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Heritage craft

Bilikatuwa (බිලිකටුව): The Bait-Free Hook

Stilt fishermen catch fish without bait. The secret is the Bilikatuwa, a hook cast by hand from lead in a mould carved from cuttlebone and shaped like a small fish.

Handmade Bilikatuwa fish hook

A handmade Bilikatuwa hook.

Materials and tools

Materials: cuttlebone (දැලිපොතු / dalipothu), white and black lead (ඊයම් / eeyam), stainless steel wire (කම්බි), and thread to tie the mould shut.

Tools: a three-square file (පීර / peera), a small knife (පිහිය), a small hammer (මිටිය), a spoon (හැන්ද), a gas lamp for heating, and a piece of broken bulb glass for polishing.

How the hook is made

  1. Preparing the mould. Two pieces of cuttlebone are cut to about four inches and smoothed until they fit tightly together. If the mould does not seal, the melted lead leaks out.
  2. Carving the fish-bone shape. Inside the mould the fisherman carves a central channel like a fish’s spine, side channels like its bones, and a pouring hole at the tail. One mould makes up to eight hooks at a time.
  3. Placing the wire. Stainless steel wires about 1.5 inches long are straightened and laid along the carved channels. They become the core of each hook.
  4. Pouring the lead. The mould is tied shut with thread. Lead is melted in a spoon over the gas flame and poured in through the top hole, filling the channels around the wires.
  5. Separating the hooks. Once cool, the mould is opened. The lead piece looks like a fish skeleton with branches. Each branch is cut off with the knife and hammer to become one hook.
  6. Shaping and sharpening. Extra lead is trimmed, the hook is filed into a small fish shape with the three-square file, and the tip is sharpened. Fishermen test it lightly against the skin: if it grips, it is sharp enough.
  7. Finishing. The hook is polished with bulb glass until it shines, the tip is bent about 3 mm to form the hook, and a small groove is made to tie the line.

Why no bait is needed

The finished Bilikatuwa is strong, sharp and shaped and polished like a small shining fish. Moving in the waves, it attracts the fish by itself, so the fisherman needs no bait. It is fitted to the Kitul Piththa rod with the Thanguwa connector.

The knowledge of making the Bilikatuwa was the most closely guarded secret of stilt fishing. Only two or three fishing families knew how to make it, and they passed it only from father to son, never to other families. It is one of the quiet skills that keep Sri Lanka’s stilt fishing heritage alive.

See the tools in a fisherman’s hands

Visit our fishing family in Koggala. We show you the Rita, the Piththa and the Bilikatuwa up close, explain how each is made, and, when the sea allows, let you sit on a stilt yourself.

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Frequently asked questions

Do stilt fishermen use bait?

No. They use the Bilikatuwa, a shiny handmade lead hook shaped like a small fish, which attracts fish without any bait.

What is the Bilikatuwa made of?

Lead cast around a short stainless steel wire, in a mould carved from cuttlebone, then filed, sharpened and polished.

How many hooks does one mould make?

Up to eight, because the mould is carved like a fish skeleton with a branch for each hook.

Can I see a Bilikatuwa being made?

Ask us when you book your visit in Koggala and we will show you the hooks and how they are made.

The three handmade tools of stilt fishing

New to stilt fishing? Start with our visitor guide and is stilt fishing real or fake?