monster wahoo

Monster Wahoo

The steaks were huge! That's what everyone claimed. One of the guys that was by the beach that afternoon said, "the biggest steaks fit perfectly in the five gallon bucket." That is about 10 inches across. That was a big fish. It was longer than the fish table Don Juan uses to clean his fish and much too big for Jennie to hold it horizontally. This wahoo was 72 pounds and according to Don Juan he was a fighter. He thought he had a big shark.

Don Juan Alamilla is one of the few 'original' fishermen still around. He is an active tour guide and when not with tourists he goes fishing by himself outside the reef for big fish to sell to the restaurants. That's what he did that day. He and his son, Javi, went out in the afternoon for big snapper and grouper. The day before he had caught a 60 pound cubera snapper, so he knew the spot and the time of the bite. With a bucket of lady fish for bait, they were off to the drop off in front of Tuffy Cut. A nice chunk of ladyfish on 50 lb gear and his bait was in the water.

More and more drift fishing and anchor fishing on the drop off is producing some prize fish. This proves that San Pedro and Belize have great fishing in that blue water. For those that have fished for wahoo they know the strength of this fish. This trophy fish must have put up a fight and some more. Congratulations to Juan Alamilla on his record catch.

By Al Guerrero