There are fish that are extremely difficult to catch – even using different kinds of baits or fishing methods. This is an interesting article about how fishermen of our island, Fuvahmulah, catch convict surgeon fish (raabado in our dialect). These fish inhabit the reef flat and the fore reef area (elhevadi). The bait used in this method may be strange.
They take the ink sac (boava kalhi) of octopus. The sac is put into a pan and then a thick sugar paste (dhevehi hakuru), made after processing coconut sap or toddy.
They cook both mixtures till they turn to a sticky paste. The glue-like mixture is then put into a coconut shell. Three holes are drilled on top of the coconut shell so that three threads could be attached to the shell. The shell is then attached to a small container called goni, box weaved from coconut leaves. This box would be hanging on the fishermen’s shoulder or neck.
When the tackle is ready, they would move to the edge of the fore reef. A small amount of this glue would be applied on the hook. A sinker is attached above the hook. Then the hook would be dropped down. When fish bites or gulps the hook, the hook would stick in the fish’s mouth. The raabado is then pulled up from the bottom and put into the goni.
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