What bait works best for fishing in the Yellow River?
The Yellow River is the most famous river in our country, and many people living nearby go fishing there in their spare time. Fishing in the Yellow River is different from fishing elsewhere: it not only requires skill, but also knowing how to choose a spot and bait. So what bait should be used for fishing in the Yellow River?
1. What bait should be used for fishing in the Yellow River?
For catching carp and yellow catfish in the Yellow River, earthworms, male bloodworms and corn bait work well; for catching sea bass, mullet and the like, ragworms are a good choice. Specifically, it depends on which kind of fish you are targeting. Generally, earthworms, yellow mealworms and cooked corn kernels are enough. If it is your first time fishing and you do not know what bait to use, you can buy it at a specialty tackle shop, and once you have mastered the technique you can mix your own bait.
2. How do you fish in the Yellow River?
1. Choosing tackle
(1) Rod: choose a rod specifically for sea fishing.
(2) Line: choose a relatively thick one; size 7 line is recommended.
(3) Hook: use a large string hook. There are few small trash fish in the Yellow River, and with a large hook a big fish is less likely to shake off after being hooked.
(4) Sinker: use a sinker weighing at least 80g. The current is fast, and a small sinker is easily swept away by the river.
2. Fishing time
May to October is a great time for fishing in the Yellow River. July and August in particular are the golden period for fishing in the Yellow River, and should not be missed.
3. Choosing a spot
If using a hand rod, the sharp points and large backwater bays of the Yellow River are generally ideal spots. At the “waistline” position, the current is either too fast or the water too shallow, so a hand rod cannot be used effectively. If using a casting rod, a backwater bay is the best spot; you can generally cast from the upstream side of the bay toward downstream, so the current will not immediately push the sinker to the bank. Depending on how fast or slow the current is, a sinker of about 40g to 100g is suitable. Sinkers below 40g cannot resist the impact of the current and are not recommended.
4. Fishing technique
When fishing in the Yellow River, it is recommended to use the sliding-sinker “taut tip” method. That is, use the impact of the current to keep the rod tip taut; once a fish bites, the rod tip will shake irregularly. Anglers should note that rhythmic shaking is often caused by the current or by the hook snagging debris, not by a fish biting. Of course, whether or not a fish is biting often requires long-term observation and accumulated experience for an angler to judge.
Overall, what bait to use for fishing in the Yellow River mainly depends on what fish you are targeting, but most of the time corn kernels, yellow mealworms and earthworms are used. If it is your first time fishing and you do not know how to choose bait, you can just buy it at a tackle shop.