Rebirth of Bayi Fishing and Hunting in the Northwest

Chapter 1151 Catching fish here is exciting!
That evening, Liu Gaolou hosted a welcome dinner for Li Long. Also present were Buick and a local middle-aged Han Chinese man.

"His name is Wu Yongbo, he's from Xinyuan, and he also does business in Khorgos."

“What I did wasn’t business, just a small transaction. If it weren’t for Mr. Liu’s patronage, I definitely wouldn’t be where I am today. Mr. Li, Mr. Liu said you are a distinguished guest, so you are a distinguished guest of mine, Wu Yongbo. Come, let me offer you a toast!”

Wu Yongbo stood up, and Li Long also stood up with his glass in hand, clinked glasses with him, and drank the wine.

Wu Yongbo was good at livening up the atmosphere, telling jokes and local anecdotes. Although some of them were a bit vulgar, they were all men, and they laughed as they listened, which created a lively atmosphere.

Halfway through the meal, Wu Yongbo went outside and called back two girls dressed in ethnic costumes. He smiled and said:

“It wouldn’t be good for us to just drink, so I called two friends over to dance and liven things up.”

Li Long was greatly surprised. Did such a program already exist at this time?

He guessed that Wu Yongbo must have called them from outside, and that it had nothing to do with the restaurant. There shouldn't be anyone like that around now.

The two girls were quite pretty. One was lively and chatty, exchanging blessings with Wu Yongbo and really good at enlivening the atmosphere. The other was more introverted, clutching her skirt and keeping her head down without saying a word. But when Wu Yongbo started singing, the two girls began to dance.

Compared to the professionals of later generations, his dancing wasn't exceptional, but it exuded youthful energy. Li Long noticed Liu Gaolou's relaxed expression and guessed that he was used to such occasions.

The girls danced happily, and Wu Yongbo's backup singing was also quite skillful. After the song was finished, Liu Gaolou and the others readily accepted the drinks poured by the girls and drank them.

The backup dancers were all very wholesome, nothing untoward happened. After the girls offered them drinks, they left. Liu Gaolou even tried to persuade them to sit down and eat with him, but the girls shook their heads, smiled, and left.

Li Long guessed that it was probably similar to the professional dancers of later generations, but he didn't know if it was a guest appearance or just to earn some pocket money.

However, his attention was quickly drawn to the large bowl of fish that had just been served.

He had caught and eaten fish that were over a meter long before, but this one was really big!
"This fish is the grand finale of our meal," Wu Yongbo said with a hint of pride. "The fish is too big, so it takes a while to cook. But as the saying goes, 'tofu needs to be boiled a thousand times, but fish needs to be boiled ten thousand times,' so the longer the fish simmers, the more flavorful it will become."

The fish was too big to be served on a special platter like in later times, so a large aluminum basin had to be used. When the basin was brought out, all the other dishes on the table had to be moved to make room for it.

"Come, come, let me serve you fish soup. Soaking the fish soup in naan bread makes it taste especially good!"

This isn't a sturgeon, it's a huge carp. Li Long estimated it to be at least 1.3 or 1.4 meters long, almost like a spirit.

"These were caught in Sandaohuzi, the first fish caught at the start of the spring season, they taste amazing!" Wu Yongbo said while ladling out the soup. "That area is located on the border between China and the Soviet Union, and they catch fish there every spring, there are plenty of big fish!"

"The soup is so delicious. Was the fish just caught?"

"Yes, the fish were caught from the net this morning and delivered directly over." Hearing Li Long say this, Wu Yongbo smiled. "I'm glad you like them. I heard from General Manager Liu that you also like catching fish?"

"Yes, there are a few small reservoirs in our area, and I really enjoy catching fish there."

"That's perfect! We're planning to go fishing with nets at Sandaohuzi tomorrow, want to come along?"

"Good, good, good." Li Long had the same idea.

Li Long had come from afar, and according to Liu Gaolou, the fish head was his. Li Long declined for a moment, but Liu Gaolou said with a smile, "Just eat it. I've had this fish head several times before, don't be shy."

Li Long didn't hold back.

The meal was a great success, with both hosts and guests enjoying the food and drinks without drinking too much.

