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

mùa nước nổi - Ảnh 1. — When the water rises, the water lily helps Mr. Tam earn an additional income of more than 300,000 VND/day - Photo: CHI CONG

On August 6, Tuoi Tre Online reported that the fields in Vinh Te ward, An Giang province, bordering Cambodia, were covered in white water. The floodwaters flowing into the fields not only brought alluvium but also many typical products of the flood season such as linh fish, chot fish, shrimp, field crabs, and even white water lilies blooming in the fields.

Earn 300,000 VND/day thanks to water lily

Having lived his whole life with the flood season, Mr. Huynh Thanh Tam - a resident of Vinh Te ward - said that in early June 2025 (lunar calendar), water from upstream along the Vinh Te canal flooded the fields bordering Cambodia.

He and the locals prepared many fishing tools such as fishing rods, nets and bait to go to the fields to catch linh fish, chot fish, field crabs... and pick ghost water lilies in the fields.

mùa nước nổi - Ảnh 2. — At 7am, people in An Giang have prepared nets and trees to set traps to catch linh fish - Photo: CHI CONG

"The water level is quite strong today. I can see the water level in the fields is several meters high. This year's flood season, I didn't set up a trap but prepared a net and went to pick water lilies to sell for money," Mr. Tam boasted.

Ghost water lilies are easy to pick but also very hard work. Every day at around 2am, Mr. Tam has to wake up to drive his boat to the flooded fields and use a flashlight to pick the water lilies. All day long, he picks 150-200 bunches of ghost water lilies.

Then, his wife, Phuong, sold the bunches for 3,500 - 5,000 VND. After deducting expenses, the profit was about 300,000 VND/day.

Bustling with people setting traps to catch linh fish, chot fish, and field crabs

mùa nước nổi - Ảnh 3. — Fishermen in Vinh Te ward select fish to sell to traders - Photo: CHI CONG

Mr. Huynh Van Huu - in Vinh Te ward - informed that this year's flood season came early, so he prepared trees and nets very carefully to set up traps to catch linh fish. For each set of traps, he had to calculate according to the water flow to catch more fish.

"This year I see a lot of linh fish coming back. Each stream of fishing net I set is sometimes 1km long (many fishing nets are placed continuously) so the linh fish are very eager to catch. The water is clear now so there are few fish. In 10 days, when alluvial water comes back to the fields, there will be a lot of linh fish coming back," said Mr. Huu.

mùa nước nổi - Ảnh 4. — Typical products of the flood season - Photo: CHI CONG

"The water comes back every year, but I see it more or less. When the water comes back, I set up traps for crabs and fish. I currently sell crabs for 25,000 VND/kg, linh fish for 40,000 VND/kg, and chot fish and shrimp for 120,000-130,000 VND/kg.

"The water flows freely on the sunny river fields, but I am happy. Every year when the water is low, there are no fish or crabs, I am very sad," confided Ms. Ngo Thi Hong from Vinh Te ward.

An Giang Province's Irrigation Department said that today the water level in the downstream area of the river (Vam Nao, Cho Moi, Long Xuyen) is forecast to rise with the tide, 5-20cm higher than the average of many years; the water level in the inland area of the Long Xuyen Quadrangle will fall slowly.