Wolong Lake Winter Catch

Tomorrow, people are eagerly looking forward to the Wolong Lake Winter Catching Festival, which is about to be "delicious". This is the eighth winter fishing festival organized by the Panjin Photohe Crab Industry.

Panjin is the place where the Liaohe River meets the sea. This city was born out of the sea, and grows along the river. Every grass, tree, brick and tile seems to be reflected in the water, showing the charm of water. Wolong Lake is a clear and agile water vein formed by the love of the Haihe River. This bay lake is a bifurcation of the Liaohe River before it enters the sea. At the same time, it spreads its branches and spreads. When looking down, it looks like a giant dragon lying still, but it is soothing and calm, as calm as a hidden dragon, waiting silently in the vast reed wetlands.

According to legend, Wolong Lake is the location of the Liaohe River. The Dragon King of Liaodong Bay has been lying here for thousands of years, protecting the creatures here, and bringing peace, tranquility and beauty to the water and soil of the Liaohe Estuary. What's even more amazing is that someone once tried to drain the water in this lake, but no matter what means were used, the water in Wolong Lake never dried up. People say: this is a blessed land. Indeed, here Yihang boats go out to sea, Yibo boats dock, backed by the vast wetlands, facing the vast tidal flats, the ancestors who are familiar with "fishing" and "fishing floods" know at a glance that the sea and rivers converge here, and the salty and the bland are mixed. , is a good place to produce fish. In their own unique way, they live together in ice and snow, and thrive. Ice chisel fishing in winter is a living fossil that has gone through thousands of years of ancient fishing and hunting activities. Today, this activity is no longer the means that people rely on to obtain food in winter, but the people here still inherit the desire and expectation for harvest in the cold and loneliness. So when the cold wave from the north froze the land and the Liaohe River froze into mountains, the Winter Catching Festival became the most jubilant event on this frost-covered land. It was also dedicated to everyone by the Panjin Photohe Crab Company by the Wolong Lake. an annual feast.

In the early morning, when the sunrise at the mouth of the Liaohe River softened the entire ice world, the footsteps of men, women and children rushed here, just to rush to this ancient and legendary winter catch and taste the unique deliciousness of Wolong Lake. A flame rises up in the frozen Wolong Lake, which is the signal of the "catch" of the Winter Catching Festival. Before the catch, the elders should burn incense and offer sacrifices. This is the most solemn ceremony. Thank you to the Dragon King for blessing you with peace and blessings for a bumper harvest of fish in the new year. We are also grateful to nature for giving this place the most generous gift of water and soil. After the sacrificial ceremony, the fishing event began - selecting nests, breaking ice, setting nets, pulling fibers, and receiving goods. The man number 100 slowly pulled a large net of more than 1,000 meters under the ice surface of Wolong Lake. It takes a stick of incense to collect each meter. When the nets bring the fish out of the water, silver carp, grass carp, herring, carp, crucian carp, bass—and all kinds of shrimps and crabs are all over the lake. Cheers, laughter, wishes, gongs and drums, firecrackers one after another.

Wolong Lake is famous for its deliciousness. The seawater at the estuary of the Liaohe River has reduced its salinity due to the injection of fresh water, and the lake water has also changed its salinity and taste due to the immersion of seawater. At the same time, it changed the proportion of meat components in the fish, so that the Wolong Lake fish has no earthy smell, but shows a hint of seafood. In the long winter, the fish have reduced their food intake, slowed down the pace of growth, and increased the accumulation of nutrients. Drinking a bowl of steaming thick fish soup from Wolong Lake is the best for those who participate in winter fishing in ice and snow. It is also the most regional and delicious New Year's gift to bring home a few big fish from Wolong Lake.