After hopping in a boat, Vincent Alexandre started the engine and steered it into the middle of a lake, which is part of a reservoir in Yuyao, Zhejiang Province. He then cast his rod and retrieved it a few times. "The fish here are rather sluggish today," he said, before moving the boat to another section of the lake.

The 38-year-old French national, who just returned from a pike fishing trip in Sweden about two months ago, is one among a growing number of fishing enthusiasts who travel to lakes and mountains in and around Shanghai in pursuit of the best fishing spots, which they say, allows them to enjoy a slice of nature and helps them wind down.

However, what this band of urban outdoorsmen is after is not just a summertime activity that largely depends on patience. They are hooked on an increasingly trendy form of angling called lure fishing, which allows the fisherman to catch predatory fish like pike, perch and bass by using artificial lures made of plastic, metal or wood, which can "swim" like a real fish in the water.

When one is lure fishing, they need to search the water and avoid staying too long in one position. "You will need to manipulate your bait in a way that will cause predatory fish to mistake it for a real fish. It takes about a year to master," Alexandre told the Global Times. "You also need to understand and analyze the weather conditions and the fish's temperament. The more you understand nature, the more fish you will catch."

More than a quaint pastime

Alexandre developed his interest when his grandfather took him fishing when he was around 5 years old. Being surrounded by the tranquility and breathtaking views of nature has since become a leisure activity that he treasures. "The crystal clear water is like a mirror. Step by step you can break this mirror and discover what's underneath it," he said.

However, the old-fashioned way of fishing gradually bored him and he found more pleasure in lure fishing. "Lure fishing is the most popular fishing technique in the world. All the fish we catch will go back to the water. This is what we call 'catch and release.' Just to enjoy fishing and not to kill the fish is important if we want to catch more in the future," said Alexandre, who is the product manager at Biwaa, a company that develops fishing lures. The lures are famous for catching pikes and other fish.

According to Alexandre, who has also participated in Chinese fishing tournaments, there is a growing interest in lure fishing among Chinese fishermen, especially young people. "Most lure fishing hobbyists are between 16 to 40 years old," he said, adding that the demographic has become younger in recent years.

Qu Hui, secretary-general of the Shanghai Fishing Association, agreed, adding that the association, which organizes annual fishing tournaments and irregular fishing competitions in town, is also seeking to make lure fishing bigger.

However, it did take a few years before Chinese fishermen began accepting this new form of angling. "Only about five to six years ago, many Chinese people were still asking 'how come American fish are so stupid to mistake plastic lures for real fish?'" Wang Jinnan, chief editor of Lure Vision, a fishing magazine based in Shanghai that is to be launched this month, told the Global Times.

Cast away

According to Qu Hui, there are more than 30 fishing sites in Shanghai, including five or six national standard ones. While Shanghai is known for its skyscrapers, the city is the right place for fishing enthusiasts, with many people wanting to escape modern life, Alexandre said. "Big cities are where fishermen live. On weekends, they enjoy nature. It's a great way to balance work and leisure," he added.

Alexandre said that he tries to go fishing near Shanghai once a week. According to him, the best places for lure fishing in China are around Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. "There are many reservoirs, mountains and lakes around this area. There's great potential for lure fishing here," he said.

However, for many devoted anglers, fishing is not just a pastime but also a sport. "It's like kung fu - you become more skilled as you practice more," Alexandre, who also enjoys Thai kickboxing, said. But he added that fishing is challenging in its own way. "Even if you go to the same place, every time it's not the same. Nature is always different and it's not easy to figure out how the fish will react, though experience does help," he said. "It reminds you that you are not the best and you can always improve."

Alexandre said that many predators like lying right by the bank, and that it is worth trying to search all possible hiding places for them, like fallen tree trunks, weeds and beneath boats. "Fish are like people. Sometimes they are active, sometimes they are not. You need to cast carefully and accurately, and try to make a predator think that your lure is living prey," said the Lyon native who, together with his brother, participates in the French lure fishing championships. The brothers are one of the top 20 teams in France.
Alexandre added that it pays to understand the fish you are trying to catch and match that knowledge with what you observe on the water. Thomas Wang, an American living in Shanghai who has won quite a few prizes in international level fishing tournaments, agreed. "I have learned the black bass in China are different from those in the States. They have changed some of their habits, for example, they go to different places to spawn and Chinese black bass like bamboo groves," Wang said. He added that he's also learned to slow down his pace when fishing in China.

The market

With an estimated 100 million people fishing on the Chinese mainland, many believe there's a big fishing market in China. "With people's living standards getting better and better, more and more people can afford a bit of fun in their spare time and fishing is a good option for them," Qu Hui said. Compared with golf or scuba diving, fishing isn't as costly. According to Alexandre, an average lure costs around 20 yuan ($3) to 200 yuan, while a rod costs around 300 yuan to 3,000 yuan, same for a reel.

However, in the view of Wang Jinnan, the magazine editor-in-chief who is trying to promote fishing in China, it will still take some time before the majority of Chinese people change their understanding of fishing.

Wang, who was born in Taiwan and started fishing at an early age, said that fishing was coated with a sense of heroism back when people were still struggling to appease their hunger. "How much you could fish meant how much protein your family could get," he said. However his parents were initially against him fishing. "My parents were quite influenced by Taoist beliefs and thought going to fish or keeping a bird is something that only the idle rich would do," Wang said. "They thought it was indecent. It took them nearly 30 years to understand me."

Wang believes that unlike trendy leisure activities such as playing mahjong or online games, which involves practically no action, fishing enables people to embrace nature and inspires creativity. "The Japanese spent years wondering why they lost two wars, and one conclusion they have drawn is that they are not as good at 'playing' as Americans," he said. Wang, who worked in a technology company in Silicon Valley before retirement, added that "a resume that says you like fishing will very much likely catch the attention of recruiters in the States."

While Alexandre said the biggest difficulty he's encountered when fishing in China is the language and communication with locals, Thomas Wang felt the fishing community in China needs more people with a pure interest in fishing. "Many people have advanced and expensive equipment but they just go for the brands and don't really care so much about the experience," he said.

Fishing sites in and around Shanghai

Although the biggest fishing communities in China are in Hunan and Sichuan provinces, according to fishing enthusiast Thomas Wang, there are also many options for fishing in the Yangtze River Delta area.

For people who can't afford a weekend away from the city, the many parks scattered around town can be a good choice too. Fishing is allowed in many parks including Century Park in Pudong New Area and Changfeng Park in Putuo district. There are also many reservoirs in the suburbs. Fresh water fish including spotted silver carp, grass carp and snakeheads are common in Shanghai's lakes. Most fisheries charge fishermen by weight for what they catch. The price is usually 13 to 16 yuan per jin (0.5 kilograms). An entrance fee is required at some parks.

For more adventurous people, there are many fishing towns in nearby Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces. Vincent Alexandre, who works for a lure company in Shanghai, recommends Yuyao (two hours' drive from Shanghai) and Tiande (one hour's drive from Hangzhou) in Zhejiang Province. Boat rental costs from 200 to 300 yuan there.