FISHING THE “PALANGRI” WAY

FISHING THE “PALANGRI” WAY
By: Bro. Geminiano V. Galarosa, Jr.
Dagohoy Lodge No 84
(HM- LL 185, JS 169 and RP 147)

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Talk about fishing by hook and the things that will come out of one’s imagination would likely be the rod and reel, the hook, the line and the sinker. And of course, the bait. But that is as far as amateur fishing is concerned. The professionals do it another way.

The fishermen, the lion learned, also use the hook, line and bait; but the rod, reel and sinker are excluded. And they use not one, not two, not three, but up to several hundred hooks at a given time.

Sound weird?! Now read this!

Using a sturdy nylon cord of no less then five hundred meters in length, the fisherman would attach short cords (or strings) having the length of about two meters where the hooks are tied at its end and where the baits are individually placed . The short cords are tied at a distance of about three meters apart thus avoiding the short cord to get entangled with another. These nylon cords are then neatly stacked at the inner part of a wooden box having the size of about a square yard that serves as container, after which, sand is generously poured over to make it easy to release, while the hooks where the baits are attached are neatly tacked and dangled at the outer side thus enabling the fishermen to lay down the hooks that contained the baits systematically at the open sea. Once done, the fisherman will return home for a brief period (usually about three hours) to allow the fish to take the bait, or bite the bullet so to speak, and later would return to check and get his catch if any, and also retrieve the gear.

The brief explanatory note about “palangri fishing” concluded, let me now narrate to you what happened to deserve the composition of this short article..

The lion’s computer clock registered 1:30 A. M. last July 25 when he opened it and as usual, proceeded to open his mailbox. In it were four Grand Lodge No. 12 Circulars which were forwarded by RW Jimmy Gonzales, Junior Grand Warden. After downloading these, the lion skimmed through their contents hoping he can see a familiar name and seeing none that attracted his attention, lackadaisically proceeded to shut off his beat-up and antique computer.

Having done his early morning routine (if one thirty is not early, then tell the lion what time is), he then went out of the house to relieve himself by emptying his gallbladder and while doing so, heard voices outside the gate of their backyard. Casually, he went out the gate and there joined Eben, Pilo and Alice who were enthusiastically discussing Pilo’s recent catch below the third electric light that the lion tamere have caused to be installed recently.

“Major”, that’s the sobriquet that the lion recently gave Pilo, was enthusiastic in his story. The day before, he was earnestly tidying up his fishing gear that is locally called “palangri”, a mesh of about 200 fishing hooks neatly tied and spaced to a sturdy nylon cord. This unique fishing equipment that was explained earlier was supplied with baits consisting of fresh “tambans” the kind of fish that form part of the early jogger’s morning breakfast at ChowKing called “tusilog” which actually is but the acronym of “tuyo’, sinangag, and itlog!”

It turned out that at about seven that night, “Major” laid out his gear at sea and three hours later, returned to check on his prospective catch. His narration was energetic and vibrant. He said that no sooner had he pulled the first few meters of the nylon cord when after three hooks, he noted his hold being tugged strongly by a strong force. “Bingo!”, he mused, it should be a big catch, one that should not get away, and after a spirited effort, downloaded to his boat a red-colored fish locally called “ahaan” (probably a red herring or red snapper in the English language). This catch was followed by three more of the same kind and another denizen of the sea locally called “ubod”, or a slippery eel, appeared. In all , his catch totaled about ten kilos.

“Major” and his wife, Alice, were jubilant. The catch can easily fetch for them about eight hundred pesos in the streets, thus, after deducting the fifty pesos for the cost of the baits, his effort will easily net him no less then seven hundred bucks. The task of peddling will be done by “Honey”, wife of Andoy, who is also expected to add a reasonable mark-up for her effort as “lab’asera”, a local term for fresh fish vendor!.

In fine Jimbo awoke and joined us. A little later, Andoy, who laid out his own “palangri” at sea returned. “”Major”, having completed attaching baits on his other set of “palangri” that he was then working on, gave the extra fish-baits to Alice, whereupon Alice and Honey proceeded to set fire and broiled the surplus fish for us to feast on. Liza, Jimbo’s wife, and their six year old daughter Queenie also woke up and joined the group.

But as the neighbors knew, work without the second wage of a fellowcraft (brethren should guess this right, it’s called Tanduay), is not work. It is called forced labor. (RW Jimmy, here is another difference about work and labor!) And so, Eben gave Honey forty pesos and cajoled her to wake Marissa up at her sari-sari store to enable Honey to buy the needed liquor. At one thirty in the morning? But of course!! The lion also refused not to be counted; he went home and no sooner returned with his favorite brewed coffee still steaming on his special coffee mug the pungent-smelling homegrown coffee called “Barako”.

In fine, the group partook of the broiled fish that was supplemented by left-over cooked rice while the lion sipped his coffee in between bites. The fishermen, for their part, partook of the broiled fish that was being pushed to their sarcophagus by the wine called Tanduay until the finally all retired at about three thirty that morning to regain their interrupted naps.

And what happened next??

No more than two hours after the sun appeared at the horizon, the three fishermen again ventured to the open sea to retrieve their gears and upon their return, Andoy went home with two “ahaans” weighing about four kilos and two “pinyahons”, a kind of fish that sells cheap locally because consuming it generously may cause one to constipate (which reminds the lion about the wonder drug called Xenical that also cause the patient to relieve himself involuntarily if one don’t watch it carefully), “Major” bagging a three-kilo “talakitok” , while Eben had a four-kilo barracuda (called rompee locally), another three- kilo fish called “balare”, and a three-kilo eel that surely will be the envy of the Chinese connoisseurs of Binondo, All told, the lion’s neighbors have earned their “daily bread” for a couple more days or so.

Fish talk?! But of course! And freshly caught from the subterranean recesses of planet earth!!