Fishing Dominica
For the majority of Dominica fishermen, fishing on Dominica is not looked upon as sport. It is work... a means of financial sustenance for those who are "fisher-folk."
Dominica fishermen mostly rely locally made boats ranging from hand-crafted canoes carved from a single tree trunk by the native Kalinago Indians, to small row boats, to slightly larger boats powered by single, 40hp outboard motors or less. A few boats are capable of supporting 100hp motors. Very few fisherman afford themselves the luxury and safety of 2 engines.
Fishermen in row boats can be seen daily, bobbing a short distance from shore. Using hand lines, they seek anything that will take their bait including barracuda, garfish, wahoo, snapper and other reef dwelling fish. Other fishermen, using boats with small horsepower engines, can be seen checking fish pots. Others set and pull large nets in their effort to catch ballyhoo, blue robins and other hand-sized fish that swim near to shore in large shoals.
What cannot be observed are those fishermen who have ventured 5 to 50+ miles off shore, in their single, 40 to 100hp single engine boats. They are seeking big fish -- blue marlin, tuna and mahi-mahi. Leaving well before daybreak, these brave men take their passions "out there." Out there... the local term used when traveling a good distance out to sea, sometimes solo, in search of big fish.
The locations for fishing at these distances is mostly predetermined by a fisherman having placed a FAD (fish attraction device). Marked only by a few floating buoys, FADs have been placed by more determined fisherman. Relocating the FAD often includes rely on handheld, Global Positioning System (GPS) locators to get them into the target area. (Learn More About Fads) Taking up to three or more hours to travel to the furthest set fads, the fisherman's journey is well beyond cell phone range once beyond 15 mile of shore. Use of marine radios is mostly nonexistent. These men are truly at sea -- out of communication with those on land.
Once having located the FAD, sometimes tricky as the surface portion of the fad is fully dependent upon sea current, the fisherman gets quickly to work. Unwinding a light hand-line attached to a plastic squid-looking lure hiding a hook, the fisherman trolls for bonito tuna. Used for bait, weighing anywhere from 1/2 - 5 pounds, bonitos, are used for bait. After one or two are successfully in the boat, fishing for marlin and tuna begins.
First, a bait is secured alive to a very large hook that is attached to 100-300 pound test monofilament line. The bait is then set at a depth ranging from near the surface to 200 meters; the line is freed to drift in the water, secured to a small buoy. Most often 1-6 lines are set in this manner, situated to drift with the current near to and past the FAD. (Rod and reel are seldom owned, let alone used by local fishermen who rely upon set hand-lines to catch large fish.)
When a yellow-fin tuna or marlin takes the bait, the buoy, having been floating flat on the water surface, stands straight up signaling a fish is on. Observing the buoy's action, the fisherman maneuvers his boat to the line where the chore of carefully pulling the catch in, hand-over-hand, begins. Most often this does not occur quickly. The pulling process can be very risky as all of the line is brought into the boat, piling at the fisherman's feet.
Never wrapped around hands, the line is tightly grabbed as the pulling takes place. Incredibly strong and fast, both large tuna and marlin have the ability to carry on a respectable struggle. Extreme caution must be taken when a fish decides to make a run, resulting in the unstoppable zipping out in a matter of seconds, all the line gathered into the boat, passed the fisherman's' feet and back into the sea. Now, the pulling begins all over again.... the process repeating itself until the fish finally wanes enough to be killed by knife or harpoon and brought on to the boat.
Of all, the fish caught on Dominica, from the smallest to the largest, 100% are used for food, some given away to friends & neighbors, the rest sold locally to villagers, restaurants, stores and markets. There is no waste; Dominican's are experts at preparing fish in incredibly tasty way, served at practically every meal.
Dominica fishermen mostly rely locally made boats ranging from hand-crafted canoes carved from a single tree trunk by the native Kalinago Indians, to small row boats, to slightly larger boats powered by single, 40hp outboard motors or less. A few boats are capable of supporting 100hp motors. Very few fisherman afford themselves the luxury and safety of 2 engines.
