Back to the Past to Become a Fishing King-Chapter 663 - 383: Carnival First Day (Part 2)
However, the subsidiary MCN internet celebrity company has signed at least nearly twenty fishing hosts.
These hosts under Zhang Yang's supervision, except for one or two who naturally withdrew due to personal reasons, have all developed from the initial beginners to mid-level or even top-level hosts on the platform for outdoor fishing.
When our hosts arrive at their own competition venues, their familiarity is beyond description.
Zhang Yang, as the main responsible person of the event organizer and the head of the agency company, spent almost the entire afternoon chatting and networking with various hosts.
By six o'clock in the evening, all athletes registered for the competition completed their entry and induction process. That night, Zhang Yang led a team, providing a high-standard hospitality.
Eight tables were arranged at a four-star grand hotel for competing anglers, leaders of the Fishing Association, platform executives, and temporary staff for judging.
Such thoughtful and cost-intensive efforts made all guests feel warmly welcomed, even those experienced leaders from the Fishing Association gave high praise after the night was over.
It can be said that the event organization led by Zhang Yang perfectly matched the standards of an event with a prize of 1.5 million RMB.
This occasion also made all the arriving internet celebrities and athletes recognize the strong capabilities of Zhang Yang's team and company.
Early the next morning, while it was still dark, Zhang Yang woke up at 4:30 AM.
A quick cold shower in the bathroom instantly refreshed Zhang Yang, who swiftly dressed and drove to the competition site at Yaokeng Reservoir.
According to the event rules, the competition is conducted over two days, totaling two sessions and four segments.
The first day's competition starts at 8 AM and continues until 5 PM, with a one-hour lunch break at noon. The event spans a total of eight hours, divided into two segments.
The goal of the first day's competition is the total number of fish caught, regardless of species, all fish caught in the reservoir are valid.
The second day's competition focuses on the total weight of the fish, with the same condition that any species of fish is valid. Additionally, there is a separate prize for the heaviest single fish.
The two days of competition use a small points system for ranking, with the angler having the lowest aggregated score from both days winning the grand prize of this carnival event. For ties, the number of fish is compared, followed by the single heaviest fish.
Given the large prize money of 1.5 million RMB, Zhang Yang's team has made forward-looking arrangements for confidentiality and fairness in the event.
One week before the event, new fish were released into the reservoir, followed by complete water adjustment and sterilization. During this time, no competing anglers were allowed near the water.
This means that aside from Zhang Yang's host team, all other visiting anglers are on completely equal footing.
During the reservoir's closure, some tried to contact insiders to get an early advantage, but regardless of connections, even if it was a friend of Zhao Bingguang, Zhang Yang wouldn't budge; only Liu Xingyun's companion played for a symbolic few hours.
After a twenty-minute drive, Zhang Yang arrived at the reservoir, parked the car, and quickly entered the final preparation phase.
Without organizing an event or gatherings for over a hundred people, it's hard to understand the complexity where nothing can go wrong.
Zhang Yang held a motivational meeting for the staff yesterday, emphasizing the need to follow the detailed plans without compromise for the next two days.
Around 5:20 AM, as the sky gradually brightened, old Zhao led the company team to the competition site, each heading to their pre-determined position in anticipation.
By around 6 AM, the carnival reservoir area became lively.
Diverse cars like Mercedes-Benz, BMWs, pickups, and rugged off-roaders arrived at the main venue on time. The site was orderly as staff directed vehicles into designated areas, waiting for the opening ceremony.
Previously, Zhang Yang, along with his brothers, would travel extensively to participate in others-hosted events, but today he became the host.
Although Zhang Yang has no reception duties today, various small unexpected issues arose, but he focused on assisting old Zhao in communicating and resolving them, ensuring the carnival event proceeded smoothly according to the set schedule.
Before anyone realized, it was 7 o'clock. Hosts Yoyo and Xiaowei, dressed in exquisite attire, stepped onto the stage. After an introductory speech, the Kuaishou Outdoor Fishing Carnival opening ceremony officially commenced.
City leaders, Fishing Association leaders, platform representatives, and the nominal event organizer old Zhao, all spoke on stage as per the sequence.
After the speaking session, it was already 7:40 AM. The chief judge from the City Fishing Association invited by Zhang Yang announced for all competing athletes to log into their WeChat official account, enter their registration ID numbers, and begin the draw!
Zhang Yang and his team members Wang Yan, Meng Fan, and Han Mocheng are all scheduled to compete today. As soon as the draw began, they all took out their phones and became busy.
Drawing lots to determine fishing spots in their own familiar reservoir, Zhang Yang felt quite confident.
Apart from a few fishing spots on the northeastern corner, which are a bit shallow from the old access road to Yaokeng, other places are mostly flat.
The venue, accommodating hundreds of anglers, divided into eighty fishing spots on the north and east banks, with at least five meters between each spot, was spacious indeed.
Performing live streams in the home reservoir is less affected by the choice of fishing spot; Zhang Yang usually picks various spots throughout the reservoir on his feeds. For the carnival competition, Zhang Yang felt any spot would be fine.
He casually tapped the draw option: Zone A, Number 13!
With eighty anglers competing, twenty were grouped into each zone. Zhang Yang's draw of Zone A, Number 13, was positioned slightly east on the north bank.
It was only a few dozen meters away from his regular live stream spot, giving Zhang Yang confidence that his first day's results would be solid.
After drawing lots, Zhang Yang carried his fishing box and rod bag as he followed other anglers into the venue, found his spot, and began gearing up.
Compared to competitions in artificial ponds, the rules for fishing in reservoirs are more relaxed.
For today's competition, rods are limited to 7.2 meters, while you can choose the length; feeding by hand is disallowed but using lead sinker feeding is permitted. Other rules mostly align with freshwater competitive fishing regulations.
Knowing the venue and fish conditions well, Zhang Yang sat down at his spot, immediately taking out a 7.2 meter rod from his bag.
Yes, you read that right, Zhang Yang used a 7.2 meter rod from the get-go.
On the first day of this reservoir competition, given the fresh golden carp added recently, short rods would surely catch the bites, having been hunger-stricken for a week.
Yet Zhang Yang did not opt for a 3.6 or 4.5 meter stiff rod to grab fish early.
With so many anglers, staff, and broadcasting assistants, there are easily a few hundred people around.
In such conditions, near fish conditions wouldn't be ideal; any slight disturbance sends fish further afar.
Using a 7.2 meter rod, he could start fishing with the spot made further out.
For an eight-hour competition where the location doesn't change during lunch, strategizing the spot is certainly necessary.
He unpacked the rod and swiftly prepared the fishing setup before fetching several packs of medicinal rice for making wine, Zhang Yang's specialty, emptying them into a bowl.
He then mixed in several packs of foundational bait with a stinky and aromatic profile.
A bowl of reservoir fishing bait, mainly consisting of wine rice and broad pieces of stinky aromatic bait, was thus completed.
