Yu Yuanfan aimee3031@126.com MY friend Jenny had long been searching for something new and fun to do in spare time. A sales consultant who visits several potential clients every week with most of the time spent on introducing products and negotiating prices, she was looking for an escape from her work: She prefers to relax alone or together with just a few friends, doesn’t want it to be too time-consuming and would like to stay indoors and minimize movement to avoid the scorching summer heat. I recommended prawn fishing, and she fell in love with it after the first try. If you’re also looking for a new pastime, prawn fishing is really worth a try. A decades-old entertainment probably originating in China’s Taiwan, prawn fishing is a popular activity in Singapore and in recent years, it is gaining increasing popularity in many coastal cities on the Chinese mainland. Just as the name indicates, the goal is to catch as many prawns as you can within a set time, usually 60 or 90 minutes. You may choose to bring home the prawns you catch, or have them cooked by the shop staff. Contrary to what many would imagine, modern prawn fishing venues are typically indoors and air-conditioned, making them an ideal place to go especially in summer. A pond surrounded by stools is located in the center of a hall and prawns of a species named Macrobrachium rosenbergii (giant river prawn) which boast a pair of long and powerful blue-colored legs await your conquest. Prawn fishing does not require special tools. A prawn fishing pole, a dish of bait, a pair of tweezers for removing the hook from a prawn and a towel to facilitate hook removing and prevent you from being nipped by the claws of the prawn are everything you need. Rentals are included in the fee you pay, which generally falls somewhere between 80 and 110 yuan for 60 minutes and between 90 and 130 yuan for 90 minutes. The process of prawn fishing is as simple as the tools it requires — bait the hook, cast the line into the water and then wait. When you see the bobber start to bob up and down or feel a tug on the line, lift the pole. Seasoned fishers can catch up to 50 prawns within 90 minutes. For rookies, the number may vary from nil to somewhere in between. Fortunately, most prawn fishing sites give extra prawns to empty-handed customers or those with a small catch. As a prawn fishing lover, I have some useful tips: First, hide the tip of the hook in the bait instead of letting it be exposed in the water; second, use the strength of your wrist instead of that of the whole arm when lifting the pole; and third, replace the bait with a new piece if it has been soaked in water for too long. Tasting the self-caught prawns is another fun part of the activity. Most people will choose to have them cooked by the shop staff and enjoy them on-site. Poached prawns and salt-seasoned baked prawns are the most common ways of cooking and are offered by almost all sites, but to woo customers, many have rolled out a more diverse recipe to include flavors such as soy sauce-seasoned prawns, salty egg yolk-coated prawns and Thai Tom Yum Goong-style prawns. Find a flavor you like, wait for 10 to 20 seconds and it’s time to taste your prawns! In Shenzhen, prawn fishing sites can be found in almost every district. Below are three prawn fishing sites I frequent and would like to recommend. Do remember that places are limited especially on weekends so don’t forget to make a reservation by phone to avoid disappointment! SKG Futian (SKG钓虾馆) The first prawn fishing brand in the city, SKG has expanded from Nanshan District to Futian District (however, their Nanshan site is temporarily closed due to a lack of personnel). SKG Futian is a combination of a prawn fishing site and a hot pot restaurant, so if you are considering having hot pot for lunch or dinner after prawn fishing, this is the place that can save you an additional trip. For those who are not interested in hot pot, SKG Futian is still worth visiting because it offers probably the most ways of cooking prawns, though extra cooking fees may be charged. Hours: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Prices: 88 yuan/60 min, 99 yuan/90 min (weekdays) and 119 yuan/90 min (weekends) Add: 1/F, BBHOL Hotel, 9005 Binhe Boulevard, Futian District (福田区滨河大道9005号中濠酒店一层） Metro: Line 3 or 7 to Shixia Station (石厦站), Exit E and then walk northwestward for around 1.2 km Deja Vu Fishing Club (逮虾户钓虾馆) Double your fun here if you are a dog lover. Deja Vu Fishing Club is best known on social media platforms for its two lovely dogs. Its convenient location in Chegongmiao makes it an ideal place for people working nearby to relax after a day of hard work. Hours: 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Prices: 78 yuan/60 min, 109 yuan/90 min Add: 1/F, north side of Building 202, Tairan Industrial Park, Xiangmihu Road, Futian District (福田区香蜜湖路泰然工贸园区202栋北面一楼) Metro: Line 1, 7, 9 or 11 to Chegongmiao Station (车公庙站), Exit F Marina 7（七号码头） The only prawn fishing site in Luohu District, Marina 7 is also a popular barbecue restaurant that is open until 2 a.m., making it the perfect choice for night owls and those who want a long get-together. Every Saturday and Sunday at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., two to four American or Australian lobsters will be plopped into the pond as additional quarry. Try to catch them for an additional dish! Hours: 11 a.m.-late night Prices: 88 yuan/60 min, 88 yuan/90 min (weekdays) and 118 yuan/90 min (weekends) Add: Opposite Vi City, 85 Taining Road, Luohu District (罗湖区太宁路85号喜荟城对面) Metro: Line 5 or 7 to Tai’an Station (太安站), Exit B and walk southeastward for around 800 meters | 