Reborn in the Millennium: Building a Fortune from Fishing

Chapter 527 The Boss Who Likes Fishing
"Me?" Qin Dahe was completely bewildered.

I'm not well-known around Taihu Lake. I had to rely on Da Liu's introduction to get here today. In Hubei, I would have been recognized immediately.

"You're quite famous in the fishing world. I specialize in fishing programs and have even written a few articles about you." What she didn't say was that the station didn't pay her for the articles; she got them for free.

"Alright, video interview or text and pictures?" he said lazily.

He casually took out a cigarette from his pocket, gave one to the simpleton first, and then handed one to the other person.

He had experienced these things when he was a boss. When there was no news, local TV stations liked to do these kinds of interviews and even produce a special feature.

"Excuse me, I don't smoke." She quickly waved her hand when she saw the cigarette offered to her.

That's ridiculous! How can a female reporter smoke in front of the public?

However, Qin Dahe's carefree demeanor was quite reassuring; the interviewer's good composure saved time.

"Let's do a video interview right here. I'm quite interested in some of your new fishing gear."

“I’ll record half an hour first, and then I’ll cut it down to ten minutes later. It should be fine for the broadcast, since your brand has two contestants who have made it to the finals and have a great chance of winning.”

She was in charge of fishing, so she naturally knew about the recent hot topic of catching silver carp and bighead carp.

It's safe to say that if island nations and Taiwan are still fishing for bass, they've basically lost this competition; they might not even make it into the top three.

A group of silver carp and bighead carp are sharpening their knives and waiting.

"Okay, let's get started. Ask me anything you want," he said with a smile.

It's always good to have some publicity; it helps me sell more goods so I can buy a big yacht later and feel great.

The female reporter greeted the videographer first, and after the "pig leg" video camera was in place, she straightened her clothes before starting the interview.

In general, they all follow a set formula: how to start a business, how difficult it is, and the development process are all explained first.

Qin Dahe could ramble on about these things even with his eyes closed.

Upon learning that an interview was being conducted, the fishermen came over to join in the fun and listen to what he had to say.

"The Silver Carp and Bighead Carp No. 2 has become a sensation throughout the upper and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Teacher Dahe is truly amazing."

"I just saw an underwater camera on the shore. Is this a new type of fishing gear?"

Qin Dahe took a sip of water unhurriedly, exuding an air of superiority.

"The original purpose of the underwater camera was to verify the attractiveness of the bait to the fish, not to fish. After all, being able to see the fish moving underwater would take away some of the fun of fishing."

Indeed, many anglers are drawn to the anticipation of fishing; they enjoy improving their skills and learning bait combinations, but they are unwilling to buy high-tech products to catch fish.

You should know that in later generations, you can easily buy an underwater camera for around a hundred yuan on Taobao.

"They are actually sold domestically, but they are very expensive, costing at least 10,000 to 20,000 yuan. No fishing tackle brand sells them yet."

"If you can develop it yourself, what price are you planning to set it at?"

"The engineers have already made a prototype, and the next step is to go to Shenzhen to purchase parts." He blushed as he said this. What kind of engineer-developed thing is this? But that's the kind of thing people like to say these days in China, so he could only shamelessly brag about it.

"The specific cost may be between four and five thousand yuan, and the selling price will be about one thousand yuan higher. Fishing tackle manufacturers also need to make a little money."

The female reporter nodded in agreement. "That's true. It's only right that the first person to try something new should make more money."

"Mr. Dahe, could you tell me why you came up with so many new fishing tackle and baits? I noticed that Dahe brand also has fishing boxes, fishing platforms, and even fish hooks that are different from others."

The three of them, including Da Liu, have done a lot of publicity for this competition. The TV station even filmed a video about the new fishing tackle, and she has learned about it.

Upon hearing this question, Qin Dahe cleared his throat and said seriously, "I believe that as the owner of a fishing tackle brand, his original intention must be fishing, so that he can run the business well."

"Reporter Xin, you can tell from my skin color that I am also a veteran angler. I make all kinds of new fishing gear. Although it is to make money, the most fundamental reason is to make things more convenient for anglers."

Although there was some element of showmanship in his words, they were also his true feelings.

"Great!" The people around applauded.

"Teacher Dahe's wide-mouthed fish hook is really useful for fishing for silver carp and bighead carp. Those wolf tooth hooks are just crazy."

"Exactly, with the hook point facing inwards, it's too easy for it to come off the hook."

While praising Qin Dahe, everyone also started to criticize him.

