The M-tuned lure rod had a moderate flexibility, suitable for baits weighing 7~20 grams – the specifications were all marked on the rod itself, and the fishing line typically paired with it was between 1.0~1.5 PE line.
As far as Chu Mingcheng knew, Zhang Wei's lure rod was ML-tuned with a medium-soft stiffness, a bit softer than his own rod, yet it was already capable of catching most fish.
The fishing gear store owner's recommended rod wasn't too expensive, with a total set-up costing one thousand two hundred dollars, which wouldn't pose a big problem for fish up to five pounds.
But hearing that it could only handle that weight made Chu Mingcheng a bit apprehensive.
After all, the largest Alligator Gar he had scanned in the reservoir the night before was nearly five pounds, and this rod was not the particularly expensive or high-quality kind.
Based on his online research, there was still a risk of the rod breaking.
Therefore, Chu Mingcheng thought it over and bought another MH-tuned lure rod. This set was a bit nicer, costing him two thousand eight hundred dollars, which meant catching a ten-pound fish wouldn't be a problem.
As a newbie with no one to teach him, he wasn't aware that with the right technique, this two thousand eight hundred dollar rod could not just land ten pounds but even fifty pounds, provided the fishing line didn't break.
Lure rods are actually divided into seawater and freshwater varieties, and the type Chu Mingcheng bought belonged to the freshwater category, also known as a light lure rod.
Of course, it could be used for sea fishing. As long as one doesn't fish in the Far Sea, there won't be fifteen or twenty-pound behemoths to catch, even landing a five-pound sea bass would be cause for celebration.
However, if he wanted to fish for truly fierce large marine species in the future, he would still need to prepare a sea rod.
Having spent four thousand dollars, he had put all the money – more than two thousand dollars – he earned in two days into it, and still had to pay an additional two thousand. Becoming a qualified Fishing Man was indeed not easy!
Chu Mingcheng, under the fishing gear store owner's beaming gaze, carried his newly purchased fishing gear back to his car and then drove home.
Arriving upstairs with breakfast, he overheard a group of elder women chattering away in the front yard. Zhang Wei, however, was still sleeping like a log.
"Get up, there's a girl in black stockings downstairs!"
"Slurp~" Zhang Wei instantly opened his eyes with a gulp, quickly running to the balcony, "Where are the black stockings?"
"Do you see those ladies over there? Their granddaughter is putting them on right now!"
"Where's their granddaughter then?"
"How would I know?"
"Damn!"
Zhang Wei uninterestedly returned to his room, noticing that breakfast was already laid out on the coffee table and immediately reached for it.
Chu Mingcheng slapped his hand away and said irritably, "Scram, not even washing your face or brushing your teeth, what the hell!"
Zhang Wei wasn't offended and chuckled as he ran into the washroom, adeptly taking out his previously used cup and a new toothbrush from the cabinet.
After breakfast, Chu Mingcheng took out the two lure rods he had just bought that morning to get the spinning reels and lines ready.
"Wow, you bought lure rods? And you got two at once?"
Zhang Wei immediately touched them upon seeing them, not hiding the delight in his eyes.
"Aren't we going to the park today? I planned to check if there are any Alligator Gars, so I bought two lure rods. Even if there aren't any Alligator Gars there, I'll go fishing for sea bass at the seaside or abandoned farms in the future."
"Tsk tsk tsk, looking at how prepared you are, you really intend to become a Fishing Man, huh? Not planning on getting married anymore?"
"We'll see. I still have two years until I'm thirty, I can still have fun for a bit longer."
During their casual conversation, the two of them got the fishing lines and other things ready and then drove to the county town.
There were several parks in the county town, and the parks currently offering a reward for Alligator Gars were Qingping Park, Central Park, and Upper River Park, mainly because these three parks were managed by someone.
First, Chu Mingcheng drove to the closest one, Central Park, which was inside the county town and was the smallest in scale among the three, with the smallest artificial lake as well.
Most visitors were local elders and children, with not many young people coming.
