Juveniles of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) and silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) were collected in Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR), Lake Dongting and Lake Poyang from July to August 2017. Lapillar otoliths were extracted from the juveniles and were used to determine their hatch date and growth rates. The results indicated that the hatch dates of grass carp and silver carp were later in Lake Dongting than in TGR and Lake Poyang. Growth rates and otolith deposition rates of grass carp (Lake Dongting:P<0.05, Lake Poyang:P>0.05) and silver carp (P<0.05) were higher in Lake Dongting and Lake Poyang than in TGR. However, the rates of the tow fishes had no significant differences between the two lakes (P>0.05). We conclude that the impoundment of TGR has delayed the spawning time of grass carp and silver carp in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. The juveniles grew faster in the two lakes. However, the intensive fishing in the two lakes reduced the population abundance of grass carp and silver carp significantly. At present, the complete fishing ban is being implemented in the Yangtze Basin. This measure will play a key role in restoring fish resources. Besides fishing ban, it is also suggested to protect the habitat and spawning grounds of fishes, to increase river-lake connectivity, to release more adult fishes, and to carry out ecological regulation.