As the annual winter fishing event heats up at the Chagan Lake in northeast China's Jilin Province, fishermen have welcomed the season's first "red net", which means a haul exceeding 50,000 kilograms in a single net.
The lake's record for a "red net" stands at an astounding 260,000 kilograms. The adoption of scientific fishing methods has increased fish density in the lake, consequently raising the frequency of these remarkable "red nets" each year.
"On December 19, the very first day of net casting, we caught over 50,000 kilograms of fish," said Bing Hailong, a fishing master.
Chagan Lake's ice fishing tradition, which dates back to the Liao Dynasty (907-1125), was recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2008.
The ancient method of net fishing requires teamwork.
Once the fishing master picks an area for the catch, hundreds of holes are drilled along the perimeter to form a circle. The giant net is then lowered into the water. Its two wings are guided through the holes by fishermen using ropes attached to the net. At this stage, horses step in. They drive turnstiles anchored on the ice, which reel out or pull in the ropes with steady force.
The time-honored winter fishing at the Chagan Lake has become a signature tourism attraction in the city.
"It is really a spectacular sight, something I've never seen before. In southern China, we use ordinary nets. We have nothing like these massive nets hauled in by horse-drawn winches," said a tourist from southwest China's Guizhou province.
In just one day, four fishing teams netted nearly 250,000 kilograms of fish, signaling a truly bumper harvest.
Fishermen celebrate bumper harvest of ice fishing at China's Chagan Lake
