NOtes from 'the edge'

CETV
  • HOME
  • About CETV
    • Chef Ellard Bio
    • Music On the Edge
  • RECIPES
  • BLOG
  • MERCHANDISE
  • LINKS

A Maldives Tuna Fishing Tale by Chef Ellard

8/9/2016

 
Arrrrr. Let me spin you a tale of fishing in the Maldives for the great tuna. A heartbreaking tale from The Culinary Edge TV .. 

Bailey and I booked a fishing charter on the isle of Huraa. Our host Shahid Rasheed is like the Maldivian version of Ricardo Montalban- 'Welcome to Fantasy Island'. We really didn't know what we were in for. We have been fishing on a boat 4 times so far in our around the world adventure and each one was full of surprises.
​
We set out onto the clear blue Maldivian waters in an 18ft speed boat. The fishing gear consisted of empty 3 gallon oil jugs with fishing line wrapped around and trolling lures on the end. Perfect! We were hand-lining tuna in the Indian Ocean.

The Captain drove the boat to some fishing grounds off the the island of Hulhumale. Bailey and I took our places in the stern and let the lines drift out into the rich colbalt blue sea. We held the lines waiting for a fish. Not too long into it Bailey got a hit, she started pulling in her line with this scary and determined look. I told her to make sure the line wasn't wrapped around her hands "I've seen fingers torn out at the knuckles."
"It looked like a nice yellowfin (ahi) tuna and I was salivating thinking of the Hawaiian style poke I would prepare from this tasty fish."
Picture
As she gained line on the fish, our Captain wound the line around the oil jug. The fish got closer and I asked the crew if they had a gaffe. It doesn't appear they use gaffes in the Maldives. Bailey persistently kept pulling the fish in with her hands and I filmed it with the GoPro. She brought the fish to the side of the boat. Looked like a nice yellowfin (ahi) tuna and I was salivating thinking of the Hawaiian style poke I would prepare from this tasty fish.
​
At the side of the boat the Captain went to go lift the fish and we watched as the yellowfin tuna seemed to look right at us. And with one flick of his beak it shook the hook out, flopping back into the water and shooting us a stare that read, "You'll be eating salad tonight. HaHaHA". And then he was gone!
We didn't hook another fish that day but we will always remember that stare the fish gave us as he escaped back into the Indian Ocean. Bailey has cuts on her hands from the line and will certainly remember the fight...the question is -- will that fish remember us?
Picture
Picture
Picture
This story first appeared on Facebook. Follow us!


Comments are closed.

    About

    The Culinary Edge TV is about authentic food  and culture around the world. We celebrate and spotlight unique, eclectic, non-commercial, communal, and creative activities people are pursuing across the globe. 

    Archives

    May 2022
    June 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    November 2018
    August 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    September 2014
    December 2013
    July 2013

     RSS FEED

    Categories

    All
    BBQ
    Coffee
    Family
    Fried Chicken & Waffles
    Hawaii
    Holiday
    Pizza
    Round The World
    Seafood
    Season One
    Season Two
    SF Bay
    Surfing
    Vegan
    Vietnam

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • HOME
  • About CETV
    • Chef Ellard Bio
    • Music On the Edge
  • RECIPES
  • BLOG
  • MERCHANDISE
  • LINKS