Dongping Lake, located downstream of the Yellow River, serves as a crucial flood storage reservoir and is the final reservoir of the Eastern Route of the South-to-North Water Transfer Project. To explore the current status of fish diversity and community characteristics in Dongping Lake, this study employed environmental DNA (eDNA) technology and compared the results with traditional net fishing surveys. This study elucidates the diversity of the fish community in Dongping Lake and discusses the feasibility of long-term monitoring using eDNA technology. The results revealed that the eDNA technology detected 23 species belonging to 23 genera, 7 families, and 5 orders. Further analysis indicated that the Shannon-Wiener diversity index had an average value of 1.04, ranging from 0.21 to 2.36. The average Pielou evenness index was 0.54, with values ranging from 0.29 to 0.81. The average Margalef richness index was 0.75, varying from 0.13 to 2.09. Analysis of similarities (ANOSIM) tests suggested no significant differences in diversity indices between the lake area and river channels. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) analysis revealed four distinct cluster structures in the fish community of Dongping Lake, categorized as coastal, lake center, and two riverine types, with significant overall differences (R＜1, P＜0.05). The traditional net fishing survey captured 24 fish species belonging to 21 genera, 6 families, and 4 orders, with 18 species detected using both methods. Cypriniforms were the most abundant among the fish species detected using both methods. This study demonstrated a high similarity (62.06%) in species composition between eDNA technology and traditional net fishing surveys. Geographically, the fish community in Dongping Lake exhibited distinct distribution patterns from the Liuchang River along the coastline of Dongping Lake, north of the lake center, to the Xiaoqing River, indicating a north-south difference in the overall fish community. The results of this study confirm the feasibility of using eDNA technology for monitoring fishery resources in Dongping Lake, effectively supplement fish resources monitoring means. This study provides valuable data and technical references for the management and conservation of fishery resources in the Dongping Lake.