Fishing Advice

[Unicorn Dreams]

I've always had good luck with triple hooks in line, eyes thru hook to make them in line, and for bait, just use a heavy white vinyl strip like a boxed wine bladder. works great and doesn't cost anything. Make the strip about 12" long and let it bounce on the surface. Works great for tuna, wahoo, dolphin, or mahi-mahi for the unenlightened. I put an outrigger clip on my backstay and run the line thru it. It gives that little bit extra of slack for the fish to run with. Happy Fishing and Happy Eating...

[Unicorn Dreams]

Dolphin


Family Coryphaenidae, DOLPHINS
Coryphaena hippurus
Description: bright greenish blue above, yellow on sides, with capability of flashing purple, chartreuse, and a wide range of other colors; body tapers sharply from head to tail; irregular blue or golden blotches scattered over sides; anterior profile of head on adult males is nearly vertical; head of females more sloping; the single dark dorsal fin extends from just behind the head to the tail; anal fin margin concave and extending from anus to tail. Similar Fish: pompano dolphin, C. equisetis. The pompano dolphin has squarish tooth patch on tongue (oval tooth patch on dolphin) and fewer dorsal rays (48 to 55 versus 55 to 65 on dolphin).
Where found: OFFSHORE in warm waters.
Size: common to 30 pounds.
*Florida Record: 77 lbs, 12 ozs.
Remarks: one of the fastest-growing fish, thought to live no more than 5 years; swimming speed is estimated at 50 knots; spawns in warm ocean currents throughout much of the year; young found in sargassum weed; feeds on flying fish and squid.

[fenceguy2]

What do you want to fish for while you are down there. When are you going? I lived and worked on Tortola for many years as a fishing guide. "Caribbean Flyfishing" out of nanny cay. There is great Tarpon fishing, good bonefish, hit or miss permit. you can troll for dolphin wahoo tuna. if you want to go after the pelagics you need to get outside the Channel. You need to get to the shelf and troll in about 50 fathoms of water, look for birds. frigates and boobies. there are lots of black fin tuna around those will hit a plain cedar plus all day long, dolphin will also hit em. you don't need any weight, you want to troll them on the surface. vary your distance. Tuna generally like the bait far away from the boat, but dolphin wahoo and marlin will hit it right next to the boat.

As far as the conch goes, don't know about the laws, but there are two ways to get the conch out, one, freeze em for 24 hours and then pull em out with pliars. second, drill a hole on the third ring, then insert a thin small sharp knife and cut away the foot, then pull it out with pliars.

feel free to email/pm me if you have any questions about where to go, anchor/fish etc.
ps. the west end of Anegada is a great place to find conch.

[TexSail]

Originally Posted by rigamarole

I was wondering if anyone can give me a quick rundown on what specific tackle I should bring if I was going to fish off a charter boat (while sailing)in the BVI's. I have a couple of lightweight open face saltwater rods and reels. I'm thinking I need a heavy rod and spinning reel. Do you use a heavy weight to get the lure down below the surface? How far back do you place the lure?

I guess another question is about conch. Is it legal to catch them in the BVI's? I hope it is as last year we found about 5 of them crawling around. They all had a full curved lip and we ended up trying to cook em. I had a heck of a time getting them out of the shell and then fileting them.

I have spent a lot of time in Jamaica. The two ways that I have seen fisherman remove conch from their shells were:

1) Repeatedly throwing the conch down on the sand. This is fairly quick but a lot of work.
2) Getting a hook and and a short length of line, hooking the conch meat then hanging the conch by the line. The conch eventually lets go.

[imagine2frolic]

KEEGAN,

If I was a dolphin I would just jump in the boat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[AnchorageGuy]

Cleaning conch is not easy no matter how you do. In the Bahamas and just about every other place we have been they cut a small rectangular hole behind the second or third (can't remember exact) hump from the point. Stick a sharp flat knife blade in and cut the muscle that attaches it to the shell. Then with a pair of pliers pull the conch out. Ya, I know I will hear it from PETA.

[Hud3]

I learned this from a Rasta gentleman on Mayreau.

