Round-the-clock urban shrimp fishing in Taichung

By Daniel White
Translated by Angela Cheng

If you're bored and all the local watering holes have shut down for the night, fear not. Taichung still offers a unique and entertaining option for those who aren't quite ready for bed. Prawn fishing places dot the city, mostly on the outskirts, and offer a chance to sit with friends, have a couple of beers and attempt to catch yourself a late-night snack.

Finding a location can be difficult, as many of the places listed online have permanently closed down. Thus, it's best to call and see if they're still running. To the north of Taichung on FuYa Road, about 20 meters east of XiTun Road, is a smaller shrimp-fishing house open from 10:30 a.m. to 2 a.m. and offering two pools, one with male and one with female shrimp. Male shrimp are bigger, but harder to catch.

A little closer to the city center, a second location sits on MeiChuan East Road, Sec. 5, about a block north of DaLian Road. This location is open 24 hours a day and has one pool stocked only with male shrimp. The cost to fish is NT$200-250 per hour depending on how many hours you decide to stay. Barbecues are available and you can cook your catch, or ask a staff member to help. There's also a good-sized menu with seafood and side dishes to accompany your shrimp.

For first-time fishermen, it's important to match the length of string under your fishing bob (the floaty thing) to the depth of the tank so that the shrimp can grab your bait. If you feel a tug, give a slight pull to ensure that you've hooked the shrimp before hoisting it out of the water. Though my friend and I managed to catch only one shrimp in the hour that we were there, many other customers pulled shrimp from the pool every 10 minutes or so. Happy fishing!

Fisher friend shrimp-fishing house
190-2, FuYa Rd, Xitun Dist.
(04) 2461-6800
Hours: 10:30 am-2 am
Cash only. No service charge. Parking lot available.

Dong-ming shrimp-fishing house
128, MeiChuan E Rd, Sec 5, Beitun Dist.
(04) 2243-8968
Hours: 24hr
Cash only. No service charge. Parking lot available.