THE BIGGEST FISH
by Join B. Walsh

When Patricia asked for stories, the thought came that my true big fish yarn should be submitted since I am the only crew member left to tell the tale.

It was a summer day like many before when the caplin were plentiful and cod were then too big to throw up over the wharf at low water. The cod trap crew of skipper Jack Hann, Paddy Jim Hann, Joseph Hann, Tom Connors and I headed to the Dirty Rocks in anticipation of a good load of cod. The early morning was heavy with fog but the water was calm and a big swell was rolling in.

We arrived at the Dirty Rocks, but to our frustration, the cod trap was nowhere in sight. The skipper told Paddy and me to go row around and try to locate a keg, a float, or anything to confirm the trap was still there. Sure enough, three fathoms down we saw the white end of the center-line buoy. A length of rope was readied to sweep that buoy with a loop. Now the work started. Slowly but firmly, using the ocean swell to our advantage and with a round turn to hold the strain, we soaked the heavy unknown weight up inch by inch. After backs were tired and fingers sore, the kegs on the corners breached the surface, but even then we could not identify the problem. We hauled in any loose twine, but ropes were still straining and the breast-line was so tight you could have played the ‘Rocks of Merasheen" on that rope. All the corners were let go to ease the pressure and then we realized a large fish had tangled in the cod trap, rope, twine and all. The only way not to tear the net apart was to sink a rope around the tangled mass, tie it to the stern head, then secure more rope way back aft and head for home. The heavy weight and drag kept the starboard gunwale just inches above water. Joseph kept bailing as the fly wheel sent water into the air.

Even with the 8 HP Acadia engine running wide open, we didn't make much headway, so, with an oil skin jacket on the end of the boat hook, we signalled for help. Mr. Mike Pittman‘s boat heading our way gave us the end of his tow line. We dragged on for hours. No way could we go through the Long Point Gut so we navigated out around the Long Point Sunkers, in through the Narrows, through the Big Rock Passage to the beach behind Best's stage.

The timing was good. The water was at high tide and the bulk was eased in as far as it would go. People gathered as the tide fell and the mystery was revealed. The big fish had rolled most of the cod trap around itself. Fishermen and curious young boys helped to unwrap the twine layer by layer while rolling the big fish from side to side. Some said it was a small whale: others said a large shark. The fish was thirty-five feet long and seven feet through with a big hammer head and a large black tail, thus a hammer head shark. We split it open and took out the liver which was enough to fill two 60 gallon puncheons. At high water the carcass was towed outside the Big Rock and let down there into the deep hole.

The good thing about the hard day's work was that very little damage was caused to the twine and we set the trap back at the Dirty Rocks that evening before dark.

Those who remember that day in 1947 will know the other crew members. Others will have to guess that other big fish catcher of days gone by in Merasheen.