Saturday February’s 3rd, twenty eighteen
Yesterday we left Alders Cay in the Berry Islands bound for Nassau. I had put together all the components of my fishing kit into what I hoped would be an effective unit.
I got the rod out when things were under control on the boat and we were headed south in less than 5 kts of real wind and a 5 foot swell from the North East. Fishing went well other than nothing happened. We were an hour out of Nassau and I had reeled in all the line and had given up. “I’m seeing weeds floating” Jimmie said. “Floating weeds are a good place to fish” he added. So, out went the line again and sure enough within two minutes the rod was bending, line was going out and the key stone cops of fishing was on.
All the accoutrements required were not on deck. The glow in the dark bonker and the gaff were somewhere up in the V berth area. We slowed the boat but not the mayhem. It was a lot of work. Luckily my adrenaline and medications kicked in and the fish was reeled in closer. What a battle and the fish was fighting too. I’d get him near the boat and he would dive down. This went on for 4 or 5 dives. Now I was armed with a fishing rod in both hands, a bonker in my right pocket and the gaff strapped to my right hand.
“How would I gaff the fish without holing the boat” I heard the voice on my right shoulder say. Left shoulder said “they make fiberglass every day”. Finally we got the fish gaffed and over the rail. Landed. Holy Crap. I texted the pics to my son and daughter and their complete disbelief that I caught something was comforting. Holy shit the both sort of said.
We used the alcohol trick and put him out of his misery, two for him and one for me. Now armed with a sharp filet knife on a heaving deck I cleaned the fish. Not an artistic job but adequate. Soul Serenade had fresh fish tacos and we had pan fried mahi mahi.
We arrived at West Bay on New Providence Island in the early afternoon. Today’s plan is to continue south as far as possible and try to get Sue close to a TV for the Superbowl.