At first, they used earthworms as bait, but all they caught were the common local fish.
“This is sea bass, this one is Spanish mackerel, and the little yellow croaker—these are all common fish around here, not worth much, just a few cents a pound,” explained Old Lian.
“But if we encounter a large shoal, even these common fish can be a big catch in large quantities.”
“Our boat is small, so we can’t go farther out. We usually don’t get lucky enough to run into large fish shoals,” he added.
The fish they caught were the usual species, nothing extraordinary.
While taking photos of the sea, Song Wei decided to use one of the smaller sea bass they had caught as bait. She felt the worms were too small to attract larger fish.
Within a few minutes, her fishing rod suddenly bent into an exaggerated arc, and the line started humming under tension.
Everyone on the boat turned to look at her.
Despite the strong pull on the line, Song Wei remained steady, showing no signs of strain. Her firm grip on the rod made it seem effortless, which puzzled Old Lian.
Judging by the pull on the line, the fish was a big one, yet Song Wei didn’t seem to be struggling at all.
Song Wei held her ground, maintaining a steady grip on the rod. She was careful not to yank too hard, afraid the rod might break—today’s fishing rod are not as good as that of later generations.
Finally, the fish began to tire, and Old Lian caught sight of a flash of bright red breaking the surface.
He rubbed his eyes and leaned closer, his excitement growing even though he wasn’t the one who had caught it.
“Don’t rush, take your time,” he encouraged, though he looked far more nervous than Song Wei.
A few moments later, Song Wei successfully reeled in the fish.
“An East Star Grouper! It’s an East Star Grouper!”
The East Star Grouper was undoubtedly the most beautiful fish they had caught today. Its vibrant red body, adorned with star-like spots, was strikingly festive.
Because of its vibrant appearance, rarity, and tender flesh, the East Star Grouper fetched a higher price than other fish.
The one Song Wei had caught was a hefty seven or eight pounds.
As she carefully cradled the fish, Old Lian and his son couldn’t hide their excitement.
“This is strange. How could there be an East Star Grouper here? That doesn’t make sense,” Old Lian muttered, circling the fish.
“It might’ve been chased here by a predator,” his son suggested.
Though this was nearshore, the waters were deep, and occasionally, deep-sea fish would wander into the area. However, without good luck, catching one was almost impossible.
“We should put this fish in the hold,” Old Lian said.
They had a small compartment on the boat filled with seawater to keep fish like the grouper alive. Once dead, the fish’s value would decrease significantly.
After Song Wei’s successful catch, it felt like their luck had turned.
From a distance, Old Lian spotted something moving rapidly beneath the water’s surface. Lin Zhen, with his sharp eyesight, said, “It looks like a fish shoal.”
Hearing this, Old Lian and his son tensed with excitement. Without hesitation, Old Lian told his son to prepare the net.
“Quick, quick, get ready to haul in the fish!”
Fish shoals were rare and valuable opportunities. Luckily, they had a spare net on board. Old Lian and his son expertly readied it, and as the shoal swam closer, they cast the net with practiced hands.
Pulling in the net was no easy task; the weight was so substantial that the two men were nearly dragged overboard.
Song Wei and Lin Zhen stepped in to help, and with their combined effort, the net was hoisted onto the boat.
The additional manpower made the work significantly easier, though Old Lian, focused entirely on the fish, barely noticed.
“It’s yellow croaker! A shoal of little yellow croaker!”
One net after another was cast, and each yielded about two hundred pounds of fish. By the third haul, the weight began to decrease.
By the fifth haul, they pulled up only eighty pounds of fish, but among them were two particularly large and fierce ones.
“These are wolffish. The yellow croaker must have been fleeing from them. These fish are incredibly aggressive,” Old Lian explained.
Sitting on the boat, surrounded by their abundant catch, Old Lian and his son couldn’t stop grinning, their eyes nearly disappearing into their smiles.
“Haha, today is truly blessed by Mazu! Who would’ve thought we’d encounter a yellow croaker shoal?”
After celebrating, they realized something odd: despite hauling in so many nets, neither of them felt particularly exhausted.
Strange indeed.
Grateful for Song Wei and Lin Zhen’s help, Old Lian said, “Today’s big haul is thanks to you two. When we sell this catch, we’ll give you a share of the profits.”
Their contributions had been significant, and Old Lian, a superstitious man, believed the East Star Grouper Song Wei caught had brought them good fortune. Splitting the fish seemed only fair.
Song Wei waved it off. “There’s no need for that.”
The boat belonged to the Lian family, and Old Lian had already agreed that whatever fish she caught would be hers. Taking a share of the yellow croaker felt excessive.
“If you really want to thank us, you can give us some fish to take home. Also, I’d love to come along the next time you head out to sea.”
The joy of reeling in a catch, the weight of the nets brimming with fish—it was a deeply satisfying experience, and she wanted to relive it.
“Of course, I’ll let my daughter know to inform you next time we go out.”
Eager to sell their bountiful catch, Old Lian and his son headed back quickly, collecting the nets they had set earlier. Surprisingly, the nets contained even more yellow croaker, along with other common fish species.
It seemed the yellow croaker shoal had swum right into their nets, a stroke of luck they couldn’t have planned for.
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