Transcript (en)

This might be the laziest fishing method in the world. There's no need to cast a net or stand there watching all day. The fish simply follow the current and end up getting carried right onto the bamboo platform. This is a homemade fishing setup used by locals in India. All they have to do is come back at the right time with a bag and pick up the fish. The bamboo platform looks like the most important part, but the real secret is actually the rocks beside it. Locals pile rocks inward from both sides of the river, creating a narrowing stone weir with just one opening left in the center. This forces the scattered current and fish toward the middle until they eventually have to pass through that single gap. The bamboo platform is placed right below the opening. When the current carries fish onto it, the water keeps flowing through the gaps between the bamboo poles. Smaller fish can slip through as well, while larger fish get left behind on top. What makes it even smarter is that it can also catch branches, plastic, and other large floating trash in the river. When locals come to collect the fish, they can clear away the debris at the same time. The whole setup uses no electricity and no complicated machinery. With nothing more than rocks, bamboo, and flowing water, it can guide fish, sort them by size, catch them, and even trapped floating trash. So the smartest part isn't really the bamboo itself. It's the way they redirect the current and make the entire river deliver the fish for them.