A-Fishing We Will Go

Ambler Isle
V and S
Sat 30 Apr 2011 22:04
Although it was raining, grey and miserable outside, we weighed anchor and headed out Conch Cay Cut to Exuma Sound.  Sad goodbyes followed us, many would leave on Sunday.  Who knows when we will return?  We set our course for Calabash, Long Island.  Jack and Judy were eager for an ocean trip.  We dragged three lines behind.  Would we ever start catching fish again?  Halfway across, we hooked a wahoo, the first ever on the Amber Isle. We got it up near the boat before it jumped the hook and swam away.  Disappointed, we re-rigged the line and went on.  An hour later we hooked a big mahi.  It fought and fought, repeatedly dragging out line and making us reel it in again and again.  Fishermen became exhausted from the fight.  Finally it was landed and in the boat.  It was a 52', 25# female.   Of course, it hit on the pink and white lure, as had most of the mahi we'd caught so far.  We'd enjoy fresh mahi a few day, first just pan fried in olive oil, then maybe concocted into mahi burgers. The rest would be frozen for another day.  But, no, WHAM!!!!  Another fish knocking at the door. Although we were in over 150' water, normally too deep for a barracuda, we'd hit one.  You already know about ciguatera, the toxin carried by overlarge reef fish.  This barracuda was not too big, nor was he living on a small reef.  But we'd eaten barracuda this month, and try to limit our intake of even the smaller ones to 1-2 times per season.  Catch and release was the motto of the day for this one.  But the fun of hooking 3 fishing, and fighting them was great.  Especially after such a fish "drought" we'd suffered for the past month.  This brought our fish count to 8 mahi for the season.    We eased into our anchorage at Calabash, Long Island, dropped anchor and sat dumbfounded at the beauty of that wonderful place.  A big 6 legged sea star welcomed us back.