I remember the fishing boats then
some were sailboats with oars
others much speedier with an outboard
often Evinrude or Johnson

I remember the fishermen came in
with their catch
each canoe with two seperate baskets
one with quality and the other with trash

Fish were abundant then
goatfish, hinds, snappers in one basket
caesars, grunts and pangras in the other
so fresh, they still jumped in the baskets

Cutters were aplenty too
easily making their way from boat to boat
Perhaps a soft rebuke here and there
but never to prevent a string for sale or home

My grandfathers
my father
uncles and cousins
all fishermen

What's the future I wonder
there's not enough now
No longer Quality and Trash
Not enough for two seperate baskets

Great memories "from Great Bay" and so true of the current situation.

Hi Great Bay i remember well but it was small fish not trash fish,trash fish started at Pedro Cay.Stealing fish from the fishermen men is call cut fish.

Those were good times Frenchman and Cutta. I recall the brotherhood that existed among the fishermen then. They came from the other fishing beaches to buy gas at the station in Great Bay; from Billy's Bay, Frenchman, and Calabash Bay. Many of them no longer with us; some taken by the Sea, and some gone more naturally. They came not just for petrol, but for the opportunity to knock back a few and share fish tales. I imagine there were often some tall tales along the way too. To this day, I remain struck by the camaraderie they showed to each other.