It’s nearing midnight and Ross Fidden is kneeling in one corner of his runabout, arms dangling over the side as if he’s accidentally dropped something. The glow from his headlamp illuminates the calm, inky water as he reaches down into the abyss. “I’m threading the spreader into the net,” says Fidden. The spreader, a technical word for a timber pole that is forked at each end, holds the net open in the middle. He stands gingerly, readjusting his waders. “Now, we wait.”
As we float peacefully on the Myall River under the cover of darkness, Fidden, a fifth-generation fisherman, explains the process of set-pocket prawning. In short, a 20-meter-wide, funnel-shaped net is strung across the river, and as the tide runs in, it carries the prawns into the net. It seems pretty simple he says, but there are a lot of variables – the tide, the moon and the weather all play a part in creating the perfect prawning conditions. And based on the tonight’s conditions, our haul should be sizable.
“Last night, I pulled in 900kg on my own; and 1100 the night before with a little help,” says Fidden. “You can’t stop, you’re flat out!”
Denne historien er fra March 2021-utgaven av Gourmet Traveller.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra March 2021-utgaven av Gourmet Traveller.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
From personal experience
Former Hope St Radio chef ELLIE BOUHADANA invites you to gather your loved ones and enjoy an evening of good food and laughter with recipes from her new cookbook, Ellie's Table.
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Kylie Kwong celebrates the individuals helping to grow a stronger community. This month, we applaud the international curator and Yorta Yorta woman who is shining a light on First Peoples.
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HEATHCOTE BOUND
MICHAEL HARDEN hits the road to explore regional Victoria's Heathcote, home to this year's Best Destination Dining and a host of other delights.
The art of...relishing restaurants
Does working in hospitality make someone a better or worse diner
HEART AND SOUL
Not a vegetable but rather a flower bud that rises on a thistle, the artichoke is a complex delight. Its rewards are hard won; first you must get past the armour of petals and remove the hairy choke. Those who step up are rewarded with sweet and savoury creaminess and the elusive flavour of spring. Many of the recipes here begin with the same Provençal braise. Others call on the nuttiness of artichokes in their raw form. The results make pasta lighter and chicken brighter or can be fried to become a vessel for bold flavours all of which capture the levity of the season.
