Fish Story
by Kegler

Fourteen answers must be modified before entry into the diagram, as suggested by the nine-word phrase in the gray rows.

Fish Story grid

Across
12Ocean hunter's instrument ultimately no unique thing
13Redundancy complicated some plan
16Reverend Spooner's lover corresponded with Dory
18Pierce small fruit
20Boor initially claimed fling
21Extinct bird's mother covering egg
22Chum, taking over, forgave
24Ordinary folk surrounding essentially prissier administrative officials
27Outlaw grabbing back of the head
28Flavored great quantities with dash of oregano, backing study
30Dry out all but the front of tresses
31Overheard mantras for certain units
33Father and son at last search for gold
34Native-born Israeli is South American supporter
36Headstone I damaged displays Indian language
37Measures reflection of small animals
40Digs black suit
41Cretan's exotic drink
42Nobody starting to nod in favor of Bond's ignoring of the law
Down
1Promise ring by end of month
2Person necking with native Oklahoman, keeping quiet
3Greeting extremely nerve-wracking flier inside, yelling
4Riding a little Malibu pony
5Takes the crown from Spanish gentleman, back after heartless destruction
6That man's describing unfortunate moron's endocrines
7Silky hair twisted on a rag
8Naive actors hassled people out of work?
9Shortstop chases pitcher's penultimate curve
10Always time to turn outward...
11...and not, finally, return to center
12Artificial fruit juice container's temporary snag
14A trial involved a rope
15Italian city hosts commercial for dish container?
17More domineering South African embraces confused Sis
19Scene of unfavorable review by Oregon group of doctors
22Defensive wall section protecting gorilla, perhaps
23Good-looking foreign steno arrested for deceit
25Threaten players with high card
26Rejected in-box clutter with certain pictures
27Ordered sample of berry drink
29Numeric superscript = (e times p) over ten, surprisingly
32Onion's skin left color in cut melon
34Thus, note place to sit
35Rubber gloves holding mass of ice
36Uncle, not nieces, holding back chant
38Color of squirming ant
39Climbing hill is nonsense

Solution