Chu Mingcheng arrived at the park carrying his lure rod around nine in the morning, but there were already quite a few people fishing – a quick glance showed there were at least twenty people. It seemed the reward for the Alligator Gar was quite enticing!
Next to the artificial lake, there were also several security guards on patrol, most likely to prevent Fishing Man from catching other fish and taking them away.
Chu Mingcheng immediately activated his scanner to check if there were any Alligator Gar in the artificial lake.
[Artificial lake detected, scanning commencing...]
[Scan complete, there are three Alligator Gars in the reservoir, the largest weighing 6.43 pounds. Please physically eliminate them as soon as possible to protect the aquatic ecological environment.]
Unexpectedly, there really were three of them, and this artificial lake's fish population must have been preyed upon quite a bit!
It's just that this spot... Chu Mingcheng had a strange look on his face.
All three Alligator Gars were clustered in a corner on the southwest side of the artificial lake—a rather secluded spot that didn't seem very appealing, and also one that no one had gone to fish at.
Even the smallest artificial lake couldn't be fully occupied by just over twenty Fishing Men. In fact, the twenty-some Fishing Men only took up a small portion of the space.
However, Alligator Gars have a particularly large appetite; wherever they settle down, other fish are sure to be scared away.
Without food intake, their whereabouts are indeed hard to discern; what might be found in the east today could likely be in the west by night.
And an artificial lake, no matter how small, would not be trivial to cover; catching them all indeed poses a certain difficulty.
"Ah Wei, I'm planning to go over there, do you want to join me?" Seeing Zhang Wei had found a spacious spot and was ready to start fishing, Chu Mingcheng quickly caught hold of him and asked.
Zhang Wei glanced at the spot pointed out by Chu Mingcheng, and seeing how far it was, his enthusiasm was immediately dampened: "Why go somewhere so out of the way? I'll just fish here!"
"Alright then!" Chu Mingcheng, seeing that he was unwilling, did not insist.
Taking his own equipment, he slowly made his way to that corner.
Halfway along the route, a sound like the tinkling of spring water reached his ears from not too far away.
"Eh, this sounds like Guzheng music." Chu Mingcheng was somewhat surprised. He didn't understand musical instruments, but being a Huaxia person, he could still make out a bit.
The sound was coming from the pavilion up ahead.
As he approached the pavilion, Chu Mingcheng discovered a group of people. Out of curiosity, he moved closer and saw a girl dressed in pink and white Hanfu seated on one side, playing the Guzheng.
Pure and untouched, her simplicity radiating. Her eyebrows like distant mountains, her eyes like autumn waters. Gentle and enchanting, with fragrant charms that intoxicate.
'Holy shit, those hands are so skillful!'
In the center of the courtyard was another girl, clad in an emerald green Hanfu dress, dancing gracefully.
Such beauty in the southern lands, light and supple in her dance; at an autumn evening banquet, her movements swift as if cutting through clouds and rain...
'Holy shit, her legs are so white!'
There was also a woman with a ponytail, looking efficient, holding a camera and filming; it seemed that these three were shooting a video.
Chu Mingcheng hadn't expected such an exciting spectacle at this location and felt pity for Zhang Wei who missed out; there were beautiful women here, yet he couldn't see them.
Unfortunately, the pretty dancer's performance lasted just over a minute. After filming, they gathered to review the footage.
Chu Mingcheng was there to fish, not to watch beautiful women, so he continued past the pavilion on the back path, arriving at the Alligator Gars' temporary resting spot.
Overseas, Alligator Gar fishing usually involves rock fishing with baits such as Carp and Crucian Carp.
Lure fishing could easily catch them too, as long as one locates the right spots.
The guidebook scan revealed the exact sizes of these three Alligator Gars; the heaviest currently being over six pounds and the smallest also over four pounds.
Chu Mingcheng placed his fishing gear on the ground next to him and then took out the MH-power lure rod.
Luckily he had prudently purchased the stiffer rod; otherwise, these Alligator Gars really wouldn't be easy to catch.
Fortunately, one could tell at a glance that these Alligator Gars had not been released long ago; if they'd been there longer and grown to several dozen pounds, he'd be out of luck for the time being.