Catch and keep hostage

a148pro

Saw an interesting fishing method in Greece there last week (Zakynthos). Men were fishing by walking along the shore holding a large bamboo style pole with line wrapped around it. This, on inspection, was tied (not hooked) to a live fish which would pull the line taut trying to swim away. The man would walk up and down the beach with a weighted net wrapped around their other hand, keeping a fixed gaze on the fish which was about five or six meters away in the waves. They'd watch and the tied fish would 'lure' another fish of the same species in beside it, whereupon the lad would launch into the water and throw the net down to catch the second fish.

They'd then pull in both fish, take the original hostage fish off and keep it as catch then tie the new fish on and repeat the process, presumably because the older fish was tiring and less able to attract another.

The fish looked like a mullet and a waiter told me the greek name for the fish was Kephalos, which google confirms is a grey mullet.

Anyone ever seen or heard of this method before? Was evidently working well as I observed him catch two or three fish in a relatively short period.

Eph1958

Interesting was of fishing that I've never heard of either. Wonder how they catch the fist fish to start the process off.

SeaFields

I have seen a similar method in fishing documentaries several times. It's in Japan and they use a live fish to lure another. The "bait" has a ring through its nose and several trailing treble hooks. The bait fish is lowered into the river on an extremely long pole and held in areas where it's counterparts are likely to lie. Due to the territorial nature of the species, the fish attack each other and another fish will be foul hooked on the trailing trebles.

the evasion_kid

SeaFields wrote: »

I have seen a similar method in fishing documentaries several times. It's in Japan and they use a live fish to lure another. The "bait" has a ring through its nose and several trailing treble hooks. The bait fish is lowered into the river on an extremely long pole and held in areas where it's counterparts are likely to lie. Due to the territorial nature of the species, the fish attack each other and another fish will be foul hooked on the trailing trebles.

Seen that its up on YouTube,very interesting documentary.

a148pro

I was told by the fisherman that the fish were migrating past the coast, they only come past at that time of year. If that's true then it would seem territoriality would be less important. FWIW the fisherman said that the trapped fish would "call" the other fish, think I take with a pinch of salt but interesting nonetheless. Could be mating I suppose.