Stilt fishing is the traditional way of fishing which is followed by many fishermans in the south coast of Sri lanka. In sinhalese Ritipanna is the term for Stilt fishing. Fishing is a hobby of most tourists, you can experience this art in Koggala, Welipenna, Kathaluwa and in Thalarambe in Galle district.

This tradition was created because the fishermans who do not have required equipment for fishing, took the help of two wooden poles to make a stilt. This is done to catch the living of the day. One of the two poles is nailed to the sea bed while the other is placed as a cross bar. Which acts as a plank for the fisherman. On each stilt only one fisherman can be positioned. A plastic bag is tied around their waist to store the fish that they catch. To catch the fish a narrow pole is tied up to a stick which is anchored in the sea bed. The fisherman climbs onto the stick and gets positioned on the pole, catching the stilt from one hand and holding the rod that catches fish from another hand. They sit for a few hours in order to catch some fish.

Still this tradition is followed by those who cannot afford and invest in modern fishing equipment.This view has become a huge tourist attraction. Many tourists visit Sri Lanka to experience this picturesque view.

This art of fishing requires a lot of patience and it's a huge commitment. Having the balance to sit on a narrow wooden plank for hours is not an easy task to do. The fisherman has to be very silent,even a slight disturbance of the atmosphere canmake the fish swim away. The fisherman has to wait in absolute silence which eventually makes their feet numb. Because they dont even move when they are on the stilt. It looks like a cool job but it isn’t. Fishermans who follow the traditional method make a huge effort to find a living.