Here is one of Inle Lake's most famous scenes: a fisherman with conical net balancing on one leg and paddling with the other. The Intha people developed this technique of leg paddling not because it was picturesque (which it certainly is) but because it enables them to work efficiently. The conical frame is thrust to the bottom of the lake, and the net is then dropped down over the surrounded fish. The standing fisherman has a good angle to see his prey in the shallow water. By using a leg for paddling, his hands are available for holding a net or fishing or holding a cigarette.