Now, the truth is, I don't fish.  But a LOT of the Citizens of the Provisional Peoples' Democratic Republic do.  And they are amongst the most fortunate fishermen and women on the face of the globe!  DG is an "untouched" fishery - no commercial fishing at all, the ideal tropical conditions for salt water fishing, and the boats, beaches, and piers to fish for every kind of fish that exists in the Indian Ocean's seas, bays, and reefs!

THE VERY FIRST AMERICAN FISHING PICTURE FROM DIEGO GARCIA!
This is Roger Zejdlik, member of the US Coast and Geodetic Survey Team that spent over a year on DG in 1968-1969.
Way back before there were even motorboats...

THE SECOND PICTURE:
Captain Colbert (of the USS Graham County LST 1176) goes fishing in 1971.
Probably the very first fishing excursion by Americans at Diego Garcia.

SKIP FORWARD TO 1987:

The two fishing gods I knew were Ed McCants and Bill Godsey.  They would rather fish that f*#&, and were good at it!

Ed was a Senior Master Sergeant TDY to our Detachment a lot from Clark AB, and would fish all week, keep the fish over in the Aerial Port's refer, and ship them back to his family in the PI.  He would send back a couple hundred pounds of fillets a week.  But in addition to feeding his family, Ed fished just to fish.  Ed would fish day and night - at night he'd go down to the POL Pier and fish for shark, but I never went with him.

Here's how Ed fished for Bonefish, one of the best game fish in the world.  Down at the south end of the lagoon were sand flats that were maybe waist deep at low tide, and covered a couple square miles.  The Bonefish would school along those flats looking for little fish to eat.  Ed had a rig he used that consisted of a spinning reel, light weight (4 or 6 lb test) line, and a special lure Ed made himself.  Basically it was a small hook on a steel leader, and about 18 inches from the hook, he'd rig a ping pong ball half filled with water.  Then for a lure, he's put the finger tip of a surgical glove over the hook. He'd cast as far out as possible, and then reel in the lure with a jerk...reel reel reel....jerk....reel reel reel kind of motion.  The ping pong ball would make quite a set of splashes, and the bonefish would come over to investigate what sounded to them like a wounded fish, and hit that surgical glove finger tip every time.  Then Ed would spend 15 minutes or so  bringing in a 20 pound bonefish on that light line.  "You'd pay $1,500 a day for a bonefish charter on the flats of South Florida, and never get fish like this!" he'd constantly say.   I guess I was the equivalent of Gilligan on those charter boats, because my job was to walk the fish around, getting water over the gills and letting it rest up and swim off on its own when it was ready.  Now, Ed also caught lots of 'cuda and jacks on this rig too, and he'd take to 'cuda back to the Filippinos in San Miguel Villiage, and the jacks he'd fillet out for his wife and kids.

 
But Bill Godsey was the King of the DG Fishermen.  He caught the biggest and most fish of anybody I ever heard of, like the yellowfin in the picture at the left.   Bill was a retired USAF Master Sergeant who ran the Aerial Port, and we worked "together" (most of the time!).  Since the Navy worked 5 & 1/2 days a week, only on Saturday afternoons and Sunday were boat made available for deep sea fishing.  These were the Mike Boats (landing craft) that serviced the ships anchored in the lagoon.   It was the cheapest charter you can imagine - $40 for a half day.  You would go out and circumnavigate the island during those hours, and could rig 2 outriggers and 2 downriggers.  Four fishermen could easily catch 10 100-lb yellow fins, a dozen 6-foot wahoo, and plenty of 'cuda - if you didn't, you got skunked.  Bill went fishing every Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning for the 5 years he was on the island.  There was a bike rack in front of his BOQ room, and he had maybe 30 poles and rigs leaned up on it (and nobody ever touched them either - one of the great things about DG - virtually no crime of any kind). Bill was the first person on DG to catch a billfish - a 565 pound Blue Marlin, which he caught straight out in front of the channel.  The reason nobody caught billfish until then, though they were all around the island, was that the Mike Boats could only do about 8 knots, which wasn't fast enough to drag a lure that a Marlin would look at.  In 1987, the NSF Marina bought two 32-foot Sea Ox inboard sea-going fishing boats, but they were promptly sunk by a Navy Officer (who's name I won't mention for fear of retaliation) by, 1) ripping the transome off whilst trying to water ski, and then a week later, 2) by forgetting to put the bilge plugs back in after tieing up.  So Bill took one of the liberty boats out and, sure enough, got the Marlin he always knew was there!  He got more than one, too!

 

Well, not much has changed since 1987 - they're still catching the whoppers!  Here's a grouper caught on a hand line off the main pier in 1999.   Thanks to Mike Mashing for the photo.

 Here's some photos taken in 2001 by Beckie Holloway out there of wahoo & tuna.

You could also just go fishing in the lagoon in a John Boat from the Marina.  Here's PJ with his fish about 1989.

