Conservation · no-kill charter
Catch and release policy in China: how we fish
Our catch and release policy in China is simple and strict: every fish goes back, hooks are barbless, target species are named in advance, and threatened species are never targeted. It is a no-kill charter, not a loose guideline. On waters under real pressure, that discipline is the condition for the fishing to survive.
Mandatory release, every fish
Every fish caught is released. There is no “one for the pan,” no exception for a trophy — the fish is worth more alive, in the water, than on a bank.
This is the core of the charter and it is not negotiable. A destination this fragile cannot afford harvest, and pretending otherwise would be dishonest.
Barbless hooks and clean handling
Hooks are barbless. They come out cleanly and fast, cutting handling time and injury, which makes release far safer for the fish.
Clean handling completes it: wet hands, minimal air time, a quick photo at most. Small habits, compounded over a season, decide whether a fishery holds up.
The red line: threatened species
Some fish are never targeted. Hucho bleekeri, the Sichuan taimen, is critically endangered and never appears on a trip or as a catch — the reasons are set out in Sichuan taimen.
Naming what we do not fish for matters as much as naming what we do. It is a matter of both law and credibility.
What we actually fish for
The target species are stated openly: high-altitude Schizothorax and char in Sichuan, snakeheads in the south. Nothing is left ambiguous, so no one arrives expecting a fish we would never target.
That transparency is part of the policy, not marketing around it. You know the list before you book.
What catch and release can, and cannot, do
Low-pressure, no-kill fishing reduces impact and keeps the fish alive and valued. It does not, on its own, replace legal protection or the fight against poaching — which, at altitude, is the real threat.
Saying so plainly is the honest position: our charter refuses to work against these waters, and keeps our own footprint minimal, on every fly fishing trip Sichuan.
Systematic release · barbless hooks · target species listed.Charter sealed · to complete
Common questions about our catch and release policy in China
- What is your catch and release policy?
- Mandatory release of every fish, barbless hooks, target species named in advance, and no threatened species ever targeted. It is a strict no-kill charter, not a guideline.
- Why barbless hooks?
- Barbless hooks come out cleanly and fast, which cuts handling time and injury. They are a small change that makes release far safer for the fish.
- Do you ever target the Sichuan taimen?
- Never. Hucho bleekeri, the Sichuan taimen, is critically endangered and is never targeted or presented as a catch. It is an absolute red line.
- Which species do you actually fish for?
- High-altitude Schizothorax and char in Sichuan, and southern snakeheads. The target list is named openly, so nothing is left ambiguous.
- Does catch and release actually help?
- Low-pressure, no-kill fishing reduces impact and values the fish alive. It does not replace legal protection or anti-poaching work, but it never works against them.
- Is poaching the real threat?
- At altitude, yes. Netting and electrofishing empty a stream far faster than angling ever could, which is exactly why our own footprint is kept minimal.