Chapter 351: Chapter 216 Words and Deeds_2
Zhang Yang casually picked out representative bobber types from the box and explained the performance differences between different bobbers to the two brothers based on his understanding.
After giving a simple explanation, it wasn’t over yet; Zhang Yang soon invited Meng Fan to change the bobber.
"Come on, put on these different shaped bobbers and personally adjust them to feel the performance differences!"
If Zhang Yang hadn’t specifically explained this, Meng Fan and Liu Zi wouldn’t have had any intuitive understanding of the performance of different bobber shapes.
After all, the fishing conditions they usually encounter are just a few types: big fish require big bobbers, small fish need small bobbers—more or less that’s enough, and they’ve never taken it seriously.
But in the following rounds of practical application and comparison of adjusting bobbers, the two brothers discovered, just as Zhang Yang said, the knowledge here is vast, and the performance differences between different bobbers are very evident.
Especially in terms of the speed of flipping and traveling, these two easily observable parameters show significant differences when compared horizontally.
"Uh, Brother Yang, I can understand that different bobber shapes have real impacts, but is this only in rather complex fishing conditions? What about in simple fishing conditions? Does this difference not matter?" Meng Fan curiously asked.
Zhang Yang shook his head after hearing this: "Choosing the wrong bobber in simple fishing conditions is also very fatal! Try switching to this long-bodied, short-legged bobber and make a few casts."
Meng Fan quickly switched to the bobber selected by Zhang Yang onto the fishing rig. After changing to the appropriate lead weight, he cast into the water once again.
"See that? During the flipping process of this bobber reaching the position, there’s about a two-second pause before it continues to descend."
"Hmm? I see it, what’s going on?"
"The general motion process of the rig entering the water: the first stage is when the lead weight is heaviest, pulling the sub line, double hooks, and mainline down until the entire mainline is taut!
After the mainline is taut, the bobber starts to flip under the gravity influence of the lead weight!
I call this process the first swing! It’s where the main line below the bobber seat swings into position!
After the bobber flips in place during the first swing, the acceleration of the lead weight gets temporarily neutralized by the bobber’s resistance, leading to a brief pause.
In this phase, the bobber basically doesn’t move, and the part of the sub-line under the lead weight undergoes a second vertical swing.
During this time, the gravity from the hook, bait, swivel plays a role, and when the sub-line is taut, the bobber continues downward, called the second swing!
When the double hooks reach different statuses based on the number of adjustments, this marks the end of the movement of the entire rig!
At this point, the rig status tends towards balance!
If a fish takes the bait during a signal blind spot phase in this process from entering the water to the rig reaching equilibrium, you can’t see the signal, right?
Or if the rig reaches position too quickly, the fish can’t catch up, making it difficult to eat the bait and capture?
For example, if a fish eats bait at a certain height off the bottom, and this height coincides with the bobber’s flipping pause, the bobber’s signal becomes hard to detect!
Or when using a long-bodied bobber to quickly reach the bottom, the double hooks penetrate through layers and fish can’t catch up, resulting in fewer opportunities in fish captures!
In wild fishing pits, most of our default fishing methods aim for the bottom because crucian carp and carp are mid-to-bottom level fish! Conventional tactics for fishing the bottom can handle most fish conditions!
But as fish density increases, a single approach to fishing the bottom proves inadequate.
Competitive fishing creates such distinctive man-made fish conditions, where crucian can float-fish, and carp can be fished off the bottom! Mental solidification can’t be complete!
Returning to your question, aggressive fish feeding, the different underwater states caused by varying bobber types and tunings, can the captures be the same?
What is training for? It’s not just about watching bobbers and catching bites, as narrowly understood by outsiders.
It’s about perceiving and judging changes in fish conditions at different times and positions, and skillfully adjusting bobber tunings, bait states, flavor adjustments, and other factors to maximize current fishing efficiency!
Did you understand?"
