Changhua County, Taiwan — November 18, 2025
A sharp drop in temperatures along Taiwan’s west coast has delivered an unexpected windfall for Changhua fishermen, as early-season wild mullet arrived well ahead of the traditional winter solstice peak. Normally, the 10 days surrounding the solstice mark the prime mullet harvest period. But this year, on Lidong (the Beginning of Winter), Changhua fisherman Li Wende and his son Li Haoren stunned the local community by pulling in more than 3,000 mullet in a single outing.
Their success didn’t stop there. Over the following days, the pair continued landing hundreds to thousands of fish at a time. In just over 10 days, their combined catch reached 7,400 wild mullet, earning them a year-end “bonus” exceeding NT$2 million.
Some residents questioned why mullet were appearing more than a month earlier than expected. The fishermen explained that the shift was actually due to this year’s lunar leap month, which created the misconception that mullet were arriving prematurely. In reality, they said, this period is perfectly aligned with the mullet migration.
Changhua County Councilor Lai Ching-mei confirmed the unusually abundant season. She noted that the fishing vessel “Hao Yi” caught over 4,000 mullet on November 7 and 8, followed by more than 3,400 mullet during four consecutive days beginning November 14. The total haul—7,400 fish—brought in over NT$2 million in “mullet gold.” Lai even purchased 30 mullet herself, along with prized parts such as tendons and swim bladders, to share with family and friends.
As temperatures plunged again last night, fishermen planned to head out for another catch. However, strong winds and rough seas early this morning kept them ashore.
The fishing crew explained that the cold front had produced excellent conditions earlier in the week. With calm waters and falling temperatures, mullet surged into their nets, leaping wildly as they were hauled aboard—an exhilarating sight for the crews. But with winds intensifying today, they opted to prioritize safety. If weather conditions stabilize over the next two days, they plan to resume fishing in hopes of securing an even bigger year-end harvest.