HUN Chapter 62: New Rod Blessing

Lin Yu'an was very confident in his new fishing rod, but soon he thought of another practical problem.

Shouldn't a beginner also have a fish keeper?

Otherwise, how would he store his catch?

"Guys, I have a top-quality fishing rod, but there's still one supporting facility I haven't solved, a fish keeper."

"I'm definitely going to catch many fish, maybe even ten-plus pound big ones! I can't just keep throwing them on shore, making people think I'm showing off~"

"More importantly, it could easily attract unnecessary trouble, so I need a fish keeper that can keep fish fresh and alive in the water."

For materials to make a fish keeper, his first thought was willow branches growing by the stream.

While it wasn't completely dark yet, he hurried to the streamside and quickly collected fresh willow branches using his knife, axe, and all available means.

Returning to camp, he began weaving the fish keeper.

This process was somewhat similar to weaving a giant, open-mouthed basket.

He first selected seven or eight thick willow branches as the fish keeper's longitudinal "ribs."

He tightly bound one end of these together with paracord, forming the bottom center of the fish keeper.

Then he spread these "rib" branches evenly outward like umbrella spokes, forming a bowl-shaped framework.

Next, he used thinner willow branches, starting from the bottom center, weaving back and forth between those longitudinal "ribs" in circles with a crisscross pattern.

"Weaving a fish keeper doesn't need to be airtight like making a basket. Instead, you need to leave some uniform gaps."

"This ensures water flow circulation, allowing the fish inside to get enough oxygen."

His fingers moved nimbly between the willow strips, with each strip being tightly compressed as the fish keeper's walls spiraled upward.

When the fish keeper reached his desired height and diameter, he gathered all the upper ends of the "rib" branches inward, forming a slightly narrowed opening.

He carefully wove and reinforced the rim edge with thicker willow bark rope.

Finally, he made a simple lid also woven from willow strips that could cover the opening.

Using leather strips, he made connecting hinges and a latch. A rough but sturdy willow fish keeper was complete!

The fifty-third day.

Early in the morning, Lin Yu'an happily carried his Pacific yew fishing rod, newly woven willow fish basket, and blood bait giving off a strong fishy smell, leisurely walking toward the fishing platform.

After reaching the fishing platform, he didn't rush to cast his line.

Instead, like all beginners, he scooped out several large spoonfuls of sticky blood bait, mixed it with some fine sand, and forcefully threw it toward the slightly calmer water area in front of the platform.

"As a beginner, you must chum the water. How can you call it fishing without chumming?"

Only then did he unhurriedly take out that brand new yew fishing rod.

He cut a section of high-strength fishing line about five to six meters long and tied one end firmly to the rod tip.

He attached a hook, baited it with blood bait, and carefully checked to ensure it wouldn't easily fall off.

Holding the fishing rod in a standard sidearm casting position, he flicked his wrist!

The elastic yew rod instantly bent and snapped back, lightly and precisely casting the baited hook toward the vicinity of the chummed spot.

"Alright, now it's time for patient waiting."

Lin Yu'an inserted the rod's grip into a gap between the platform's wooden stakes, while his other hand occasionally lightly pinched the fishing line, feeling for any subtle movement from underwater.

Time passed minute by minute. The lake surface was calm and waveless, with only occasional wood pigeons flying overhead.

Around noon, just as Lin Yu'an was beginning to feel that the "new rod blessing" didn't seem very effective and was preparing to lift the rod to change fishing spots and chum elsewhere.

His fingers pinching the fishing line suddenly felt a downward pull!

Immediately after, before he could react, a tremendous force instantly transmitted from underwater!

"Fish on!"

Lin Yu'an's reaction was almost instinctive as he grabbed the fishing rod and jerked it backward to set the hook!

The Pacific yew fishing rod was instantly pulled into a large arc!

The rod blank made a "humming" vibration sound, showing it was bearing tremendous pulling force!

But that yew wood showed no signs of breaking even under extreme bending!

"Good heavens! Quite a strong one!"

Lin Yu'an gripped the fishing rod tightly with both hands, his arm and back muscles instantly tensing as he engaged in a battle of strength and endurance with the underwater "monster."

The fishing line was pulled taut, making "whooshing" sounds as it cut through the air.

The creature underwater was obviously enraged and began frantically charging toward deeper water!

Lin Yu'an didn't dare to hold rigidly. He used the rod's elasticity and his arm control, finding opportunities to slightly lower the rod tip following the fish's charging momentum.

Then when the fish's strength slightly decreased, he would forcefully arch the rod backward, gradually wearing down the opponent's stamina.

This "hard tug-of-war" without a reel was filled with tension, excitement, and a touch of joy every second!

The standoff lasted several full minutes.

Just then, the underwater "monster" seemed to begin tiring, and massive splashes suddenly erupted not far ahead!

"Splash——!"

A fish of amazing size with a dark green back dotted with white spots and a pale yellow belly suddenly leaped from the water, vigorously shaking its massive head in mid-air, trying to break free from the hook's restraint!

"It's a lake trout! My God! Such a huge lake trout!" Lin Yu'an's eyes widened like saucers, his voice filled with shock and wild joy!

This lake trout's size far exceeded any fish he had previously caught. By visual estimate, it was at least seventy to eighty centimeters long and definitely weighed around twenty pounds!

After the lake trout fell back into the water, it made several more rounds of final frantic struggles, but each attempt was perfectly absorbed by that tough yew fishing rod.

Lin Yu'an seized the opportunity and began slowly, step by step, drawing this exhausted monster toward the platform edge.

Finally, that massive lake trout was dragged beside the fishing platform, lying powerlessly on its side in the water, breathing heavily.

Lin Yu'an bent down and carefully lifted it from behind its gills with both hands, bringing this heavy fellow up onto the platform!

"YES! YES! YES!"

Lin Yu'an could no longer contain his inner excitement. He held the giant lake trout, thicker than his arm, up to the camera and shouted excitedly!

"Guys, did you see that! New rod blessing! This is the new rod blessing! A giant lake trout! This is the biggest freshwater fish I've ever caught in my life!"

After the wild joy, he placed the giant fish on the platform and turned to get the willow fish keeper he had carefully woven earlier, preparing to keep his prize alive.

However, when he brought the sixty-centimeter diameter fish keeper next to this monster, he was somewhat speechless.

"Well, it seems I made a mistake. I clearly underestimated this lake's potential..."

"Just one fish and I've hit the jackpot."

Realizing he couldn't keep this big fellow alive, Lin Yu'an made a quick decision and dispatched the fish with three quick blows of a wooden club, sending it to fish heaven.

"Alright, problem solved. Looks like next time, I need to weave an extra-large fish keeper!"

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