After Zhang Yang compressed an extreme amount of fishing skill into his explanation, he turned his gaze to the previously relaxed two brothers.
At this moment, Meng Fan, who prided himself on having some fishing insights, showed a complex expression with curiosity, shock, and confusion all mixed together.
Hearing such high-density information in a short time left his mind a bit overwhelmed.
"Uh... you explained it a bit fast!" Meng Fan scratched his head a few seconds later, somewhat embarrassed.
"It’s okay if you can’t remember the details, but establish the general thinking framework! Recognizing the differences in bobber types and rig motion states, there’s no problem, right?"
"No problem with that!"
"Alright, slowly experience the details; there’s plenty of time ahead! The bobber section will be left here for now.
Let’s move on to the second focus point before practical training! Bait!
Regardless of brand, bait components generally fall into a few major categories. A packet of commercial bait consists essentially of grains from cereal bases, proteins from animal and plant sources, small amounts of composite amino acids, vitamins, and fish-attracting fragrances.
The cereal base typically includes roasted bran, wheat germ, millet, corn kernels, etc.
Animal proteins include shrimp powder, fish bone powder, silkworm pupa powder, red worm powder, earthworm powder, and such.
Different components adjust usage ratios to achieve targeted bait effects!
Different fish species and fish conditions have distinct preferences for bait flavor, component needs, and states. Accurately analyzing fish conditions to find the most suitable bait is as crucial as bobber tuning and selection!
Having discussed the different bait components, let’s simply categorize them functionally.
I divide compound bait recipes into three parts: basic bait for material filling, primary bait targeting specific fish species, and status bait for adjusting bait states!
For instance, general-purpose ingredients like super-inducing cereal-based processed granules are the basic bait consumed by all fish.
Baits like snail carp, wilderness food targeting fish preferences can be called primary bait.
Snowflake Powder, Lubricating Powder, Light Bran, Corn Adhesive Powder, Expansion Powder for adjusting bait states can be categorized as status bait.
In the bait mixing and usage process, it’s essential to understand the components and effects of various baits, especially status baits, which are crucial knowledge for competitive fishing!
Next, based on your understanding of bait, each of you prepare a bait mix for catching small crucian carp!"
Zhang Yang waved his hand, and the two brothers quickly got busy.
With fishy bait, fragrant bait, Lubricating Powder, the two freely combined components and quickly prepared a bait mix diluted with water.
Zhang Yang casually glanced, picked up Liu Zi’s bait with his hand, squeezed it, and smelled it, commenting: "Too little water ratio, too much Lubricating Powder, resulting in overly hard bait with poor state and excessive residue, making it difficult for small crucian carp to eat! 45 points!"
After evaluating Liu Zi’s bait, Zhang Yang similarly inspected Meng Fan’s bait, continued commenting: "Slightly too much water ratio, excessive flake bait, insufficient shrimp powder, resulting in too large bait balls, poor state, and insufficient temptation for small crucian carp!
points, slightly better than Liu Zi but still limited!"
"Uh... I thought it would be at least passable! This bait ball looks pretty good!" Meng Fan sneaked a glance at Zhang Yang and mumbled softly.
Zhang Yang didn’t bother arguing with Meng Fan but rolled up his sleeves and personally started mixing bait on the spot.
He casually combined cereal base, fishy bait with shrimp powder, small amounts of Light Bran, suitable amounts of seasonal and some Lubricating Powder, then using his hand to draw water into the mix without a measuring cup, quickly prepared a small crucian carp bait.
After preliminary stirring and a few minutes at rest, Zhang Yang lightly kneaded it and patted it to remove air, then molded the bait into a fist-sized mound.
Finished with the bait preparation, Zhang Yang divided the mound into two halves: "Seeing is believing! You two use a long-bodied bobber fishing for the bottom, try the different bait and see the difference in effectiveness?"
"Just this? It doesn’t look too different from what I made!" Meng Fan remained a bit unconvinced as he accepted the bait from Zhang Yang.