Unique trick to 'hunt' for clams using stinky shrimp and pig feed in Nghe An
(Baonghean.vn) - Many communes along the Lam River in Hung Nguyen are often flooded every year, but nature has given them many "heavenly gifts", including clams. People here have a unique trick to "hunt" clams using bait tubes containing stinking shrimp and pig feed, which is quite effective.
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| These days, people in Hung Loi and Chau Nhan communes (Hung Nguyen) often gofishingnoon and afternoon. Before going to the fields, they prepare hundreds of bait tubes to lure crabs. Ms. Nguyen Thi Linh in Hamlet 1, Chau Nhan Commune said that her family has about 400 bait tubes, and every year they make some new tubes to compensate for the lost ones. Photo: Huy Thu |
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| Bait tubes are made from partially cut plastic bottles. Crabs bait isshrimpThe smell mixed with fragrant roasted pig bran is spread in a thin layer into the bait tube. Photo: Huy Thu |
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| When hunting for clams, bait tubes are loaded into sacks and carried to the fields. According to locals, fields near large canals and ditches often have a lot of clams. Photo: Huy Thu |
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| Women often place the bait tubes in shallow fields with many crab holes. They use hoes to dig a little soil to "attach" the bait tubes firmly to the edge of the field. Photo: Huy Thu |
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Manoften wade along large ditches, placing bait tubes to hunt large clams. Mr. Cao Van Kiem in hamlet 1, Chau Nhan commune said that his family often hunts clams by placing bait tubes smeared with stinking shrimp and pig feed. The requirement for placing bait tubes is to tilt the tubes upwards about 45 degrees, ensuring that clams can crawl in but cannot get out, each bait tube is about 1m apart, placed continuously in long rows. This hunting method is quite effective, however, how much or how little is achieved depends on the weather, the amount of clams in the field that have been hunted or not. Photo: Huy Thu |
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| After placing the bait tube, the mussel hunter can go home or do other work. When it is quiet and there are no people, the mussels in the rice fields will come out of their holes to look for bait. Smelling the scent, the mussels will race to crawl into the bait tube and get stuck inside. Photo: Huy Thu |
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| Usually, after spreading the bait tubes for a few hours, the crab hunter will go to the field to empty the tubes to collect the crabs. At this time, walking on the edges of the fields where the bait tubes are placed, you will hear the sound of crabs crawling around. Just by listening to the sound of crabs crawling in the tubes, the crab hunter will know whether the hunt was successful or not that day. Photo: Huy Thu |
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| Usually, each family that goes hunting for clams has at least 2 people. A day of "hunting" for clams usually ends in the late afternoon, but many days it lasts until night. Currently, fresh clams are sold for 50,000 VND/kg. With about 400 bait tubes, each day in the field, each farming household in Hung Nguyen district can earn from 400,000 to 600,000 VND, and on a lucky day, they can earn millions. Photo: Huy Thu |
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| Clams are quite similar to crabs, but have flowery bodies and hairy legs, and often live in brackish water. Clams can be processed into many delicious dishes such as stir-fries, soups, sour soups, fish sauce... Photo: Huy Thu |
| People in Hung Nguyen district hunt for clams with stinking shrimp and pig feed. Clip: Huy Thu |
