A fisherman in Gia Lai Province has caught three unusually large silver carp in T'Nung Lake, locally known as Bien Ho, following several days of rainy weather.
Dang Ngoc Dung, 30, from Bien Ho Commune, said he caught the fish between September 20 and 23. The largest weighed more than 30 kilos, while the other two weighed 24 kilos and 20 kilos respectively.
Dung caught two silver carp weighing 20 kilogrammes and 24 kilogrammes at the same time in Bien Ho. (Photo: Huynh Vu)
“When the fish became entangled in the net, my companion and I had to struggle with it for nearly 30 minutes before it became exhausted. Only then were we able to bring it onto the boat,” Dung said.
After returning to shore, the fish were quickly purchased by traders and local residents. Dung said he sold the catch for about VND 80,000 (USD 3.08) per kilo.
The largest fish, weighing more than 30 kilos, earned him more than VND 2.4 million (USD 92).
According to Dung, catching fish of this size requires patience and experience. Each afternoon, he takes his boat into the middle of the lake to set nets before returning at around 3 am the following day to check them.
Large fish are most often caught shortly before dawn, when the lake is calm and fish begin actively feeding, he said.
Dung caught a fish weighing more than 30 kilogrammes. (Photo: Huynh Vu)
This is not the first time Dung has landed an oversized catch. On July 28, he discovered two silver carp weighing nine kilograms and more than 25 kilos in his nets. Images of the giant fish, which he shared on social media, prompted many viewers to jokingly describe them as the “lake monsters” of Bien Ho.
A representative of the People's Committee of Bien Ho Commune said around 20 households still rely on fishing in the lake. Most are members of the Jrai ethnic community or local residents who continue to use small boats and traditional fishing methods.
Fishing activities typically begin around midnight and continue until dawn.
Bien Ho, also known as T'Nung Lake, is one of the largest freshwater lakes in Gia Lai Province.
Scientists believe the lake was formed from the crater of an extinct volcano that ceased activity hundreds of millions of years ago. The oval-shaped lake covers approximately 2.28 square kilometres and has a depth ranging from about 12 to 19 metres.