Photographing the freestyle fisherboys of Goa

Catching the slippery fish with bare hands and seeing who wins makes a good story at the dinner table.

Goa is a major tourist capital of India. A little beach side town, colonized by the Portuguese during for more than 300 years. For most of us it generally means beaches, shopping, beaded jewelry, Kings beer and beach volleyball, prawn curry and sandy massages. Basically, just being as lazy as possible...

So I was pleasantly surprised to discover a little beach, right in the heart of the tourist section, where local fishermen were bringing in the catch for the day. It didn't look like much at first, but when I settled down on a little sand dune to watch them I suddenly got hooked. 

No big boats, no huge fishing nets. Only a group of men and a few children pulling on what seemed like an endless rope.

Preparing to haul in the net. The fishermen tie their version of a 'fishing rod' to pull in the net.

The little helpers line up in anticipation, the reward is all the fish that escape, which they then try and catch.

Heave Ho! Let's bring in the net! The fishermen start pulling in the net that cuts deep into the sea.

Did the trawl net come up empty? No. There were some fish. Just enough for the evening meal. And the children were going crazy trying to catch the fish that escaped -- a little game I was lucky enough to capture from my vantage point higher up on the dune.

I don’t know if my hotel served that fresh fish captured or the fishermen ate it all. But the little glimpse of the local people in this vastly tourist hub was a pleasant suprise.

Playtime. The boys abandon the net the minute the fish start jumping out.

Only the men are left to work as most of the net is in.

How to get there: Calangute Beach is situated in Northern Goa. It can be accessed by bus from Panjim or via cab, a slightly more expensive but more comfortable option. Should be around Rs 1,000 one way. Most buses stop at the Calangute junction. The main beach is a five minute walk down a road lined with tourist shops. This particular section can be accessed through the main beach, walking south. On a bike or in a car, take a right at St Anthony's chapel and go straight for about two kms.