 

Well....if you've gotten this far, you are a certifiable fishing fanatic.
PLEASE help me make this page better! Send me your fishing story and/or fishy photo from DG,
and I'll do my best to get it on the page!  Here's some already received:

 

Regarding your website about Diego Garcia: EOCN mitchell schauweker <mitchellwalter1957@gmail.com>, rnmcb 74, date 1978,1979. Sent 9 months fishing diego garcia. This is not a whopper and only 1 of many. I heard some story's before leaving Gulfport so was out buying stuff to take. found this big hook on a chain. Made out of 1/4 inch steel with a opening of about 6 inchs. So it looked to be about right size. Bought 100ft of rope to go with it. Was out on fishing barge in lagoon one weekend night. Went out on evening run of Mic boat. Were catching fish, so had bait. Used large life ring on barge for bobber. Put 15/20 lb of fish on hook than tied loose end to rail post. Tide was coming in fast, so took it out. Moon was up, shining on water.  Couple of hours later Bruise  Lee started screaming, we ran over to see what was wrong. He was pointing and yelling , the life ring bobber was bobbing around, going in circles, fast. Then all of a sudden it was gone, went under. That life ring could probably hold up 500 lb.Now what do we do, need a bigger barge. With 4 of us on rope we played tug of war for awhile, finally go it up. Was a 12ft shark, not Hector the hamer head. He turn his head up and the hook came out and swam off. A good ending 

From R. Justin Krauss, 26 Aug 2017:  He caught this GT in the morning - 52 pounds!  "I work the reefs off the point by the officers club and Cannon Point where the GTs are smashing poppers, rapallas and spoons.  They are hard to understand but mornings at sunrise and just after dark seem to be the best.  Caught this guy just as the sun was coming up and he hit the popper like an explosion on the surface!  Took 15 minutes to land him and get him on the beach.  I have hit 11, 21, 27,28, 40 pounders and this 52 pounder in the past 2 weeks."  I asked him about fishing regulations, and here's what he reported:  The Brits are tight with fishing regulation keeping many places off limits and numerous species catch and release including all sharks and billfish."  What's hot?  "Wahoos are running now and Tuna just starting to heat up."

Above:  "this 30lb Cuda smashed a popper off the deep draft ward!  He came right up out of the water!"
Below:  "65lb Dogtooth Tuna"

From Brandon Tucker <btucke73@yahoo.com> Received 31 Mar 2012: 

August 2011.  I was snorkel fishing in the lagoon.  just a hand line and a baggy of chunk Wahoo.  I was catching a bunch of grouper and snapper.  It is great fun when you can see the fish hit your line.  -Until a 6 foot black tip shark got on the scent.  I booked it back inside the reef and thought I was in the clear.  -Until he came after me.  I kicked him in the snout a couple of times but it didn't phase him.  He went after my bag of fish, and drug me by the line until it broke.  The only thing I remember while swimming away like a bat out of hell was looking back and seeing one of the grouper I caught sitting on the bottom, crapping himself just like I was.  Fun times.  I am going back in 3 days for 3 weeks.  Going to fish my butt off...

