The rice for making wine underwent a packaging upgrade, with a professional packaging and printing company contracted to create exquisite exterior packaging.
Finally, Zhang Yang had his first truly significant flagship product in hand.
While Zhang Yang was busying himself with various preparatory work to establish the company, there were considerable changes at the black pit fishing grounds around W City.
After the Oil House Fishing Ground and Meng Village Fishing Ground opened one after another, witnessing the generous profit prospects of the black pit business, Anfang District's Joyful Forest Fishing Ground, and Reservoir Road's Zhao Family Village Fishing Ground also opened.
In less than half a year, the commercial ponds in W City expanded from one to five or six, rapidly increasing the number of commercial ponds available for black pit gamers to consume.
The increase in black pit practitioners vastly boosted the enthusiasm among anglers.
The resources for wild fishing gradually dwindled, leading a significant portion of anglers, who originally fished in wild settings and lakes, to be drawn to this emerging form of commercial fishing and joining the black pit fishing wave.
The increase in black pit fishing grounds not only provided anglers with places where they could spend money to have fun but also clearly boosted Zhang Yang's store business.
The high-frequency fishing operations during the initial few months post-opening allowed Zhang Yang to gain a sizable batch of high-spending quality customers.
The extremely broad-spectrum nature of the formulated carp bait and secret recipe black sugar syrup led these adventurous customers, after experiencing some successful practical effects, to gradually become regular patrons of Zhang Yang's store.
Zhang Yang's black pit customer base expanded from the initial twenty or thirty people to over a hundred in just a few months, comprising local avid black pit fishing enthusiasts with very high attendance rates.
The store's average sales turnover steadily surpassed several hundred to well over a thousand, peaking at two to three thousand during weekends.
While Zhang Yang was expanding his commercial influence, his gang of devoted followers were also gradually gaining a certain reputation in the local black pit circles.
Among them, Zhao Bingguang, Wang Jun, and Wang Yan had the highest attendance rate, followed by Han Qiang, Meng Fan, and Zhou Chu, whose attendance was lower due to work commitments.
Before every Wednesday and Saturday fish release days, Zhang Yang's store was always bustling with friends who replenished their bait, minor medicines, and consumables, getting together with familiar anglers to drink tea and brag, living quite a fine life.
While Zhang Yang's store positioning increasingly improved business, local traditional fishing tackle shops were experiencing varying degrees of customer loss.
Lang Junfeng had gradually shifted his store's operational focus to the black pit direction, and customers in Ma Yuhua's store, who had originally specialized in competitive fishing, began increasingly catering to the local black pit scene.
To maintain their store's customers, on each fish release day, Lao Lang, Lao Ma, and several other slightly smaller tackle shop owners became the main forces in leading black pit battles.
In contrast, Zhang Yang's attendance rate during this period decreased quite a bit.
As the store's business flourished, the sales of various consumables naturally increased, requiring more preparation time; meanwhile, the production of rice for making wine at home also required Zhang Yang's oversight, with relevant production materials having to be replenished every few days. These trivial matters consumed most of Zhang Yang's energy.
Time unknowingly reached September 29.
On this day, Zhang Yang was immersed in tying hooks and threading lines in the store when Zhao Bingguang brought Wang Jun and pushed open the store door.
"Busy, eh? Young Zhang!"
Zhang Yang looked up and grinned, "Just killing some time tying fish hooks and line sets, Brother Zhao, Brother Jun, have a seat inside!"
"Day after tomorrow is October 1, any plans for the National Day holiday?" Zhao Bingguang casually asked.
"Running the store to make money! Anglers are on holiday, the store gets busy; what plans could there be!" Zhang Yang scratched his head, itching to go fishing but not getting the chance.
"October 1, a ton of crucian carp will be released at Joyful Forest Liu Mazi's place! Want to join the action? Your carp formula bait works well for crucian carp, right?"
"A ton of crucian carp? Don't be joking!"
After hearing the term, Zhang Yang was slightly stunned but quickly responded and shook his head.
In Zhang Yang's memory, in 2012, releasing 1000 catties of carp in a fishing ground was considered extravagant; the fish release in newly opened fishing grounds usually averaged five to eight hundred catties. A ton, two thousand catties, especially crucian carp, seemed implausible.
"Just check the QQ group for the announcement. Why would I lie! Two thousand catties of Jiangsu crucian carp! October 1 and 3, release two consecutive days! Right field fishing fee is 300 bucks!"
While speaking, Zhao Bingguang handed over his phone.
Zhang Yang glanced at the fish release announcement in the QQ group and was stunned after reading it.
It's indeed a one-ton fish release, Jiangsu crucian carp! With a unit weight of six, seven, or eight taels.
In the 2012 memories from the previous life, there wasn't such a thing!
If it were carp, Zhang Yang might not be sure, but for crucian carp, as long as it's in W City, Zhang Yang could be 100% sure nothing like this was released in the past.
Why so certain? Compared to the newly released carp in the black pit, crucian carp offer more dynamic fish scenarios during fishing.
During frequent fishing trips, Zhang Yang gradually improved his fishing skills; he may have missed carp arenas occasionally, but for those that released crucian carp, not a single event.
If any fishing ground from the previous life had released two thousand catties of crucian carp, Zhang Yang would have no reason not to know or to sign up!
"Hey! What are you thinking about? Going or not? Speak up! We're waiting for you to share some special effect bait! Don't spoil the mood, eh!"
Wang Jun gently nudged Zhang Yang's shoulder, snapping him out of his daze.
"I'm going! If the release is actually that much, I'm definitely going! Remember, we have special rice for making wine just for crucian carp!" Zhang Yang came to his senses, nodded, and smiled.
"Just use the rice for making wine? I haven't played much with farmed crucian carp, not too sure what bait to use, anything to be aware of?" Zhao Bingguang continued asking.
Zhang Yang didn't rush to answer but lowered his head to reread the fish release announcement.
He found the fishing ground rules limiting the use of red worms in the restrictions section at the bottom of the announcement.
Upon seeing this restriction, Zhang Yang grinned.
If worms aren't allowed, fishing for crucian carp becomes more skill-intensive!
"Fishing at a crucian carp ground without worms is quite gratifying if done well! No worries, I'll prepare the bait scatter cannon!" Zhang Yang took on the preparation task enthusiastically.
"How do you fish for farmed crucian carp, then? We're confident in your bait and scatter cannon prep, but what about techniques? Mind giving a heads-up! Is it any different from wild crucian carp?" Zhao Bingguang continued probing.
Zhang Yang replied, "Of course there's a difference! And a significant one! Wild crucian carp feed with their tails up, so the bobber's movement is a slight dip followed by a float lift, a solid bite indication!
Farmed crucian carp, on the other hand, having eaten fish food long-term, feed with their heads up, so they prefer intercepting near the bottom, while float lifts are much lesser! A slight touch means it's already in their mouths!
Besides the difference in float movement, their taste preference also varies; this season, larger crucian carp prefer aromatic bait!
Apart from these differences in biting response and bait usage, fishing techniques vary too, but let's keep that under wraps for now! With a 300 bucks per session black pit, I suggest you refrain from spending money on experimentation! You can practice after seeing my demonstration is not too late!"
"Fishing methods have differences?" Upon hearing, the two were initially calm but immediately straightened up when it came to techniques.
At this instant, Zhang Yang recalled his renowned fly copy crucian fishing skills and anticipated showcasing them gracefully the day after.