Fishing; Conch 101

[Fazsha]

Feel like such a rookie... long time fisherman from New England... getting excited about the fishing odds in Abaco in mid-April. Seems like Conch is a good and free bait for chunk fishing... Couple of questions:
1) Catching... Skin dive for them?
2) How do you actually kill the Conch? I've read http://www.pelicanpower.com/abacoguide/cleanconch.htm (http://www.pelicanpower.com/abacoguide/cleanconch.htm)., but it seems to be missing the "drive the knife into" step.
3) What's the best what to cut for chunk it for fishing?
4) Can you make strips rather than using Ballyhoo?
5) Lastly.... Has anyone heard of using a casting bullet for spin fishing Bones? It's a method for casting flies and tiny lures great distances... it's a solid clear plastic torpedo 2" long... tied to your line... then you tie a 2 - 4lb 4' long tippet to the other end... then a small fly or small strip of Conch... Great for trout or getting flies to Stripers...

many thanks.
-paul

[Wonkee]

You skin dive the Conch, dont ask where to find them, I just wont tell. You dont have to kill a Conch, Just clean and eat. As for Q's 3 and 4 You only use the Slops ,left overs from Cleaning, as bait as Conch are getting harder and harder to find, and Conch is just too good to waste like that. you just cut the harder pieces of slop into strips and put it on the hook, or throw over to start a feeding frenzy, and use a jig. I personally have never used one of the Floats for bones, but you can try, it might work, might not.
Recap: 1. Skin Dive
2. You dont
3. Dont use it, only the leftovers not fit for human consumption
4. Read 3
5. Nothing wrong with trying
Best of luck, and tight lines

[dogfish]

Paul,
Make sure any conch you kill have a full formed lip, meaning the lip flares outward. When in doubt let the beast go to grow. DO NOT waste the meat as bait. As was stated above use the waste you clean away from the main white piece of meat. Eat the meat either fried, battered and fried, breaded and fried, cut into strips and fried, or cut into small chunks and soaked in lime juice (no cooking needed).

You will find legal conchs in April near deep water passes like near Tillo cut or off Johnny's Cays. One legal conch will be big enough for 3 adults to eat as a snack. You will be surprised how much meat you get from them.

-Doug

[Fazsha]

So... I haven't nailed down my fishing plan yet... but I've read tons that Conch is a good bait cuz it'll stay on the hook... I wanted to catch a Biggen (grouper off Tillo Cut)... I typically catch-n-release... and because we're staying at HopeTown Lodge... I've got a delima... what to do with the meat (I'm assuming the hotel won't cook it for me). So... who's around 4/13 - 4/15 that would appreciate some free Conch... Would Crackers cook it up?

thanks.

[Henz]

I believe that most places will cook your fish for you..Capt Jacks in Hopetown will and I think that Cracker P's will as well

[HALF-A-HAMIAN]

If, God forbid, you should find you don't have a "taste" for conch, use the slops (the slimmy black part) for chum. Just squish it up and rinse your hand overboard (carry a box of salt as this helps remove the slime) then use a bruiser like a piece of wood or a pop or beer bottle used gently to mash the solid part of the conch to make it easier to put on the hook, and also to not choke the bight of the hook so it will set. By no means use more than one conch. Take the first small scale fish you catch to make cut bait. Use the conch "reds" for bonefish! As a note, carry a fresh lime in the boat. If anyone starts to get queesy from the motion, the old-timers would squeeze lime over some fresh conch and chew away to prevent seasickness. Worked for me as a kid fishing out back of Duck Cay or around "The Boilers" where the ground swells could get really big out of nowhere at times!
If you can't find, or don't wish to dive the conch, find one of the conch salad vendors, and simply purcase one already broke and cleaned! Regardless, you WILL have a great time and you WILL return!!!

[darnold]

Fazsha,

For conch diving we usually throw a tow line behind the boat and have a couple of snorklers hang on and slowly look for conch in the shallows. Snorkler waves when a conch is spotted....etc.

Gator

[DrRalph]

Check out Fishing in Abaco (http://www.************/FishininAbaco2005.html); if you find conch, and you've never cleaned one, get one of the locals to do it for you, it's not easy. If you're really feeling adventurous, you can read about it in The Conch Book (http://www.peninkpress.com/conch.html).

[Fazsha]

Hey Doc... have read your page in and out.... simply trying to get my head around all of it... I think the missing piece is learning about the different fish...

Oh.. found a good Conch link... http://www.abacolife.com/features/fconch.html

thanks so much!

[Mark Dougherty]

Do some research on these critters. There is a type of conch, used by some as a signal horn, back in the day. Dont eat them.....I have been told they are not fit to eat. Anyone else agree? Disagree? Also, not sure "King Conch" are fit to eat......shell has purple stripes and the bottom opening has what looks like
"teeth"....