From Mary Ann Godsey <bmgod@flashnet>
     When I met my beloved husband in October 1985, there in the Fantasy Island, Bill gave me a tour of the place.  He brought me to the Ports and Harbor and showed me the Mike boats he said they use for fishing.  He said that they fish from seven in the morning till four in the afternoon.  Surprised, I told him, "What, stay on that roofless boat for 9 to 10 hours?  No way I could stay on that boat and fish that long lest I will burn my skin (you know Filipino women adore American women with white complexion)."
     Before getting the taste of deep sea fishing, Bill brought me to the outfall (by the Expat's Club), to Port Marianne, to the Beach House, the Marina, Turtle cove and other places that do not have names, to fish using a light rod and reel.  At first, I just watched Bill eagerly fishing, and I told myself that I will not be enjoying it because of the slime of the fish and all the things that go with fishing like to choose the right bait, to learn how to make a knot on the line to insert the hooks,  etc.  I hate all the hassles.  Then, Bill prepared a fishing rod for me with all the bait and hook.  I cast it and caught my first fish.  It was not big though, but I felt excitement and I could feel the moment the fish took my bait from the very sensitive fishing rod I was holding.  The sound of hearing your fishing rod scream as the fish takes on the line trying to escape, was ecstasy.  From that time on, I became OBSESSED WITH FISHING!!!!!.
    One day, we went to Port Marianne because we didn't have a Mike boat (getting a Mike boat was not easy - you had to wake up at 3am and line up for reservation. If you're late, sorry).  It was one of the most memorable time of my fishing life in DG because every cast I made, I caught a fish.  Those are the kind of fish that Filipinos love to eat, measuring about 6 inches, and I had a swell time.  I had my water cooler filled with that kind of fish, counting about thirty or forty of them.  Bill had a grand time catching those fishes but stopped because he goes for the big ones.  He prepared his  Shimano deep sea fishing rod and hooked one of the small fish  as a bait and let it go in the water.   In about thirty minutes, it caught a 20lb fish (I don't know the name of the fish).  Wonderful!  I gave some of the catch to my female friends at Splendidville where female TCNs live and they were so happy.
     On days that we were not able to catch a single fish from that 9 hours of fishing is a very devastating experience.  Yes, like what you said, they will name us "SKUNKS", and it was not so pleasant to take, feels like you have been jilted or did not pass a board exam.
     I loved fishing at the Outfall.  You can see thru the water, fishes rising with the waves as it pound to the shore.  In the outfall, by the breakwater, you can see the fins of the big fish darting out of the water during low tide because they were trapped and could not go to the
deep because of the barrier.  That's where bonefish were aplenty also.
     By the Marina, during low tide, bonefish fins can also be seen above the water because bonefish loves the shallow flats.  I love fishing for bonefish because they give a very good fight and love to hear the shrieking of the fishing line.  Bonefish are not for eating.
     Needless to say, I did not care anymore if I became so tanned because what matters to me then was fish and fish and fish, either by the beach or by deep sea.  Any chance I have, I went fishing, alone or with company.  Picking up sea shells in between.  I also did not care if I have a lot of wound from hook punctures and cuts from slicing fish baits.  What matters to me then was the joy of fishing in DG.
     I love to go bottom fishing too.  We would go by the Antenna and the Mike boat would be anchored.  We will be slicing fish baits and insert them in the hook with weights on it, then drop it.  Groupers and snappers were everywhere.  We can see them from the boat and they just circle the bait until one snapped it.  They are big fishes too and it would really pull me out of my perch as I struggled to reel them in.  I was just exhausted after each trip from the fights.
     I was not with Bill when they got that big sword fish.  But, a couple of times, we caught a sailfish.  One time, Bill lost his prized fishing rod.  When Bill's fishing rod caught a fish, we knew it was a big one.  It gave a good fight and was getting most of the line until the wooden
part of the fishing rod split and the fish took everything, reel and rod with him.
     One stormy morning, we were fishing and the big waves almost covered our boat.  Then we heard from the radio that all boats were ordered back on land because of the danger.  On our way back, Bill's rod had a fish on and we stopped to retrieve the fish, and that was the monstrous tuna, the biggest one that Bill caught.
     I love it when I catch wahoo, tuna and jack.  I hate catching a barracuda because it is the stinkiest fish of all, but the meat is good.  There also was a time when our catch were being pursued by  sharks and after reeling in the fish, we only got the head because the sharks has already feasted on it first. When I looked down, I can see 10 to 20 sharks down the water and it terrified me.  They look so hungry.
     I also love to fish using surface lures.  This kind of fishing is what we used to catch Marlins and sailfish.  You can see the fish getting it and jumped out of the water to struggle.
     You might be tired of reading this.  I will end this time and continue if I can remember the other fish stories.
Here's Mary Ann Godsey with a typical morning catch of Red Snapper, wahoo, grouper and tuna!  Anything less, and "You Got Skunked!"

From  Steve Swayne <steve_swayne@primus.com.au>
      Here are a couple of fishy but true stories from my time on DG in '82...
     Whilst sitting with some of the SEABEE guys drinking Aussie beer (smuggled in in packing cases marked machinery spares), a Master Sgt says "about time to check on the fishin'line"...  we go off to the beach on the ocean side and there is a totalled jeep that was in a one of the many DG car crashes propped up on 44 gallon drums (you know - meeting on a narrow roadway, Brits veering left and you guys veering right and wham!).  The engine had been got going again, and the rear axle had a long pole welded on and -- you guessed it --  the jeep was being used as a giant fishing reel.  The line was put out about a mile by small boat and then reeled in hours later with the catch...  now that's fishin' SEABEE style!
     Another time, I was in the lagoon not far from the airfield doing some snorkelling (where the shelf drops off into deep water).  Suddenly I was bumped by a large object.. then another... and another.  I was surrounded by a huge school of 100lb plus tuna.  Looking about there were probably over a
hundred or so of these huge fish either side and underneath and all around me..  Never had an experience like it since...

From Abraham Jaro <ranger98@hotmail.com>
      You want fish stories? I have 54 months worth and I think I'm getting paid back-I'm beginning to grow scales.
     When I got there in Jun95, I used to fish out of Cannon Point and Officer's Club Point or whatever. I used to catch a lot of bonefish and big ones too!! Then I discovered Barracks 7 and the good guys down there, and I never left. I won the fishing tournament the next month. The first thing I did when I went to the marina was get my boat license and armed with that and a package of calamari steaks (expensive at the depot!) I would go out with my buddy Zaldo, he's the guy that drives around all day in the sewage truck pretending to work, and anchor somewhere where there's no reef and only sandy bottom.  We'll wait around 15 minutes and then the sweet lips will start biting. They are the nastiest fighter I have ever fished and we'll fill up the boat literally with them, all around the mako, ankle deep. Other times, we'll anchor at the mouth of the lagoon and using our handlines, we'll clean up on coral trouts, groupers and snappers using bonefish fillets. From 1995 up until 1997 we rented sea oxes for $45 for half a day and catch wahoos, yellow fin tunas, mahimahi and bonitos. One time, AIMD sent two of us( me and George Cruz) out fishing for our Hail and Farewell.  We caught 13 wahoos, 16 yellow fins and countless bonitos!!! That was a real good party afterwards.
     The best part in all our fishing forays is what happens at Barracks 7 that night. Fish fry and Captain Morgan with all our friends, complete with music from the guitar of Chief Pascual and singing by yours truly, aherm!!! I have more fish stories but this is just from the first three months of my stay
there.  More to come later.

