Financial freedom begins with fishing

Chapter 41 Selection and Matching

"Xiao Kai, it seems our luck isn't very good?"

Looking at the fishing spot in front of him, Xiao Peng had a bitter expression and a somewhat depressed tone.

At this moment, they were on the shore near a rocky area. The small patch of water in front of them was empty, without a single weed.

According to the data released in advance by the organizers, this area should be a gravel field.

Not only are there no weeds, but there is also very little soil, making it a rare, calm area in this body of water.

However, such a place is not a good sign for fishing.

This means that there is not enough food in the water in front of them, making it difficult to leave many fish behind.

It's fine for casual wild fishing, but in a competition, you're inherently at a disadvantage, and even passing fish are unlikely to stay.

Not to mention that it is winter now, the fish are less active and mostly stay still in one body of water, and there are very few fish passing by, which will greatly increase the difficulty of fishing.

Even though Xiao Peng was very confident in Xiao Kai's luck, he was starting to feel uneasy.

After all, fishing isn't just about luck; resources are key.

"It's okay, Peng, it's all about participation. Besides, you see, we're not the only ones having a hard time!"

Xiao Kai patted Xiao Peng on the shoulder and said with a smile, as if the issue of the fishing spot had not affected him at all.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Peng glanced at the other contestants on his left and right sides and saw that they also looked constipated, which immediately improved his mood.

Seeing this, Xiao Kai added, "And compared to the more severe rapids, this is already considered quite good."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Peng's expression immediately improved.

Thinking back to the section of rapids I passed by earlier, and seeing the miserable expressions on the faces of those fishermen, this place doesn't seem so bad in comparison.

"That's true. Anyway, it's not like we're the only ones who're unlucky. There are other people too," Xiao Peng said.

What people fear most is comparison.

Sometimes, even when you're in a difficult situation, thinking about other people might help you realize that your situation isn't the worst it can be.

Because there will always be someone who has it harder than you.

This is also a way to adjust one's mindset.

"Alright, let's get started!"

Seeing that Xiao Peng had recovered, Xiao Kai smiled slightly and said.

"good!"

Xiao Peng nodded and began to assist Xiao Kai.

Unlike some short-duration competitive events, most people are not actually prepared to finish after the start of this endurance race is announced.

Because the match is going on for so long, there's no need to be too concerned about a temporary advantage.

Starting early doesn't necessarily mean reaping more rewards.

Soon, with the cooperation of Xiao Kai and Xiao Peng, all the pre-fishing preparations were completed.

Xiao Kai was mainly responsible for the preparation of bait and groundbait, as well as the selection of fishing rods and lines.

As the main angler, he has to choose the best setup based on the current situation.

In this respect, Xiao Kai clearly has no advantage over those experienced veteran anglers.

However, he had been studying diligently during this time, so it wasn't too difficult for him.

Considering the current low temperature, Xiao Kai's target fish species today are mainly bottom-dwelling fish, such as crucian carp and common carp.

Therefore, the selected wire set should not be too large or too small.

If the line is too large, it will affect the sensitivity of the fishing line. Fish are already less active and take lighter bites in this kind of weather. If the sensitivity is affected, it will be more difficult to catch the correct bite, thus affecting the catch rate.

Too small is also not good, as it can easily cause the line to break if you encounter a big fish, which is also undesirable.

Taking all factors into consideration, Xiao Kai ultimately chose a combination of main line #3 and sub-line #1.5, along with new Kanto line #1.

Under normal circumstances, the best choice would be the No. 5 Ise-ni with thorns, but Xiao Kai knew his own situation.

With the help of the aperture, once he starts catching fish, he will inevitably catch them one after another.

The new Kanto fish is boneless, making it easier to catch and improving efficiency.

Although there is a risk of decoupling, it is still a manageable option for him at present, and it is the most suitable choice for him.

As for the float, since it was a large body of water with big waves and the location was not in a current, he chose a long float with a lead capacity of 2 grams.

He chose a 5.4-meter Walton fishing rod, but considering the possibility of a large number of carp, he also prepared a 6.3-meter rod with the same line setup to improve the efficiency of catching fish.

This combination can handle everything from crucian carp weighing around half a pound to carp weighing three or four pounds.

Even a fish weighing five or six pounds is not impossible if you are careful.

As for bait and groundbait, Xiao Kai was much more casual about it.

Unlike the other contestants, he didn't bring any random items; he simply had Xiao Peng bring a few packets of all-purpose fish and rice wine and some aged corn.

While this method may not be ideal for attracting other fish species, it works perfectly for his target fish.

Anyway, he never intended to catch any big fish from the beginning. After all, this endurance race is about the heaviest fish you catch. No matter what kind of fish you catch, even if it's just a small whitebait, as long as you are the heaviest, it won't affect your chance to win the championship.

"Xiao Kai, I'm going to get some charcoal. Do you see if there's anything else you need me to bring?"

After finishing his own tasks, Xiao Peng, who was in charge of preparing the fishing chair and fish basket for Xiao Kai, said to Xiao Kai.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Kai tossed down the bait and said to him, "Get some water first, the rest is up to you!"

"good!"

After agreeing, Xiao Peng turned and walked towards the designated supply point for the competition.

Seeing this, Xiao Kai continued doing his own thing.

His purpose in baiting the area was to keep the fish he would attract later using the light circle, so he used a lot of bait. He used a whole half basin of pickled cabbage and about half a bottle of fermented rice.

After all, his aperture has a drawback: it disappears when he lifts the rod, so keeping the fish in the water is essential.

After doing all this, Xiao Kai noticed that Xiao Peng hadn't returned, so he sat down and started fishing.

Just as he thought, there were very few fish in this area.

For a full ten minutes, the float didn't move at all.

Xiao Kai wasn't in a hurry, because he knew that it wasn't that there weren't any fish in his nest, but rather that the fish density wasn't high enough.

Once the fish that pass by are lured over by his aura, it's only a matter of time before they get caught.

Just then, Xiao Peng returned.

"Xiao Kai, come help me!"

From a distance, Xiao Kai heard Xiao Peng's cries for help. He turned around and was immediately stunned.

The guy was carrying a 10-liter bottle of mineral water in each hand, and a plastic bag around his neck. Judging from the packaging of the contents, it looked like instant noodles.

A charcoal stove was tied to his left wrist, and on the other side was a large plastic bag filled with a bunch of odds and ends, including charcoal, disposable cups, a kettle, and tea leaves.

What left Xiao Kai speechless was that, despite carrying so much stuff, this guy was also carrying a brand new two-person tent on his back.

"Wow, you're moving?"

Xiao Kai muttered a complaint and quickly went to greet them.

Soon, with Xiao Kai's help, Xiao Peng placed all the things he had brought on the open space that had been cleared in advance for the competition.