Chagan Lake and Winter Fishing

Chagan Lake is one of the largest freshwater lakes in northeast China, covering about 307 square kilometres in Qian Gorlos Mongol Autonomous County, Songyuan, Jilin Province. It is best known for its winter ice fishing festival, held from about December to January, in which nets are set beneath thick ice and hauled up with horse-drawn capstans, and for summer lotus, reeds and birdlife. The lake lies about 190 km north-west of Changchun, and the trip takes about 2.5 to 3 hours each way. The easiest option is a car with driver for the day, costing about CNY 600-1000. By public transport, visitors take a train or coach from Changchun to Songyuan in 1.5 to 2 hours for CNY 40-80, then a pre-booked car or taxi of about CNY 150-250 to the lake. Winter fishing day tours from Changchun are sold on Trip.com for about CNY 250-500, and festival entrance is about CNY 60-120. Because the journey is long and winter days are short, an early start is essential. A suggested day begins with departure from Changchun at around 6 or 7 in the morning to arrive in time for the morning net hauls, which are the main spectacle. Mid-day can be spent watching the catch being sorted and sampling fresh fish at the restaurants near the lake, where lake fish stewed in a pot is the local speciality. The afternoon leaves time for the frozen lakeshore and the Mongol cultural displays before heading back, aiming to reach Changchun by evening. Temperatures at the lake in December and January regularly fall below minus 20 degrees Celsius, so heavy winter clothing, insulated boots and hand warmers are necessary. The ice surface and wind make standing around for long periods tiring, and the day involves a lot of cold-weather walking. In summer, the lake is a quieter destination, offering lotus blooms and birdwatching, though the winter festival remains the main draw for most travellers.