Li Long thought the Yili Special Qu liquor in the white porcelain bottle tasted pretty good, and was thinking of buying two cases when he went back.

Back at the hotel, Li Long was about to go to sleep when someone knocked on the door. He opened it and saw Wu Yongbo standing outside. He smiled and made way for him.

Li Long thought Wu Yongbo had something to discuss with him, but Wu Yongbo didn't come in. Instead, he asked quietly at the door:
"Mr. Li, you've been drinking. Would you like someone to take care of you tonight?"

Li Long was stunned for a moment before he realized what this person meant. He shook his head and said with a smile:

"No need, I prefer to sleep alone when I'm traveling."

"Alright, then I won't bother you any longer. How about we go check out the Yili River Bridge after breakfast tomorrow, and then go fishing?"

Wu Yongbo wasn't embarrassed at all by being rejected by Li Long. He made an appointment with Li Long, then left and closed the door.

Li Long smiled and shook his head. This Wu Yongbo is quite interesting.

His business likely grew thanks to Liu Gaolou, so he tends to be more humble in that regard.

That's normal. These days, a social trend of "looking to money" is slowly taking hold. Everyone has their own way of making money.

The next morning, Li Long had breakfast at the hotel. He enjoyed the ethnic-style breakfast, which included milk tea, naan bread, baursak, honey, jam, fried potato chips, and more, each with its own unique flavor.

Liu Gaolou got up a little later than Li Long, but he seemed to be in good spirits. While eating, he said to Li Long:

"Their holiday is still two days away. Let's take a look at the fish in the Ili River first, and then go see how they celebrate."

"What's the situation with this Wu Yongbo?" Li Long asked.

“The local ethnic groups who run small businesses really like the specialties from the former Soviet republics and Central Asia, such as chocolate, candy, and wooden tableware. My second uncle brought a batch of these over when he came from there, and I handed them over to him to sell. He makes a profit from the price difference.”

It was pretty much what Li Long had guessed.

After breakfast, Wu Yongbo came over, and Liu Gaolou said to Li Long:
"Take your car. My sedan isn't very convenient to go over there; the chassis is a bit low, and it's easy to scrape it."

“Okay.” Li Long naturally had no objections.

"Hey, you even brought beer?" Liu Gaolou said with a smile as he got into the car and saw the beer in the back. "Perfect, if we catch any fish, how about we get some grilled fish outside?"

"Sure, no problem at all," Wu Yongbo said with a smile. "I'll take care of the arrangements when we get there!"

First, we'll go to the Ili River. Wu Yongbo explained in the car:

"There are many people taking pictures at the Yili River Bridge. Many people are looking at the river view and watching the sunset. There are even people who have won big prizes for taking pictures."

Li Long nodded and said, "Then we really should go and take a look."

When we arrived at the bridge, we parked the car on the side. There wasn't as much greenery here as in later times, so parking was relatively convenient.

The bridge didn't give Li Long much of a surprise, but the large fish hanging in front of several private restaurants on the north side of the east side of the bridge startled him!
These fish include carp, catfish, and silver carp, each over one meter long.

They just hung there, heads down, tails pointing downwards. What surprised Li Long was that these fish were not whole; each one had missing parts.

"When you come here to eat fish, the fish is too big to finish, so the owner will cut off whichever piece the customer wants and cook it on the spot," Wu Yongbo explained when he saw Li Long notice the fish.

This was quite novel; it was the first time Li Long had ever seen anything like it.

"There are many ways to cook it: braised, sweet and sour, and even grilled." Liu Gaolou, who had obviously eaten it before, added from the side, "The fish is basically fresh, and hanging it up can attract customers, which is pretty good."

It's still early before lunchtime, and some vendors are spraying water on the fish, while others are waving cloths to scare away flying insects.

It was only March, and the temperature along the Yili River was slightly low, so there weren't many insects, and I didn't see any flies.

Perhaps because it was early spring and morning, there weren't many tourists; most of them seemed to be locals. Li Long and Liu Gaolou strolled around the area for a while, then drove to Sandaohuzi, guided by Wu Yongbo.

Wu Yongbo was referring to Sandaohezi, the confluence of three rivers. The water from the three gullies of Daxigou, Xiaoxigou, and Guozigou in Huocheng converges and then flows into the Ili River.

