Continuous heavy rain in recent days has caused water levels in rivers and canals to rise rapidly. This is also the time when Quang Nam people prepare tools to hunt “heavenly fortune”.
Every year, when floods appear, people in the lower Thu Bon River, Quang Nam province such as Duy Xuyen district, and Dien Ban town… invite each other to bring fishing tools to the fields and canals to hunt for specialties. Flood is the “golden time” to make a living and earn more income.
This season, there are many specialties from the fields, such as snakehead fish, crucian carp, perch, crabs, shrimps, eels, frogs… The most special is the lich (also known as field creek, similar to an eel). Only available during the flood season and only appears during the first 3 floods of the season, each lasting only 1-2 days.
There are many types of fishing tools: short-handed nets, long-handed nets, nets, nets, fishing rods… The bait is usually a few earthworms dug around the garden, or a little rice bran that absorbs water, rolled into lumps and dropped at the right place to set the trap for the fish. Shrimp swim to feed.
When fishing, you have to watch from midnight or dawn for this species to appear. Those who have experience catching calendar must follow the direction of the flood water, shine a light into the water, see where there is a floating calendar, then use a net to catch it. On nights when many calendars appear, people use lanterns to pick up calendars, bustling the whole river.
According to Ms. Tran Thi Hong (a resident of Dien Ban town), since the hydroelectric dam was built, there have been fewer trips to the calendar. This year there are not as many calendars as usual, there are many buyers but there is no goods to sell.
Meeting the egg calendars, the fishermen agreed to release them back into the fields to raise long-term profits. Lilacs are a special type that live in freshwater areas, but when they lay eggs, they go downstream to river and sea estuaries.
“Today, I only have a small calendar, priced at 450,000 VND/kg. Because it only appears during the flood season, the calendar has become rare and there are many people asking to buy it,” Ms. Hong said.
These days, passing through overflowing sewers and water canals in Duy Xuyen district, Dien Ban town, everywhere we see people spreading nets and setting up fishing nets. This is the work of local people every time the flood comes, both to make a living and to have a few country specialties to enjoy and improve their meals.
It was raining heavily since early morning, Mr. Le Van Tan (Duy Son commune, Duy Xuyen district) brought his hooves to the spillway to catch fish. Untying four bamboo stalks attached to the net and tying them to the pole, Mr. Tan dropped his hooves into the water. After 5 minutes, he pulled the hook, inside there were only a few small perch and barbel fish. Mr. Tan laughed loudly and then let go waiting for the next time.
“Every time there is a heavy rain, I take my boat out to fish. If I get a lot, I sell it to the merchant. If I get a lot of it, I bring it back to the pepper warehouse, cook soup, and eat delicious rice. There’s nothing I can do to make money in this weather, I bet.” I caught a few fish, so I didn’t have to go to the market,” Mr. Tan said happily.
For many people, catching fish is a part-time job every time the floods come. Traders come to the place to buy fish, or fishermen catch fish and sell them to visitors. Carp costs 30,000-50,000 VND/kg depending on size; crucian carp 30,000-120,000 VND/kg; catfish 200,000 VND/kg.
Field fish this season has a lot of eggs and is considered a specialty. When cooked, it is fragrant, the meat is soft, and the taste is fatty
($1=24,000 VND)
Photo,Video: Internet (Vinlove.net)