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Casting call


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Casting call
By Ye Jun (China Daily)
Updated: 2007-09-21 08:10

Fishing is a hobby that has hooked many Beijingers with the time and
money for it. That, in itself, perhaps makes it more appealing for those
who lack these commodities, but it's not necessary to wait until
retirement to take up angling, because Beijing offers plenty of
opportunities to get started.

Among the more popular fishing holes in Beijing is the small lake in
Ritan Park.

It costs 30-50 yuan to fish there for a whole day, and the fish cost 4
yuan per 500 grams taken away. There are so many parks in Beijing where
you can fish for the same price, and many places are even cheaper. Those
who don't own their own equipment can rent from others.

Newcomers could be baffled at why angling looked so difficult before they
tried their hands at it.

Sure, those anglers we see on TV look like real pros with their advanced
equipment and complicated fishing terminology. But remember, the first
fisherperson in the world most likely caught dinner with a bamboo pole,
some string probably fashioned from wheat stems and a bone hook. We can
certainly do better than that.

Chinese have been fishing since the Stone Age. One of the nation's most
famous fisherman was Jiang Ziya, of the Shang Dynasty (c. 16th-1th
centuries BC), who fished with a straight hook - not to catch fish but
rather, to impress the future emperor whom he wished to serve as a
strategist. Today, the Chinese have a saying that goes: "Jiang Ziya
fishes; only the willing fish will be hooked", because the straight hook
would not have caught anything.

Fishing is considered great for a person's health, because it is a
meditative activity practiced in a natural environment.

Although fishing can be done in any season, autumn is the best time for
angling because the weather is so agreeable. On a hot summer day, for
example, the best times to fish would be before 9am and after 4pm, when
the weather cools down and fish come out for food. In winter, the best
time to fish is at noon, when it gets warmer. But in autumn, it is all
day, everyday.

Fishing is one of those pastimes that is easy to start but difficult to
master. There is so much to learn about the equipment, the fish and the
techniques for hooking that prize fish.

It's important, for example, to note that while fishing poles range in
length between 2.7 and 6.3 meters, few fish would search for food three
to four meters from the bank, so anglers would do better with at least a
4.5-meter-long pole.

And there's a lot to know about different baits, hooks and lines, and how
these help you catch different fish.

Of course, it's a situation where you could keep it as simple or get as
complicated as you want.

In addition to the numerous fishing ponds throughout the city, many local
fisherpeople love "wild fishing" - that is, to fish in natural lakes,
ponds, rivers and streams. There are plenty of reservoirs, lakes and
rivers in Beijing's suburbs for that. Just make sure fishing is allowed,
and mind safety concerns, such as catching your line on electric wires.

The following are some practical places you need to know about to start
angling in Beijing.

Shangzhouwu Fishing Equipment (上洲屋)

Baizhifang branch (白纸坊店) 6355-7389; Asian Games Village branch,
east gate of 1/F, Bldg 410 Huaxin Apartment, Huizhong Beili, Chaoyang
District. 6498-1698. 朝阳区慧忠北里华馨公寓410楼首层东门

Fishing ponds in parks

*Summer Palace Shuicunju fishing resort, inside Summer Palace. 6288-1144
Ext 312. 海淀区颐和园内水村居垂钓娱乐场

*Liulangzhuang Park fishing pond, 200m north of Ruyimen, Summer Palace,
Haidian District.
139-1075-3117.颐和园南如意门北200米柳浪庄公园

*Qinglonghu park fishing pond. 8331-0645. 京西青龙湖公园

*Side Park (near south gate), 500m east of Xiaoyunqiao, Dongbesihuanlu.
139-1165-5599. 四得公园南门进,东北四环宵云桥东500米

Reservoirs to fish

*Shangzhuang Reservoir: This locale is famous for its variety of fish and
offers indoor and outdoor fishing. 6247-2228. North bank of Shangzhuang
Reservoir, Northwest of Beijing. To get there: Badaling
expressway-Bei'anhe exit-turn left to get on Beiqing Lu-see road, sign
for Shangzhuang (上庄) and turn right. Other options: Shisanling
Reservoir; Shachang Reservior.

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