By: Monica Reid

How to have a perfect day in Anguilla is of course personal and in this instance that included fishing, catching and dining Anguillian-style for Dan Herlihy and his family and friends, visiting from Baltimore, Maryland.

Dan Herlihy (left) and Patrick Webster

Dan arranged to go fishing hoping to catch enough fresh fish to feed 12 people in his party staying at Villa Coyaba. If successful, he knew the three young men in the group, all under the age of 12, would have a great experience as well as creating a memorable vacation for all. As an American entrepreneur, Mr. Herlihy made some auspicious plans before leaving the dock by arranging to have Deon Thomas of Overlook Restaurant prepare dinner at the villa that evening and requested that Patrick Webster captain the fishing charter.

The day was perfect for fishing and boating, as the seas were gentle. Not far from Anguilla, a magnificent whale made a beautiful pass by the boat, followed by a high tail wave. But, the anticipated edible swimmers were not biting. The morning passed without a single nibble. Under pressure, Patrick changed course and followed the sea birds to a school of young tuna, where everyone on board caught several fish. Amid the fishing excitement, the three parents took many pictures while the boys took turns reeling in the fish and debating the size and weight and who was catching the larger ones.

After landing 8 or 9 and ensuring enough tuna for twelve, Patrick again changed tactics looking for the more sporting, fighting species. Soon, the party gaffed two Wahoos, a big Yellow Whip and several barracudas, leaving everyone exhausted and ready for the next activity: Chef Deon and fine dining. And, as if on cue, Deon was standing on the dock to take charge of the catch and adeptly prepared an assortment of delicacies from their catch.

As Dan was leaving the boat, he looked Patrick in the eye, grabbed and shook his hand and said, “Thanks for making my family happy.”

Dinner was indeed spectacular, and the Tuna Carpaccio was delectable, as reported by Seth Williams, their personal assistant at the villa. Seth is best described as an independent expert who makes sure his guests’ stay is worthwhile and unique in all regards. This party certainly enjoyed the memorable experience of fishing, catching and dining – with a photo gallery to share when they return.

Cleve (left) and son Rudy

In another fishing story this week, Cleve Webster and sons, Rudy and Declan, brought in a magnificent catch of Dolphin fish, (Coryphaenidae family) often called mahi-mahi to avoid confusion with the Dolphins depicted on the Anguillian flag. Cleve is a well-known fisherman with an exceptional investment in two trawlers, Lucky Two and Caribbean Pirate, moored in Island Harbour.

The family business is several generations deep and continues, today, as his sons have also mastered the art of Anguillian fishing, including long line, fish and lobster traps and, in this most recent example, hand line Dolphin fishing. Though difficult to describe, few things are more fun that catching 30 Dolphin fish, one after another, using only quickly baited hand lines. That catch yielded about 650 pounds of delicious dining, including some Red Snapper that was marketed to notable restaurants including Hibernia, Mango’s, CuisinArt and Rendezvous Bay. Needless to say, the bounty of the sea and the satisfaction of our restaurant diners are all inextricably linked to the talented Anguillian fishermen.

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