After you get the conch out of the shell (as described by others, above), take the conch and drop in in the sand.

Yes, that's what I said, drop it in the sand!

Rub the sand all around on it (don't be gentle), and then rinse it thoroughly in the ocean. That removes all of the slime from the conch, and if properly rinsed, leaves no grit whatsoever.

Then, cut off the really ugly parts (you'll know them when you see them). Cut as much of the brownish skin of as you can. What's left is pretty much pink and white. Pound it unmercifully with a hammer or meat tenderizer. Cut the meat into small chunks.

Marianate the chunks in lime juice and hot sauce (I like Crystal sauce) for a few minutes. Mix two eggs, half a cup of water, hot sauce, salt and pepper. Dip conch in egg mixture and dredge the pieces in cracker crumbs. Saute in a thin layer of oil until lightly browned. Serve with lime wedges and hot sauce on the side. And cold beer.

A delicious appetizer! Or main course, if you have enough conch.

It's called "Cracked Conch".

[AnchorageGuy]

Thanks Hud, I forgot that part. It has been a while

[GordMay]

* CRACKED CONCH *
6 Medium Conch, bruised (beat /w meat hammer) until thin & shredded
2 eggs, beaten 'till frothy
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup flour

Clean conch. Bruise with metal mallet untill very tender. Mix together: eggs, milk, salt & pepper. Dip conch in mixture, then roll in flour. Fry in 1/4" (or less) oil until golden brown. Serve & enjoy.


* CONCH SALAD *
2 conch, cleaned & finely chopped
1 orange, juiced
1/2 lime juiced
1/2 lemmon, juiced
1 small onion, coarsly chopped
2 tomatoes, coarsly chopped
2 small hot (red) chilli peppers, finely chopped (alternate: 1 tsp. dried chilli peppers)

Marinate the conch in the juices for 2 to 3 hours, then remove & reserve juice. Combine conch with chopped vegetables. Add orange & lime juice just prior to serving, season /w salt & pepper.
This recipe also works well with Shrimp or Lobster, or Scallops.

[Stranded Mariner]

Originally Posted by Chuck Baier

Cleaning conch is not easy no matter how you do. In the Bahamas and just about every other place we have been they cut a small rectangular hole behind the second or third (can't remember exact) hump from the point. Stick a sharp flat knife blade in and cut the muscle that attaches it to the shell. Then with a pair of pliers pull the conch out. Ya, I know I will hear it from PETA.

That is exactly how I saw it being done in St. Vincent. Conch is delicious. One of the things I really miss here in China.

[Palarran]

Well, I'm off for Tortola next week. I've read all your ideas and again thank you all for the lessons. I've got the rod, reel, and lures suggested and also a couple of steel leaders as I'm seeing fish with big teeth. We're going to Anagada this year and I would imagine a lot of conch in that reef so thanks for the cooking instructions also.

[Palarran]

This was one of the first posts I did on CF. Now I can finally brag a little. I caught a nice yellowfin the week before but didn't have the sense to take a photo.
Thanks for the advise back then.

[Vasco]

Conch's easy to clean, a bit slimy so do as Hud says rub it in the sand. Don't forget to swallow the little clear bit that's like vermicelli, supposed to be good for virility. As I said easy to do, here's my grandaughters with their first conch.



Before


After


And here's a dolphin.

[Cormorant]

One extra note about conch: once you've got it out of the shell and trimmed, and you're holding that rockhard chunk of conch muscle, you can save yourself all the hammer pounding if you slice it really thin, sort of like the pickled ginger you get with sushi.

Just use a good sharp filet knife and shave it. Then those slices can be fried up with olive oil and garlic, or soaked in lime juice for a ceviche. The texture is nice -- a little chewy, but with a hint of crunch to it. But you don't need to gnaw at it for hours.

I never tried it but it now occurs to me to try this with a good sharp vegetable peeler.

[Curmudgeon]

We Italians call conch scungilli and we steam them right in the shell. My favorite preparation is with lemon juice, garlic and butter.

Scungilli | Almost Italian