Corals exposed at low tide at the edge of an atoll.
They had no idea a world-class chef was hidden among the yacht’s crew.
So when Vincent Gan and 11 fellow anglers reeled in fish worth thousands of ringgit during a fishing trip in the Maldives, their fresh haul was transformed into feasts fit for royalty.
“We only knew him as Baboo – a Sri Lankan chef who’d worked in international resorts,” recalls Gan.
A passion grouper of the best size for steaming.
Their astonishment grew with each dish Baboo whipped up, often minutes after the catch hit the deck.
The bounty included yellowfin groupers – a delicacy fetching up to RM2,200 per kilo in Hong Kong – and Gan’s prized 15kg ruby red snapper.
“That snapper alone could fetch RM25,000 in China,” he estimates.
Such indulgences came at a price: an eight-day charter aboard the 30m explorer yacht cost RM105,000, not including over RM7,000 in crew tips and flights.
Bluefin trevally in the shallows
But for 46-year-old Gan, a member of the pro-angling group Team Monstercraft, it’s an annual pilgrimage.
“The Maldives’ fishing culture is unmatched. Strict conservation laws keep these waters pristine. Every return feels like rediscovering utopia.”
Their vessel – 10m wide with six air-conditioned cabins, daily fresh linens, and sun-deck loungers – served as a floating base of operations.
Gan and his 15kg ruby red snapper, which he estimates is worth RM22,000 to RM25,000.
For serious anglers, preparation is key. On this trip, Gan brought nine different rod-and-reel combos tailored for jigging, popping, and inshore casting with light lures under 20gm.
Days blurred between adrenaline and indulgence.
While they jigged for dogtooth tuna or cast lures near the atolls, Baboo kept a keen eye on the catch.
A suitable fish meant an instant sashimi session, with slices served within minutes.
Gan and a large yellowfin grouper which can fetch up to RM2,200/kg in Hong Kong.
“Imagine paying RM2,000 for steamed grouper in a restaurant – here, we were devouring plates of it,” Gan laughs.
Menus spanned from grilled amberjack and ruby snapper fish and chips to a spicy coronation trout curry.
Baboo’s Sri Lankan flair, mixed with Maldivian spices, delighted the group.
“He’d marinate tuna in coconut milk and lime, then grill it – simple, yet explosive,” Gan says.
A bluefin trevally this size is perfect for the yacht’s dinner table.
But it was the spontaneous sashimi sessions that truly defined the trip.
“If we landed a plump yellowfin, he’d dash over, inspect it, then shout, ‘Sashimi time!’
“Within minutes, we’d be eating translucent slices – the freshness was unreal.”
Gan knows it’s unlikely Baboo will be aboard next year.
Ultra fresh sashimi, right out of the sea.
“They usually work a season or two and then head back home. We get a different chef every year, so I’m really going to miss Baboo,” he says.
Some days, instead of chasing deep-sea giants, the captain would drop anchor just 200m from an atoll at neap tide.
The anglers would hop onto the yacht’s dinghy and head out for some relaxing ultralight fishing in crystal-clear shallows.
Steamed yellowfin grouper.
“When it’s lunchtime, the crew sets up tables right on the atoll and lays out a buffet. It’s like feasting in paradise.
“I love filling my plate, walking back into the water and sitting in the shallows to eat. Nothing beats it,” Gan says.
As each day ended, rods were reeled in at sunset. It was time to head up to the sun deck’s lounge seats.
Flame-grilled amberjack jumbo cutlets.
There, the anglers sipped aperitifs and nibbled on snacks while watching golden hues spill across the horizon – the calm before another lavish dinner.
Gan is happy to share tips for planning your own Maldivian fishing escape. Text him at 012-287 7814.