From Garry Hedrick <RetUSAF1991@aol.com>
     I am not sure of the date, it was last part of 1987 but  I  went fishing with SMSgt  Ed McCants and I caught a Barracuda .  After I got it in the boat   I started to reach down and  grab the fish to take out hook, not knowing I could loose some fingers, Ed grabbed my hand and told me of what could happen if I got my hand closer and it scared me.  And on the way back to shore the waves were so strong I got seasick.  We gave the fish away.  That's all I can remember about that day!

From George Rice <bonnie@arkansas.net>
      Ted, I have two TRUE fish stories, both took place at Berbera, Somalia, First one was with FEBROE, year 1984, 2nd one was with IPAC, year 1990, Both was at the end of the old Russian POL pier, That would put it out about 3500 ft from the shore line. You had to walk out a cat walk, which was 21/2 ft wide. Water at the end at high Tide was about 65 ft., low tide about 45 ft.
     Here goes, Friday, day off, all TCNs went fishing, end of POL pier, they got only one fish that day, boy but what a FISH, ITS a bird!  One of the guys cast his line out and a Sea Gull took the line in flight,  for the bate, The hook got him in the wing, The guys brought the  Bird in to show us what they had, after 4 days we turned the poor Sea Gull loose, Not much of a fish but a lot of BIRD.   This was in Oct of 84..   Big fish story this time, Nov. 90. same place , Berbera, Somalia, end of POL pier,   Here goes, Friday, need good fish, So all the TCNs went to the end of POL Pier, several small fish , good but not enough, getting late in day,  Than it hit the line of one of the guys, it took all four to bring it in, one had to go to the FUEL farm for a 12 ft. ladder to carry it on to the truck at the shore end of pier, the fish was a little over11 FEET long, we didn't have any way to
weight it, we took pictures, sent the roll to Nairobi, Kenya, they lost film, so no pictures.. the fish looked just like a Jack Fish that I saw at DG. True Story By George

From Steve Kubik <sdk10159@aol.com>
First trip on the LCM’s...OR...Gerry versus the Earth
     It was the first weekend that the LCM’s were once again available for charter outside the lagoon.  It was July 95 and the LCM’s had been banned for charter since the previous summer due to some idiot (who will remain nameless) got a little too drunk, slipped and cracked his head open..  Our Division, N94 from NCTS, had managed to get a charter for the weekend and about 20 people went along.  I don’t remember all the names.
     It took about an hour for the LCM to transit from the lagoon outside to the reef.  If you never been on one of these things, let me tell you the ride is not all that great.  The LCM’s are flat bottomed and with no appreciable weight, they roll like the devil.  No one got seasick on the way out, but we rolled with every little swell.
     The LCM anchored over the reef about 100-200 yards off Cannon Point.  It was only about 9 am, the sun was hot and everyone was sucking down drinks to cool off.  After about an hour of fishing, with no one catching anything worth a damn, we all felt the day was going to be a bust.  Tammy and some guy had been fishing with a hand line for shark.  Most of though, had been using poles and were trying to catch anything – we didn’t care what we caught.  I had heard some good stories about huge grouper and I was bound and determined that that was what I was going to catch.
     I was portside aft,  sweating bullets.  Gerry and Jeff were across from me on the starboard side.   It was quiet and I thought most of us were probably sleeping when someone shouted: “I GOT ONE!”
     I turned and saw Gerry vigorously cranking the handle on his reel, apparently fighting something big.  He’d pull the poll back and then reel like the devil as he leaned forward, dipping the pole toward the water.  This went on for a good ten minutes while the rest of us cheered him on.  He was fighting something huge.
    That’s when Jeff noticed that whenever the boat rolled to starboard, Gerry would pull back on the poll.  Whenever the boat rolled to port, Gerry would dip the poll to the water.  Jeff shouted, “Gerry!  You’re hooked on the BOTTOM!”
     “No way, man,” he replied, “I got a fish.  It’s a big one, too!” He shouted, dipping the pole, cranking the reel like crazy.  The drag was set loose and it screamed when the boat rolled back to starboard.  "I’m gonna bring this SOB in…”
     And so it went.  Gerry was hooked on the bottom and fought until he was exhausted.  He finally succumbed when we had to leave and we cut his line.  Gerry was certain he had the biggest grouper in the world.  He never noticed that the line never changed position – just stayed in one place.
     We laughed about that long after Gerry had transferred.

From Terri Youngs <tyretiredwave@yahoo.com>
     It was Zero Dark Thirty right before dawn and I was driving in my security truck and I came upon 2 sailors on Cannon Point.  They had hooked a five foot baby shark and it was still alive and they didn't know what to do.  OH ME OH MY What to do.  Well since they don't let security carry guns (or sharp objects) I was at a loss. Finally they found a pole and just beat it to death.  They promised me some shark steak after I got off of watch but they never showed (maybe the shark ate them).

