“Coney” Island Dinner

The beach on the Atlantic side of Petit Nevis.

 Not a day has gone by since we began to venture north into the Grenadine Islands when a local fishing boat hasn’t stopped by to sell us lobster, lambi (conch), or fish. This week we’ve been anchored off of the uninhabited island of Petit Nevis and there have been fishing skiffs with crews of three or four on a daily basis that have come into the bay to net bait.  Everyday we wave as they motor past and then watch as they toss a net or two.
      

                          

We snorkeled around the boat and off the rocky shore and, yes, there are fish in the bay.  So this morning, after yet another fishing boat quietly motored into the bay at first light, I was inspired.  I began to ready my rod and realized it needed more attention than I planned since Dan was last to use it and he rigged the lure his way instead of mine.  I decided to throw out a handline to watch while I retied the lure on my pole. So I got a scrap of tuna from the bait bag in the freezer and set the bobber to hold the bait at appropriate depth for the anchorage.

Well the fish were indeed hungry because as soon as I tossed out the line- BAM! something took the bait and got away.  I got more tuna and was ready for the next hit as I held the line.  It came just as quickly and I gave the line a quick jerk to set the hook better.  Hand over hand I pulled it in and called to Dan to get me a bucket.  It didn’t take Dan long to bring the bucket and then both of us tried to figure out what kind of fish it was. It was dark brown and round–shaped with a bright blue edging on the fins. We found it on the Surgeonfish page- a Doctor Fish variety to be exact.  None of our fish identification books said it was edible, so I poured it overboard and threw the line out again.

These were the last 2  to clean.

Another hit!  Up, up I pulled and could see that it was a fish of a different color.  When it splashed out of the water I recognized it as an edible type we knew.  There are a wide variety of fish in the grouper family. They come in all different colors, with many patterns such as spots, blotches, or striping.  This one was a medium brown with tiny bright blue spots all over and had a few black distinctive spots.  It was identified in our Corals & Fishes- Florida, Bahamas& Caribbean by Idaz & Jerry Greenberg as a coney.

I continued pulling more coneys in just that easily until I had more than enough for dinner.  And tonight we’re having a “Coney” Island dinner.