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Fishing in China

40 species across 109 spots

China offers fishing across 109 spots with 40 species in freshwater, brackish, freshwater, marine, freshwater, brackish waters. Suitable for beginner to expert anglers.

Best months: May-september, April-october, April-june, June‑august

Top Spots

Erhai Lake3 species

Scenic lake near Dali with diverse habitats; Anabarilius maculatus thrive near the western shoreline.

Taihu Lake2 species

Large shallow lake with abundant vegetation; grass carp thrive and are a staple of local carp tournaments.

Dongting Lake2 species

Seasonal lake with massive silver carp migrations, offering spectacular catches during the monsoon.

40

Species

109

Spots

Species

40
Grass carp

Grass carp

Ctenopharyngodon idella

Very Common

freshwater, brackish

Taihu Lake
Silver carp

Silver carp

Hypophthalmichthys molitrix

Very Common

freshwater, brackish

Dongting LakeTaihu Lake
Yunnanilus bajiangensis

Yunnanilus bajiangensis

Yunnanilus bajiangensis

Very Common

freshwater

Kunming Yunnan Aquarium – Specialist Hatchery TankErhai Lake – Dali ShorelineBajiang River (Upper Section)+3
Culter alburnus

Culter alburnus

Culter alburnus

Very Common

freshwater

Lake Tai (Taihu)Yangtze River (Chongqing Section)
Chinese lizard gudgeon

Chinese lizard gudgeon

Saurogobio dabryi

Very Common

freshwater, brackish

Yangtze River – Fengdu StretchMin River – Gorges near LeshanLake Poyang – Southern Inlet+1
Schizothorax sinensis

Schizothorax sinensis

Schizothorax sinensis

Very Common

freshwater

Min River – DingxiLake Erhai – DaliJinsha River – Upper Section+3
Ctenogobius szechuanensis

Ctenogobius szechuanensis

Ctenogobius szechuanensis

Very Common

freshwater

Three Gorges ReservoirMin River (Sichuan) – Chengdu ReachDadu River – Leshan Section+2
Yunnanilus yangzonghaiensis

Yunnanilus yangzonghaiensis

Yunnanilus yangzonghaiensis

Very Common

freshwater

Kunming Fish Research Facility (captive release pond)Yangzong Lake (Yangzonghai)Tianquan River Tributary+3
Snakehead

Snakehead

Channa argus

Very Common

freshwater

Yangtze River (Jiangsu Province)
Chinese muddy loach

Chinese muddy loach

Misgurnus mizolepis

Very Common

freshwater

Yangtze River (Wuhan Section)Lake Tai (Taihu) – Suzhou Bay
Rhinogobio hunanensis

Rhinogobio hunanensis

Rhinogobio hunanensis

Very Common

freshwater

Xiang RiverDongting LakeYuan River+3
Rhinogobius wuyiensis

Rhinogobius wuyiensis

Rhinogobius wuyiensis

Very Common

freshwater

Wuyi Mountain StreamsJiulong River TributaryDongting Lake Inlet Streams+3
Chinese seerfish

Chinese seerfish

Scomberomorus sinensis

Very Common

marine, freshwater, brackish

Yalong Bay, Sanya (Hainan Island)Zhoushan Archipelago
Anabarilius maculatus

Anabarilius maculatus

Anabarilius maculatus

Very Common

freshwater

Dian LakeErhai LakeFuxian Lake+4
Schizothorax microcephalus

Schizothorax microcephalus

Schizothorax microcephalus

Very Common

freshwater

Lake Qinghai
Troglonectes canlinensis

Troglonectes canlinensis

Troglonectes canlinensis

Very Common

freshwater

Daliang RiverLi River Caves, GuilinYarlung Tsangpo (Upper River)
Yellow croaker

Yellow croaker

Larimichthys polyactis

Very Common

marine

Bohai Bay, Tianjin
Barbel chub

Barbel chub

Squaliobarbus curriculus

Very Common

freshwater, brackish

Upper Yangtze River (Chongqing Section)Pearl River (Zhujiang) – Guangzhou Upper ReachLi River near Guilin+1
Yunnanilus chui

Yunnanilus chui

Yunnanilus chui

Very Common

freshwater

Dianchi LakeErhai LakeNanpan River at Honghe+3
Belligobio nummifer

Belligobio nummifer

Belligobio nummifer

Very Common

freshwater

Jiangjin Section, Yangtze RiverQingshui River, GuizhouJialing River, Chongqing+3
Common carp

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

Common

freshwater, brackish

Lake Poyang
Yellow goosefish

Yellow goosefish

Lophius litulon

Common

marine

Hainan Island – Sanya Bay

Schistura cryptofasciata

Schistura cryptofasciata

Common

freshwater

Upper Yangtze – Min River Tributary
Coreius septentrionalis

Coreius septentrionalis

Coreius septentrionalis

Common

freshwater

Yellow River – Lanzhou ReachYalu River – Dandong Crossing
Ceheng Chinese karst loach

Ceheng Chinese karst loach

Karstsinnectes cehengensis

Common

freshwater

Ceheng Karst StreamYunnan Stone RiverWulong Karst River+1
Korean seerfish

Korean seerfish

Scomberomorus koreanus

Common

marine

South China Sea, off Hainan Island
Rectoris posehensis

Rectoris posehensis

Rectoris posehensis

Common

freshwater

Red River Basin – Near NanningDongting Lake – Hunan Province
Onychostoma fusiforme

Onychostoma fusiforme

Onychostoma fusiforme

Common

freshwater

Xiang River (Hunan)Qiongzhou River
Gymnodiptychus pachycheilus

Gymnodiptychus pachycheilus

Gymnodiptychus pachycheilus

Common

freshwater

Lake Qinghai (Kokonor) – North Shore
Rhodeus flaviventris

Rhodeus flaviventris

Rhodeus flaviventris

Common

freshwater

Qiantang RiverErhai Lake
Acanthopagrus swinhonis

Acanthopagrus swinhonis

Acanthopagrus swinhonis

Occasional
Sanya, Hainan Island
Squalidus nitens

Squalidus nitens

Squalidus nitens

Occasional

freshwater, brackish

Yichang Section of the Yangtze River
Schizothorax heterophysallidos

Schizothorax heterophysallidos

Schizothorax heterophysallidos

Occasional

freshwater

Yarlung Tsangpo River (Brahmaputra headwaters)
Yunnanilus niulanensis

Yunnanilus niulanensis

Yunnanilus niulanensis

Occasional

freshwater

Jinsha River Tributary (Mao'er Stream)Niulan River Lower Reach near LijiangXishuangbanna Mekong Tributary (Lancang)+3
Schizothorax curvilabiatus

Schizothorax curvilabiatus

Schizothorax curvilabiatus

Occasional

freshwater

Mekong River – Upper Yunnan
Reeves shad

Reeves shad

Tenualosa reevesii

Occasional

marine, freshwater, brackish

Yangtze River Estuary – Chongming Island
Onychostoma meridionale

Onychostoma meridionale

Onychostoma meridionale

Occasional

freshwater

Lancang River, Yunnan Plateau
Odontobutis obscurus

Odontobutis obscurus

Odontobutis obscurus

Uncommon

freshwater

Yalu River (Amnok River)
Hemibarbus mylodon

Hemibarbus mylodon

Hemibarbus mylodon

Uncommon

freshwater

Tumen River (Jilin Province)
Chinese paddlefish

Chinese paddlefish

Psephurus gladius

Rare

marine, freshwater, brackish

Lower Yangtze – Shanghai ConfluencePearl River – Guangzhou DeltaThree Gorges Reservoir – Badong Section+3
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