Winter fishing on Chagan Lake 查干湖冬捕 Changan Lake located in China, is the only place that saves the old Mongolian traditional winter fishing method. Winter fishing fair is held annually there in late December… Transcript written by zqPei

1. Image collected from internet

2. Chagan Lake is a lake in Jilin, China. The name "Chagan" is from Mongolian, meaning sacred,
pure and white. The lake is known for traditional winter fishing that dates back to prehistoric
times.
Chagan Lake is the only place that saves the oldest Mongolia fishing method. The Lake set
a Guinness World Record of a single net yielding 104,500 kg fish in 2005, and broke its own
by 168,000 kg of fish in 2008.

3. Lake park’s entrance

4. Chagan Lake Winter Fishing Fair is held annually in late December since early 2000’.

5. Fishing crew is hurrying to the fair in early morning

6. It will be dawning soon.

7. Most crew members are Mongolian ethnic.

8. Tourists are also hurrying their way to the lake.

9. An attendant with a large frozen fish in her arms is waiting for VIPs.

10. “Don’t hurry, have a rest first”, the carter sitting on the edge of his sledge.

11. Fishing headquarter

12. A traditional ceremony presided by the crew leader is being held before fishing.

14. “Lake God, Our Almighty Lake God,
“Bless us and give us a grand harvest.”

15. “Awake, Awake,
“Our sleeping fishing net,
“It’s your time to fight now.”

16. “Have a drink, my boys…

17. “ …it’s the time to distinguish yourself.”

18. “I declare our traditional winter fishing performance begins.”

19. Workers start to drill holes upon the ice surface
at an interval of 8 to 9 meters.

20. An aged Fishing master has already determined the place where ice
holes should be drilled.

21. About two hundred holes will be drilled
along a row.

22. Sometimes a fish may jump out
involuntarily from an ice hole. It is
called as “tou yu” in Chinese, meaning
‘leading fish’. Local people believe
leading fish is a lucky omen. Workers
would pick it up immediately.

23. Workers prepare to lay the fishing net.

24. A two thousand meter long net is being laid beneath the ice.

25. A pilot rod and a rope is used to stretch the net to the current hole position.

26. It is not an easy work.

27. “What a cold day today!”

28. It would take 8 to 9 hours to lay the net entirely.

29. Mean while a tourist group has a photo taken to keep their common
memory.

30. Girls are posing for photo upon the ice.

31. A media journalist has a photo taken after interviewing.

32. A real fish?

33. There are many restaurant s and inns near the lake specially for tourists.

34. In the next morning, the laid net is being stretched out by a horse driving capstan. .

35. People wait patiently to see the fish.
.

36. Here comes the fish!
Having been stretched out of the water, fish is struggling helplessly in the net.

37. Bravo, a grand harvest again

38. Workers are retrieving the net section by section.

39. Fish preferred by customers is picked out for sale.

40. An young man is trying to catch a jumping fish.

41. She has picked out a fish by herself.

42. A costumer carries a fish on her shoulder.

43. “My fish is too heavy to carry”

44. Fish will freeze gradually in severe winter days; but frozen fish is still
alive. Some may survive for a week or more.

45. ‘Leading fish’ (see slide 22) is exhibited here for auction.

46. “Look, the first of the leading fishes. It would bring you luck and a great fortune.”

47. He is the auctioneer.

48. Though the strike price is very high, the bidder still pays in cash. May be
POS and its connection wouldn’t work outdoor in such a severe winter.
It is said the strike price of the first of the leading fishes was 68000 Yuan
in 2008 and 288888 Yuan in 2010. (exchange rate: 1USD=6.31 Yuan)

49. Remaining will be sold to market agents.

50. The tired workers are retrieving their net now.

51. People are leaving while the workers have loaded their net.

52. Tractor is used to instead horses to haul back the fishing net. The old traditional
style is no more necessary here now.

53. The Chagan fishery farm has set a Guinness World Record once again in 2008. The Shanghai
Division’s director of Guinness World Committee was awarding a certificate to the farm.

54. From the expression in fish’s eyes, you may imagine how sad and helpless the fish is.

55. Is the old traditional winter fishing method and the completely commercialized winter
fishing fair cruel to animals?
Though practice and research has indicated that a proper fishing system including the
traditional winter fishing method is suitable to maintain a sustainable eco system, but
a humanitarian fishing method respecting to the living creatures may be required.

56. Meet us again in next year.
Images collected from internet Edited and written by zqPei