Many domestic fishing tackle manufacturers do have this problem: they like to copy foreign products without adapting them to local conditions.

Resources abroad are different from those in China, so fishing gear naturally needs to be adjusted accordingly.

The recording had ended, but many people stopped fishing and gathered around chatting enthusiastically.

Qin Dahe started recommending his own fishing boxes and platforms, and of course, he also received a number of criticisms. The biggest problem was their weight; the fishing boxes weighed over ten kilograms, and the platforms were even heavier.

There's no solution to this problem, not even in twenty years. At most, it might be a little lighter, but it won't change the limitations of fishing boxes and platforms in wild fishing.

Teacher Dahe

"Don't call me Teacher Dahe anymore, it sounds awkward. Just call me Brother Qin or Little Qin, we're all anglers, no need to be so formal."

After saying that, he immediately started offering cigarettes. He always carries at least one pack of cigarettes when he goes out, just to deal with this kind of situation.

"Haha, thanks, Brother Qin."

"Just say what you want to ask."

A group of people were sitting on the embankment smoking, and it was quite lively.

"I remember there's a sonar fish finder. Can we use it for wild fishing?" someone asked curiously.

“I actually know that.” Qin Dahe took a puff of his cigarette and said with a smile, “The current sonar fish finders have very low precision and can hardly detect fish smaller than one meter in size, unless technology continues to advance.”

Because he was thinking about sea fishing, he even checked online and found that fish finders aren't very accurate these days.

"This isn't suitable for wild fishing; it's more appropriate for fishing in the sea."

"I see." The person who asked the question was slightly disappointed.

"Old Qin from the river, could you tell us how to bait silver carp and bighead carp? I don't know how to fish without a spring hook," a young man said, looking troubled.

His family is relatively well-off, and he was thinking of going to black pits or competitions, but these places don't allow the use of spring hooks.

"Hey, if you're bored, go to the fishing tackle shop and buy a few DVDs. I've taught you all on them." He said with a wry smile, "As long as the bait-to-water ratio is right, a three-grip hook is just right."

He casually grabbed a handful of mud from the ground and demonstrated it.

"Squeeze it hard like this, change the position and squeeze it again, and then squeeze it again." The mud in his hands had already taken on an irregular shape with sharp edges.

"That's it, hooking it halfway is just right."

"It doesn't need to be round?"

"Never make round ones. Irregular shapes have a higher degree of dispersion and can also avoid small fish."

Those who hadn't seen the DVD suddenly understood.

Fishing for silver carp and bighead carp is truly the most enjoyable thing right now. Even those who fish with corn and are reluctant to spend twenty yuan on bait still listen to the stories with great interest.

With the proliferation of algae in Taihu Lake, there are probably not many silver carp, but bighead carp can eat more of the zooplankton that reproduce from these algae.

The silver carp and bighead carp I caught this morning were mostly large golden carp. If you really go fishing for silver carp and bighead carp in Taihu Lake, you might not necessarily lose money.

"The CDs sell for one yuan each at the fishing tackle shop. If you have nothing better to do, go buy one and take a look. I'm not making any money from this stuff, you're the ones who are profiting."

The CDs are really being sold at a loss. The cost of materials and burning is already 60 cents, and he wholesales them for 60 cents a month. He also has to ship them to fishing tackle shops.

While everyone was chatting and laughing, Da Liu and the others finally came up, mainly because their laptops were out of power.

"This thing is really useful. I'll get a few to play with later."

"Rich people." He tossed another cigarette over. "They should have some in Shanghai."

"Hmm, I'll go get two imported ones and try them out."

Money was never a consideration for him.

In fact, several people here have this plan: to spend a lot of money to buy imported goods. There are rich people everywhere, and the fishing circle has quite a few.

After all, fishing requires not only money but also free time. Ordinary people are busy making a living and it is difficult for them to fish every day.

There were several cars parked on the embankment.

After exchanging a few words, Da Liu and Brother Fu went back with cigarettes in their mouths, their stomachs growling with hunger.

They didn't eat lunch and just stayed there fishing.

"Kid, let's go, let's fish for another two hours."

"Hmm." The boy chuckled. He admired his older brother a lot; his confident and eloquent manner in front of the camera was simply amazing.

Back at his fishing spot, Qin Dahe first put the camera away, then carefully wiped it dry and put it back in its box.

There's only one sample, so we can't afford to damage it. We'll have to give it to the top students to improve later.

(End of this chapter)