When spring comes, the weather turns warmer—especially in southern regions—making it an ideal time for mandarin fish lure fishing. Mandarin fish grow relatively fast, feeding mainly on small fish and shrimp. They tend to stay in still and slowflowing waters, such as rocky areas, near bridge piers, rock crevices, and aquatic grass beds. After March, as temperatures rise, the water gets warmer, river levels go up, and small fish and shrimp become active—this is the perfect window for lure fishing mandarin fish.

Key Fishing Spots
Mandarin fish are active in the middle and lower water layers. Focus on these spots:
Rocky riverbeds
Stone dikes made of piled rocks
Bridge piers
Both sides of dikes that extend into the water
River inlets
Slowflowing sections of rivers
Areas with dense aquatic grass

Fishing Gear
Since mandarin fish are mediumsized, you don’t need extrastiff rods. Here’s the recommended setup:
Rod: Medium (M) or mediumlight (ML) action, no longer than 2.2 meters
Reel: Size 1000 to 3000
Line: PE line with about 10pound test strength; add a leader line if fishing in obstaclerich areas

Bait Selection
Mandarin fish can distinguish their prey, so choose baits that mimic their natural food:
Wobblertype hard baits: These can dive deeper and have a tempting swimming action.
Soft plastic bait setups: Weightless rigs, drop shot rigs, and bullet weights paired with curlytailed grubs all work well.

Fishing Technique
The key to lure fishing is effective searching. Follow these steps:
1. Once you find a good spot, search in a fanshaped pattern centered on it to boost efficiency.
2. Mandarin fish are ambush predators—don’t reel too fast, or the fish may not catch up to the bait.
3. After casting, let the bait fall freely to the bottom first, then slowly take up the slack line.
4. Slightly lift the rod tip and reel in slowly. You can also let the bait float to the surface, gently twitch the rod tip to make the bait jump, then let it fall back into the water. Repeat this a few times—you’ll likely get a bite.

Handling the Catch
Mandarin fish have sharp dorsal spines and teeth. Never grab the fish directly with your hands after hooking it—use pliers or fish grippers instead. When removing the hook, don’t pull it with your hands either; this is very dangerous.