An Authentic Penghu Fishing Village Experience: Catch Sea Bream, Grill Oysters, Make Squid Balls, and DIY Scallop Sauce

Text & Photography / Wei Rwei

With the intense heat of summer gone, autumn in Penghu feels much more refreshing. The seafood during this season is especially sweet and delicious, making it the perfect time to experience the vibrant and hearty lifestyle of local fishermen and enjoy a truly local-style vacation in Penghu.

In the past, most travelers visiting Penghu would mainly explore famous attractions, enjoy beach activities, and take photos at the Double-Heart Weir... To offer visitors a more unique experience, in October this year, Uni Air specially designed itineraries that combine traditional old houses, old streets, as well as sites like the former residence of the renowned singer Chang Yu-sheng and the hometown of Pan Anbang, who sang "Grandma’s Penghu Bay." These experiences also include catching sea bream, charcoal-grilled oysters, and exclusive hands-on activities like making squid balls and scallop sauce—turning what are usually just purchased souvenirs into unique travel flavors and memories through DIY. As the saying goes, “Seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times; tasting once is better than seeing a hundred times.” Without personally holding the fishing rod and feeling every detail of the angling process, or putting on gloves and experiencing the right amount of force needed to shape the fish paste, one can’t fully appreciate the true joy. So don’t miss out on the chance to join a yacht trip, head to an offshore leisure platform, and visit restaurants and factories for a special experiential journey.

Catching Sea Bream — A Test of Patience and Strength

For those who have rarely fished before, this is a great opportunity to practice. Locals use cage farming and have made the economically valuable sea bream part of a tourism experience, using Pacific saury as bait. The caught sea bream can be released back into the pool. Successfully catching a sea bream requires not only patience but also strength. Once the bait is in the water, even if a sea bream quickly comes to bite, don’t rush to reel it in. Instead, wait until the fish has fully taken the bait before starting to pull. This all depends on experience—if you pull too soon, you’ll only tear the bait apart, leaving it floating in the water. If you’re too slow, the sea bream will have already swallowed the bait. Even if you manage to hook one, you’ll need to put up a bit of a struggle with the fish, which can be somewhat challenging for women.

Fishing truly has a kind of magic. Every subtle change from casting the line to reeling it in touches the heart. It brings challenges, excitement, and the rewarding sense of accomplishment that comes from experience—seemingly the very reasons why people keep coming back for more, whether they catch anything or not.

One angler also observed that since the fish farmers throw the bait forcefully into the pool, if you cast your bait with some strength as well, the sea bream are more likely to come quickly. Otherwise, the sea bream, used to being fished, seem to know the other end of the bait is a fishing rod and sometimes don’t react at all—or just peck tentatively at the bait. Assuming the fish is hooked and reeling in at that point would be a mistake. When the bait is already mangled, it’s best to switch to a new one; otherwise, you're just teaching the sea bream not to bite that hook.