"Jiang, although you have a fishing ground, I can tell at a glance that you haven't done much night fishing!" Seeing Jiang Hai sitting there, preparing to fish, Mayor Wallis and his men saw an opportunity to teach the younger generation a thing or two.
Maybe it's just an age thing—people tend to enjoy using their experience to their advantage as they grow older. But Jiang Hai didn't mind the old men talking.
They weren't arrogant or using their age to impose their wisdom. They were just a bit long-winded, and Jiang Hai had learned to accept that. They were simply trying to find something to talk about.
At their age, most people don't have much in common with younger generations. That's what's called the generation gap. So when they see a young person excelling at something they don't understand, they can't help but show off. Jiang Hai just smiled and kept quiet.
Yes, it was his first time fishing at night, but he didn't think it would make much difference. After all, he wasn't the same person he had been a year ago. He'd been fishing dozens of times this year, catching more than a dozen fish each time. He was already an experienced angler.
He was so familiar with fishing by now that there was no way he wouldn't know what to do. But they wanted to talk, so Jiang Hai let them.
Soon, however, he realized that what these old men were saying wasn't entirely off the mark.
Night fishing does differ from fishing during the day. Though both involve the hand rod and sea rod—sea rods for big fish and hand rods for bait—night fishing is quieter, and fish are generally bolder when feeding. Big fish, in particular, are clever. They may ignore bait during the day, but at night, they're much more likely to bite.
The choice of rod, line, bait, and hook is also crucial.
The four old men were using artificial bait, while Jiang Hai had chosen sandworms, which are the standard for sea fishing. But after waiting for almost half an hour, the four old men had caught a few small fish—nothing big, but at least something. Jiang Hai, on the other hand, had caught nothing.
After snapping a few pictures, the old men returned their catches to the sea. They weren't fishing for the sake of catching fish; they were out for the experience, and they didn't kill fish unless they planned to eat them. This was the difference between serious anglers and casual hobbyists.
To some, the fish they caught belonged to them, but to the old anglers, the fish belonged to nature. They'd eat what they caught, but if it wasn't for eating, there was no point in catching them.
"Today's fish are acting strange..." Jiang Hai muttered, pulling his fishing rod back and noticing the sandworms still clinging to the hook. Gray-Gary, who was closest to him, couldn't help but chuckle.
"We told you at the start, but you didn't listen. Now you see? You're doing two things wrong. I bet you won't catch anything tonight. First, sandworms are good for sea fishing, but it's night. Very few fish have night vision. You threw the sandworms into the water, but they can't see them. How are they supposed to bite? And the float you're using is just a regular float. Can you even see it sinking?" Gray-Gary explained to Jiang Hai.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Hai suddenly understood.
He had been raising fish for half a year and knew that most fish don't have good night vision. They rely more on water currents and their sense of smell to find food. But in the sea, where the waves are constantly moving, the fish's senses are even worse. While they might see bait during the day, at night, even something as big as a sandworm would be invisible.
The scent of the sandworms was much weaker compared to artificial bait, which explained why Jiang Hai hadn't caught anything.
He could switch to real bait, but Jiang Hai and his friends never brought fake baits or live bait like small fish or shrimp with them when fishing. They only used those after catching a few fish, so switching bait now wasn't an option.
Looking at the old men around him, Jiang Hai felt a bit resentful. These guys hadn't offered to lend him any fake bait, and he hadn't brought his beef along. Was he really going to go home empty-handed tonight?
Though a little frustrated, Jiang Hai didn't consider using his spiritual energy—it would be too wasteful.
Seeing him continue to fish with sandworms, the old men couldn't help but laugh. It seemed they had already decided who the first one would be for dinner. They couldn't contain their amusement, and Jiang Hai sighed. If only he'd brought some beef...
Just as Jiang Hai was feeling a bit down, his fishing rod suddenly bent, and he couldn't help but laugh.
Though he wasn't a skilled fisherman, the moment the rod bent, he immediately straightened it. He tried to reel it in with his strength, but to his surprise, the fish didn't surface.
Jiang Hai had fished for many large creatures—sharks, tuna, and more—but never had he pulled so hard without seeing the fish surface. The fishing line was tight, and he worked hard to reel it in. Seeing this, the four old men, who had been talking and laughing, suddenly fell silent.
"Hey? Is it a big one?" Mayor Wallis asked, noticing the effort Jiang Hai was putting into the line.
"The fishing line isn't moving at all. Doesn't seem like it's a big fish, probably something stuck," God Leslie remarked uncertainly.
Jiang Hai rolled his eyes. He was sure that the others were just jealous of him. And in his heart, he knew—this was going to be a big one!
Based on the tension in the line, it was probably over a ton. A fish that big? If it wasn't a great white shark, maybe it was... a whale? He couldn't help but think.
It turned out Jiang Hai's fishing gear was solid. Although not the most expensive, it was strong enough to handle the weight. With his strength, he was still struggling to pull it up. After three minutes, Jiang Hai decided to increase his strength.
"Pull it up!" Jiang Hai shouted as he wrenched the fishing line upwards.
But when the fish finally broke the surface, everyone stared in shock. Jiang Hai had not caught a fish.
Instead, he had pulled up a bundle of seaweed. The four old men burst into laughter, tears streaming down their faces. Jiang Hai stood there, his face burning with embarrassment.
"Tsk, can't catch fish with seaweed? Watch me—I'll catch one with seaweed!" Gray-Gary taunted.
Jiang Hai looked at the seaweed on the ground with a smirk, picked up a piece, and hooked it onto his line. Under the mocking eyes of the old men, he threw it back into the sea, adding a touch of spiritual energy to it.
"I'm telling you, if you catch anything with seaweed, we lose," Gray-Gary said while wiping away tears of laughter.
"You'll regret this!" Jiang Hai retorted confidently, not in the seaweed but in his spiritual energy. He trusted it wouldn't let him down.
"If that's the case..." Wilcost Arnold began, but before he could finish, Jiang Hai shouted, "I've got one!"
The four old men rushed over to see, their eyes wide with surprise.
This time, the fishing line jerked, and the old men exchanged uncertain glances.
"It's not more seaweed, is it?" God Leslie hesitated.
"No, this time the line is moving. It's definitely a fish," Mayor Wallis declared.
"But why is it moving so slowly?" Gray-Gary added, puzzled.
Jiang Hai, feeling some tension, slowly reeled the line in. As the line came closer, a huge dorsal fin emerged from the water. Jiang Hai blinked. Could it be another shark?
But the fin didn't look like a shark's. Just as he wondered, Mayor Wallis suddenly shouted in excitement.
"This is a sunfish! A sunfish!"
As the massive fish drew closer, Jiang Hai and the old men watched in awe.