Chapter 763 - 351: Dazzling Array of Offshore Fishing Gear

Chapter 763: Chapter 351: Dazzling Array of Offshore Fishing Gear

Under the guidance of Lin Yu’an, the sea-blue Ford Raptor pickup truck finally stopped in front of the vintage "Tark’s of Las Olas" fishing gear store.

"You come here?" Riven was a bit surprised as she recalled Lin Yu’an’s sailing plan, "Are you going to buy a fishing rod?"

"Yes. The owner said that once I get the boat, he would help me get the best set." Lin Yu’an said, stepping out of the vehicle first.

As they walked in, the shop owner, an old man wearing reading glasses, was still focused on oiling a massive fishing reel. Behind the counter were rows and rows of fishing rods.

Hearing the doorbell, he looked up, recognizing Lin Yu’an, and immediately gave a "I knew you’d be back" smile.

"Kid! I knew you weren’t just all talk!" He put down his work and laughed heartily, walking over to shake Lin Yu’an’s hand, "You got the boat so fast?"

"Yes, I’m preparing to go offshore. So, I’ve come to hold you to your promise. You don’t mind if I film this live, right?" Lin Yu’an said.

"Oh! Of course, I don’t mind, you’re basically giving me free publicity."

The old man’s eyes landed on Riven behind Lin Yu’an. He hesitated for a second, then a meaningful smile appeared at the corners of his mouth as he looked back and forth between the two.

"Looks like you’re eager to take a pretty girl out to sea! Let me recommend you the strongest equipment!"

"You can’t let your equipment fail in front of a lady, right? Perfect timing, today I’ll show you what real toughness looks like!"

Hearing this, Riven did not shy away like most girls might. Instead, she graciously extended a hand, "Hello, I’m Raven Montgomery, the first mate for this voyage."

"Oh! The Montgomery girl!" The old man clearly knew Mike and warmly shook Riven’s hand.

"Your dad is one of my regular customers here! But he doesn’t have your... boyfriend’s guts, jumping straight into the big leagues!"

"My dad never catches any fish. He says your equipment..." Riven was just about to explain Mike’s lack of success was a technical issue.

The old man was already enthusiastically leading Lin Yu’an to a row of equipment in the back of the store.

His gaze became sharp and focused, like an experienced "Magic Staff Master" sizing up a young wizard.

"Kid, before I pick a weapon for you, I need to know two things." He held up one finger, "First, tell me your route."

Lin Yu’an gave a concise answer, "Departing from Fort Lauderdale, crossing the Gulf Stream to Bimini, heading south along the chain of the Exuma Islands, and onward to the Turks and Caicos Islands."

"Oh! A classic golden route! Let me think, this will take you through some of the richest fishing grounds in these waters. Interesting!" Frank’s eyes lit up.

[Here it comes! Hardcore science is about to start! The fisherman is overjoyed!]

[Golden route? Sounds awesome!]

"Very well, the second question, and it’s the most important one." He stared at Lin Yu’an, "What’s your budget?"

This question was a direct probe into the client’s capability.

Lin Yu’an smiled and calmly met Frank’s gaze, slowly saying, "I don’t have a fixed budget; I just need an outcome."

"Ensure that on any sea along this route, faced with any level of opponent, my equipment will not be my weak link."

This answer was bold and confident, filled with a desire for top-level equipment.

Hearing this, Frank burst into hearty laughter! He loved the answer!

"I love that line, kid!" He patted the counter forcefully, "Follow me! Today, I’ll show you what it means to have no weak links!"

He said no more nonsense, but directly led Lin Yu’an and Riven to the area partitioned by a glass door.

"Since you’re heading out on the golden route, you’ll need to customize your arsenal in sections." Frank took down a large sea chart from the wall and spread it out on a special operations table.

He pointed to the deep blue waters between Florida and Bimini, "Here is the stage of speed and excitement; your main targets are the Ghost Head Saber and mackerel."

"They’re like cheetahs of the sea. What do you need?"

"High-speed reels and a sensitive yet resilient rod body." Lin Yu’an seamlessly continued the conversation.

Frank was taken aback, looking at him in surprise.

"Oh?"

Lin Yu’an explained, as if this knowledge was etched in his mind, "Their bites are fierce, and their initial sprint speed is extremely fast."

"If the reel’s retrieval speed can’t keep up, the hook could come loose due to slack."

"Meanwhile, the rod must be sensitive enough to clearly convey the bite signal, yet tough enough to withstand the first wave of violent impact."

This highly professional analysis left both Frank and Riven stunned.

"Absolutely right." Frank took a few seconds to react, looking at Lin Yu’an, his gaze shifting from "observing a client" to "seeing a colleague," "So what do you think you should use?"

"Great, buddy. Looks like you’re not just buying blindly out of intuition." His tone was full of admiration.

"You already know what kind of weapon you need, and my job is to tell you, among all the weapons that meet your requirements, which one is the best."

He smiled confidently and turned to take a set of silver fishing gear from the shelf.

"There are many high-speed reels on the market, Shimano’s Talica, Accurate’s Valiant, they’re all great."