Chapter 780: Chapter 446: Boiling a Frog in Warm Water

Yu Wensheng glanced at the time and said spontaneously, "The competition has been going on for three minutes now. Let’s see the current score between Wang Chao and Liu Wenbo!

5:5, currently at a tie, it seems this afternoon’s match is quite neck and neck!"

Sun Yi: "The results are indeed quite tight. Is it because of the fishing conditions? Teacher Yu, you are an experienced angler. What do you think of this afternoon’s fishing conditions?"

Their communication was very smooth. Just a few words brought the topic to the fishing conditions of the competition.

This was a communication tactic they agreed on before starting the live broadcast. Live commentary also requires a topic framework. Based on the main topic framework, they add in some live details from the competition, making the TV broadcast content quite rich.

Yu Wensheng replied, "Originally, before the competition started, there was a thunderstorm at noon. I was a bit worried at the time, but looking at the bobber’s movement and bites on the field now, the fishing conditions at Competition Pond No. 1 are still fine!

Before the top 16 kicked off, as a guest commentator, I participated in an internal meeting with the event preparation team, so I know quite a bit about Pond No. 1!

According to the staff, Pond No. 1 mainly has silver carp, with a few engineering carp and red and gold carp. The total number is estimated to exceed fifty thousand, and the density is quite substantial!

However, the competition pond is quite large, so the average density isn’t too exaggerated!

Moreover, the silver carp are somewhat larger, averaging between one and a half to two ounces. This weight range also limits the application of many fishing techniques!"

"Oh? One to two-ounce carp are pretty common, right? Does this size of carp have any significant limitations on fishing techniques?" Sun Yi continued to ask.

"If they were newly stocked fish, the limitations on techniques wouldn’t be very apparent. This size of fish has strong vitality and mobility; they can bite, chase the surface, or even float.

But as far as I know, the fish in the pond aren’t new but are old, slick fish that have been through repeated training, competitions, and catch-and-release over two or three years!

A normal silver carp weighing two ounces would typically grow for about two years, but these fish in the pond are at least four or five years old, with a slightly larger density and lack of sufficient food. After long-term repeated catching and releasing, their feeding habits have made fishing more challenging!"

Just as they were talking, in the footage, Wang Chao’s bobber, while settling down smoothly, suddenly paused with two consecutive half-tip pauses.

"Hey! Look at that bobber action! Why isn’t Teacher Wang Chao setting the hook?" Sun Yi was a bit anxious seeing the pause.

But on the field, Wang Chao, seemingly having learned from missing bites before, did not set the hook on these consecutive pauses.

Yu Wensheng smiled slightly, "Haha, the bobber action looks quite dramatic, but this kind of bobber action actually has a low success rate for bites!"

Seemingly to prove Yu Wensheng’s words, Liu Wenbo’s bobber, next to Wang Chao, showed a similar action.

Liu Wenbo’s bites were not as steady. Seeing an opportunity, he immediately flicked his wrist to hook the fish, but unsurprisingly, it resulted in a missed shot.

Yu Wensheng said, "See, I told you the success rate for catching bites with this bobber action isn’t high!"

"Uh, Teacher Yu, I don’t quite understand! Logically, with continuous pauses in bobber action, the success rate should be quite high! So, where’s the problem?" Sun Yi feigned ignorance and continued the discussion.

"With new fish, this bobber action has a high success rate, but with slick fish, it doesn’t work! Old slick fish have been hooked many times and are more cautious when feeding. The bobber action just now was composed of quickly swallowing the bait and then spitting it out instantly!

Among professional anglers, this phenomenon is called ’brushing the bait,’ where the fish quickly gulp and spit the bait, shredding it and eating the bits to avoid being caught!

To solve this problem, it isn’t difficult. First is setting the hook. Such obvious and dramatic bobber actions can often be ignored.

Secondly, work on the bait’s state and flavor, using bait that old slick fish find less suspicious, or make the bait so light it enters the throat instantly upon suction, and the success rate will be higher!"

Yu Wensheng is indeed a seasoned angling expert, with deep knowledge of the characteristics of slick fish in competition ponds. Although I can’t comment on the practical aspect now, from a theoretical standpoint, Yu Wensheng’s knowledge reserve is undoubtedly very thorough.

During their chat, another bite occurred in Wang Chao’s bobber action in the footage.

This time, the action was much subtler, with only a slight down-pause action, and it didn’t bounce up immediately, instead pausing there.

With a flick of his experienced wrist, Wang Chao set the hook, catching another fish.

Sun Yi continued to explain, "Wow, Teacher Wang Chao caught another one. The score is now 7:5. Teacher Liu Wenbo seems to have been affected in his rhythm after missing a shot earlier, with continuous misses, he’s now two fish behind!"

Yu Wensheng glanced a few times at Liu Wenbo in the footage but shook his head, "It’s not his bite rhythm that’s affected; Liu Wenbo is verifying the fish layer. He’s doing it on purpose!"

"On purpose? What do you mean?"

"On purpose means exactly what it says! Wang Chao is fishing the bottom, but Liu Wenbo isn’t! If you look at the position of the bobber seat, Liu Wenbo is clearly fishing shallower than Wang Chao!"