 
 From Dave Young <dave@neta.com>
      I have a story, one you may remember, too and I know Obiewan (Bill O'Brien) would remember because he was there with me.  The night me, OB, Sunny Cabrerra, and Eddie Hada went lobstering on the ocean side by GEODSS.   We had our lobster gear, lights, etc and were out in the water when suddenly these three or four other guys came walking towards us and
said "what are you doing"   They were Navy guys and they told us we couldn't be out fishing there.  Funny thing was *they* had fishing/lobstering gear which OB noticed and asked them about.  I don't remember the exact words but we were told we had to leave and we did.  As we started back to GEODSS we saw their truck parked in the trees by the beach.   It was a Navy
K-9 truck (Chevy SUV) from Navy Security.   Oh, we say to ourselves but we left wondering just what the hell was going on.  The next day OB calls Security and asks to talk to some guy he recognized from last night.  AS it turned out he got some Navy cop to confess that yes, they were out there looking for lobster.   I'm sure OB could add some humor to this.

From Frank Perez <Frank_Perez@webtv.net>
     I was on the island for about a week when I decided to go out for a fishing trip.  When we came in, one of the small boats had brought in a 400 lb Blue Marlin (1995 Catch of the Year).  I wasn't the one who caught it, but did play a smal role in bringing it in from the boat to the pier.  It was an amazing catch...I HAVE PICTURES!!!

From Max Ellison <maxdonauau@earthlink.net>
     I am known as MADMAXSKI . It was June of 1996, A fine sunny day on the island of D.G. and I went fishin' with a couple of buddies: Mike , John , and Anthony.  We had been fishing in a MACO boat all day... and I didn't catch anything all day. Evereyone else was catching 20 lb Sweetlips and Tuna. I admitt, I drank a fith of vodka by the end of the day, So my fishing skills were supposed to get better. Well, I was well trained by the Philipinos on how to fish, so I used a hand-line instead of a pole. Some say that is why I didn't catch anything. Sun burnt, drunk, and pissed that I didn't have the catch -of-the day... I feel this big tug on my hand-line and start pulling this one in.  Standing at the rear of the boat  excited ('cause it felt like JAWS on the other end... hahaha) I'm pulling thius sucker in. I see the fish at the top of the water...worried
that I was going to lose this fish, I give my line a great big "YANK" on the line. The fish came
up and over the boat ... the bait came out of the fish's mouth, flew over my friends heads and
into the boat almost hitting John in the head . Meanwhile I lose my ballance and do a "NESTEA PLUNGE" right off the back of the boat and fall right into the water. The fish made it into the boat, and I made it out of the boat. My friends were laughing so hard they about pissed themselves. It was a 15lb grouper, and I ate him too. Sure wished I had pictures of that .

OCTOBER 1996.  Hey ted this is another midnight fishing trip where my friend Marco was finishing up dinner we had caught. I photographed this in total darkness on tha sail boat. Didn't totally know what I was aiming at but it came great.  Love your page Ted... Thanx a lot - MADMAXSKI
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
From Rod Hobbs <rodhobbs@hotmail.com>  Fishing is really great on D.G. It use to be better before the Government (?) started letting commerical fishermen get closer (1990-91).  Before that it was no problem getting 400+lbs. of tuna & wahoo in 1/2 day.  I caught two Marlins (1992) with-in a 5 week period, 200+lbs. and 412 lbs. And I have the pictures to prove it! The largest Marlin caught on DG was caught by Bob Butts (still there, Antenna Maint.) in 1990 (?) It was so big the scale couldn't take the weight.  Had to pick it up with a crane.  The estimated weight was 800+lbs.  I really miss the fishing, parties and all the good folks at D.G. I think of the good times and beautiful sunsets (Best in the world) quite often and think about maybe going back one day.

 

Dimitri and friend fishing DG!  I think they caught a seagull.

 

From: "Perry, Carl, DT1" <PerryC@dg.navy.mil>
Hey Ted,
      Fishing here has been a super experience.  In the past two years I've gone out on the ocean masters at least 20 times and have experienced some of the best times I think I'll ever have.  Too bad my kids weren't here to feel a 60lb plus yellowfin on your rod or to have a wahoo stripping line like crazy.
     A picture is worth a thousand words so here's a few of my favorite times here.
     Luuuuuv your site.  Keep updating and I'll be sending you more about my two consecutive years onboard.
DT1 Carl A. Perry; NSF Diego Garcia; LPO HSD/Dental

 

Stephaine MaHaffy lands a big one.  1994.  Stephanie was a First Class working at
C-site.  Thanks to Roy Hodge for the pics...

June 6, 2002:  The fishing is finally starting to pick up out here. Before this weekend the biggest fish for the month (free boat) was a 85 lb. yellowfin (BAF). That's good for Diego and especially since it's been slow for the past several months due to the change in wind direction, but Lenny Carter caught 3 tuna on Sunday weighing at 45, 85 and 111 lbs.  I ate a ton of sashimi last night.
PS       BAF = Big Ass Fish
Douglas W. Jackson
<<<<<< Lenny Carter with his 111 lb Yellow Fin.  
 