Fishermen in row boats can be seen daily, bobbing a short distance from shore. Using hand lines, they seek anything that will take their bait including barracuda, garfish, wahoo, snapper and other reef dwelling fish. Other fishermen, using boats with small horsepower engines, can be seen checking fish pots. Others set and pull large nets in their effort to catch ballyhoo, blue robins and other hand-sized fish that swim near to shore in large shoals.
What cannot be observed are those fishermen who have ventured 5 to 50+ miles off shore, in their single, 40 to 100hp single engine boats. They are seeking big fish -- blue marlin, tuna and mahi-mahi. Leaving well before daybreak, these brave men take their passions "out there." Out there... the local term used when traveling a good distance out to sea, sometimes solo, in search of big fish.
The locations for fishing at these distances is mostly predetermined by a fisherman having placed a FAD (fish attraction device). Marked only by a few floating buoys, FADs have been placed by more determined fisherman. Relocating the FAD often includes rely on handheld, Global Positioning System (GPS) locators to get them into the target area. (Learn More About Fads) Taking up to three or more hours to travel to the furthest set fads, the fisherman's journey is well beyond cell phone range once beyond 15 mile of shore. Use of marine radios is mostly nonexistent. These men are truly at sea -- out of communication with those on land.
Once having located the FAD, sometimes tricky as the surface portion of the fad is fully dependent upon sea current, the fisherman gets quickly to work. Unwinding a light hand-line attached to a plastic squid-looking lure hiding a hook, the fisherman trolls for bonito tuna. Used for bait, weighing anywhere from 1/2 - 5 pounds, bonitos, are used for bait. After one or two are successfully in the boat, fishing for marlin and tuna begins.
First, a bait is secured alive to a very large hook that is attached to 100-300 pound test monofilament line. The bait is then set at a depth ranging from near the surface to 200 meters; the line is freed to drift in the water, secured to a small buoy. Most often 1-6 lines are set in this manner, situated to drift with the current near to and past the FAD. (Rod and reel are seldom owned, let alone used by local fishermen who rely upon set hand-lines to catch large fish.)
When a yellow-fin tuna or marlin takes the bait, the buoy, having been floating flat on the water surface, stands straight up signaling a fish is on. Observing the buoy's action, the fisherman maneuvers his boat to the line where the chore of carefully pulling the catch in, hand-over-hand, begins. Most often this does not occur quickly. The pulling process can be very risky as all of the line is brought into the boat, piling at the fisherman's feet.
Never wrapped around hands, the line is tightly grabbed as the pulling takes place. Incredibly strong and fast, both large tuna and marlin have the ability to carry on a respectable struggle. Extreme caution must be taken when a fish decides to make a run, resulting in the unstoppable zipping out in a matter of seconds, all the line gathered into the boat, passed the fisherman's' feet and back into the sea. Now, the pulling begins all over again.... the process repeating itself until the fish finally wanes enough to be killed by knife or harpoon and brought on to the boat.
Of all, the fish caught on Dominica, from the smallest to the largest, 100% are used for food, some given away to friends & neighbors, the rest sold locally to villagers, restaurants, stores and markets. There is no waste; Dominican's are experts at preparing fish in incredibly tasty way, served at practically every meal.
Thanks to Tony Roudette (L) and Hilsford Vidal (R) for providing an ongoing abundance of memorable sea and fishing experiences. Their friendship while introducing me to Dominica, sharing their fishing insights and taking me "out there" is a continuing privilege.
The clip below shows the basic, yet effective use of a large float attached to a 100 + yards of 200 lb test line and a single hook baited with a small bonito tuna (between 1/2 to 3 pounds.) |
Marlin - Approx 220 lbs - Caribbean Sea, 27 miles west of Dominica
A note of appreciation to those local fishermen from the villages of Coulibistrie and Mon Roche who keep their boats and nets on Batalie Beach. Their willingness to accept me as their friend letting me observe and participate in their daily fishing and beach rituals, is an enriching experience and privilege... |