Yuduoduo’s December 25th Fishing Diary: Chasing Big Fish at Haikou West Coast
Let’s cut to the chase-December 25th wasn’t just Christmas; it was my shot at chasing the “big ones” everyone in my fishing group had been buzzing about. Cold weather? Rough waves? Pfft, I’ve braved worse for a good catch. Little did I know, this trip would mix excitement, frustration, and a few “why me?” moments that only anglers understand. Grab your favorite drink, and let’s dive into the chaos (and wins) of my Haikou West Coast fishing day!
The Setup: Gear, Time, and That Tempting “Big Fish” Rumor
First, let’s lay down the basics-you know, the stuff that either makes or breaks your day before you even cast a line:
- Date & Time: December 25, 2024, 00:00 (okay, fine, I didn’t start at midnight-my alarm went off way too early, but I dragged myself out by 8 AM… oops, more on that later)
- Fishing Spot: Haikou West Coast (a go-to for local anglers, but lately, it’s had its quirks)
- Line Setup: 2.0 PE main line + 1.75 carbon leader (I splurged on the carbon leader hoping it’d handle big bites-spoiler: it mostly did)
- Rod: 3.6m domestic Beiming rod (shoutout to affordable Chinese gear! It’s tough enough for rough waves, trust me)
Now, the real kicker: My fishing group’s chat was blowing up the night before. “Big fish are moving closer to shore!” “Cold weather pushes them to shallower waters!” I was already picturing myself holding a monster catch for the group photo. So, even though the wind was howling and my hands were freezing just grabbing my gear, I was out the door faster than you can say “bait up.”
Mistake #1: Showing Up Late (and Missing the White Beard Craze)
Remember when I said I dragged myself out by 8 AM? Yeah, that was a disaster. Let me explain: Haikou West Coast has this unwritten rule-if you want to catch white beard fish (a local favorite, super tasty), you need to be there by 7 AM. Why? Because those little guys love quiet mornings. No crowds, no loud splashes, just calm water. By the time I stumbled to my spot, the 7 AM “white beard wave” was long gone. I even saw a few anglers packing up with half a bucket of them! Ugh, I wanted to kick myself. Note to self: Set two alarms next time-one for my brain, one for my lazy legs.
The Good, the Bad, and the Annoying Current
Okay, so I missed the white beards. But did I let that stop me? Nope! I set up my rod, baited my hook, and cast out. And guess what? Within 10 minutes, I felt a tug! Then another! And another! For a solid 20 minutes, I was reeling in fish left and right-small ones, but hey, it’s better than nothing. I was grinning like an idiot, thinking, “Who needs white beards anyway?”
Then the current hit. Oh. My. Goodness. The water started rushing so fast, my anchor kept slipping. I’d cast, feel a bite, and suddenly my line would drag because the anchor moved. I spent more time lifting the anchor, moving my spot, and re-anchoring than I did fishing. Every time I thought I had it right, the current would laugh and yank the anchor loose again. I missed at least three “big bite” moments because of it. At one point, I yelled at the water (yes, I know that’s weird). The other anglers probably thought I was crazy, but whatever-frustration makes you do silly things.
The Big Bites (and the One That Got Away)
Just when I was about to call it quits (and curse the current forever), I felt a different tug. Not the small, quick tugs from the little fish-this was a slow, heavy pull. My rod bent like it was going to snap! I held on tight, reeling in slowly (you can’t rush big fish, duh). After a few seconds of back-and-forth, I saw it: a decent-sized fish, silver and shiny, fighting hard. I got it to shore, and I swear, I did a little happy dance. Then, 10 minutes later, another big tug! Same thing-slow, heavy, and full of fight. This one was even bigger! I reeled it in, and it didn’t even put up that much of a struggle (lucky me). Two big fish in 20 minutes? I was on cloud nine.
But wait-there’s always a “but.” Between those two catches, I had another big bite. I pulled, and… snap! My line broke. I stared at my broken leader, then at the water, then back at my line. I’d used 1.75 carbon leader, which is supposed to be strong! I guess that fish was a real monster. Oh well-you win some, you lose some. At least I got two keepers out of it. Silver linings, right?
The Final Straw: Tidal Changes and Annoying Fish Cages
All good things must come to an end, and for me, that end was the tide. As the water started to recede, the bites slowed down. Then they stopped. I cast for 30 minutes straight with no luck. I was about to pack up when I noticed something: fish cages (those wire traps people use to catch fish) all along the shore near my spot. Oh! That’s why the fish were gone! Those cages block their path, scare them away, and basically ruin the whole area for anglers. I was so mad-I wanted to yank those cages out myself (but I didn’t, because that’s illegal). Note to self: Check for fish cages before setting up next time. They’re like the party poopers of fishing spots.
Wrap-Up (and a Teaser for Next Time)
So, how did I do? Let’s tally it up: missed white beards, caught a bunch of small fish, reeled in two big ones, lost one monster to a broken line, fought a crazy current, and got annoyed by fish cages. Overall? It was a solid 7/10. The big catches made up for the late start and the current. I even took a few photos to rub in the group chat (minus the broken line part, of course).
Would I go back to Haikou West Coast? Absolutely! But next time, I’m setting three alarms (no, really), checking for fish cages, and bringing an extra anchor to fight the current. And who knows? Maybe I’ll catch that monster that got away. Fingers crossed!
