Unique style of fishing for mullet in the famous Binh Thuan river, no need for hooks, tiring hands, everyone loves it

On the days before Lunar New Year, people living along the Ca Ty River, Phan Thiet City ( Binh Thuan Province) often invite each other to go to both banks of the Ca Ty River, an area with brackish water, to fish for mullet. Watching mullet fishing is very strange, the fishing rod has no hook, just put flour in a plastic bottle and drop it into the water to lure the fish into the bottle...

Mullet fishing, an elegant hobby, many people enjoy it

Many elderly people living along the Ca Ty River in Phan Thiet City (Binh Thuan Province) said that the mullet fishing season is from early October to late March of the following year.

But the happiest days are the days before the traditional New Year, because this is the time when the mullet fish go upstream to lay eggs, so all the fish are fat...

On the days leading up to the traditional New Year, people living along the Ca Ty River, Phan Thiet City (Binh Thuan Province) often go to both banks of the Ca Ty River, an area with brackish water, to fish for mullet. Mullet is one of the delicious brackish water fish, a specialty fish. Photo: BP.

Mr. Nam Tong, who has lived for many years along the Ca Ty River, said that mullet usually live in schools, mostly in brackish water, especially in estuaries and breakwaters. This fish has a small mouth and only eats seaweed and sediment, so it cannot be caught with live bait like other fish...

"Therefore, our predecessors "invented" a unique way of fishing using plastic water bottles or soft drink bottles. Accordingly, cut off the bottom of the plastic water bottle and tie it with a 20m long fishing line to balance it.

Next, pour water into the bottle, and use flour (the kind used to make bread) as bait. Use a spoon to scoop some flour and stir it into the plastic bottle. Tie a small lead weight to the top of the bottle to make it sink into the water and the tool is done.

After being dropped into the water, the flour gives off a fragrant smell that attracts mullet to take the bait and fall into the plastic bottle. When the fisherman sees the bottle move, he pulls it up and immediately finds a fresh mullet inside the bottle.

Mullet has the weakness of not being able to swim backwards like many other fish species, so it cannot escape. Because of this unique and easy-to-learn fishing method, many people consider it a hobby during the days before Tet and an additional source of delicious food for their families during Tet holidays...", Mr. Nam Tong shared.

According to the reporter of Dan Viet Newspaper, the time for anglers to "practice" the most is in the late afternoon. The fishing spots for mullet are the bridges in Phu Hai ward, along the embankment of Ca Ty river, the breakwater in Duc Long ward (Phan Thiet city)... And if lucky, each angler can catch 2-3 kg of fish in an afternoon.

A mullet fish got caught in a fisherman's plastic bottle. Mullet fishermen on the Ca Ty River, which flows through Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province, used fishing rods without hooks and only used plastic bottles containing a little flour to lure the mullet fish. Photo: BP.

Ms. Thanh Hoa, who lives near Ca Ty bridge, Phan Thiet city, said that every year near Tet, her family of four and some friends go along the Ca Ty river, next to Phu Hai bridge to fish for mullet to relax.

According to Ms. Thanh Hoa, this is not only a hobby but also a time to "bring luck" to the family in the new year. If a year catches a lot of mullet, then in the new year her family will feel more prosperous...

Carrying a bucket of mullet he had just caught, Mr. Tran Phung, a resident of Phu Hai ward, boasted of his achievement: "This afternoon we went fishing for fun, relaxing for nearly 3 hours and unexpectedly caught more than 2 kilos of mullet, all of them were plump. Tonight we will grill the mullet over hot coals and invite some neighbors to celebrate Tet...".

Mullet fishing spots are the bridges located in Phu Hai ward, along the Ca Ty river embankment, and the Duc Long ward breakwater, Phan Thiet city. Photo: BP

Mullet is very nutritious and good for health.

Mr. Tran Hai and his wife, who fish for mullet, said that every afternoon before Tet, they caught an average of about 10 kg of mullet.

His family dries salted fish and sells it for 200,000 VND/kg. Thanks to this extra income, his family has money to buy more Tet items for his children...

Many people in Phan Thiet City say that fresh mullet, still jumping in a basket, grilled on a charcoal stove and dipped in chili salt, soy sauce or fish sauce with chili or tamarind is delicious beyond words!

If you cook soup, mullet can also be used to make sour soup or light soup (with a little pineapple and tomato, onion and coriander). If you eat it with new rice, you will only be able to scratch the pot until it breaks!

According to experts in the seafood industry in Binh Thuan, mullet, scientifically known as Mugilidae, lives in schools, mainly in saltwater or brackish water environments, most abundant in tropical and subtropical coastal areas.

Grilled mullet is a favorite of many people. Photo: Contributor

Mullet's back is dark green-brown, the underside is silver, it only eats algae, and is 2-30 cm long on average. The mullet breeding season is from October to the end of March of the following year.

Mullet fishing spots are the bridges located in Phu Hai ward, along the Ca Ty river embankment, and the Duc Long ward breakwater, Phan Thiet city (Binh Thuan province). Photo: BP

Foreign culinary experts love to prepare dishes such as grilled mullet with salt, lemon, and butter. Especially mullet fried in olive oil and mixed with salad, this dish ensures adequate nutrition for dieters.

Housewives in our country often buy mullet to process into delicious dishes for men to enjoy during Tet such as braised mullet with light salt, braised with tamarind, braised with turmeric, braised with pineapple, braised with pickled cabbage, braised with pepper, fried crispy, deep-fried, steamed with soy sauce, grilled, steamed, various types of soup, rolled in rice paper, made into patties, cooked into porridge...

On traditional Tet holiday, dishes made from mullet have a rustic, sweet, mildly aromatic, nutritious flavor with a strong hometown flavor, especially mullet porridge.

According to experts in Oriental medicine, mullet porridge nourishes health, benefits qi, strengthens the spleen, cures chronic colitis, weakness, poor appetite, digestive disorders...

Specifically, in 100g of mullet meat there are 76g of water; 19.5g of protein (a precious protein, rich in amino acids); 3.3g of lipid (unsaturated fatty acids, good for the heart); 21mg of calcium; 224mg of phosphorus; 111 Kcal; iron and many vitamins.

Source: https://danviet.vn/cau-ca-doi-kieu-doc-la-o-dong-song-noi-tieng-binh-thuan-cha-can-luoi-giat-moi-tay-ai-cung-ham-20250125095216444.htm