From:     "Barry Norton" <barrynorton@cox.net>
Date:      07 Jun 2003, 01:39:52 AM
Subject:  FISH STORY

July 15, 2001.  Nothing much to tell.  A few of the Chiefs from C Site went out fishing on a beautiful day, as was every day on Diego Garcia.  We had a terrible catch and I believe the only fish the four of us caught was a fifteen pound tuna.  Jim Zehner said we should take a picture with him about six feet behind it to make the fish look big.  I thought it was a silly idea and told him so, but we tried it anyway.  When I looked through the camera viewfinder and saw this, I couldn't stop laughing.  With a photo editor, I edited out Ken Prior's hand holding up the fish on the line.  We had a lot of fun with this and passed it all around NCTS DG.  Had a lot of bites on it.  The majority of comments were "My, what big eyes it has."  I manged to fit most everyone's name into this story but left out Greg Guidry.  Hi Greg.

CTMC(SW) Barry Norton: Sep 2000 to Oct 2001.

From:  Woodys9goods@aol.com
Date:   16 Aug 2003, 01:49:48 AM
Subject:  86-87 Giant Fish!
       I remember when Bill broke the record for the Biggest fish ever caught on the rock!  Before A certian boat was destroyed, which by the way I never got to go on because I was always out ranked by some none working CPO or LT!  But that fish was as big as a truck, a definite mounter.  But every one of the enlisted peons like me got a refer full of it, tasted just like a steak.  I fished every day - I hardly ever ate at the mess hall -  bbq all the time.  I used 3-4 pound red snapper for bait and tied it to a hook with 3000lb steel leader.  One night I was with Rob and I hooked a shark off the point and it stood me up and was pulling me into the ocean when rob grabbed my waist and pulled me back with all his might.  The next thing i know we were on our asses.  When I reeled in my line my leader was shreaded - 3000lb test cable wow!  That was the best year of  fishing I ever had or will have in my life!  I wish I could be there fishing right now.  I will never forget, the best fishing ever!

5 September 2003
Here's some photos of Tony and his captain (of the MV PVT FRANKLIN J. PHILLIPS), July 1, 2002.
from Tony Spain, Chief Steward <tspain40@aol.com>.

From:  "Jensen, Karl A. EO1" <JensenK@dg.navy.mil>
Date:    25 Nov 2003, 10:42:05 AM
Subject: Fresh Catch PICS!!!!
Hey Ted - Yeah, the fishing is still awesome!!!!
EO1(SCW) Andy Jensen
CESE Fleet Manager/Transportation QAE
NSF PWD, DIEGO GARCIA, BIOT
315-370-4522

 
 

From:  "Jackson Doug W Contractor Det 2, 2SOPS/DGO" <doug.jackson@afspc.diego.af.mil>
Date:  26 Feb 2004, 07:36:28 PM
Subject:  Fish
     Lenny is the systems integration manager next door at 22 SOPS. He went out on the freaking LCM and bagged this yellowfin tuna.
     Show off bitch!
      We can't compete with the monsters on Ascension but this is big time on Diego.

Ted-
                     If you could throw this one in with the
     rest.......December 2003's winner for length.......No, not that kind of length!

     EO1(SCW) Andy Jensen
     CESE Fleet Manager/Transportation QAE
     NSF PWD, DIEGO GARCIA, BIOT
     PSC 466 BOX 5
     FPO AP 96595-0005
     315-370-4522
     "Transportation is about supporting all departments and tenant commands with
     serviceable assets for mission accomplishment. Happiness is not necessarily
     a relevant factor; moreover, it is a by-product of mission accomplishment."

Here's a story from Joel Anderson <joel.anderson@DIEGO.AF.MIL> about his October 2004 fishing trip:
I was over in Diego Garcia from Sep-Dec 2004 and am currently there now. We found your website browsing the internet and
thought it was cool how you have put pics of people and there catch here in Diego. Well here is my story of my fishing trip. I am SSgt Joel E. Anderson went fishing with A1C Andrew Dax and A1C Amy Tuttle. We went out on Ocean Master 1, Captain Ramon. We left the dock on the 7:30-11:30 AM trip. This being our first actual charter trip during this rotation. Well we went all the way to south point to do our fishing. Well as soon as we got there is when the excitement began. No, we didn't catch anything nearly as big as some of the pics I seen on your website but we sure did have a great day. Well Andrew and myself had a busy day fishing because Amy only wanted to reel in 1 fish. In all actual theory I didn't think we were coming back to shore with 17 wahoo, but yes we came home with 17 wahoo. We also hooked into two huge shark as well but you know sharks get thrown back here. Throughout the whole day we had 1 rapala taken out of commission and went through 6 skirts like they were nothing. It was exciting but yet exhausting beings how 2 of us did all the fishing. 3 of the 17 were over 50 lbs while 2 were over 40 lbs and all the rest averaged anywhere between 15-30 lbs. I thought overall it was a real thrill because my previous trip I had gotten skunked. We would feel honored to have our story on your website as well.

From:  "Garcia, Don R. SSG (US ARMY)" <GarciaD@dg.navy.mil>
This was done on 31 May 2004 memorial day it just so happened to be my B-day and my friends took me out on a ocean master we landed 5 wahoo and 44 bottom fish the Wahoo were caught with the first hour of fishing needless to sat it was a good for fishing....
From left to right CW3 Henley, SFC Fackler, SSG Garcia, EN1 Ledford, BU1 Stillwagon.
SSG Garcia, Don
US Army Combat Equipment Detachment, COR, Diego Garcia

Mon, 6 Dec 2004 15:17:16 +0600
From:  "Simpson, Christopher J ABF1 (NSFDG)" <SimpsonC@dg.navy.mil>
70 lb Trevally, or as they call it here a Talakito!

