King of the Wilderness-Chapter 62: New Rod Halo

Lin Yu’an had great confidence in the new fishing rod, but soon he thought of another practical issue.

Shouldn’t beginners also have a fish basket?

Otherwise, how do you store fresh catches... I mean, how do you store the fish you catch?

"Guys, I have a top-notch fishing rod, but there’s still one supporting tool unresolved—a fish basket."

"I’m sure I can catch a lot of fish, even over ten pounds big! I can’t just leave them on the shore and let others think I’m showing off~"

"The point is, it might even attract unnecessary trouble, so I need a fish basket that can keep the fish alive in the water."

For making the fish basket, the first material that came to mind was the willow branches growing by the stream.

Before it got completely dark, he hurried to the stream, using a knife, axe, and space creatively, gathering fresh willow branches quickly.

Back at camp, he started weaving the fish basket. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

The process was somewhat like weaving a large, open basket.

First, he selected seven or eight sturdy willow branches as the vertical "dragon bones" of the fish basket.

He tied one end of them tightly with parachute cord, forming the center of the basket’s bottom.

Then, he spread these "dragon bone" branches like umbrella ribs, forming a bowl-shaped framework.

Next, using thinner willow branches, starting from the bottom center, he weaved them back and forth between the vertical "dragon bones" in crisscrossing circles.

"Weaving a fish basket doesn’t need to be as airtight as making a basket. You actually need to leave some even gaps."

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

His fingers moved nimbly between the willow branches, compacting them tightly, while the basket’s wall spiraled upward.

When both the height and diameter of the basket reached a satisfying size, he folded the upper ends of all the "dragon bone" branches inward, forming a slightly narrowed rim.

He carefully reinforced the rim using thicker willow bark rope.

Finally, he also made a simple lid woven from willow branches to cover the basket’s rim.

He used leather strips to create a hinge and latch connection, resulting in a rustic but sturdy willow branch fish basket!

Fifty-third day.

Early in the morning, Lin Yu’an happily carried his Pacific Yew Fishing Rod, newly woven willow branch fish basket, and a strongly fish-scented blood bait, sauntering towards the fishing platform.

Upon reaching the platform, he didn’t rush to cast.

Like every beginner, he scooped a few large spoonfuls of thick blood bait, mixed it with some fine sand, and forcefully threw it towards the slower water flow in front of the fishing platform.

"As a beginner, you must create a draw-in; otherwise, how can you call it fishing?"

Only then, not in a hurry, did he take out the brand new yew rod.

He cut a piece of high-strength fishing line approximately five to six meters long and tied one end securely to the tip of the rod.

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

Holding the rod, he cast with a standard side throw position, flicking his wrist!

The flexible Pacific Yew rod bent instantly and snapped back, skillfully and precisely casting the baited hook near the draw-in point.

"Alright, now it’s all about patience and waiting."

Lin Yu’an lodged the handle of the rod between the crevices of the wooden stakes on the fishing platform, occasionally pinching the line with his other hand, sensing any slight movement from below the water.

Time passed second by second, the lake surface calm without ripples, occasionally a few forest pigeons flitting by overhead...

Noon came. Just as Lin Yu’an began to think the "new rod halo" might not be working and was about to lift the rod and choose another spot to cast...

His finger, pinching the line, suddenly felt a downward pull!

Without time to react, a massive force instantaneously came from beneath the water!

"It’s a fish!"

Lin Yu’an, almost out of instinct, grabbed the rod and jerked it backward forcefully!

That Pacific Yew-made rod curved into a large arc in an instant!

The rod’s body emitted a "buzzing" vibration sound, showing it was bearing an immense strain!

But thanks to the yew wood, it showed no signs of breaking even at the extreme bend!

"Wow! This one is strong!"

Lin Yu’an gripped the rod tightly with both hands, his arms and back muscles tensed, engaging in a contest of strength and endurance with the "behemoth" underwater.

The fishing line was pulled tight, making a "whistling" sound slicing through the air.

The creature underwater was obviously enraged, launching itself wildly into the deeper waters!

Lin Yu’an didn’t dare to resist stubbornly. He utilized the rod’s elasticity and his arm control, seizing opportunities to lower the rod head slightly following the fish’s dash.

He would then, when the fish’s force slightly diminished, bend the rod backward with strength, gradually wearing out the opponent’s energy.

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

The stalemate continued for several minutes.

At this moment, the "behemoth" underwater seemed also to reach its limit, bursting an enormous splash not far ahead!

"Splash—!"

A surprisingly large fish, with a back deep green with white spots and a belly pale yellow, leaped out of the water, thrashing its enormous head in the air, trying to free itself from the hook!

"It’s a lake trout! My gosh! Such a big lake trout!" Lin Yu’an’s eyes widened in shock and delight!

This lake trout was way larger than any fish he’d caught before, visibly at least seventy to eighty centimeters long, weighing definitely around twenty pounds!

After falling back into the water, the lake trout went through several more rounds of desperate struggle, but each time the robust yew rod perfectly absorbed the force.

Seizing the chance, Lin Yu’an slowly, step by step, reeled this exhausted giant towards the edge of the fishing platform.

Finally, the gigantic lake trout was dragged to the side of the platform, lying weakly in the water, breathing heavily.

Lin Yu’an knelt down, carefully lifting it from behind the gills with both hands, hoisting the hefty creature onto the platform!

"YES! YES! YES!"

Unable to contain his excitement, Lin Yu’an held the lake trout, thicker than his arm, in front of the camera, shouting with exhilaration!

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

After the ecstatic moment, he placed the huge fish on the platform and turned to get the willow branch fish basket he meticulously wove earlier, planning to keep the prize temporarily.

However, when he brought the sixty-centimeter diameter fish basket next to the giant fish, he couldn’t help but laugh.

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

"Just one fish is enough to fill the basket..."

Realizing he couldn’t keep the creature alive, Lin Yu’an decisively used a wooden stick to send the fish to "Fish Heaven" with three strikes.

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

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(Going live at midnight tonight! Expect five consecutive updates!)

(And unexpectedly, you guys have been so aggressive, the monthly ticket count jumped straight to 6471! Now I’m dreaming of hitting 7000.)