Chasing the Fishing Dream on a Cloudy Autumn Day
Cool autumn is here, and I’d made plans to fish with friends. But guess what? The sky was covered in clouds! Still, since we’d already decided to go, I gritted my teeth and headed out despite the wind. September weather is neither too cold nor too hot, but those clouds made it feel a bit chilly.
When you fish this time of year, you’ve got to wear long sleeves and pants—otherwise, the temperature swings between morning and evening will definitely give you a cold. Trust me, I learned that the hard way later!
Let me spill all the details from that day:
- Date: September 5, 2024
- Weather: Cloudy
- Air Pressure: 1013 hpa
- Temperature: 17-21°C
- Wind Direction: Light breeze
- Wind Speed: Level 1
- Fishing Index: 75 points
- Fishing Rods: 3.6m / 5.4m
- Line Setup: 4+3 / 2+1
- Hooks: Iseni 5 / Sleeve Hook 5
- Bait Formula: Old Altar Bait
- Bait Used: Wheat Grains, Old Altar Corn
- Water Depth: 2.2 meters
- Fishing Spot: Tianzhuangtai Main Canal (Ermen Area)
The Early Bird (Who Dreams of Fish) Catches… a New Spot?
I woke up super early—all because my dreams were filled with fishing! After a quick breakfast, I set out to find a good spot. The old one only fit two people, but there were three of us, so we needed a new place.
I drove five or six kilometers and found a new spot near a water outlet. But the current was way too fast, and even two people would be bumping into each other. Ugh, had to keep looking! After thinking for ages, we decided to try Ermen—everyone’s been raving about it lately.
My friends didn’t show up until 10 AM. I picked them up and we rushed to Ermen. It was my first time fishing there, so I had no clue about the fish situation or what the bottom of the water was like. Total blind date with the spot!
First-Time Jitters at Ermen: Setting Up and Testing the Waters
Once we got there, we each picked a spot. First, I set up my gear: tossed a few casts to check the water depth, then started making a nest. For the nest, I used wheat grains, wine rice, and medicated rice. For fishing, I used Old Altar corn—separating nest bait from fishing bait really helps catch more fish, by the way!
People say big water means big fish, but here the depth was pretty uniform—no super deep spots. That’s great for wild fishing, right? But wait, the bottom was full of rocks! Later, I found out I got snagged every two casts. Nothing kills the mood like waiting ages for a bite, then hooking a rock and scaring the whole nest away.
As the clouds rolled in, it got colder—especially when I was just sitting there. I didn’t wear enough clothes that day; next time I’ll bundle up for sure. I was zoning out a bit when I saw tiny moves on the float. I thought, “Ugh, probably a crab messing with me.” I decided to move to avoid snagging, so I lifted the rod carefully… and felt that familiar snagged feeling. It was stuck! I wiggled the rod left and right, and it moved. I kept lifting—wait, is that a fish?! Oh my god, yes! It felt heavy too. “It’s here! It’s here!” I yelled without thinking, and all the other anglers looked over. It fought so hard, I almost lost it to a line break. After two minutes of reeling, I finally got it into the net. It was a big wild carp—totally worth it!
The Big Catch and the Lessons Learned
After that catch, I put away the 3.6m rod. It kept snagging too, and fishing the surface for small fish was boring. There were a few more bites later, but every time I got snagged, I scared the nest. Eventually, we decided to call it a day.
Let me share the lessons I took away from this trip—they’ll save you from my mistakes:
- Check the water bottom before making a nest: Toss a few casts first to see if there are rocks or snags. Don’t waste time on a spot that’ll just ruin your day.
- Cut the line if you’re snagged: Don’t wiggle the rod like crazy—you’ll only scare the fish in the nest. Better to lose a line than your whole catch chance.
- Check the weather forecast: Even if it’s “mild,” bring extra layers. Cold winds + sitting still = a miserable time.
- Separate nest bait from fishing bait: This was a game-changer! All my friends who didn’t do this went home empty-handed.
I gave the carp to my friend—sharing the catch makes the day even better, right?
Next time, I’ll pick a spot with fewer rocks, wear warmer clothes, and maybe try a new bait formula. If you’ve fished at Ermen before, drop me a comment with your tips! Can’t wait for the next adventure.
