Gone Fishing

Until very recently, we did not have fishing gear aboard. I wasn't sure what I needed or wanted, so I procrastinated for over a year. The biggest obstacle is that there is no room on the stern to set up a trolling rod and little spare room aboard to store fishing equipment. Shortly after we arrived in George Town, I attended a fishing seminar put on by a cruiser who was very knowledgeable on the subject. This really filled some huge knowledge gaps for me and inspired me to get moving. In George Town, the prices on the fishing gear, as with most everything else, were too much. I found the fishing gear prices at a marine supply store on Long Island to be comparable to US prices and 1/3 to 1/2 less than in George Town and Nassau. I had decided, given our cluttered stern situation and otherwise limited space aboard, to go with a Cuban YoYo, which is a hand line. Our first opportunity to use the new gear was on our return from the northern tip of Long Island to George Town. This route crosses very deep water where the fishing is best. We had our line out for about one hour before we got a hit. We were under sail at about 7 1/2 knots, so first we had to slow the boat down. We rolled in the jib and then turned slightly into the wind. The Mahi Mahi on our line was absolutely beautiful, swimming and fighting in the crystal clear water. As soon as a Mahi Mahi is pulled from the water, they lose their beautiful colors.

We were traveling with Demon Du Midi, so we immediately invited them to a fish dinner. They subsequently caught a smaller Mahi Mahi. It was an all-around good day of sailing and fishing, finished with an excellent dinner and good company.