The fisherman climbs up a thin pole that sticks out of the shallow water near the beach. He balances on a small crossbar called a 'petta' - just a piece of wood tied across the pole. From there, he can sit quietly for hours, holding his rod, waiting for small fish like herring or mackerel.
Why fish like this instead of from a boat? Two reasons. First, the fisherman is high enough above the water that the fish don't see his shadow. Second, the poles don't make any noise - no engine, no oars - so the fish swim close without being scared.
Each pole has its 'owner'. Families pass the fishing spots down from generation to generation. A grandfather will hand his pole to his son, who hands it to his son. The whole stretch of coast has a quiet order to it.
Stilt fishing is now mostly a way to keep a tradition alive. Many of the fishermen you see today are showing visitors a piece of Sri Lankan history - real fishing is mostly done from boats now. But the image of a fisherman balanced on a pole at sunset is one of the most famous pictures of Sri Lanka in the world.