Topmouth Culter, scientific name Culter erythropterus, is a widely distributed fish species in China.
If the name Topmouth Culter doesn't ring a bell, then perhaps "white fish" does—one of the "Three Whites of Tai Lake." The famed white fish of Xingkai Lake is none other than the Topmouth Culter.
Known for its delicious meat and strong disease resistance, this species is a fierce predator, feeding on smaller fish and insects. It has a slender body and firm, tasty flesh. You can find it in large lakes and reservoirs across the country.
It's also a favorite among anglers. Wild Topmouth Culters are notoriously aggressive, incredibly strong, and put up an impressive fight—making them highly satisfying to catch. Though the one Xiang Ye reeled in was rather small, he wasn't worried.
Just earlier, Huang Kai had mentioned that the fish would only get bigger as the day went on. Whether or not that was just flattery, Topmouth Culters tend to move in schools. If one is caught, more are likely to follow. Sure enough, after tossing the first one into the keepnet, Xiang Ye adjusted his float and began float-fishing again—this time baiting and chumming to lure more.
This was a typical method for drawing in Topmouth Culter.
If just one or two pieces of bait hang idly in the water, the fish may stay cautious. But dump in a whole handful, and a feeding frenzy might follow—though overdoing it would cause the fish to fill up and stop biting.
Right after Xiang Ye scattered a handful of bait, another Topmouth Culter took the hook. With a quick flick of his rod, he pulled it out of the water.
Just by looking at it, he could tell it was bigger—nearly three Jin (1.5 kg). Surrounded by envious glances, he reeled it in. Ai Bai, now fully focused on helping Xiang Ye, quickly landed the fish with the net.
Another catch secured. Though the special task hadn't been completed yet, Xiang Ye had just pocketed another 2,000 yuan—far more lucrative than fishing in the wild.
Then came the flurry of bites.
One fish, two, three, four, five...
In less than an hour, Xiang Ye had reeled in a six-Jin Common Carp and eight Topmouth Culters, each weighing over two Jin, averaging nearly three.
His earnings? Over 25,000 yuan—almost as much as his previous two days' take.
His activity even drew the attention of the reservoir owner.
The fish here were expensive, after all. Due to strict no-electro, no-net rules, fishing was the only allowed method, which made these fish highly valuable.
Nearby farm restaurants would sell Common Carp for 30 yuan per Jin, and Topmouth Culters for 40. Even wholesale prices for the reservoir were steep: 20 yuan for Common Carp, 30 for Topmouth Culter.
Which meant Xiang Ye's haul alone was worth over 800 yuan in real-world market value—and he'd only paid 400 yuan to fish, including baiting time.
The owner was losing money fast.
So, the boss came down to take a look.
Was everyone landing fish, or was this guy just unusually lucky?
After circling around, the owner realized Xiang Ye was the only one raking in catches. The others had barely seen any action. One caught a small Grass Carp, another a modest Topmouth Culter—nothing major.
Only then did the owner relax a little.
But suddenly, a burst of shouting came from Xiang Ye's direction.
The boss rushed over just in time to see Xiang Ye once again lift his rod, its arc bending dramatically under the strain. The line was taut, the tension electric.
Xiang Ye's face was glowing with excitement.
The boss's face, on the other hand, was getting darker by the second.
"It's a big Black Carp!"
"Damn, must be at least twenty Jin!"
"A twenty-Jin Black Carp—still a juvenile, but it's probably the biggest one in this reservoir!"
"Nice one, Xiang Ye!"
"And you said you didn't know how to fish?!"
Everyone was in awe as the massive fish broke the surface. Qi Hongbo, Liu Guangqing, Zheng Jianping all gasped. Huang Kai gave Xiang Ye a hearty slap on the back.
As for Ai Bai, he had already packed up his own rods and was now fully dedicated to helping Xiang Ye land this beast.
The boss's face was now practically dripping with gloom.
As Xiang Ye wore the fish down and finally brought it near the bank, the boss's heart sank even further.
That wasn't twenty Jin—it was probably thirty!
The man had fished here for years—he knew a massive catch when he saw one. Thirty Jin of Black Carp, at twenty yuan per Jin, meant 600 yuan. Combined with Xiang Ye's earlier catch, the guy had already taken over 1,000 yuan worth of fish.
Ai Bai aimed the landing net at the fish's head, scooping it in—but half of the body was still sticking out.
Even with all his strength, he couldn't pull the fish out of the water.
"I got it!" Xiang Ye, holding his rod in one hand, took the net from Ai Bai with the other.
Together, they managed to haul the fish ashore.
The moment the fish flopped onto the bank, everyone around gasped.
It was enormous—possibly the biggest fish any of them had ever seen. It looked to be 1.2 meters long. If it weren't early spring—if the fish had fattened up after winter—it might have weighed forty or even fifty Jin.
Everyone whipped out their phones to snap pictures.
Beaming, Xiang Ye stepped off the fishing platform, unhooked the fish's mouth, and prepared to toss it into the keepnet.
But just then, the reservoir boss pushed through the crowd and stood in front of him.
"You can't keep that fish," the boss said through clenched teeth.
"Why not?" Xiang Ye frowned.
He'd paid the fishing fee. That fish was rightfully his. More importantly, it was a key part of completing his daily mission.
"No 'why' about it. This reservoir is mine. The fish are mine. Not only can't you take this fish—you can't take any of the fish you've caught!" the boss snapped, his eyes bloodshot.
The crowd fell silent.
Anglers all around looked at the boss with visible disapproval.
Things were about to get ugly.
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