Fish Story: Any tips on buying fresh fish/lobster from locals near Negril river?

I've only visited once to the little fishing spot near the river, and it was a great experience -- huge batch of fish, 15 dollars -- but this last reach it was pretty quiet .... Is there a good time and bad time to visit? Also, how much should I pay for lobsters? Like 500j per pound????

I don't have any answers about price, etc...but, I do know that they will cook up any fresh catch you would like. I would recommend talking with Vincent. He is the one that told us about buying fish there and the best folks to cook it up fresh. I love going down there after crossing the bridge at the round about. One of my favorite places...so full of life and fresh goodies galore!

Some really great people there fi sure. Whenever we are walking in the early evening or on a day when the sea is angry...we always stop by there to hunt for Vincent and chat a while. To me, it is a true adventure. Pon your next reach, head on down and have some great lion fish!!

Gerry123 big fan of your adventures/postings. Hope one day our paths cross.

I just asked my local in town short run taxi guy ( steppa @ elvis bike rental next to rayon) to assist me, we had a feast of barracuda (yes i know the potential hazards) and lobster and rice7peas and veggies. We were staying at Gatehouse Villas and Tony the manager was cooking for several of us but we had to buy the goods. Steppa found a spear fisherman with an 14 or 15 lb cuda for j250 per lb, after celebratory sub and beers and photos immediateley took to Tony and sliced off a piece and set on ant hill. 30/40 minutes / 2 beers/1sub later ants going crazy (and most importantly no dead ants) meat gone which equals good cuda to eat.

Once that was done steppa took me and wife to river market area by bridge and easily and quickly negotiated lobster purchase, we bought a local fisherman out (approx 8 to 10 lobsters in a trap) for j400 per lb. He was happy with the price and not much haggling back and forth at all. Steppa got involved very little. They also had plenty of fish very reasonable and older ladies willing to skin/scale/fillet them for very reasonable price. Being honest it was fun just visiting with the folks in that area no matter the price. Tony said we got a good price and we had an incredible feast.

Hope this helps and as always enjoy,enjoy, enjoy!!!

Jamb & Badnaz

That's beautiful, Jambarney .... I rent from ELVIS, I am all over this!

Gerry, hit up your boy Vincent. You hang with the guy nearly everyday. He will take care of all your aquatic needs. Man, I miss hanging with Vincent and Roger and whomever they happen to have riding along for the day. I look forward to spending much more time with Vincent on my next reach.

Bring your own plastic or ziplock bags. Great to giveaway bags that you may get in the states

The tropical Breeze Villa was completely set up for cooking. As an aspiring chef, I wandered down to the fish market and just stood and had a stripe and watched what went on. Big baskets of small fish coming out of traps being sorted. I asked lots of questions, most didn't mind answering. Little ugly fish they were all avaiding were stone fish. Nuh touch, mon. I had my eye on a big Kingfish, but its eyes were turning gray... i bough 4 beautiful Silver Snapper. I had never even tried one before. They cleaned them for me (they were as big as my forearm). Fresh Calaloo and veggies from the ladies behind the ice cream shop. Rice and peas. My 12 guests raved and threatened to keep me in Negril as a personal chef.

I was told to be there early before the restaurants go and buy out the fish. We had some lovely red snapper.Attachment 15130

I asked this young man to remove the sub from his lips for the picture. :p

Try Travellers Rest at Fish Beach. He is located just south of the market before the river, walk to end of beach. Although it's not a restaurant .. for a true JA experience, ask him to cook you up some Bonita (very little bones), some root veggies and rice -- we did this last summer. It was $20 US each and included the beers. His view and the breeze is magnificent. If you are really intersted, I'll email him and ask him to take care of you and give you the best rate. You'd swear Bonita tasted like pork chops, the way he cooked it. Take care,

Are the fisherman across from MiYard priced the same as the ones on the river?

ladyjane, that was no red snapper, you ate red parrot fish, parrot fish are ornamental reef fish in the US, in jamaica all fish are food fish.

Are you sure Kim? I lived in the Caribbean and any Parrot Fish I have ever seen, or ate, was a blue/turquiose colour.

Jefmaka I will try to help answer your question but all fisherman set their own prices.......there is a general per lb price for Negril area but it will depend on variables like whose buyin, time of day, demand, how many you want, etc. (Sometimes I just give a price for the entire string so I can freeze some). Across from Mi Yard the fisherman is where I buy and are always reasonable from what I have found but sell of EARLY. I have gotten great deals from spearfisherman just walking down West End road but always demand they be weighed to get the most accurate per lb rate. I also prefer them to be cleaned so pay a bit extra.

Well, that settles it. I have to go back. I've missed out on so much. So, who cooks the fish?

You do BJ (lol). If its cleaned - marinate it with lime juice, garlic, thyme and scotch bonnett after scorring the flesh - then fry whole in screamin hot oil. THE BEST flava!!!!!! If you don't have a stove you will have to take it somewhere and have them cook it for you and that can be anyone or any place. My mouth is watering!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sweetness, I spent all of last February at one of the back cabins at Westender. I bought lobster and fish from Dudley (across from Miyard) but never compared prices. I thought the prices were fair. I would call ahead and have Germain pick them up for me and Karen was happy to cook them. By the way, Karen should have her Massage license next month so will be looking for jobs.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jefmaka

I bought lobster and fish from Dudley (across from Miyard)...

---

Do you have Dudley contact number?

thx for the update Jef - I miss Germain so much. And the Westender. I will keep my ears open for Karen. Bless

Go on the beach in the morning,look for the fisherman and tell him you will buy....He will tell you what time he comes back and buy it right there fresh. Many places on the beach will cook it for you for a fee,or you give them some fish also. Or go out with a fisherman and catch/cook your own.....

gerryg123, Dudley's number is 870-8741

yes ladyjane, I am absolutely sure re: fish id - it's mi ting, here is a great reference page on parrot fish http://www.sheddaquarium.org/parrotfish.html, it explains briefly how they can not only change their coloration but their sex. Here is a red snapper pic Attachment 15220

looking at Google Images...Lady Janes photo looks more likeR Snapper than a Parrot Fish, just even in the mouth area, aParrot Fish Lips look "fatter".......But hell I'm half blind.....lol
so dont go by me.!!!!!!!!