Inle Lake Fishermen

Finally, on my third visit to Inle Lake in Central Myanmar, I got the opportunity to photograph the traditional method of fishing with the leg-rowing fishermen (thank you to Megan who pushed us to organize this outing). The Intha people are the main tribe that live on and around Inya Lake. They are a traditional tribe who live a subsistence lifestyle of fishing and farming (with unique floating gardens). The leg-rowing technique is believed to date back to the 12th century and allows the fisherman to see the fish more clearly, as well as being able to avoid weeds and other debris that could get tangled in the net. It requires incredible strength and balance and is really fun to watch.

Photos from our travels with the Allen’s in December 2019

After being able to get some amazing sunset fishing photos from inside the fishing boat we were lucky enough to find more fisherman out in the early morning as well.

The bamboo frame is the support for the net that is stretched around it. As the lake is shallow the fisherman can push the frame into the the weeds and trap the fish within. He then releases the net to collapse on the fish and pulls it back in, all while balancing on the oar and boat with his legs.