 From:  Cooney Joseph N MSgt 28 EARS/MA <joseph.cooney@DIEGO.AF.MIL>
 Here are some pictures of our trip to this island.  We were here for 120 days and caught some fish here and there.  The yellowfin moved on when December came and there weren’t much of them for the next two months.  I spent my time fishing the pier by Camp Justice, had several hits that were way to big for the gear I had, 8 foot Medium Heavy Rod with 40lb test on the reel.  I hooked and lost an 8 foot plus nurse shark one afternoon, lost him around the poles sticking up out of the water.  35 minutes of fight gone in a second.  I once caught a Shark on the ocean master using my 35lb Wahoo as bait.  I couldn’t reel the wahoo in fast enough, but I did get the shark to the boat, 6 feet 100 plus pounds.  This has been an almost all expense paid fishing vacation for me and I had one hell of a good time doing it.  Time is about to come to an end for me.  Last thing, Somewhere here not to long ago someone pulled a 105 lb Giant Trevally off the POL Pier.  Big Fish Big Fight.  I caught a 28lb Trevally off the beach near Camp Justice when I first got here and then pulled in another 33 lber off the fishing pier.  Oz caught a 40 lb Black trevally off the coral on an Ocean Master & Bolo landed his 40 lb Yellowfin while trolling the back of the LCM.  We also caught three wahoo, mine was just over 40lbs on another LCM fishing trip.

81-82, 84-85
NAME = Wayne TJ Tajiri
E-MAIL = HLSChief@msn.com
NATIONALITY = Japanese-American
SERVICE = US Navy
UNIT = NCS - SatComm
RANK/RATE/JOB = First tour- ETSN -to ET3,  2nd tour ET3 - ET2
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = This is a No-Shit Fishing Story
MY WARSTORY = During my 2 tours there, I caught more GTs than anyone could shake 2 sticks @.  Going out on the reef off off of R site, and catching a good tide, and catching/releasing GTs & large groupers one after another.  One night back in 82, when the liberty launches came to the floating dock right in town, I fished there after the last launch ran.  It was about 0100 when I started fishing.  I kept 10 GTs (uluas & papios in Hawaii), released 3 others, and lost about 6 other bites that I could not control.  The only other witness was a MAA that was making his rounds, but he was cool & didn't kick me off the dock. (It was off limits to fishing).  I fought & landed all the fish solo, the largest for that night was about 40 pounds.  I gave most of the fish to the filipino contract workers in the galley, trading for butter....I think.  During my 2nd tour, there was the Diego Burger RIGHT next to the NCS barracks.  Tony and his guys must have gotten 500 pounds of fish from me at least during that tour.  Diego Burger took real good care of me....

More from Wayne TJ Tajiri:
MY QUEST = To brag about how much fish I caught while in DG
E-MAIL = HLSChief@msn.com
NATIONALITY = Hawaiian
SERVICE = USN
UNIT = NCS - SatComm
RANK/RATE/JOB = ET2
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = This is a No-Shit Fishing Story
MY WARSTORY = One time I was out behind R site, whipping w/ Pili Plugs.  (Hand made surface plugs made in Honolulu--REAL ulua (GT) killers!!!)  Caught one about 2 lbs.  I check my watch.  About 4 casts later, I see a school of ulua, too many to count, barreling @ high speed, all racing toward my lure being chugged.  They make a sweeping turn, trailing behind the lure, and I am chugging away as FAST as I can reel a Daiwa BG 90.  There must have been over 15 or 20 fish in the school, with 4 or 5 uluas charge @ the lure all at the SAME TIME, all missing.  My heart is pounding so hard and so fast, and I think that I was holding my breath, concentrating on NOT yanking the lure on a missed lunge.  I can hear the splashing water and the "THUUU---WUMPS!!!!!!!" as these 40 TO 45 pound fish are taking turns lunging at the lure, carving large holes in the water with their bodies & tails, and the closes the hole (like doing a GREAT suicide in a pool)  These fish are knocking the lure side to side as it is still moving at high speed toward me, and closing FAST!!!  I'm thinking..."COME ON!!! COME ON!!!!!"  AS the lure is quickly getting too close to the beach and I will soon have this lure at my rod tip (I did that too....but that's another fish story>..)  Then finally...about 20 feet in front of me, a fish lunges,lure is gone, and my rod is given a great yank.  Line starts RIPPIN from the reel.  I immediately spool the reel w/ my left hand, and set the razor sharp hooks w/ 3 great yanks.  This ulua is making for the reef drop, and I have about 40 yards to stop him.  He gets about 15, and I turn him.   I check my watch.  Its a stalemate for a couple of minutes, and I start to work him in.  When he is about 15 yards from the beach, I see the WHOLE school following him.  I work him into the shorebreak, and when a wave draws, I gill him, and drag him up to dry sand.  Check my watch....13 minutes.  I pound on the lure with my fist and get the hooks loose.  I do 2 lobs of the lure about 20 yards off the beach, the whole school charges, the THUUUU---WUMP!!!!!!  MY LURE GETS POUNDED AGAIN!!!!!  HANAPA'A!!!!!  (HOOK UP!!!! in Hawaiian) Work this bad boy into the beach, check my watch....from hooking up the first 2 lb'r, to landing this 2nd ulua, 26 MINUTES!!!!... My Pili plug was stretched (its wired through), so it was time to go home.  Tied my 2 fish onto the rack on my 10 speed (didn't have mountain bikes yet) and pedaled my way thorugh the jungle, then past R site, then back to town.  Good day or what???

