Northeast Wild Fishing: Sticking It Out for Big Crucian Carp at Jiaxiao Pond (Strong Winds & Choppy Waters)
Hey folks, it’s Brother Cao here. Let me tell you about my wild fishing trip at Jiaxiao Pond yesterday—man, was it a battle against the wind and slow bites! If you’re chasing big crucian carp (we call ’em “board crucian” here) in rough conditions, you’ve gotta be ready to grind it out. No fancy tricks, just pure patience and stubbornness. Let’s dive in!
Early Morning Chaos: Broken Backpack & Race Against Time
I woke up early, scrolling my phone before dawn. Around 5 AM, I started prepping my gear—rods, reels, bait, the works. But wait, my fishing backpack’s strap broke right at home! Talk about a close call—if that happened on the way to the pond, I’d’ve been stuck carrying everything like a pack mule. Quick fix: I grabbed two shoelaces, tied ’em up tight, and that thing’s now indestructible (fingers crossed).
At 5:30, Uncle Zhang called—time to roll! I rushed to finish packing, then called my master (my fishing mentor). Turns out, the old angler who fished west of my master yesterday left at 5 AM to beat the crowd for the morning bite. Uncle Zhang and I thought we were early (we left at 5:30, and it was still dark!), but nope—this guy was already there. As Uncle Zhang said, “Fishing really makes you eat dirt—we’re up before the sun, and someone’s even earlier!”
Arrival at Jiaxiao Pond: The Wind Hits Hard
We pulled up to Jiaxiao Pond around 6:15 AM, and guess what? The west bank old-timer was already set up—four rods in the water, ready to go. My master showed up right after us, and we all stuck to our usual spots (we’re creatures of habit, okay?). I set up my go-to setup: three 9-meter rods with earthworms, and one 7.2-meter rod with “meat bun” bait (a local mix of meat and dough—don’t judge, it works for some fish).
I thought I’d get a morning bite spree like yesterday, but nope—nary a nibble. I sat there, staring at my floats, willing them to move. By 7:30 AM, I finally got a hit! Landed a nice crucian carp, but that was it for a while. My master and the guys on the west bank? They were catching “old man fish” (small, tough little guys) left and right, but no big crucians. We were all in the same boat: just waiting, waiting, waiting.
Wind Woes: Why Sitting North Was a Mistake
Here’s the thing: the wind picked up early, and I was sitting on the north bank. The reflection off the water was blinding—my eyes were watering like crazy. The west bank had shade and less glare, but those spots were taken by regulars. I couldn’t just kick ’em out, so I stuck to my north spot. Southwest winds were howling all day, making it impossible to read the floats. Every time I thought I saw a bite, it was just the wind rocking the rod.
My master tried using a sea rod (he’s new to it, bless his heart), but all he caught were old man fish. No big bites, just tiny tugs. Uncle Zhang was on the northwest corner with his short 6.3-meter rod, sticking to the grass edges. He said, “If I don’t go home empty-handed, that’s a win today.” Relatable.
Slow Bites & Stubborn Waiting: The Grind for Big Crucians
By 10 AM, I landed my second fish—another decent crucian. My 7.2-meter rod with meat bun? It was like a magnet for old man fish. I swear, that thing was in a “old man fish convention.” Every bite was a tiny guy, no crucians. It did catch one small crucian later, but that’s it. My 9-meter rods with earthworms? Most of the time, they came up empty. The wind was so strong, even my baitcaster couldn’t cast straight—bait just got blown back to shore sometimes.
My master left around 11 AM—he was frustrated. Caught one big crucian and a bunch of old man fish, so he’s heading to Brick Factory Pond with his wife to check it out. Can’t blame him—this spot was dead. Uncle Zhang and I stayed a bit longer, but the bites didn’t pick up. I ended up with three big crucians, some old man fish, and a tiny crucian. Uncle Zhang had two small crucians and a few old man fish. I gave him my catch before leaving—no use keeping ’em if he wanted ’em more.
Lessons Learned (The Hard Way)
Let’s be real: today was tough. The wind killed the bite, the reflection blinded me, and even the best bait didn’t work. But hey—we caught some big crucians, which is more than most anglers there did (those later guys only got old man fish). What did I learn? If you’re chasing big crucians in rough wind:
- Stick to longer rods (9m+ works better in wind to reach deeper spots)
- Use earthworms—old man fish might nibble, but crucians love ’em
- Don’t move spots if you know it’s good (even if the wind sucks)
- Be ready to wait—like, hours. No instant gratification here
And yeah, fishing is hard work. I’ve been waking up early every day this year, and I’m exhausted. My legs ache, my back hurts, but when I land a big crucian? Worth it. Today’s proof: you gotta “stick it out hard” (that’s our local phrase) if you want the good stuff. No shortcuts, no magic bait—just patience and a willingness to sit in the wind for hours.
Tomorrow? We’ll be back (if it doesn’t rain—rain makes it freezing here). “Crops don’t grow every year,” as we say—some days are duds, but tomorrow’s a new chance. Hope you guys have better luck than I did today—stay warm, stay patient, and tight lines!