There is also a dock here, where border trade with the Soviet Union was once conducted by waterway. Two border defense companies are still stationed on both sides of the river.

Wu Yongbo naturally didn't go to the border, as that would be illegal. He led Li Long and the others to a tributary, a small tributary of the Ili River, about two or three kilometers from the border.

This place is about ten meters wide, the water flow is not particularly rapid, and it doesn't look very deep.

When Li Long and his group arrived, there was already a tractor and four people on the riverbank. After parking the tractor and getting out, Li Long saw the men preparing nets and some wooden sticks on the riverbank.

He immediately understood and said with a smile:

"Use a net to block the river? That's a great idea!"

He walked over, grabbed a handful of nets, and compared them. The mesh was larger than four and a half fingers' width—not bad. This net is specifically for catching big fish; small fish are let go.

"Does Mr. Li know how to use this?" Wu Yongbo asked as he came over.

"Yes, of course I would! I'm a fisherman from our village, after all," Li Long said with a smile. "The water must be pretty cold, right? Didn't you bring any waders? You'll have to endure that."

"No, it's mainly because it gets quite cold when we're breaking up the nets and collecting the fish. Lighting a couple of fires on the shore makes it a bit more comfortable," Wu Yongbo explained. "Then, Mr. Li, you shouldn't go into the water, right?"

He thought Li Long was cold.

"How can that be? We've come all this way, we have to experience it." Li Long laughed and started taking off his clothes. "Is the riverbed sandy or soil? Are there many stones? Is it easy to drive piles in?"

He asked a crucial question, which Wu Yongbo wasn't quite sure about either, and turned to look at the person who was organizing tools.

The leader, a man in his thirties, was not tall but looked quite sturdy. Seeing Wu Yongbo looking at him, he said:
"The base is sand, and underneath the sand is hard clay. You need a strong person to plant the stakes."

He looked at Li Long and was quite satisfied. At that time, big men were generally stronger, since the fitness craze hadn't taken off yet.

Li Long had already started taking off his clothes, and the others were also taking off their clothes, until they were only wearing underwear, but they were still wearing shoes. No one knew what might be under the river, and going in barefoot could easily hurt their feet.

After taking off my clothes, I could feel that the outdoor temperature was quite low. Although the sun was high and I felt hot when I was wearing clothes, my skin felt cool when I was naked.

Several people each carried a wooden stake, about two meters high, with one end sharpened, and then went into the water with axes.

Li Long was also assigned one. He went to the riverbank, splashed some cold water on his chest to cool himself down, and then went down into the river.

The water was extremely cold, glacial meltwater, feeling almost zero degrees Celsius. I shivered as soon as I went in, but I quickened my pace to allow my body to adapt to the water temperature as quickly as possible.

After the others went down, they found their respective spots. Perhaps because Li Long was a guest, the spot closest to the shore was reserved for him.

Li Long didn't hesitate. Seeing that the distance was about right, he held onto the stake with one hand and started smashing it down with the other.

The others arrived one after another and started smashing. Li Long took a quick look and saw that this section of the river was relatively flat, with the deepest part only waist-deep. Li Long himself was only up to his thigh.

He was strong; with a few swings of his axe, he had driven the wooden stake a third of the way into the riverbed. When he thought he had done enough and was about to stop, he looked at the others and saw that the one in the middle was struggling to hold onto the stake to maintain his balance.

The current there was quite rapid, and the man, holding an axe in one hand and a stake in the other, couldn't get it firmly planted several times because the current was too strong.

Li Long simply waded forward, blocking him, and took the stake, saying:
"I come!"

The man was still somewhat unconvinced when he saw Li Long snatch the stake away. He thought to himself, "The water is flowing so fast, do you think this place is yours?"

If all places were like that, I would have planted the stakes long ago.

Just as he was thinking this, he saw Li Long brace one foot against the post and raise the axe with the other hand, smashing it down with a "bang".

In that instant, the wooden stake went down at least twenty centimeters, and the man's mouth gaped open, unable to close it for a long time!

They often use this spot to block the river and cast nets to catch fish, so they know how hard and difficult it is to break through the mud below.

