"I know! We need earthworms!"
Er Mao jumped up excitedly.
"I saw Grandpa Wang next door use earthworms when he fishes!"
"clever!"
Su Jianguo nodded approvingly.
"Once Grandpa finishes making the fishing rod, we'll go dig for earthworms."
In no time, a simple but sturdy fishing rod was made.
Su Jianguo tested the elasticity and nodded in satisfaction.
Although it couldn't compare to the professional fishing rods of later generations, it was considered quite good equipment in the early 1980s.
"Let's go dig for earthworms!"
Su Jianguo waved his hand, and the two little ones immediately cheered and rushed to the vegetable garden in the corner of the yard.
Su Jianguo taught them to gently turn over the damp soil with shovels to look for the reddish-brown "bait".
Da Mao and Er Mao quickly mastered the trick, and they would shout excitedly every time they dug up an earthworm.
"Grandpa! This one is huge!"
Da Mao carefully pinched a plump earthworm, afraid of breaking it.
"Great! This one's sure to catch a big fish."
Su Jianguo took out the small iron box he had prepared, put the earthworms in it, and sprinkled some soil to keep it moist.
Wang Xiulan came out of the house, carrying a cloth bag in her hand.
"Husband, we've prepared some dry food and water for you. Don't let the children go hungry."
"Thank you, Grandma!"
The two children thanked them in unison.
"If we catch any fish at noon, we'll grill them outside and eat them."
Su Jianguo winked, which made the two children cheer again.
After getting ready, Su Jianguo held one of the little ones' hands and headed towards Beihai Park.
On the way, Da Mao and Er Mao chattered incessantly, asking all sorts of questions, which Su Jianguo patiently answered one by one.
"Grandpa, did you used to go fishing often?"
Da Mao looked up and asked.
Su Jianguo's eyes glazed over for a moment as he recalled the time in his previous life when he was unemployed and made a living by fishing and selling fish.
"Yes, Grandpa loves fishing and knows a lot of fishing tips."
"Then you'll be teaching us today!"
Er Mao tugged at Su Jianguo's hand, his face full of anticipation.
"Of course, today I'll show you what Grandpa's skills are all about."
Su Jianguo replied with a smile.
We arrived at Beihai Park soon.
Many anglers had already set up their fishing rods on the shore.
Su Jianguo led the children to a good spot under the shade of a tree, which was both sheltered from the sun and close to a patch of aquatic plants.
That's where schools of fish like to gather.
"Come on, let's see what Grandpa does first."
Su Jianguo took out a small cloth bag from his cloth bag, which contained the corn kernels he had specially prepared the night before.
"What is this?"
Da Mao asked curiously.
"This is called 'baiting'."
Su Jianguo explained.
"It's about scattering food that fish like into the water to attract them."
He grabbed a handful of corn kernels and scattered them evenly over the selected area of water.
This action immediately drew the attention of several anglers nearby.
"Comrade, what are you doing?"
A middle-aged man wearing a straw hat couldn't help but ask.
Su Jianguo smiled.
"Use bait to attract the fish, then it'll be easier to catch them when you cast your line."
"Is that even a saying?"
The man in the straw hat looked suspicious.
"When we fish, we just cast our lines and wait for the fish to bite."
"It's just a different method."
Su Jianguo didn't explain further and continued his preparations.
He baited the hook with a plump earthworm, then gave it a gentle flick, and the fishing line drew a beautiful arc in the air before landing precisely in the baited area.
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