After selling fish, Zhang Yang bought traditional Chinese medicine and liquor again.
The first batch of herbal rice for making wine was ready, and the initial promotion and sales showed promising results. The second batch also needed to be scheduled, with an infusion period of one week. There has to be some flexibility, as selling out too early might delay production and hinder profits.
Zhang Yang was very confident in the effectiveness of his herbal rice for making wine and had high expectations for the sales the next day. Although he was cautious, most anglers who came to try the samples today would probably return as loyal customers.
Based on this assumption, Zhang Yang packed over forty kilograms of herbal rice for making wine that night, with each package weighing 500 grams. He placed half of them in a backpack, ready to sell them by the riverbank when he went fishing the next day.
Early the next morning, Zhang Yang had breakfast and rode his bike to the Wen River bend south of the village. His plan for the day was to use his skills and judgment to create a sensation!
Arriving at the bend around six o'clock, four or five anglers had already gathered there, including Zhao Bingguang, who had interacted with Zhang Yang the day before and ordered two kilograms of herbal rice for making wine.
"Hey, Zhang Yang! Over here!"
Seeing Zhang Yang ride over, Zhao Bingguang quickly stood up and waved. He had been there for over half an hour, waiting for Zhang Yang's herbal rice for making wine before he started fishing.
Zhang Yang put down his gear and walked over with his backpack, pulling out the packaged herbal rice for making wine as he approached.
"Brother Zhao, you came early! Here, this is the herbal rice you wanted yesterday. Two packages weighing a total of two kilograms, and two extra packages weighing four ounces each are leftover samples from yesterday,
As a gesture for being my first customer, I'm giving them to you as a bonus for our friendship!"
Zhang Yang handed over the two large and two small packages of herbal rice for making wine to Zhao Bingguang. Worried that it might be inconvenient for him to carry, he took a plastic bag from his pocket to pack them.
"Here's the money! Yesterday afternoon until evening, I caught over ten kilograms of big carps. My friends took them when I got home, so today I'll catch more! I've been here for a while, waiting for your herbal rice to start fishing!"
Zhao Bingguang smiled and handed over the money, took the bait pack, and offered Zhang Yang a cigarette.
Zhang Yang glanced at the direction of the wind on the treetops and said, "Today is another south wind day. Fishing with a short rod in front of the grass area should have good fish activity!
Start the baiting now, and it should be attracting fish before seven o'clock. Morning time is precious!"
"Let's chat later. Fishing is more urgent! Let's get the bait on first!" With that, Zhao Bingguang gestured towards his fishing spot and returned to busy himself with his baiting.
The first sale was completed, but it didn't turn out as Zhang Yang expected; once he arrived, other anglers did not immediately come to buy bait from him.
Besides Zhao Bingguang, other anglers who tried the sample herbal rice for making wine the day before had come to the bend, but they merely looked over from afar without any intention to buy.
Zhang Yang felt slightly disappointed, but he got over this feeling quickly and didn't dwell on it.
Doing business is like baiting and fishing; attracting fish takes time, and they don't immediately rush to eat the bait. They need to get familiar with the bait spot, and when others start to compete for food, the fish bites become vigorous.
Zhang Yang arranged his fishing gear, replenished the bait, and patiently began fishing.
With the aim of advertising and creating a spectacle, Zhang Yang used a larger quantity of bait than usual this time,
The soil content was low, mostly freshly prepared fragrant herbal rice for making wine. He used about half a kilogram to ensure that as long as fish came, there would be enough to eat, stay longer, and attract more.
Aside from abundant bait, Zhang Yang also adjusted his hook bait for this fishing session. Though worms are cheaper, live bait can't match commercial bait in terms of attraction.
The day after selling fish, Zhang Yang visited Liu the Third's wholesale store and bought several packs of commercial bait. This time, Zhang Yang used the classic "Wild War Blue Carp + 918 Wild War Chapter + Speed Attack No. 2" commercial bait blend.
Having played in competitive fishing tournaments in his previous life, Zhang Yang was adept at preparing commercial bait, controlling its texture and mix.
The water temperature during this season is slightly lower, increasing the requirements for bait flavor and texture.
Therefore, Zhang Yang adjusted the bait's proportions to prioritize fishy flavors with a hint of fragrance. With the right amount of water and mixing techniques, he created a soft and hook-friendly perfect state.
As long as the carp entered the bait spot, they could easily swallow the bait on the hook without much effort.
The bait was laid, the bait was prepared, and then Zhang Yang began casting his line in advance, increasing his frequency.
Each time the double hook bait entered the water, it swelled and shed residues, tempting fish within a certain range to enter the bait spot.
Attracted by the bait around them and the abundance below, the fish would stay because there's plenty to eat.
The original herbal rice for making wine had excellent attraction effects, and combined with frequent line casting to lure fish, soon the bait spot started attracting shoals of fish, and the fish presence on the water surface intensified.
Rather than rushing to fish, Zhang Yang maintained the casting frequency of two throws per minute, continuing to lure fish.
Fishing for the spectacle requires a strategic baiting method, and Zhang Yang's only goal was to lure more fish into the bait spot—more, and even more!
About twenty minutes later, Zhao Bingguang, who bought the rice for making wine, started catching fish frequently, while Zhang Yang hadn't even put down his fish guard yet. He had already used up a third of the fist-sized ball of bait but was still casting one rod after another.
