A killer shot for sailors who enjoy some trolling —World Cruising news

by David Schmidt, Sail-World Cruising Editor on 14 Nov 2015 I’m not the world’s keenest angler, but I have long enjoyed casting a line astern on deliveries or on long passages, as few things beat fresh fish while cruising offshore. While I was almost ruined for trolling after several encounters with bluefish, which we used to regularly catch off the east coast of the United States (before learning the trick about soaking the meat in milk to remove the overtly oily taste, and not letting the catch linger in your ice chest), some of our most memorable strikes occurred in places like Australia’s magnificent Great Barrier Reef or Caribbean waters, where the tuna and mackerel catch is decidedly better than a bluefish.

One of the more interesting strikes happened in the waters between Martinique and St. Lucia. My bother Mike had cast a trolling line, which we had long forgotten as we soon found ourselves in four to six foot ocean swells that made for a perfect surfing session. And while our steed for this mission was a plump charter catamaran, we were applying Laser-sailing driving skills to regularly punch the speedo into the low teens…which is precisely when the reel started screaming.

Mike battled the line and eventually hauled-in a sleek-looking Barracuda. This was a surprise to all of us, as these fast swimmers are almost never tempted by a lure that’s trolling from a sloop making five or six knots, but-apparently-our surfing session coincided with this fish’s dinnertime hunger pains, and he soon found himself gulping mouthfuls of air.

Since Barracudas are tricky to clean and fillet (at best) due to their myriad bones, Mike brought his long, slender prize to the local fish restaurant in St. Lucia’s Marigot Bay, where-for a six pack of the local brew-the head chef personally prepared the catch. And while Mike makes his living as a physicist, he could easily earn his keep as an onboard chef, and his culinary creation has entered family lore.

Still, the question of how to humanely kill the fish remained. While Mike’s Barracuda had an opportunity to breath lots of sun-filled Caribbean air, and countless other fish fell victim to a bludgeoning with a winch handle in the cockpit (a messy and brutal affair that can stain sails and canvas and scar some weaker-stomached sailors) or a bit of knife work, all of these methods involve suffering on the fish’s part.

Luckily, an Aussie mate recently told me of a much better and far more humane way of helping a fish transition to the afterlife, sans any blood, flopping or potentially dangerous (to you and your crew) knife work on a squirming, slippery body: namely a bit of grog. While I have not yet tried this “killer shot” method, my mate swears that half a shot of any hard liquor (cheap stuff is just fine-no need to break out the nice bottle of rum or scotch) applied to the fish’s gills renders instant and painless (relatively speaking) death. Just a few spasms, no hiccups. No blood on the teak.

A bit of Internet research reveals that the alcohol is immediately absorbed into the fish’s bloodstream and causes brain death, which is certainly preferable over the old winch-handle method!

Still, the fish still needs to be bled, gutted and filleted, which can be a challenge in a lumpy seaway, as the last thing any skipper wants to contend with is a deep or serious self-inflicted knife wound. Fortunately, cut-proof fishing gloves exist that essentially serve as chainmail for your hands. This is a wise investment, especially for bluewater crews who are days away from any medical help.

Once the grim side of the catch is complete, the question quickly pivots to preparation options. While Mike relied on copious amounts of olive oil, onion, garlic, a dash of sea salt and plenty of white wine (both for the cook and his creation), plenty of other options exist, from poke, to sushi and sashimi, to steaks and fillets. The trick, of course, is ensuring that you have the right supporting galley provisions.

Sushi chefs will need rice, rice vinegar (hint: use this to clean your knife in between slices to avoid tearing your rolls), Nori, sugar, salt, soy sauce, wasabi (powered wasabi works really well), sesame seeds and pickled ginger. Other creations require basic staples such as olive oil, sea salt (or Kosher salt), cracked black pepper, lemons, crushed red pepper, mustard seed, garlic powder, dried herbs (thyme, marjoram, dried basil, dill), marinades (of your choice, but a Italian vinaigrette dressing or a Teriyaki sauce works really well), flour, eggs, breadcrumbs and some citrus fruits. Also, tin foil can be extremely handy, so carry plenty of this as well.

While it’s impossible to know exactly when a fish will strike, the trick, of course, is to keep these provision in your galley (and in your liquor cabinet) at all times when sailing offshore, so that you’re always ready to enjoy a free feast. Happy trolling!

May the four winds blow you safely home,