Abstract: In order to understand the characteristics of fish distribution in the mainstem of the Three Gorges Reservoir during the initial period of the Ten-Year Fishing Ban, hydroacoustic surveys were conducted during both the breeding and overwintering seasons, along with simultaneous catch surveys. The hydroacoustic survey results showed that the mean fish density during the breeding and overwintering periods was (5.52±10.43) and (3.26±5.60) ind./1000 m³, respectively, with no significant difference (P>0.05), and the average target intensity of fish was (–59.79±1.95) and (–56.51±2.88) dB, respectively, with a very significant difference (P<0.01). It was estimated that the fish body length ranged from 1.24 to 156.68 cm with an average of 4.03 cm in the breeding period and from 1.25 to 155.96 cm with an average of 9.01 cm in the overwintering period. Fish densities detected by the two hydroacoustics were not significantly different horizontally. Vertically, over 85% of the fish in both surveys were distributed in water depths from 0 to 30 m, and the fish target intensities showed a pattern of gradual increase with increasing water depth. Catch surveys revealed that small individual fish such as Hemiculter leucisculus, Pseudobrama simoni, and Saurogobio dabryi dominated the Three Gorges Reservoir area, and the exotic species Coilia brachygnathus comprising a relatively high proportion of the catch. Compared to the 175 m impoundment, the distribution characteristics of fish resources in this survey did not change significantly, however, the average target intensity increased, and the trend of fish miniaturization was curbed. This study preliminarily reveals the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of fish resources in the Three Gorges Reservoir area and their changes following the fishing ban. It accumulates research materials on fish resources at the early stage of the ban and provides basic data reference for evaluating the effect of the Ten-Year Fishing Ban on the Yangtze River.