In search of a prize catch...

The water bodies overflow, the rivers are in full flow, every little stream gurgles and there are puddles of water everywhere. It is an exhilarating experience to be part of the monsoon in the coastal and Malnad regions of the State. 

It is also the time when fish of different varieties breed and follow migration paths in the water. This migration is called ‘Ubar’ in local parlance. Agriculturists all take to fishing at this time of the year. It is the most awaited event of the monsoon among farmers. 

And it is not just during the day that people in the region take to fishing. As night falls, darkness hardly becomes a deterrent, as farmers use kerosene lamps or torches to go fishing. The constant monsoon drizzle hardly comes in the way for these farmers. They continue to fish in the brooks and streams unmindful of the rain.

“The taste of ‘ubar’ fish is completely different from other varieties. These fish are different from fish found in the seas or rivers. Also, ‘ubar’ fish has a huge demand, and is available only during the beginning of the rainy season,” points out Edward Dsouza who goes fishing in the rain. “Not that this kind of fishing is completely safe. There are times when the rain water brings along all kinds of poisonous snakes. One should be extremely careful while fishing during the monsoon,” warns Dayanand Kukkaje.

But this traditional fishing during the monsoon is now waning, because of rampant urbanisation. Also, because of pollution and other environmental causes, some of the fish varieties traditionally available during the monsoon have begun to dwindle.