The Top Fishing
Chapter 207 - 147: Fishing at Dongting_2

Chapter 207: Chapter 147: Fishing at Dongting_2

At the very least, he possessed genuine skills and knowledge; his analysis was not merely based on subjective conjecture but was backed by actual prototypes and real cases.

Chen Lin nodded and continued, "What you’re saying isn’t wrong. Considering all the conditions and analyzing them, there indeed exists that possibility."

"By the way, I also took a look this afternoon. You seemed to have brought quite a lot of professional equipment. How did the scouting go?"

"We indeed brought a lot of equipment and checked out the nearby environment. It was just a simple familiarization with the fish and water conditions; it can’t really be considered proper scouting."

"You should know, fish in the water, especially in a large body of water like a lake, are not evenly distributed. The automatic inflatable fishing gear I brought is limited, and I still need to select some specific spots for setting up the gear to ensure effectiveness."

"So, I plan to take the equipment and go out on the boat tomorrow to familiarize myself with the conditions of the fish and find the right spots. Once the spots are roughly determined, we’ll set up the equipment."

"For tomorrow’s trip, I need a boat and someone to operate it; I must trouble you, Professor Chen, to arrange suitable personnel."

"Arranging personnel is a minor issue. We were here last time too, and through observation and actual fishing, we have gathered some information. I’ll have Xiao Han bring you the records for reference. There was an instance where a big fish got off the hook at one particular spot; you might want to study that."

"Now that you mention it, I am quite interested. Why don’t you show them to me now?" Lin Yang said with a smile.

"Xiao Han, bring the record report here." After hearing this, Chen Lin immediately arranged for Han Li to do so.

A minute later, Han Li turned around, returning with a folder containing detailed activity reports from the previous period.

Lin Yang, unhesitatingly, put down his chopsticks and began to read the report in front of everyone.

The trivial records had no real referential value. He skimmed through them quickly until he reached the part about setting hooks and fish escaping.

"Where exactly is this spot? Are there any photos?"

"Yes, they are saved on the tablet!" Han Li quickly took out a tablet from her bag behind her, opened a folder, and found the photos taken at that time for Lin Yang.

"This location, we call it Observation Point Two,

Observation Point is a spot in Dongting Lake scenic area with a relatively high elevation and broad views, where many large fish sightings have occurred. We set up a trapping point in that area, deploying baits and hooks and other devices."

"There weren’t any responses in the first few days after setting up the devices. One morning, while checking as usual, we found the bait had been dragged away, and a sea fishing hook as thick as a phone charging cable was straightened!"

Han Li swiped through the photos and explained as she went.

Lin Yang focused on the image in the lens, a large sea fishing hook with a nose getting straightened, slightly frowning.

Saying the hook was as thick as a phone charging cable might have been an exaggeration, but hauling a fish weighing around 200 pounds certainly required that kind of strength.

If such a thick hook was straightened, how large must that fish have been!

After looking for a while, Lin Yang nodded, "This area is likely a major active zone for large fish. I’ll personally check it out tomorrow. Are there any other similar locations? Identifying them in advance could also save us some scouting time."

"There are no other records like this. There are escapes by fish weighing about ten pounds, but only this spot where a fish capable of dragging down a duck and straightening a hook was recorded."

"Alright, I got it. I’ll check it out on-site tomorrow."

....

Dinner ended in a discussion-oriented atmosphere; Lin Yang had a couple of drinks, about half a jin of strong liquor, slightly tipsy.

Li Xiaopeng could really hold his liquor well; he nonchalantly drank two full glasses, which was a jin, but showed little sign of drunkenness.

After a satisfying meal, Han Li took Yue’er back to their quarters to rest, while Lin Yang and Li Xiaopeng returned to their temporary residence.

Most of the welcoming dinner involved Li Xiaopeng and Yue’er mostly listening, but once back in their room, he couldn’t hold back.

"Cousin, these people don’t seem to trust you much."

Lin Yang nonchalantly nodded, "It’s normal. In the eyes of professional researchers, we are just leisure fishermen. Even if we have caught several hundred-pound fish, we’re still seen as simple country folk. The invitation for us must have been something that young lady Han Li and her advisor strived hard for. Judging by their netting and ground hook techniques this afternoon, they are amateurs. Catching a big fish would be surprising.

Regardless, since we have been invited, let’s do our best. Normally, you wouldn’t even dream of fishing in the deeper parts of Dongting Lake. Now that we are invited here, and they’re even handling logistics, why ask for anything more."

"The conditions are indeed a bit basic; to bathe, one has to go to the scenic area. Try to cope with it as much as possible. Fortunately, we can still have a hot water foot soak, which is a bit better than making do in the wild. Better sleep early; we have work tomorrow."

....

Having ridden in a car for several hours in the morning and then trekking in the afternoon, Lin Yang was already tired.

After washing his feet and talking for a while, he turned off the light early and lay down. Soon after, he fell into a deep sleep.

This sleep lasted until 7 a.m. the next day.