People in the upstream of An Giang 'hunt' for linh fish, chot fish, field crabs, and ghost water lilies during the flood season

The fields in Vinh Te ward, An Giang province are flooded these days. People are busy preparing to hunt for linh fish, chot fish, field crabs, and water lilies to make a living during the flood season.

With the floodwaters rising, the water lilies help Mr. Tam earn an additional income of over 300,000 VND per day - Photo: CHI CONG

On August 6th, Tuoi Tre Online observed that the rice fields in Vinh Te ward, An Giang province, bordering Cambodia, were completely covered in water. The swirling water flowing into the fields not only brought silt but also many characteristic products of the flood season such as snakehead fish, catfish, shrimp, freshwater crabs, and even water lilies blooming profusely, covering the fields in white.

Earn 300,000 VND/day thanks to ghost water lilies.

Having spent his entire life connected to the flood season, Mr. Huynh Thanh Tam - a resident of Vinh Te ward - said that in the early days of June 2025 (lunar calendar), water from the upstream flowed down the Vinh Te canal, flooding the fields bordering Cambodia.

He and the locals prepared various fishing tools such as rods, nets, and traps to go out into the fields to catch small fish like carp, catfish, and freshwater crabs... and to pick water lilies in the fields.

By 7 a.m., people in An Giang were already preparing nets and poles to set traps to catch snakehead fish - Photo: CHI CONG

"The water is flowing in quite strongly today. I can see the water level in the fields is already a meter high. This year I didn't set up any traps during the flood season, but I prepared nets and went to pick water lilies to sell and earn some money," Tâm boasted.

Ghost water lilies are easy to pick, but also very laborious. Around 2 AM each day, Mr. Tam has to wake up to drive his small boat out to the flooded fields and use a flashlight to pick the water lilies. He can pick 150-200 bundles of ghost water lilies all day.

Later, his wife, Ms. Phuong, sold the water lilies at prices ranging from 3,500 to 5,000 VND per bunch. After deducting expenses, the profit was about 300,000 VND per day.

People are busy setting traps to catch snakehead fish, catfish, and freshwater crabs.

Fishermen in Vinh Te ward select fish to sell to traders - Photo: CHI CONG

Mr. Huynh Van Huu, residing in Vinh Te ward, informed that this year's flood season arrived early, so he prepared his fishing rods and nets very carefully to set traps for catching snakehead fish. For each trap he sets, he has to calculate the water flow to catch as many fish as possible.

"This year I've seen a lot of snakehead fish. Each fishing net I set is sometimes up to 1km long (many nets are set continuously), so I've caught a lot of snakehead fish. The water is clear right now, so there aren't many fish. In 10 more days, when the silt water comes to the fields, there will be a lot more snakehead fish," Mr. Huu said.

Typical products of the flood season - Photo: CHI CONG

"Every year the water comes, but I only see whether it's a little or a lot. When the water comes, I go set traps for crabs and fish. Currently, I sell freshwater crabs for 25,000 VND/kg, small fish for 40,000 VND/kg, and catfish and shrimp for 120,000-130,000 VND/kg."

"The water flowing gently across the sun-drenched fields makes me happy. In years when the water is scarce, there are no fish or crabs, and I'm very sad," confided Mrs. Ngo Thi Hong from Vinh Te ward.

The An Giang Provincial Irrigation Department announced that today's forecast indicates water levels in the downstream areas of the river (Vam Nao, Cho Moi, Long Xuyen) will rise with the tide, 5-20cm higher than the multi-year average; water levels in the inland areas of the Long Xuyen Quadrangle will recede slowly.

Some images of the flood season in An Giang.

With the floodwaters arriving early, Mr. Tran Van Cung from An Giang province happily went out to the fields to catch fish and snails to make a living. - Photo: CHI CONG

Ms. Hong and her husband set traps and catch 7-10 kg of freshwater crabs per day - Photo: CHI CONG

Flooded fields in An Giang province, people set traps to catch snakehead fish - Photo: CHI CONG

The Vĩnh Tế canal, murky with silt, is about to overflow into the fields, bringing with it abundant fish and shrimp resources - Photo: CHÍ CÔNG

CHI CONG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/dan-dau-nguon-an-giang-san-ca-linh-ca-chot-cua-dong-bong-sung-ma-mua-nuoc-noi-20250806170509346.htm