01 ·
Hainan/Sanya
tropical islandGT popping & jiggingbig gameChina's Hawaii
Asia · Fishing World Guide
China.
Fishing in China 2026 — Licenses, Regulations & Best Spots
6
target species
Yes
license needed
Year-round
best season
Scroll
Do you need a license?
License
Yes.
Freshwater: From 50-200 CNY (~7-27 EUR). Pay lakes: 100-500 CNY/day. Saltwater: Included in charter price.
›All license details
- Where to apply?
- Varies greatly by province! Freshwater: At local authorities. Saltwater: Charter boats organize.
- Cost
- Freshwater: From 50-200 CNY (~7-27 EUR). Pay lakes: 100-500 CNY/day. Saltwater: Included in charter price.
- Validity
- Day or annual cards depending on province
- Available online?
- No
China is the CARP HOMELAND — carp fishing has a 4,000-year tradition here! The largest country in Asia has incredible diversity: Himalayan rivers, Yangtze, tropical coast, pay lakes. The license system is complex and regionally varied.
When to go?
The season at a glance.
Best season
Hainan: Year-round. Pay lakes: Year-round. North: April-October.
Where to fish?
The top waters.
02 ·
Pay lakes everywhere
Carptradition!20-500 CNY/day
03 ·
Qinghai Lake
largest lakescaleless carp3200 m!
04 ·
Li River/Guilin
landscape!Carp
05 ·
South China Sea
big gameobserve May-August moratorium!
What's biting?
Your target species.
›+3 more species
Giant Trevally (Hainan)Smallmouth Bass (eingesetzt)Grass Carp
The rules.
Four things you need to know.
Closed seasons
Closed seasons
Yangtze: 10-YEAR FISHING BAN since 2021 (species protection)! Others: Regionally varied.
Catch limits
Catch limits
Strict! Yangtze: ABSOLUTELY PROHIBITED. Others: Species-specific per province.
Prohibited methods
Prohibited methods
Dynamite, electrofishing prohibited (but unfortunately widespread). Yangtze: Any fishing prohibited!
Catch & release
Catch & release
Standard at pay lakes. Increasingly accepted culturally.
What does it cost?
7-27 €
License
7-27 EUR (regional). Pay lakes: 15-70 EUR/day.
15-70 €
Guide per day
Pay lake: 15-70 EUR. Hainan charter: 200-600 EUR/day.
20-50 €
Daily budget
Budget: 20-50 EUR (cheap!). Hainan: 150-400 EUR.
Bite times
The best fishing times — free.
Best fishing times
·China35.86°, 104.20°
🎣 Live catches in china
6 verified catches
When are they biting?
24-hour bite time · china
Based on: 6 verified catches
NOW 0% · 4:00
05:00
100%
Sunrise
06:00
50%
Sunrise
08:00
50%
Morning
Catch statistics
Top catch species
Carp
1 · 100%
Best conditions
990
998
1006
1014
1022+
0481216+
↑ Pressure (hPa)Wind (m/s) →
Plan your trip.
Everything in one place.
All the details
The fine print.
License in detail
Varies greatly by province! Freshwater: At local authorities. Saltwater: Charter boats organize. — China is the CARP HOMELAND — carp fishing has a 4,000-year tradition here! The largest country in Asia has incredible diversity: Himalayan rivers, Yangtze, tropical coast, pay lakes. The license system is complex and regionally varied.
Rules in detail
In 2021, China enacted a historic 10-year fishing ban for the entire Yangtze — to protect the nearly extinct Chinese sturgeon and the Yangtze river dolphin (already extinct!).
Freshwater
CARP HOMELAND! Thousands of pay lakes. Rivers (NOT Yangtze!). Himalayan tributaries in the west.
Saltwater
14,500 km coast! Hainan for GT and big game. South China Sea.
Equipment
HUGE fishing industry! Chinese brands everywhere. Pay lakes often provide equipment.
Guides
Hainan charter: 300-800 USD/day. Pay lake: 50-200 CNY entry. Guide difficult (language barrier!).
Getting there
Flights everywhere. High-speed trains. Huge country, long distances.
Safety
Safe. Language barrier biggest challenge! VPN needed (Google/Maps blocked). Air pollution.
Customs & fish export
Visa required in advance (144h transit visas for some cities). Fishing equipment allowed.
More Countries
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Data not correct?
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All information without guarantee. Always check with the official local authorities. Not legal advice. Last updated: March 28, 2026
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