A lot of anglers whose fish-playing technique isn't really up to par don't know what the smartest move is after a fish takes the bait. Some just grab the rod and brute-force it, some let the rod get pulled flat and end up with all kinds of spectacular mishaps—snapped rods, broken line, fish slipping the hook—some don't know how to control the fish and can only watch as the hard-won big one shakes off and runs… and so on and so on.
Zhang Yang is different. This guy's understanding of all the little tricks of playing a fish is absolutely top-tier, ceiling level.
Right now the fish hasn't made another power run yet. Taking advantage of this moment before it reacts, Zhang Yang arches the rod and backs up, which is basically creating a strategic buffer. When the fish charges forward and exerts force next time, he won't get pulled into a tug-of-war with the rod straightened out.
