One of the great things about game fishing is the lack of attitude in the sport. It’s a great leveller.
Veterans with impressive reputations for reeling in some genuine monsters are happy to share their experience and knowledge with total beginners – without being patronizing.
It’s part of the fun, and very satisfying when someone with a few grey hairs gives advice to a learner who goes on to make a good catch of his own. It’s the way life should be – giving back some of the pleasure you’ve received.
The same generous spirit goes for the captains and crew of most of the boats I know - everyone from the skipper down does all they can to make the game fishing experience one of those memories that adds up to a life well lived.
I think it’s particularly important to make sure youngsters have a good time when they’re out with me and the crew on Gwendolyn, the Grand Slam Fishing Charters flagship, but we get quite a few first time ‘seniors’ trying their hand, and of course a lot of them are very successful from the word go.
If you’ve got a really big fish on the line, you really need to know how to use the chair. That rocking motion you may have seen game fishermen do, is very important, raising the rod and pulling the fish towards the boat, then dipping it back towards the water.
I’ve seen experienced fishermen play big marlin like this for well over an hour – sometimes two or three hours - giving them line and letting them run just for the joy of it.
Then there are people like me who prefer to get their fish on the boat as quickly as possible, just to make sure they don’t go anywhere.
A lot of the fish caught on these charter days are weighed and released, to preserve stocks and protect the species, but April and May will be bringing some fish that are just too delicious to put back in the water.
Of course I’m talking about the yellowfish tuna that come in impressive sizes, and the big mahi-mahi. But the real fish to look out for are the blue marlin, which provide a great challenge.
If you’re lucky enough to catch one of the edible specimens, ask a member of the crew to prepare it for the grill. Just about every restaurant in the islands is happy to create a great meal from what you have caught, or let you use an open barbeque area to let you cook it for yourself.
I mentioned earlier that fishing is a great leveller, and so it is. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I offer some real bargains – just US$250 to join a party of six on a four hour deep sea fishing expedition, or only US$200 for a half day’s bottom fishing for big groupers and snappers, which are really good to bring back for dinner.
On the reef it’s also possible to catch barracuda and sharks, which are then returned to the water.
With a rod and line – and a great boat like Gwendolyn – there’s no reason to be bored in the Turks & Caicos.
Happy fishin’ to you all.
Codney Capron
*Grand Slam Charters is the official weigh station for Turks & Caicos, recognised by the International Game Fish Association (IGFA). Based on the island of Providenciales
THE PHASES OF THE MOON
New Moon – 3 May / 1 June
First Quarter – 10 May / 8 June
Full Moon – 17 May / 15 June
Full Moon – 17 May / 15 June
Last quarter – 24 May / 23 June
THE BEST FISHING IS NEAR THE NEW MOON AND THE FULL MOON
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