He was experienced, but the water was higher than usual today, so it was a bit difficult. He didn't expect that what was difficult for him was a piece of cake for him!

Li Long quickly hammered the stake in place and asked:

"Is this height acceptable?"

"Okay, okay, that's fine." The man saw that the stake was about 40 or 50 centimeters above the water and hurriedly nodded, "That's good, that's good."

Li Long then picked up his axe and looked towards the farthest point. The person over there was also observing this direction. Seeing Li Long looking over, he hurriedly said:

"I don't need it here, it's almost done."

The man who was driving the stake in the middle truly admired Li Long this time, and he said:

"The other places are all fine, shall we go to an internet cafe?"

"Okay." Li Long nodded.

After the two got ashore, they immediately felt cold again. They hadn't felt anything before because they had adjusted to the water temperature, but once they got ashore and were no longer "protected" by the water, the breeze made them feel cold again.

Buick and Wu Yongbo had already gathered some dry firewood nearby and were preparing to start a fire.

Li Long didn't have time to wait for the fire to catch fire. Together with the leader of the net-blocking team, he pulled the already straightened net into the water. The man handed some cut strips of cloth and hemp rope to Li Long, mainly to tie the net to the wooden stakes at the top and bottom.

The top was easy to tie, but tying the bottom in the water was more troublesome. The person had to explain it to Li Long, who smiled and said he had done it before and knew.

Basically, you just tie the net to the water's surface at both the top and bottom. You don't need to tie the bottom tightly; just enough to prevent the mesh from slipping out. Then, press it down with your hand until it's halfway down the wooden stake, and then step on it with your foot to get it to the bottom.

There should be some extra netting between every two wooden stakes. When washed with water, the netting forms a net bag, which is used to catch fish.

Five wooden stakes form four nets. To catch big fish, the nets are left relatively long so that the fish won't easily escape when the water is flowing over them.

Of course, you have to keep an eye on them from time to time, because big fish are strong and the water is their home turf.

After tying up all the nets, Li Long felt a bit tired. Being in the water is different from being on land; the current was quite strong, and moving around was quite strenuous.

Get ashore quickly. Since we're all men, first pull down your underwear, squeeze out the water, then put on your clothes and go warm up by the fire.

Li Long was more comfortable; he took his coat out of the car and put it on, which made him warmer.

"I didn't expect Mr. Li to be so strong," Wu Yongbo said with a smile. "He seems to be an expert as well. No wonder you said you were a fisherman, not from northern Xinjiang, right?"

"Half of it. I came here when I was around ten years old," Li Long said. "I mainly fished in the northern Xinjiang region, around Manas."

Of the few people present, apart from Liu Gaolou and Buick, none of them knew where Manas was.

Li Long had no choice but to explain, "It's right next to Shihezi. You know Shihezi, right?"

"I know, I know." The people nodded one by one, suddenly realizing.

Li Long was used to it; this explanation would continue for decades. Although Shicheng was a new city, the old city of Ma County could be traced back to the Tang Dynasty, but it was far less famous than the first city of the military reclamation.

The few people who hadn't been talking much before were now chatting with Li Long around the fire. Li Long's actions in the water had completely won them over; his strength and skill were admirable.

Li Long would occasionally glance back. He used to use a seine net to catch fish, always in the summer, and it wasn't a problem staying in the water all the time when it was hot. Now the water was too cold; he was on the bank, but he still had to keep an eye on what was happening in the river.

"Hey, there's a fish!" When Li Long turned around again, his eyes lit up. He threw off his coat, stood up, and ran into the water.

"Where are the fish?" The others looked at the net but couldn't see anything.

There was actually movement all along, but all you could see was the water flowing against the fishing net, creating quite a lot of ripples and splashes, which everyone considered normal.

After Li Long jumped into the water, he quickly waded towards the center of the river. The others also reached the water's edge, hesitating whether to go in or not.

Li Long's target was the third net from this side. He went through the net from behind, and when he got to the net, he directly supported the bottom of the net, felt around for a couple of moments, then squeezed the water-soaked net and quickly pushed it forward!
At that moment, several people on the shore saw a white shadow suddenly dart out of the net, leap more than a meter out of the water, and then fall back down.

What a huge fish!

It's a pity it got away!
(End of this chapter)