When the moon is big and bright and my dad goes out fishing for larger fish, he uses whole anchovies as bait. (The size of the moon determines which fish you go for and what time of night you set off.) He travels further to find the big fish in the deeper waters that are less disturbed by the moonlight. He says, “No lights on the boat, Marianna—the darker the better—they won’t know we’re here.”
Only the freshest anchovies in the market are purchased for bait, and I used to love “stealing” a few handfuls to deep-fry and eat with lots of lemon juice. The herby potato salad and rich mayonnaise just add to the experience.
