Spring Tide Chasing Silver Lines, Blue Sea Fishing for Daylight - Rizhao Sea Fishing Guide

At 4:30 am at the World Sailing Championship Base pier, the sea breeze carried the salty smell of fish. I clutched my phone, verifying the boat number, the screen displaying the legal registration number "Lu Yu Xiu ****". Five fishing boats were moored in the dawn, the blue light of the fish finders on their bows piercing the thin fog, like some mysterious ocean code. "Weigh anchor!" With Captain Lao Zhou's shout, the ten-meter-long white fishing boat cut through the indigo sea. Eight anglers scattered on the leather sofas, holding the free carbon fiber fishing rods, watched the GPS tracker draw earthworm-like trails on the map. When the boat suddenly slowed down, Lao Zhou grabbed the walkie-talkie and shouted a code word: "The yellow carpet has arrived!" - This is fisherman slang for a yellow croaker gathering area. With the thud of the anchor hitting the seabed, the silvery fishing rig, baited with Antarctic krill, sank towards the thirty-meter-deep water layer. The spring seawater was still cold, but the blackhead fish were particularly hungry. As soon as the float trembled twice, a familiar tug was felt on the wrist. While reeling in the line, I caught a glimpse of an octopus flapping in the landing net of the lady next to me, its ink staining half the gunwale. The biggest surprise was encountering a passing school of Spanish mackerel while trolling. Five or six spinning reels simultaneously emitted a pleasant whirring sound, as if the entire sea was playing a symphony of harvest for us. [Rizhao Sea Fishing Guide] ⏱️Golden Sailing Time ▸ For chasing the morning light, choose 5:00-9:00, when Spanish mackerel are most active in the spring mist ▸ Tides are more important than time. Download the "Global Tide" app to check the tides 🚤Boat Selection ▸ Look for the "Lu Yu Xiu" license plate and refuse unlicensed fishing boats ▸ For 8 people, choose a 12-18 meter medium-sized fishing boat, which has a toilet and guarantees 1.5 meters of fishing space per person ▸ Beware of the "low price + bait charges" trick. The 299 yuan all-inclusive price includes 15 fishhooks + 3 boards of Antarctic krill ⚓️Spring Fishing Techniques ▸ Use a 300g lead sinker for bottom fish, and fluorescent lures for mid-level fish ▸ Yellow croaker "nod" when they bite, while blackhead fish pull like a "dead weight" ▸ Hold the rod at a 45° angle when trolling, allowing the fishing rig to drift 🦞Freshly Caught, Freshly Eaten: The processing stalls at the pier charge 10 yuan per kilogram. We recommend spicy stir-fried blackhead fish and steamed yellow croaker Bring your own cooler to store fresh fish on ice. Live fish can be checked in at Rizhao West Station ♟️Tips to Avoid Pitfalls: ▸ Refuse the "upgrade to a luxury boat" enticement. The boats at the same pier are basically the same ▸ Avoid trolling in rainy weather, as it can cause seasickness ▸ Wear a windproof jacket in April, as the seawater is 8℃ lower than the air temperature Returning to port, counting the seventeen fish in the cooler, I suddenly felt that sea fishing was like opening a blind box. The 299 yuan bought not only a four-hour boat trip, but also the opportunity to personally measure the depth of the Yellow Sea. As the stern of the boat cut through the phosphorescent waves, I remembered what Lao Zhou said: "The schools of fish under the sea are more punctual than the traffic lights on land." Perhaps this is the fairest gift the sea gives to law-abiding anglers.