Another ten minutes or so passed, and the fish layer at Zhang Yang's spot reached the point of frequent off-bottom bites; only then did Zhang Yang contentedly slow down his frequency to fish normally.
The first rod yielded a double tail, two hefty carp weighing almost a jin together. Zhang Yang swiftly lifted the rod to hook the fish and placed the catch into the fish guard.
Starting with the first catch, Zhang Yang quickly entered a burst connection state. They were wild large carp, each weighing three or four taels, almost half a jin, frequently lifting the rod to hook fish, often catching double tails—extremely satisfying.
At this moment, a few fellow anglers who had been watching the competition between Zhang Yang and Zhao Bingguang with little plans in their minds couldn't sit still any longer. Not sure who initiated it, someone signaled with their eyes, got up from their fishing spot, and surrounded them.
"Hey, buddy! Fish bites are pretty fast over here! Using yesterday's rice for making wine bait again?" A thirty-something angler first approached Zhang Yang trying to get close.
This person was wearing a very classic military green fishing vest, a sign of being a seasoned angler.
"Yes! I've always used this for fishing carp!" Zhang Yang nodded with a smile, carefully avoiding mention of the free trial offer.
Now, the buddy trying to cozy up felt a bit awkward; yesterday wasn't the same strategy. He came over to chat without even offering a cigarette, and Zhang Yang generously expressed there was free trial to give, but why not today?
"Well, you know, do you still have the trial rice from yesterday? Can you give some to us again? I've cast quite a bit of bait, but the effect is limited; in more than an hour I've only caught seven or eight fish!" The green vest continued.
Zhang Yang shook his head with a smile: "Really sorry, the trial quantity was limited, all given away. This rice normally sells for 15 a jin!
If you feel the effect is decent, you can buy a package to support me! I have some with me, Brother Zhao bought two jin today, and the fish are not bad, they're connecting rods now!"
"This crappy thing still costs money?" A tall, skinny angler behind murmured upon hearing Zhang Yang's price.
Zhang Yang didn't get angry, still wearing a smile: "Yes, not only does it cost money, but the price is even higher than commercial bait! This stuff doesn't look good, but its fish-attracting effect is excellent! Look, another double tail on this rod!"
While speaking, Zhang Yang lifted the rod again, pulling up another double tail, a large carp and a small carp less than two taels, still bouncing and lively on the surface.
The green vest nodded: "Alright, give me a jin! It's rare to come out to fish for heaven fish, can't skimp on this food money!"
"Alright! Thank you for your patronage!"
Zhang Yang put down the fishing rod and stood up, took out a jin of bait from his backpack, handed it over, and received 15 yuan in return!
Among the four or five people who came together, after the green vest expressed interest, others also took out money and bought a package of bait, except for the tall skinny guy who slightly frowned and turned back to his fishing spot without purchasing any bait.
Now the sales situation was basically in line with Zhang Yang's expectations; four more packages of bait sold, totaling six packages so far, earning 90 yuan, with a net profit of over seventy.
The anglers who bought the rice returned to their spots and replenished their bait, showing a noticeable improvement in fishing efficiency.
Meanwhile, a second wave of fishermen began to arrive at the Wen River's bend to fish.
Arriving late, the remaining fishing spots were relatively poor, and using only ordinary bait didn't yield many fish until over eight o'clock, while watching Zhang Yang's first wave frequently catch fish made their hearts itch.
At this critical moment, Zhao Bingguang, who was focused on fishing, seemed to help Zhang Yang intentionally, yelling from his fishing box: "Little Brother Zhang, your rice's effect is quite assertive; do you have more?
Sell me two more packages before leaving; my friend asked me to take two packages back with me!"
"Yes! Brought plenty, if not enough, can get more from home! Today's large carp are quite fierce, gobbling up bait aggressively! Spring is the best time for carp fishing; seize the moment for good catches!"
Hearing these two people shout from afar, the anglers who arrived later began to doubt, wondering if the young guy sitting at the bend's northeast corner had some secret weapon. His words seemed to suggest paying money for it!
With this curiosity, several fishermen who weren't catching any stood up and approached Zhang Yang.
Handing a cigarette and asking briefly, they quickly took out money to buy Zhang Yang's bait. Another three packages of bait added 45 yuan to the account.
Now, the tall skinny guy who hadn't caught many fish felt a bit unsettled; 15 yuan is not much, considering the fuel alone from the city exceeded this amount.
However, this guy seemed to enjoy a bargain; the free bait given yesterday was not offered today, feeling like he was at a loss.
Yet Zhang Yang never pampered such characters, good stuff sells itself, take it or leave it!
Explanation ① Fish Star: The bubbles stirred up when fish move at the bottom of the water are called fish stars. Experienced anglers can judge the situation of fish coming into the spot based on fish stars.
Explanation ② Off-Bottom Interface: A situation where fish leave the bottom of the water, coming to higher layers to eat bait! This usually occurs because the density of fish shoal at the spot is high, making fish actively compete for food.
Explanation ③ Double Tail: A common phenomenon in Taiwan fishing using a double hook group. When the density of the spot is high, after the dual hooks enter the water, the rod lift results in both hooks catching fish simultaneously, called double tail, also known as pair take!