Thinking of this, Zhang Yang hurriedly took out the bait and started to work.

Light bran, Snowflake Powder, strawberry-flavored additives, garlic powder, grain-based bait, Liuhe Xiang...

Zhang Yang took out the various bait ingredients from his fishing box almost recklessly, then set aside the previously prepared bait, and began working with a large bait mixing bowl.

At Zhang Yang's level, even without ready-made Catfish-Cruiser bait, as long as there are materials, configuring one on site is not difficult.

Baiting Catfish primarily relies on a fishy smell, while baiting Silver Carp focuses on a sour and sweet aroma. The smell of fermented crushed corn can balance in between. With a pairing idea, Zhang Yang soon created a large basin of Catfish-Cruiser bait.

Having finished the bait preparation, Zhang Yang quickly replaced the line setup.

The bobber used for Catfish-Cruiser needs a relatively large lead consumption, at least three to four grams at the base; otherwise, it's hard to carry the bait. The fishhook needs to be larger and adjusted accordingly. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

How to adjust? Simple, just switch the line setup to three plus two, use number four New Kanto, and the bobber lead consumption to 4g.

After changing to the new fishing setup, Zhang Yang simply hung the bait and adjusted the depth to about 1.8 meters, continuing to cast at a frequency.

Compared to the high-centered fishing setup of big fly lead methods, casting for Catfish-Cruiser is much simpler.

The lead skin is heavier, the Catfish-Cruiser bait is heavier, and flying lead isn't necessary. Zhang Yang just needs to straighten his arm and gently shake it to easily cast the bait wherever he needs it.

Just like this, including bait preparation and changing the setup, Zhang Yang took just over five minutes to adapt on the spot.

Disturbing the Grass Carp? No problem, switch to Catfish-Cruiser, Catfish-Cruiser is bold and isn't afraid of these sounds!

While Zhang Yang turned and started bait preparation, Liu Wenjun still hadn't figured out what Zhang Yang was up to.

At first, he thought Zhang Yang was just repacking the bait, but when Zhang Yang prepared a basin of white Catfish-Cruiser bait and began forming fist-sized bait balls, Old Liu finally understood what was happening.

Is Zhang Yang going for Catfish-Cruiser?

With a skeptical feeling, he glanced over and realized it indeed was Catfish-Cruiser bait.

The upper hook holds bait, the bait ball is quite large, while the lower hook is simply left empty. Each cast emits a slight aroma of strawberry mixed with garlic powder.

Wait a minute? Does this reservoir have Catfish-Cruiser? Liu Wenjun's heart skipped a beat, and he frantically rummaged through his fishing box.

But after searching for a while, Old Liu couldn't find a single packet of Catfish-Cruiser bait.

Whether in the competition rules or in the grapevine, Old Liu had no information about Catfish-Cruiser, nor any preparation for it. Who could have thought of fishing for Catfish-Cruiser around May Day?

In professional anglers' eyes, fishing for Catfish-Cruiser is rarely seen as a dignified task since reservoirs everywhere raise Catfish-Cruisers in people's minds as stupid fish.

After the commotion, Liu Wenjun felt frustrated. He had Light bran and Snowflake Powder, but not the crucial strawberry and garlic powder, the two essential scents for Catfish-Cruiser bait.

On the other side, after switching to Catfish-Cruiser bait and fishing setup, Zhang Yang began frantically casting to create a fishing nest.

The key to fishing for Catfish-Cruiser is evaporation, and a large casting volume is essential. Without any foundational preparation with the focus switched to Catfish-Cruiser, the nest essentially starts anew.

Anyway, the entire reservoir was slow and glum in fish conditions, starting anew was fine, Zhang Yang maintained a good attitude, his hands skillfully casting rod after rod repeatedly.

Seeing this, there might be others complaining again.

If they knew the reservoir had a density of Catfish-Cruiser, why didn't they adjust in advance? Plus, during lunch, Zhang Yang didn't mention it to his teammates!

Was Zhang Yang's intention all along to keep his plans to himself?

Actually, no!

Earlier, he wasn't targeting Catfish-Cruiser because its fish conditions were unstable, and after May Day, the water temperature was relatively low, and Catfish-Cruisers wouldn't necessarily open well.

