How to Trap Rice Field Eels in Winter? A Detailed Guide to Practical Methods
The winter market price of rice field eels is several times that of summer, so right now is the best time to bring them to market. Catching rice field eels in winter is very difficult, and the vast majority of farmers catch them by digging out the mud of the entire pond to retrieve the eels. This method is labor-intensive, easily injures the eels, takes a long time, and also destroys the ecological structure of the pond habitat, harming production the following year. Below are two relatively quick and safe trapping methods for your reference.
Straw Mat Trapping Method
1. Method
Prepare for trapping the eels before draining the pond. Soak thicker new straw mats or straw bales in a 5% quicklime solution for 24 hours to disinfect them, then air them out for 2 days before use. Lay the above straw mats on the bottom of the mud trench in the eel pond, spread disinfected rice straw (or wheat straw) about 5 cm thick on the mats, lay a second layer of straw mats on the rice straw, and then spread a layer of dry rice straw about 10 cm thick on the mats. When the water temperature drops below 13°C, gradually drain the water to a depth of 6-10 cm; when the water temperature drops to 8°C-10°C, add another layer of rice straw about 20 cm thick above the mud trench; when the water temperature drops significantly further, drain the pond completely. At this point, due to the "temperature inversion layer effect" of the straw layer, the temperature within it is slightly higher than the mud layer temperature, and since the mud ridges have been exposed to cold air for a long time, the eels can be effectively drawn beneath the straw mats and between the two layers of mats.
2. Precautions
① This method can keep the eels gathered among the mud and straw and between the mats for a long time without escaping. If they need to be kept until deep winter, further insulation should be added according to freezing conditions.
② When collecting the eels, do not remove all the rice straw at once; remove only as much as you need to collect. First spread a plastic film beside the area, then remove the dry straw. When removing the straw, if many eels are hidden in the wet straw, lift the wet straw together with the straw mats onto the plastic film for sorting. This method is extremely effective and suitable for large-scale harvesting.
Fermentation Pit Trapping Method
Dig a pit about 30 cm deep in the corner of the pond in advance, and place an appropriate amount of fermented rice straw into the pit.
1. Preparation
Mix disinfected and de-alkalized semi-dry rice straw with a starch adhesive (rice soup can also be used as a substitute), until it is evenly coated. After 1-2 hours, thoroughly mix the fermentation starter ingredients (the starter formula is: 20% wheat bran, 30% dried cow dung, 30% yellow mealworm frass pellets, 20% distillers' grains), then sprinkle them into the rice straw, stirring with a fork while sprinkling, so that the starter ingredients adhere evenly to the straw. Put the above straw into the pit, gradually add pond water, and then cover with a thick layer of dry rice straw. In this way, the straw in the pit will generate a large amount of heat within a few days. To make the straw ferment slowly and control the temperature well (generally it only needs to be higher than the temperature under the mud, and preferably not exceed 15°C; if the air temperature has already reached 15°C, the straw temperature in the pit can be 2°C-3°C higher than the air temperature), when the temperature is too high, remove part of the dry rice straw covering the surface, and when the temperature is too low, add some more dry rice straw.
2. Precautions
① When collecting eels, simply take out part of the straw from the pit to obtain a batch of eels. This method is relatively flexible and simple, and can be used repeatedly in winter.
② If conditions permit, place a self-regulating electric heater in the straw for a better effect. This heater can also be placed directly in the water to heat and attract eels, with very satisfactory results.