Date: Fri, 10 Jun 2005 13:58:46 -0700 (PDT)
From: Mark Ferri <mrkferri@yahoo.com>
Subject: Diego Garcia Fishing Videos!

Hi Ted,

I stumbled upon your Diego Garcia fishing page quite by accident and I loved it! Great photos and it brought back many fond memories of my year on the rock. We chartered the Sea Ox sport boats alot and caught lots and lots of yellowfin. On one trip my buddy brought his camcorder and we shot footage. The biggest yellowfin that day was only 50 lbs, but the footage is memorable and I have it available on my navy web page.  Perhaps you can post a link to it?  The fishing videos can be viewed at http://www.geocities.com/macichitte/navyfour.html

I think the visitors of your page would enjoy seeing it!

Sincerely,
Mark Ferri

1981
NAME = Joe Nihill
MY QUEST = I seek the Holy Grail
VT of a SWALLOW = European or African?
E-MAIL = joe.nihill@comcast.net
NATIONALITY = US
SERVICE = Military Sealit Command, Indian Ocean
UNIT = USNS Mercury
RANK/RATE/JOB = Chief Storekeeper
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Other
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = This is a No-Shit Fishing Story
MY WARSTORY = One night, after analyzing the predatory habits of "Hector", myself and the Chief Machinist set out to hook the beast.  Having fashioned a nicely crafted (and rather large) hook, we caught a nice grouper, sliced him open and inserted the hook for the night's hunt.  Having no other suitable fishing line, we decided to use 1/2" manilla rope hooked up to one of the aft deck winches.  Right on schedule, at 21:30 hours, along he came looking searching for any unfortunate and drunk that may have fallen off the liberty launch.  None to be had, he found his way to the bait and, without hesitation, swallowed it whole.  After about an hour of fierce battle, including 5 rounds from a .30 carbine, we gave up - cutting the line.

I am interested to know if anybody boated him or - hopefully to find out if he's still out there.

Joe Nihill

Subject:         Big Ass Shark
Date:              Mon, 1 Aug 2005 08:21:52 -0000
From:             Jackson Douglas Contractor 2 SOPS/DGO <douglas.jackson.ctr@diego.af.mil>
This was caught this weekend. It’s at least a12 footer. Some AF guys got it to the boat before cutting the line.
Douglas W. Jackson
NAVSTAR GPS Site Lead
Diego Garcia, BIOT
DSN 315 370-2302

From Michael Day, 8 Aug 07 <michael.day@pawill.ang.af.mil>

I thoroughly enjoyed your website on DG.  I was there twice with the USS Jason AR-8 (in '85 and '87).  Both times were for approx. 3 months each. Jason was a repair ship and stayed pieside to fix the combatant ships operating in the North Arabian Sea with the carrier battlegroup.  In 87 is was the Carl Vinson Battle Group .   I was a LT (O3) on Jason in '87 and the DCA for the ship.

        Got to do a lot of fishing, learned to sail and enjoyed the beautiful scenery.  Our Captain let us use one of his motor whale boats 2-3 times a week to go fishing for R&R and moral.  Attached is a photo of me holding a couple small ones we caught at the mouth of the bay,  couldn't get the big ones in the boat.  Your website brought back a lot of great memories.   I have some other shots of DG if interested.

1996-Feb 1997
NAME = Jennifer Roe (formerly Engstrom)
MY QUEST = To immortalize DG's division of NWO
VT of a SWALLOW = Isn't that a bird?
E-MAIL = jenroe75@yahoo.com
NATIONALITY = Panamanian/American
SERVICE = USN
UNIT = Navcomtelsta
RANK/RATE/JOB = CTT2
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = My Time There is Lost in an Alcoholic Haze, Help Me Remember!
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = This is a No-Shit Fishing Story MY WARSTORY = Took a trolling boat fishin with the boys.  The poor shark didn't stand a chance against us.
First he was hooked.  He tried for two hours or so to get away.  During this time I was mostly barfing over the side since we were going in circles and catching our own fumes.  Then he was clubbed, Scott GREAT picture!  Then he was tied to the boat backwards and drowned.  It took two months, BBQ & Italian dressing, and a shit-load of friends to eat him.  Tasted like chicken!  Who ended up with his teeth?  Oh how big was the shark.  Almost 7 feet long, 225 lbs white tip!

Oh and I'm the girl who got her finger stuck in that damn round table right before shift change.  I'm also the girl who broke her ear-drum...but I won't get into that story.  True members of DG NWO should never divulge that information or risk my wrath.
 

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