Back to the Past to Become a Fishing King

Chapter 809 - 550: Unexpected Mahjong Crucian Carp Swarm (Part 2)

Huang Zheng is well-known in the competitive fishing circle, especially for his expertise in catching fast fish. Now with this frenzy of Mahjong carp, Huang Zheng’s skills are perfectly matched!"

Sun Yi: "A fifteen-minute match and they can still fish on the surface. These two are really skilled and bold, so impressive! Ordinary anglers wouldn’t have the courage to do this — before they find the right fish layer, the match would be over!"

"Haha, what you said is true. This is the biggest difference between ordinary anglers and top experts: the judgment of fish conditions and the solidity of their basic skills!

Did you notice the detail where Zhang Yang adjusted the bobber position after each fish? It’s about finding the most suitable water layer based on fish bites and other cues!

If I guessed correctly, Zhang Yang took only five casts from the start of adjustments to pinpoint the water depth! And he barely missed catching any fish during that time! This shows how strong Zhang Yang’s basic skill is at finding the right fish layer!

I have another prediction: Huang Zheng will probably find the water layer much faster than Zhang Yang. The next five minutes, or even the next round, will be an exciting surface fishing showdown!"

"Teacher Huang Zheng will be faster than Zhang Yang at finding the fish layer? What’s your basis for that? Is it your understanding of his skills? How come I feel that Teacher Zhang Yang is not inferior to Huang Zheng!" Sun Yi wasn’t very happy hearing this and gave Yu Wensheng a sideways glance.

"Hahaha, who told you that being fast at finding the water depth means better skills? Haven’t you heard of the saying, ’predecessors plant the trees, and successors enjoy the shade’?"

"’Predecessors plant the trees, and successors enjoy the shade’? We’re talking about fishing and competitions, how did we end up talking about planting trees and getting shade?"

Sun Yi was completely baffled by Old Yu’s words. The livestream had been harmonious before, but today Old Yu was a bit too whimsical, making it hard for Sun Yi to keep up with the pace.

"Just watch. After you see it, I’ll reveal everything! Oh, little Sun, you should fish more in your free time!" Old Yu smiled with pursed lips, keeping everyone in suspense.

Old Yu was right. Zhang Yang took five casts to pinpoint the right fish layer, whereas Huang Zheng, realizing later, only used three casts to nail it down!

"Wow, Teacher Yu, how did you know Huang Zheng would be faster? Please tell everyone!" Sun Yi couldn’t maintain her composure any longer and even pleaded a bit in her tone. Clearly, Old Yu’s suspense had completely reeled her in.

"Haha, okay, I won’t keep it a mystery anymore. The reason is simple: Zhang Yang next to him already adjusted, so Huang Zheng didn’t need to test cast by cast. He just had to glance at Zhang Yang’s bobber position and get a general idea, then make minor adjustments!

In competitive competitions, and even in commercial ponds, many experts use such details. By observing others’ fishing setups, they can infer the fishing strategy others are using. Experts can gather a lot just from a glance and simple analysis.

In competitive fishing, it’s not about isolating oneself and only focusing on catching your own fish!"

After Old Yu’s explanation, Sun Yi suddenly understood.

"Ah, so that’s how it is! I learned a new trick from you today! I humbly accept your advice. When work isn’t too hectic, I’ll go to those commercial ponds and fish more often! It seems my lack of experience is showing during the livestream!"

"Haha, it’s not that bad, you’re quite smart, you catch on quickly!"

Whether Sun Yi’s smart or not, it’s clear that Huang Zheng is pretty sharp. After changing his fishing setup and adjusting the water depth, he quickly got into the rhythm of catching fish.

The two of them ended up in almost a mirrored fishing mode: dividing hooks, applying bait, casting their rods, readying their setups as bites came, and lifting to catch fish, back and forth, rapidly improving their catch scores.

Old Yu perfectly predicted Zhang Yang’s and Huang Zheng’s performance in the second half of the first round. Fishing for small half-water Mahjong carp, Zhang Yang and Huang Zheng are both masters. Their casting frequency and speed in catching fish completely revealed their solid foundational skills.

"Attention anglers, there is just one minute left in the first half!"

"First half countdown: five, four, three, two, one, over!"

As the whistle blew, Zhang Yang lifted his rod with two last-second fish, easily landing them, while Huang Zheng, a tad slower, had his last fish still out when the whistle blew, making it invalid according to the referee behind him.

At this point, the first half scores were: Zhang Yang with 41 fish, Huang Zheng with 37 fish, Zhang Yang leading by four fish.

As soon as the game ended, Zhang Yang set down his rod and flashed a grin at Huang Zheng.

Zhang Yang: "This fishing — really something, huh? A fifteen-minute match and still a chance to fish on the surface! Thrilling!"

Huang Zheng glanced at his scorecard and pouted: "Damn it, trailing by four fish. The pressure in the second half is on! I’ve got to whip up some secret weapon with new bait, or I won’t catch up!"

"Tch! We’re using common bait, what secret weapon are you talking about? Pulling my leg! It’s just about the scented bait, I’ll do it too!"

Zhang Yang teased Huang Zheng with a comment, while immediately opening his common bait package and finding some Flavor Six Carp and individually packaged shrimp powder.

For fishing these small Mahjong carp, shrimp powder and red worm powder are the most reliable bait. During the first half, there was no time to change bait due to situational changes, but after the first round, these two veterans were definitely going to switch to targeted bait.

In their five-minute rest period, they took less than a minute to prepare the new bait.

The fish are small, the bait slightly larger than an egg. Zhang Yang split open the bait to check the strands, not quite satisfied with its state, so he tossed it back into the mixing bowl, turning and kneading it with his fingers.

Once the state was adjusted, Zhang Yang deftly crafted two fluffy little round balls from the double-hook bait. Fresh and aromatic, the condition perfect, these small details showcased his deep bait preparation skills.

During the break, the television station naturally cut to some sponsor advertisements, finally giving Sun Yi some time to communicate with her partner.

"Teacher Yu, your commentary in the first half was a bit fast-paced. Could you slow it down a notch in the second half? I’m losing track and it’s embarrassing!"

"Haha, it’s normal for a girl to have slightly less experience in fishing! I think the commentary is great. Look at the interaction data in the livestream, it’s doing well! Don’t burden yourself with being idol-like!"

"Um, otherwise, maybe give me a heads up on what you plan to say in the second half so I can prepare a bit!"

"Not necessary, I’ll be steadier in the second half, no more teasing!

Tsk tsk tsk, I’m just wondering if the aerator running during the break will affect the small carp schools too much!"

"With the aerator on, there’s more dissolved oxygen; it should be a good thing!"

"There is more oxygen, but there’s water flow. The debris in the spot might get swept away, and the fish might follow. Just my guess; we’ll see in the second half. Zhang Yang and Huang Zheng have both switched to scented bait!"

"Oh, got it! These small carp in this pond are really interesting. In previous matches, it was rare to see anglers catch this type of fish!"

"They are there, just less bottom fishing. The old fish are slick; anglers’ bait tends to be milder in flavor. Plus, when the small carp schools come, they’re a bunch, and sometimes not a bite when they’re not around! Moreover, weather, atmospheric pressure, and other factors also play a role!

Fish conditions vary from pond to pond. Even in the same pond, different weather and climate can cause fish bites to change drastically!

This is the special environment of a competition pond. Thoroughly understanding the fish conditions of a pond is actually very rewarding!"