My in-laws, hearing about the fishing prowess of the newly arrived expert, foreign angler,organised a Sunday afternoon family fishing trip to a local lake near to the airport. My young niece caught fish – beginner’s luck, my ancient father-in-law caught fish- Beijinger’s luck, I even helped my step brother, novice angler Phil, catch his first carp – unbelievable luck! I caught less – nothing actually!
However we enjoyed our combined catch of eight grass and common carp, served eight different and delicious ways, together at the at the lake side restaurant.
Xiaotangshan Fishing Palace
It is located in the renowned Xiaotangshan Spa grounds, reputed to be the best spa area in China. You will be offered rod and reel and bait and lure. There are scores of fish: carp, crucian, grass fish, trout, chub , catfish etc. You will be arranged to have the fishing at the fishing pond for trainers. When you hook one fish and grab the fish, then you should free the caught fish alive and put the fish back into the pond. If you want to have more exciting fishing at the normal fishing ponds, you will be charged for the various fishes you have catched! So before you do the fishing at the normal fishing ponds, please check with the tour guide and the staff there for the prices of the caught fish. You can take the caught fish home or to a restaurant to cook the fishes.
Fishing is a great fun! Sitting on the stool, having your rods and reels in good condition, putting on the bait, waiting for the float plunged into the water, your line becoming tight, the rod doubled over and the fishing coming thrashing to the surface. Let’s go fishing!
Nangong Hot Spring Fishing Centre
It is located in the Nangong World Geotherm Expo and it has five fishing ponds and one for spearing fish. There is also a special place for children to do fishing.
How to reach there: if you tale a bus, you take Bus 715 and get off at Geotherm Expo Station. If you take a car, please drive onto the expressway at the Liuliqiao Flyover and go out of the Zhaoxindian Exit, and then drive westwards.
Catch: Grass carp, cyprinid, catfish, crucian, porgy, golden trout, rainbow trout and blue shark.
Cost: 10 RMB for rod hire
Cyprinid is 20 RMB/kg. Grass carp 25 RMB/kg. Catfish and crucian 25 RMB/kg. Porgy is 30 RMB/kg. Rainbow trout 50 RMB/kg.
Xiwa Club
How to reach there: If you take a bus, please take Bus 360, 417 or 904 bus and get off at Niangniangfu Station. If you drive a car, please drive along the Fourth Ring Road, take the Fragrant Hills Exit and drive for Beiwu Village. At the third set of traffic lights, make a left turn, and then drive straight on for about 800 meters.
Catch: grass carp, cyprinid and crucian.
Cost: 20 RMB/kg for all species of fish.
Chaolai Agricultural Garden
How to reach there: Bus 707 goes to Chaolai Agricultural Garden.
If you drive a car, please take the northern Fifth Ring Road, leave by the Beiyuan Exit, and then it’s straight on from there.
Catch: grass carp, crucian and blunt-snout bream.
Cost: 20 RMB for rod hire, and then 24 RMB/kg for all kinds of fish.
Fangcao Fishing Village
How to reach there: For buses, you take Bus 345 and get off at Machikou Station. If you prefer a car, please drive along the Beijing-Changping Expressway, leaving at the Technology Park Exit in Changping District, and then go straight on and have a U-turn at the first bridge you get to.
Catch: porgy, grass carp, crucian and blunt-snout bream.
Cost: you can hire a rod free of charge or bring your own, and then it is 25 RMB/kg for all kinds of of fish.
Golden Dragon Fishing Garden
How to get there: you can take the City-lightrail Subway and get off at Huilongguan Station.
If you drive a car, please use the Beijing-Changping Expressway, leaving by the Xisanqi Exit, and then drive north and turn right at the Shaolin Marshal School.
Catch: cyprinid, crucian, and grass carp.
Cost: 10 RMB to hire a rod then 15 RMB/kg for all kinds of fish.
Huayuanhu Fishing Harbor
Catch: rainbow trout, golden trout, and sturgeon.
