The 2026 Qinhu Lake Winter Fishing Event commenced on Jan 31 along the shores of Qinhu Lake in Jiangyan district, drawing crowds of fishermen and visitors to celebrate the seasonal harvest.
Fishermen harvest fishes during the 2026 Qinhu winter fishing event. [Photo/WeChat account: jyrmzf]
The event featured a variety of activities, including estimating the weight of the heaviest fish, savoring fish dishes, selling fish products, along with interactive games like experiencing fishing firsthand, collecting stamps to receive a "fu" (fortune) character, and entering random lottery draws.
A major highlight was the auction of the "king fish". For this year's winter fishing, organizers selected three common species from Qinhu Lake — bighead carp, yellowcheek carp, and black carp — as candidates for the title.
This year's largest catches included a 26-kilogram bighead carp, a 33-kg yellowcheek carp, and a 43-kg black carp. At auction, the bighead carp sold for 6,666 yuan ($959.88), the yellowcheek carp for 8,888 yuan, and the black carp commanded the highest price at 66,666 yuan.
"This event highlighted Qinhu's winter fishing heritage while innovating visitor engagement. We hope these activities will raise awareness of Qinhu Lake, inspire regional pride, and promote the integration of culture and tourism," said Han Ming, director of Tourism Development Department at Qinhu Cultural Tourism Group.