The Chinese have a love affair with fish! If you like Chinese food then you know that almost every meal includes fish and the carp is a symbol of good luck. It indicates the concept that if you have fish, then you eaten well and have had good fortune.

What is less well known is that the Chinese also love to fish. It is not yet the huge sporting industry that you find in North America, but if you live by a reasonably clean canal in Jaingsu it is not a surprising site to see someone with a poll in the water! Fishing in China however is a little different from what we are accustomed to in North America.

Forget about the bass boat and that fly cast real. You don't need expensive clothes or fancy equipment. Fishing in China is an almost casual affair. An open canal or pond, a rod, a float with a hook, a piece of bait, a small chair or stool to sit on and your ready to go. Neither do need a license, but depending on where you fish you may be expected to pay for what you catch.

I said almost casual affair because having visited a few fishing supply stores in Wuxi (look around Nan Chan Si) you get the idea that if you want an expensive rod and real, special clothes and a fancy fishing hat you can buy them. I also noticed more than a few older gentlemen decked out in some really fancy fishing duds complete with coolers that function as chairs, and a fishing rod support that allows you to catch a few zzz's if you want.

What really blew me away however is that you can actually go fishing in downtown Wuxi. If you know where the Dongling Academy is (Jeifang East Rd & Renmin Road) around this area an enterprising businessman has small pond stocked with fish. You can rent a fishing rod, chair and purchase bate. It costs about 20 RMB, but of course if you catch anything you have to pay for what you catch!

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There is of course and even stranger fishing experience to be had in Wuxi. And it's also right downtown inthe Chong An Si shopping area. Just behind the shopping center, towards the back and a little before you get to the pond full of peddle boats there are a couple of very small ponds. Here you can feed a large number of really big carp.

This does not sound all that much fun, but when I say feed the carp, I mean they give you a baby bottle on a stick and the carp come up and drink from the bottle. I am certain that the jaded expats amoung us might scoff at this, but if you have a young son or daughter it is well worth the 5 RMB. 

I have never seen this before and farnkly don't know how long this rather amusing little fish feeding place will be opne but the King of Wuxi gives it a big thumbs up.