flat on the bottom, away from the surface-feeding minnows. I rummaged through my tackle box, found a 10g lead weight, and attached it to my line, adjusting my rig so the bait would sit directly on the lake floor. I cast it out, sat back, and waited, fully expecting another minnow to take the bait.
But this time, something was different. The float sat still for almost two minutes, then slowly dipped under the water. I set the hook, and immediately felt a solid pull on the line. I reeled in, and there it was—a plump crucian carp, about 1 to 2 taels in weight, wriggling on the end of my line. I whooped with excitement, tossed it into my bucket, and cast again. And just like that, the tide turned.
The Fierce Bite: When the Fish Go Crazy (And I Catch an Unexpected Surprise)
It was around 12:30 PM when the bite went from good to absolutely insane. I cast my line out, and within 10 seconds, the float was pulled under. I set the hook, reeled in a crucian carp, cast again, and got another bite before my line even fully settled. This went on for almost an hour straight—every cast resulted in a bite, and every bite was a crucian carp. The fish were so eager, they were practically jumping onto my hook. I lost count of how many I caught in that window; all I know is that my bucket was quickly filling up, and my arms were starting to ache from reeling in fish after fish.
And then, the surprise hit. I cast my line out, felt a much heavier pull on the line, and immediately thought I’d hooked a rock. But when I started reeling in, the line started moving back and forth, fighting against me. I leaned back, adjusted my grip, and slowly reeled in, my heart racing. When the fish broke the surface, I couldn’t believe my eyes—it was a small black fish, barely bigger than my hand, thrashing around on the end of my line. I’d never caught a black fish in this lake before, and I still have no idea how it ended up taking my crucian carp bait. I snapped a quick photo, tossed it back into the water, and cast again, already laughing at how weird and wonderful this day was getting.
Why Was the Fish Bite So Fierce After Lockdown?
As I sat there reeling in fish after fish, I started thinking about why the bite was so insane. The only thing I could come up with was the lockdown. For two whole weeks, no one had been fishing this lake. The fish had been left alone to feed, grow, and thrive without any disturbance. They were probably just as hungry for new bait as I was for a day of fishing.
I’ve fished this lake hundreds of times, and I’ve never seen a bite like this. Usually, the crucian carp are a bit skittish, and you have to wait 10 or 15 minutes between bites. But that day, it was non-stop. Every time my bait hit the bottom, a fish was there to take it. I even noticed that the fish were less cautious than usual—they didn’t nibble at the bait or test it out; they just grabbed it and ran. It was like they’d forgotten what it was like to be fished for, and they were completely unprepared for my arrival.
I talked to a few other anglers who were fishing the lake that day, and they all had the same story. One guy told me he’d caught over 30 crucian carp in just two hours, and another said he’d reeled in a big grass carp that was easily 5 pounds. It wasn’t just my spot—it was the entire lake. The fish were everywhere, and they were hungry.
Wrapping Up: The Best Post-Lockdown Fishing Day Ever
By 2:00 PM, the bite started to slow down, and I decided to call it a day. I packed up my gear, loaded my bucket of crucian carp into the car, and drove home, my hands still tingling from the non-stop reeling. I weighed my catch when I got home, and it came out to almost 10 pounds—nothing compared to some of the big catches I’ve had, but for a day that started with a bottom-hooking disaster and a minnow invasion, it was a win.
As I cleaned my gear that night, I couldn’t stop smiling. That day wasn’t just about catching fish—it was about feeling free again. After two weeks of being stuck inside, not knowing when I’d be able to leave my house, being out on the lake, breathing fresh air, and reeling in fish was exactly what I needed. It was a reminder of why I love fishing so much: it’s not just about the catch, it’s about the adventure, the chaos, and the little surprises that make every day on the water unique.
If you’re an angler who’s just coming out of lockdown, do yourself a favor and head to your favorite spot as soon as you can. The fish have been waiting, and they’re hungry. You might have a rocky start, you might have to deal with a few nuisance fish, but trust me—when the bite hits, it’s worth every second. And who knows? You might even catch a random black fish like I did.
