Bonefish Folley: Master Bonefisher of the BahamasA fishing guide for more than 60 years and known to people around the world, Bonefish Folley, a master bonefisher is one of the Bahamas’ most beloved ambassadors. Folly was born at Nicholl’s Town, Andros, and taken to Bimini as a baby. After a little schooling, he started as a fishing guide and was on his way to becoming famous. Born Israel Rolle, Folley says he got his nickname as a child. According to Folley, during the prohibition and rum running days in the 1920s, there used to be some folks who used to come to Bimini to sell booze to the folks who used to come over from the states. At that time, the U.S. didn’t allow the selling of liquor. So they used to come to Bimini and pick up liquor and take it over. It used to come from Nassau to Bimini and they’d pack it up and send it on a big ship. “The man who owned the ship was named Folley. He had no kids. I used to be around him on the ship. He used to take me to school. Soon they started calling me Folley, like an adopted son,” he said. The ship owner’s name was Carl Folley. “There are some people from Bimini who have known me for a long time and still call me Carl,” he said. “I named my son Carl after Carl Folley.” A musician, in addition to being a guide, Folley left Bimini while playing in a band. “I played the drums in a band, ‘The Bimini Serenades’ and we used to come over in the 1940s to play at the Jack (Tar) Hotel,” he said. “I found there were good flats here and no bonefish guide so I just stayed here and my customers who used to go to Bimini started coming to West End.” Peak season for bonefish is in the winter months. While few Bahamians participate in the sport, as it is against the law to catch bonefish for food, visitors from around the world visit the Bahamas annually just to bonefish - many to fish with Folley. Folley says he has taken thousands of people fishing throughout the years - some of them are pretty famous. His client lists includes: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., The U.S. President Nixon, the late Prince Rainer of Monaco, Ernest Hemingway, Robert Taylor, Lana Turner and Curt Gowdy - just to name a few. Those persons include U.S. Ambassador to The Bahamas John Rood who befriended Folley as a child. “I met Bonefish Folley when I was about five years old,” Rood said. “My father would rent out the Jack (Tar) Hotel in West End for a month for business conferences and then bring our family over for vacation the last week of the month.” Rood says he remembers more than just fishing with Folley. “We would go over to the Blue Marlin, a restaurant that Mellis (Folley’s wife) ran,” he said. “I remember great dinners, people playing pool and having a great time with Folley and his family.” Rood said as he grew older he continued to stop by the West End to visit with Folley whenever he was in the area. One of those visits occurred right before hurricane Frances hit the Bahamas in September 2004. “It was my memory from that visit that made me want go visit Folley immediately after I heard about the storm hitting the West End,” he said. “Folley’s home was a small wooden house directly across from the ocean.” Rood knew that like many Bahamian homes at the time, Folley’s home probably had been reduced to rubble. Rood arrived for transport into the area shortly after the storm. He and other dignitaries accompanied a group of media into the West End to survey the damage. “As we approached what used to be Folley’s home, I saw him sitting in a boat in his front yard with his grandson.” he said. “Behind him was a pile of rubble which waswhat was left of his family’s home.” Rood said he was eager to speak with Folley and approached him to shake his hand and offer comfort to him. Upon seeing his old friend, Folley began to smile and greeted him warmly as usual. “The cameras were taking photographs of Folley and he was smiling as if nothing so terrible had happened,” Rood said. “I asked him how he could have such a smile and be so happy after such a disaster.” According to Rood, Folley answered, “We lost our home, but my family is safe. We can rebuild the home.” Rood decided at that point that he would take it upon himself to make sure Folley’s home was rebuilt. He and his father worked with an architect to design a safer home for Folley. The home consisted of three bedrooms, and two baths and was built on eight-feet high columns with the ability to withstand storm surges. It is considered to be a ‘model home’ for other residents of West End living on the waterfront and was built at no expense to Folley. “We wanted to show the Bahamians how important it is to build their homes off the ground to make them more storm resistant,” he said. “We built several homes for other Bahamians as well.” Rood is not the only person to be so taken with Folley. Bahamian artist Phil Stubbs wrote a song about him some years back: “Bonefish Folly, He’s so meek and lowly....” In addition to being the theme of a song, a restaurant has been renamed as a tribute to the bone-fishing legend. Bonefish Folley’s Bar & Grille sits with a commanding view of Old Bahama Bay’s marina. As welcoming as Bonefish Folley himself, the newly renamed eatery beckons patrons hungering for native Bahamian cuisine. Black and white photos of its namesake, “Bonefish Folley”, hang prominently from the restaurant’s walls. Perhaps the most interesting characteristic of this restaurant will be Bonefish Folley himself, as he continues to charm guests of Old Bahama Bay. Folley has passed on his expertise to two of his sons, who like him have fallen in love with the sport. Bonefish Tommy and Carly have studied and learned how to bone fish at the feet of the legendary master. When asked if any of his daughter were interested in fishing he laughed, and answered, “My daughters are just here to eat the fish after we catch it.” During the years, he has amassed lots of awards and citations. He says of his life, it has been a lot of work, but a whole lot of fun. Sixty-odd years and Folley says he still has a whole lot of living to do. “The way I feel, I’ll probably go until I drop,’ he said. “Come on out, I’ll take you fishing.” |