Zhang Yang's current approach was forced by Liu Wenjun's interference, choosing the best from poor options with no other way.

Testing may provide a chance; not testing leaves no chance. This choice is actually quite easy to make.

Zhang Yang, thinking of treating a dead horse like a living one, continued casting fiercely.

After half an hour, the basin of Catfish-Cruiser bait was cast entirely into the nest.

No bites, the bobber sinking barely showed reliable movements, indicating no target fish had entered the nest.

While the bait entered the water, little movements abounded, suggesting small fish like White Cloud Mountain minnow were pecking at the bait.

According to Zhang Yang's tactical plan, the competition ending at 4:30 p.m., the fish conditions wouldn't be good before 3 p.m.

This is his timeframe for fishing Catfish-Cruiser, but if no action occurs later, he will switch back to bottom fishing, as slightly lower temperatures might bring a small surge of carp activity.

With this premise, Zhang Yang continued casting persistently, grabbing from the basin behind him when the nest depleted, continuing casting and preparing another basin, keeping busy in idle moments!

Thus, an hour passed, and the time approached 1:30 p.m.

After repeatedly ineffective casting, even the extraordinarily determined Zhang Yang started contemplating giving up.

Low water temperature, poor Catfish-Cruiser activity—was his judgment wrong?

Just when Zhang Yang doubted himself, a dense fish bubble suddenly surfaced near the bobber.

This fish bubble clearly differed from those of carp or Crucian Carp—it was dense like sesame seeds, appearing in clusters, unlike the scattered distribution of carp and Crucian Carp bubbles.

Upon seeing this, Zhang Yang instantly realized.

Damn, finally got fish!

It was Catfish-Cruiser entering the nest!

Sure enough, after these bubbles appeared, Zhang Yang changed the bait, re-cast into the water, and the bobber instantly stopped reacting to little fish pecking!

With big fish entering the nest, small fish naturally got chased away, a more evident phenomenon in fishing upper-layer Catfish-Cruiser.

Seeing hope, Zhang Yang excitedly continued casting, waiting quietly for the fish group to gather and start feeding!

In less than ten minutes, the bobber began showing various movements.

Upon reaching the target depth, there's suddenly a powerful one-eye dip.

Seeing the chance, Zhang Yang raised the rod to strike the fish!

An empty shot, missed!

Undeterred, Zhang Yang pulled the rod, pushing the bobber up by thirty centimeters, changing nothing else, casting again into the water.

Often, empty strikes relate to incorrect depth; fish feed below. Large bobber startup resistance causes delayed action, swinging hooks near the fish's mouth, hard to eat securely.

Fishing Catfish-Cruiser differs from other species—the essence lies in finding the fish layer and depth.

As long as fish have entered the nest, pinpointing depth leads to effective strikes. Adjust based on conditions, finding the optimal feeding spot ensures catching directly.

Indeed, after pushing the bobber up, next cast not long in position, a clear dipping action reappeared!

Raise the rod, strike the fish!

Steady strength passed through the setup to the rod, transmitting into Zhang Yang's hand.

A big fish! It's definitely a big fish!

The instant Zhang Yang knew he hooked, he lowered his body, keeping the rod upright, waiting for the underwater fish's force.

The three plus two setup was substantial enough for Zhang Yang—handling small fish of three to eight pounds during spring was no trouble.

After the fish underwater overcame its brief confusion, it soon started moving, and the sound of line tension resonated at the fishing site.

Currently, with hardly anyone in the fishing area hooking fish, Zhang Yang's suddenly hooked big fish attracted the attention of all anglers around.

Zhang Yang's 7.2-meter rod bent into a large arch while the underwater fish kept exerting force, showcasing its strength audibly.

Although the fish's force is significant, it remained within Zhang Yang's control range. Hence he wasn't tense at all, his left hand atop the rod handle, quietly perceiving the fish's direction.

After around four or five rounds of maneuvering, the fish exhausted its energy, coming up!

Seeing the surfacing fish, beside him, Liu Wenjun's heart skipped a beat, sensing trouble!