Cost: 10 RMB for rod hire, Rainbow trout are 30 RMB/kg. Golden trout 40 RMB/kg. Sturgeon 100 RMB/kg.
How to reach there: First take the train from Xizhimen Railway Station to Shentangyu and then change for a mini-bus.
Jinxiu Fishing Harbor
How to reach there: You either can take Bus 916 at Dongzhimen and get off at Huairou Station. Then change for a mini-bus. Or take a car, drive along the Beijing-Miyun Expressway. Continue straight ahead when you get to the Shichang Roundabout at Huairou District. Then on to Suyu Reservoir through Qiaozi Township.
Catch: cyprinid, grass carp, crucian, perch, and silver carp.
Cost: you pay 10 RMB for the rod plus 38 RMB for a full day’s fishing, and then you pay 8 RMB/kg for the fish.
Dafuhao Fishing Garden
How to reach there: Either take Bus 846 alone the Chang’an Avenue or drive a car along the Beijing-Tongzhou Expressway and leave at the Beiguan Roundabout. Look for for the Longyu Gasoline Station, where you have to go 200 meters further to the north.
Catch: crucian, cyprinid, grass carp and blunt-snout bream.
Cost: 30 RMB/day from Monday to Friday, and then 40 RMB/day on Saturday and Sunday.
Bixi Fishing Garden
How to get there: You can either take Bus 917 from Tianqiao (Heavenly Bridge) and get off at Fengtai Station or drive a car along the expressway from the Liuliqiao Flyover to the Changyang Exit in Daxing District, go east 4 km from the Beijing-Liangxiang Roundabout, and then turn right into Changyang Road.
Cost: 30 RMB for rod hire.
African carp, silver pomfret and black crucian are 30 RMB/kg. Rainbow trout 40 RMB/kg. grass carp, cyprinid and silver carp 30 RMB/kg.
Jinhai Lake
Jinhai Lake is 85 km from the city. It is be one of the best tourist attractions in Beijing. After fishing, you can dine well at various restaurants.
Catch: cyprinid, grass carp, crucian and blunt-snout bream.
Cost: 20 RMB for kinds of the fish you can catch.
How to reach there: Take Bus 918 from Dongzhimen.
By car, take the Beijing-Shunyi Road to the Pinggu District, and then drive 18 km east.
Crab Island
Located in the northeast of Chaoyang District, Crab Island has an area of 220 hectares. It is a holiday resort with a pleasant green environment. Catch: African carp, crucian, blunt-snout bream, grass carp, cyprinid, rainbow trout, sturgeon, soft-shelled turtle and blue shark, and yes, of course there are crabs at Crab Island.
How to reach there: you either take Bus 418 or Bus 909 at Dongzhimen and get off at Xiedao (Crab Island) Station or take the International Expressway by car.
Cost: 10 RMB per rod for 3 hours fishing outdoors, then you pay for what you fish:
Cyprinid is 20 RMB/kg. Grass carp 25 RMB/kg. African carp, crucian and blunt-snout bream 30 RMB/kg. Rainbow trout 50 RMB/kg.
Phil recommends three further, free fishing spots.
1. The canal system in Dongzhimen and Sanlitun. For instance, you can cast a line from the canal bank that bisects Sanlitun bei lu, by Schillers German restaurant. Locals use paste as hook bait to attract crucian carp with a pole and a float. The canal was dredged around 2005, by tnow (2010) common carp will have grown to more than a few kilos.
2. I also witnessed an exotic looking catfish, weighing approximately 2 kilos, being landed from the outflow canal, by the small bridge by entrance to Sihui power station. The power station can be spotted by its tall chimney and is located 400m east of China Central Place on north side of jianguomen Wai, 400m before Sihui Qiao (bridge). The lucky angler caught the fish on live bait, which can be caught from the same spot.
3. The canal that runs south of the central business district, and parallel to it, is worth a cast. Exit Dawang Lu subway and walk south along Xi Dawang Lu Nan for 5 minutes to the bridge over the canal.
For further advice visit: spainfishing.com
