This big fish didn’t get away

It wasn’t as epic a battle as that described by Hemmingway in “The Old Man and the Sea”, but the catch made this morning by a Belizean fisherman caused quite a stir at the Vernon Street Fish Market. The attraction was an over three hundred pound Jew Fish caught by veteran angler, Ruben Hughes. According to Hughes, he was camped out at sea when the mammoth creature made a lunge for what turned out to be the last meal of its life.

Ruben Hughes, Fisherman
“I goh dash my line all di time and I noh catch nothing big like that you know. First time fi catch something so large.”

Kendra Griffith
“How did you bring in such a large catch?”

Ruben Hughes
“I just used tricks pan it. When ih come een I grab ah wid my hand and just put wah rope through ih gill and just tie ah up, easy fi understand. Noh care how big you big, dah just small tactics fi work pan you.”

Kendra Griffith
“So what are you gonna do with it?”

Ruben Hughes
“Well I wah fillet it and try feed mi hungry pickney them, just like that, you know.”

Kendra Griffith
“So you looking forward to catching more Jew fish?”

Ruben Hughes
“Trust me, bigger bwais too. I woulda want go back tonight.”

According to the fisherman, Jew Fish, more recently known as Goliath Grouper, are prevalent during or just after a full moon.