Unique stream fishing with ant eggs in Nghe An

(Baonghean.vn) – With baits available in nature and fishing spots mainly being streams, people in Western Nghe An always have unique “initiatives” in fishing methods. One of those “initiatives” is fishing with ant eggs.

We happened to meet Mr. Luong Van Chum, in Khoi village (Tam Thai - Tuong Duong) who was carrying his fishing gear. His fishing "luggage" was quite simple, including: 1 rod, 1 basin containing bait and fish. The basin was full of ant eggs and dead ants. The fish he caught were only the size of an adult's finger, sometimes he caught a bigger one but it was very rare. Mr. Chum said: "To catch these fish, you have to wait for the clear water season, but you can't catch them in the muddy water season."

Fishing rods used in streams are usually small ones bought at the market or made by hand from bamboo. The tools used to make the rod are also very simple, just a ballpoint pen spring and a small bamboo rod. The spring is straightened and bent into a hook - simple but more than enough to 'fight' by the stream.

Mr. Luong Van Chum fishing by the Khoi bridge (Tam Thai - Tuong Duong).

The bait is ants and ant eggs.

The ant carcasses are dropped into the water to attract fish and the eggs are hooked on fishing lines as bait.

Sharing the secret of fishing with ant eggs, Mr. Chum said that in this mountainous area, almost every house fishes with ant eggs. Small fish are greedy, while ants and eggs have a special 'fragrance' to fish. At night, fishermen find an ant nest, dip the ants in water until they die and are ready for the morning fishing session. The ants' bodies are spread on the water surface to give off a fragrant smell to attract fish, and the eggs are hooked on the hook as bait.

The secret is simple but surprisingly effective, just sitting and fishing for a while by the Khoi bridge, his fish bowl already has more than 1kg. In this stream, there are often people coming to fish, some days there are more than a dozen people bringing fishing rods and ant eggs.

The fish caught in the stream are mainly small fish.

Sometimes bigger fish take the bait of ant eggs.

Dao Tho