This study investigated the recovery of fish resources after a fishing ban in the Yangtze River and the influence of tides on the distribution of larval and juvenile fishes. From July 2022 to May 2023, 42 sampling stations were set up in the Acipenser sinensis natural reserve and adjacent waters of the Yangtze River estuary. Sampling was conducted with a larval net (diameter 1.3 m, mesh 0.5 mm) that was towed at the surface layer in different seasons during flood and ebb tide. A total of 336 nets were trawled, and 89644 larval and juvenile fishes comprising 81 species, 23 families, and 20 orders were collected. The average density was 0.59 ind/m³. Engraulidae was the most dominant family, accounting for 82.13% of the total catch. The density of larval and juvenile fishes was the highest in summer, reaching 1.77 ind/m³, followed by spring (0.45 ind/m³) and autumn (0.12 ind/m³), and it was lowest in winter (0.002 ind/m³). The distribution of larval and juvenile fishes in a single season was not influenced by tides except in spring. Moreover, the density of larval and juvenile fishes in summer was higher in the north branch than in the south branch and the lowest in the reserve. In autumn, larval and juvenile fishes were more abundant in the south branch than in the reserve, with the lowest abundance in the north branch. In spring, larval and juvenile fishes were more abundant in the reserve than in the south branch during the flood tide, with the lowest abundance in the north branch. However, the abundance in the north branch was greater than that in the reserve during ebb tide. The density of larval and juvenile fishes was higher during flood tide than ebb tide, except in spring. The richness index (D) and diversity index (H') were both highest in summer, followed by spring, lower in autumn, and lowest in winter. However, the evenness index (J') was lower in summer than in spring. CCA analysis of water temperature, salinity, pH, and dissolved oxygen showed that salinity was significantly correlated with the distribution of larval and juvenile fishes during the whole seasons, while other environmental factors were correlated with the distribution of larval and juvenile fishes only during flood or ebb tide in several seasons.