Back to the Past to Become a Fishing King

Chapter 835 - 563: Spring Fishing for Big Crucian Carp (Part 2)

When it comes to money, Chen Xiu’s pockets are lined, making him feel confident. As for skills, his two years of live streaming have completely transformed him into being able to handle a live show with the proficiency of a top streamer.

Speaking of resources, the impressive success of his product streams has allowed Chen Xiu to amass significant brand and supply chain connections. Switching platforms is merely a matter of adjusting during the initial phase; once the adaptation period passes, in a matter of months, his account gains popularity again, and he’s on top once more.

Bringing the focus back to Zhang Yang.

Eager for a big carp fishing adventure once the temperatures rise, Zhang Yang wasn’t particularly excited about the early spring carp trend but couldn’t resist Wen River’s thriving fish scene. After months of hardly any proper fishing over the winter, Zhang Yang couldn’t hold back anymore upon receiving a call from Wang Yan.

In the section of Qu River, a tributary of Wen River upstream, a well-located fishing spot could easily yield dozens to hundreds of pounds of carp in a single day.

These are pure wild large carp, each weighing at least four to five ounces, with the larger ones surpassing a pound.

The early spring thaw is one of the best times of the year to fish for large carp. With the water temperature low and small fish having low activity, they hardly disturb the bait. Once you find a suitable spot and set up the bait properly, the big carp come in succession, which is an absolute thrill.

Last spring, there were large carp caught along Wen River for a short period, but it only lasted about ten days. By the time the news spread and the large crowd arrived, there wasn’t much time left to enjoy the fishing scene before it ended.

This time, it’s different. Despite Wang Yan being labeled as a black pit streamer, his private community work is impeccable. As soon as the fish activity picked up after the thaw, loyal fans quickly reported back.

The angler within the company’s live streaming team includes several women, at least six or seven, and combined with the club’s competitive anglers, another four or five. With no competitions at the moment, the lure of large carp fishing was irresistible to anyone.

Not long after Zhang Yang heard the news, he posted enthusiastically in the company’s group chat, causing all the anglers to go wild.

In under two hours of preparation, including Lao Zhao and the rest, everyone was hyped, loaded up their gear, prepared all the essentials—food, bait, and nesting materials perfectly. At least seven or eight cars were ready, with about a dozen people heading towards the tributary sections where large carp were known to appear.

After over two hours of driving, Wang Yan led them to the fishing area shared by fans.

After parking and scouting the area, the overall situation was stronger than expected.

Looking out at this tributary’s region, there stretches at least a few kilometers of wide riverbanks. The news of large carp hasn’t completely gone out yet, with only about a dozen anglers sparsely set up along the shore.

As soon as they reached the water, the team members acted like excited horses, feeling utterly satisfied.

To be cautious, Zhang Yang didn’t rush the others to start unloading and fishing, opting instead to walk around and assess the situation first.

"Xiaowei, watch our stuff; we’re going to stroll ahead and see the situation!" Zhang Yang called out, as they walked shoulder to shoulder toward the nearby anglers.

"Hey, brother, how’s the bite? How many have you caught?" Before even getting within twenty meters, Zhang Yang greeted politely.

"The bites are alright. I came around nine in the morning, had a streak for a bit, but it slowed down after noon. Caught about thirty or so fish, and the size is quite good! I just replenished some bait, hoping for a good evening bite!"

The angler Zhang Yang greeted was quite chatty, answering while standing up to stretch his stiff back and arms.

"Mind showing me the catch?" Zhang Yang glanced at the other’s fish basket but, out of courtesy, didn’t touch it without the other’s permission.

"Feel free! Each weighing around half a pound. Spring fishing is exciting; during the best period, I landed fifteen to twenty fish an hour!"

With the angler brother’s consent, Zhang Yang extended his arm and lifted the other’s fish basket from behind.

Wow! A fish basket with a 40cm diameter, barely a quarter filled, had fish each weighing at least six to seven ounces at the bottom. Zhang Yang even spotted two behemoths estimated at a pound and a half.

"Whoa! Not bad! You’ve caught so many! How long is your rod now? How deep is the water?"

Seeing the catch confirmed to Zhang Yang that Wang Yan’s information was undoubtedly precise. These large carp looked incredibly exciting. Rounded and plump with proportionate bodies and snow-white scales, they were undoubtedly wild large carp.

"I’m using a 6.3-meter rod; the water depth is about two and a half meters. Everything’s great; just that there are underwater plants, tend to get snagged, and the nest gets scared off! Otherwise, I could catch more! After fishing all day, I’ve gone through half a box of hooks from snags! Are you scouting today or staying for tomorrow morning’s bite?"

"With such perfect large carp, of course, we’re staying! Do you know of any good spots nearby?" Zhang Yang continued asking.

"Since you’re staying, that’s good to hear; I could use some company! About three to four hundred meters ahead, there’s a slight protruding tip, and my friends are packing up to head back home for work tomorrow!"

During the chat, the angler brother pointed to some anglers in the middle of wrapping up their gear not far away.

"Fine, we’ll go check it out! We have quite a crowd, we’ll cook together later, have some drinks, and get acquainted!" Zhang Yang proactively invited him formally.

"No problem! Fishing is about enjoying the vibe! Just head over, I’ll call my friends!"

The angler brother generously called his friends in front of them, and then Zhang Yang and about six or seven others made their way over.

After another round of cigarette sharing and small-talk, the fish of the anglers in the tip area were even more than the previous brother’s catch. The water here was shallower, using 6.3-meter rods in barely over two meters depth, and filled with underwater plants; they worked hard with water grass sickles to open up this spot. With family obligations, they couldn’t continue fishing, giving Zhang Yang’s team the chance.

Perfect timing! Although they arrived a bit late, it didn’t affect anything. Zhang Yang and his group drove to set up their fishing station at the tip, learned the exact locations of the nests, and filled them up before doing anything else.

Once they finished unloading their gear, replenished the nests, and got all their tasks done, it was already four-thirty in the afternoon. The early spring temperatures were still cold, so Zhang Yang and crew parked their cars upwind to form a blockade, and Lao Zhao began unloading outdoor gear from his van.

In terms of fun, Lao Zhao is definitely top-tier among amateur anglers. Years ago, when he first met Zhang Yang, Lao Zhao was already a veteran outdoor enthusiast, but due to business commitments, he had little spare time in recent years.

This spring, with business not too busy and good fish conditions near home, he brought all his equipment with him.

Large camping tents, folding tables, chairs, stools, awnings, high-power mobile power sources, plus imported pots, stoves, barbecue grills, even tea platforms, anything you could think of, Lao Zhao’s van had it. It felt like Doraemon’s magical toolbox.

While Zhang Yang’s team busied themselves setting up camp and making preparations, the middle-aged brother they met earlier strolled over with hands behind his back.

Initially, his invitation to Zhang Yang was simply to have company while fishing. He hadn’t expected Zhang Yang and crew were professionals when it came to outdoor activities.

Before they knew it, they had a large bonfire stove up and running, a camping lamp hanging in front of the tent, planning on grilling tonight, sitting around the fireplace, drinking, and chatting—it was heavenly beyond comparison.