Netting is one of the methods of simple exploiting, catching fishing but has a long tradition and quite popular, close to the people of Ca Mau.

Netting at U Minh melaleuca forest. Photo: Nguyen Thanh Dung.

 
From the wilderness, open land, net is one of the indispensable fishing gear of many Ca Mau farmers. Almost every household has some “nets” to catch fish sold as a living or to “revitalize” meals for the family.


Net is “glue” from the nets or nylon nets. The top and bottom are two main ropes of a fishing-net. The upper rope is “glue” to float on the water. The bottom is “caught” (tie, push, fix) with a small lead, depending on the length of the net. Net has long “dao” will “catch” a lot of lead and the “dao” short will “catch” less lead. The mesh size depends on the user's requirement to catch big fish or small fish. Normally, catching snakeskin gourami, mystus, loach, anabas, mesh from 2 to 3 cm. Catching anabas, catfish, snakehead, feather back, etc. mesh from 4 to 10 cm. Catching seabass, the mesh just louder. In addition to the traditional net (1 film) also have 3 films net. This type of net has 3 netting, with 3 grid and 3 different grid. This type of net is “sharp” than the traditional net because when the big fish, small fish enter the net can not out.
 

Discharge fish “stick” net. Photo: Tran The.

 
When “glue” from the veins of the net is often chosen as the dark colored net, and if the nets are bright white then “san” (colored dye or water soaked in mangrove bark) makes the net dark to “camouflage” fish.

When netting, usually at the two heads of the top net fixed on two “head” (to the ground plugging) to stretch and hold the net. There are also cases when the two heads of the net not tied to the two “head” but only on the foam panels, plastic cans to float the net drift downstream. This method of netting is often used to catch live fish, seabass in deep rivers and fast flowing water. Due to inertia, instinct, fish swimming or absorbed in the pursuit of bait and then enters the net.

After hanging, usually after a night or a few hours is conducted “visit the net” (check, harvest). When the fish “stick” the net, fish are “discharged” (removed, caught) and brought back.


The good nets people often know where there are more fish and less to the thorns. In the past, in the Ca Mau countryside, almost any house “glue” some “hands” or dozens of “hands” to sell fish to make money and to catch fish to eat. When free or have guests, no fish to eat, just bring the net to ponds, rivers and canals around the house, then tens of minutes later having the fish to eat.

Netting is one of the traditional occupations, very familiar, close and associated with the life of residents of Ca Mau.