Unique tricks for catching snakehead fish in Yen Thanh

(Baonghean) - The lowland countryside of Yen Thanh is famous for its snakehead fish (snakehead fish) - a familiar specialty for generations. Snakehead fishing in Yen Thanh has a long tradition, becoming a livelihood for many people and also a pastime for romantic anglers. Currently, in this land, there are many "experts" with wonderful snakehead fishing techniques and secrets...

The "big fishers"

Mr. Dinh confided about the profession of fishing for snakehead fish.

Mr. Chu Van Dinh, Hoa Thanh commune is considered a famous "expert" in fishing for snakehead fish. Dinh's small and pretty house is located next to the poetic Dao River. Dinh, a tall and dark-skinned man, is sitting on the porch making a hook. Dinh said: "Today I knew you guys were coming to visit, so I stayed home to make a hook and waited. Like every other day, I went fishing with my rod." Dinh laughed and stood up, pulling out a jar of wine from the corner of the house: "Wine soaked with snakehead fish gall. There are hundreds of galls in this. When you drink it, you will "fling" as strongly as a snakehead fish." In the drunken stupor, Dinh said: "I was discharged from the army in 1995, came home to get married and continued the farming career. Besides farming and going to the market to trade, I enjoy fishing for snakehead fish. At first, I only fished to improve my meals, but then it became a profession to earn a living. Thanks to fishing for snakehead fish, I was able to build a spacious house and raise my children to study properly..."

Catfish bait

According to Dinh, there are many ways to fish for snakehead fish such as: trolling, duck fishing, drop fishing, and click fishing... Trolling means dragging the frog bait along the water surface for a distance of 5-20m. Snakehead fish hiding underwater, seeing the frog swimming, immediately jumps after it and catches the bait, hearing the "pop" sound, that's when they catch the fish. With this fishing method, in addition to good fishing gear, the way to hook the bait is also very important. There are many ways to hook the bait, but the round hook that looks like a frog swimming is the best. This method is very durable, the path of the bait is beautiful, easy to fool the fish, and when the fish eats the bait, it is almost 100% effective.

Fishing.

Catfish breed in late spring and early summer. This is the most suitable time to fish for ducks, because this fish species has a very strong instinct to protect its young. This fishing method uses 2 bamboo poles, one pole hooks the duckling's armpit, drags the duck close to the nest of the baby catfish, and lets the duck's 2 duck feet pedal on the water surface. The male and female catfish see someone coming to destroy the nest, rush up to attack, at that time drop the fishing rod with a hook of apple snail bait and click behind the duck feet. The fish rush up to bite and will "get it" no matter what.

Fishing for snakehead fish with ducks.

As for hook fishing, dozens to hundreds of rods are used, each rod is about 1m long and about 1.5m of fishing line, and the bait is frogs or earthworms. Once you have chosen a fishing spot, stick the rod and drop the bait just touching the water surface. This fishing method is usually done at night. The snakehead fish will smell the bait and rush to eat it, then get hooked. The hook fisherman will visit and remove the bitten fish every 1-2 hours. Dinh took a sip of wine and then made a "slurp" sound like a snakehead fish biting the bait, smacking his lips: "With this hook fishing method, I used to catch a few hundred catfish at night, and with trolling, I also caught dozens of giant snakehead fish from 4-7 kg. Bringing these fish to shore is extremely enjoyable. The feeling of joy is indescribable."

The result of a duck angler.

Dinh said: Fishing methods are not complicated, but to get fish to bite is an art and the angler must master certain techniques. In addition to good fishing equipment such as a hook that must be homemade with hard steel springs from a sharp AK47 magazine, with beautiful curves, the angler must have experience looking at the water surface, or tasting the water to know where there are many or few fish, knowing how to choose the weather, wind direction and suitable fishing spots, then the technique of hooking bait, dragging bait, dropping bait, using sound, he must have experience and skillful hands to lure fish.

Currently in Yen Thanh, besides Mr. Dinh, there are also Mr. Nam, Mr. Con, Mr. Quan, who are experts in mastering sophisticated techniques and secrets of snakehead fishing that not every angler knows.

Anxiety of Extinction

Snakehead fish meat is firm, delicious, and can be processed into dozens of different dishes. According to traditional medicine, snakehead fish has a sweet taste, neutral properties, is non-toxic, and has the effect of replenishing blood, tendons, and bones, eliminating phlegm (good for cases of lung diseases), treating women with low milk supply, and nourishing people who have just recovered from illness because it is easy to absorb. According to health-preserving cuisine, snakehead fish has the highest effect in the summer to eliminate the damp heat caused by this season.

Currently, the market is very fond of clean snakehead fish, which costs 150,000 VND/kg, much more expensive than other fish species, so many people fish for snakehead fish. According to Mr. Dinh, there are more than 20 people in his hamlet alone who fish for snakehead fish, and countless people in the whole commune and district. Thanks to snakehead fish fishing, many farmers have additional income. Mr. Vin in Phuc Thanh commune said: "I have only been fishing for snakehead fish for a few years now, but on average I earn 4-5 million VND per month, enough to cover the education of 4 children and buy expensive household items such as motorbikes and televisions"...

Not only farmers with muddy hands and feet practice snakehead fishing to earn extra income, but many people consider snakehead fishing as a hobby. Mr. Phan Chung, a businessman, confided: “I am “addicted” to snakehead fishing. For example, the way of fishing with a drag net is no different from playing a sport, the angler must move and be flexible with both hands. Then the fishing methods and techniques also require experience and creativity. When the fish bites the bait, until it is pulled to the shore, the feeling is also more enjoyable than fishing for other types of fish.

Sitting at noon taking a nap next to the Phuc Thanh lotus pond, Mr. Chung said sadly: “Before, there were countless snakehead fish, so it was normal for me to catch a fish in one day. But now, on a lucky day, I only catch about 3-4 fish.

Talking about the reason, Mr. Chung said: Currently, some people, for profit, have used electric shocks and bagua nets to catch snakehead fish. Using electric shocks and bagua nets will not only kill snakehead fish but also all aquatic species, big and small. “With the current rate of over-exploitation and extermination, I think in the near future, snakehead fish will become extinct. Destroying the environment means destroying the living environment, causing ecological imbalance. The danger of this problem is very unpredictable,” said Mr. Chung.

Coming to Yen Thanh in these early summer days, on the rivers, ponds, canals, and dams, anglers are busy fishing for snakehead fish. We also feel excited when sitting and watching the anglers drag their rods and catch the black snakehead fish, accompanied by hearty laughter in the sun. However, in that excitement, we also feel troubled by Mr. Chung's confession about the current situation of fishing with shock and octagonal nets that are destroying the environment at a dizzying speed.

Tien Dung