"Let’s head back to the camp for now, the team members who stayed at the camp have already prepared lunch. We can consider our next steps after eating,"
When Professor Chen said these words, his opinion of Lin Yang had clearly changed from before.
In the past, he had only learned about him through others, but now, having seen him effortlessly catch bait and expertly set up equipment, along with his extensive knowledge of the habits of various fish species, it was clear he was no ordinary angler.
"Okay, no worries, it won’t delay anything. Even if we hook a big fish, it’s not going to be a quick battle,"
Having decided on their next move, the several boats turned around and started heading back to the camp.
About an hour later, everyone returned to the camp, and as expected, the meal was ready, serving the ever-popular sauerkraut fish.
Being able to eat sauerkraut fish in such an environment was already quite a treat, and it was convenient to make—one packet of sauerkraut and a couple of fish from the lake would do.
After lunch, the afternoon’s activities became more relaxed.
According to Professor Chen, it would be best not to stray too far from the fishing equipment, so they could respond to any developments quickly and make adjustments as necessary.
But Lin Yang knew that the newly installed equipment had sufficient automation and didn’t require constant monitoring. With this free time, he’d rather catch a few more fish.
Luckily, Lin Yang had proven his skills in the morning, earning enough clout to influence the plan. Eventually, it was decided that Professor Chen’s students would observe near the marker, while they were free to choose their own activities.
Given the freedom, Lin Yang naturally chose to continue fishing. With over a hundred species of fish in Dongting Lake, there was still a vast majority he hadn’t yet caught, aside from those he had already unlocked.
Around 1:30 in the afternoon, Lin Yang, accompanied by three others including Xiao Li, who was in charge of steering the boat, set out to fish again.
Now in this season, the temperature difference between day and night was quite significant. It might be only about ten degrees at night, but by midday, it was warm enough to consider shedding a layer, and the ultraviolet rays were also strong.
The group was well-prepared, with hats, face coverings, and sun-protective clothing; they were fully armed against the sun.
With higher temperatures at midday, Lin Yang chose a different location for fishing, still seeking the structures where the water depth changed, providing hiding spots and hunting grounds for fish, but he made an obvious adjustment to the water depth he targeted.
With the surface warmer and the depths cooler, fish in the shallow areas preferred to stay down below, but in the deeper areas, some fish might venture up to the surface.
After catching two upturned-mouth fish near the surface layer in a row, Lin Yang decisively switched the lure to a surface-targeting pink toy mouse.
He told the live-streaming camera, "From the last few casts, I noticed that the fish were moving around. I’m switching to the surface toy mouse to see if we get lucky with a big catch."
Lin Yang swiftly swapped the lures and did a final check before flexing his arm in unison with his wrist, effortlessly casting the heavier toy mouse far into the distance.
The toy mouse, weighing at least 15 grams, flew out from his spool, using nearly half of the line in the spinning reel, and splashed into the shallow water a good distance away.
No sooner had the toy mouse hit the water than Lin Yang saw a large spray erupt about ten meters away—there was activity on the surface!
Surely, this behavior indicated a problem, including several previous instances where he had encountered similar reactions during fishing.
This phenomenon was simple to explain: the lure’s point of entry happened to stimulate the fish lurking beneath, causing a stress response.
This sort of splash casting didn’t necessarily mean a catch, but it indicated nearby fish activity—a good sign. Moreover, the size of the splash suggested that this was not a small fish.
Instinctively, Lin Yang made a silent gesture with his index finger to his lips and then reeled in the lure with minimal movement.
As expected, this startling cast did not result in a bite.
"There was a fish that splashed a moment ago; judging by the splash, it must be a big one. Let’s move the boat forward a bit and try again," he signaled to Xiao Li to steer the boat while explaining to his live audience.
"You need tactical maneuvering? Isn’t that overkill? Just cast it out and reel it in; your casting is precise enough, after all."
"It’s not quite that simple. Casting directly to the marker creates too much disturbance."
Lin Yang glanced at the live chat and nodded, "This friend here is quite right. Generally speaking, predatory fish are bold and ferocious eaters, but that’s all relative. The larger the fish, the more experienced it is at surviving and the better its sense of unknown risks.
Currently, our toy mouse is searching for predatory fish near the surface, which isn’t much different from Strong Thunder fishing for black fish in clear water areas. Here’s a tip: never cast your lure directly near the fish as it might scare them away.
The right approach is to find a roundabout dropping point. This spot can’t be too far or too close—if it’s too far, the fish might not notice it, and if it’s too close, the fish won’t feel safe. Now, I’m going to cast again into an area about five to six meters from where the splash occurred, with a slightly smaller entry angle..."
As he spoke, Lin Yang swung the fishing rod and cast toward the predetermined spot.
Sure enough, under his precise cast, the toy mouse lure entered the water at a low angle, causing only a small splash—a remarkable result considering the casting distance.