Shore fishing in the Caribbean

[ScottM]

Me and the Mrs., along with my brother and his wife, have booked a cruise with Celebrity out of San Juan P.R. in mid-January. We're headed to Antigua, Barbados, Grenada and St. Thomas. Any of you guys heard how good the shore fishing is down there? I'm thinking of bringing a spinning rod along if it's worth the effort. All the travel guides mention offshore fishing, but that unfortunately is not in the budget.

[Mark]

It can be ok depending upon the actual spot where you are. As far as the real shallow areas, bring the lightest outfit you have along with some 1/4 white bucktails as well as some #4 and #1 hooks (hermit crab makes great bait) - all this will catch bonefish, small snappers, and the like.

If you are in an area with casting access to deeper water, take some 1.5-3oz lures and heave them as far as you can. Barjacks are pretty common in all the destinations you list.

I have spent time fishing in most of them. The only problem in many places is the amount of fishing that has gone on before you (and not released). Flats fishing in the Caribbean is far trickier than many other destinations like Florida, the Bahamas, or down in Mexico/Belize. Inspite of that, it probably beats shopping for handicrafts! [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

If you are spending any time in San Juan itself, contact me and I can recommend a guide that works out of there and can get you into tarpon right there in the lagoon.

[ScottM]

Mark,
Thanks for the info. I had a feeling you'd fished these areas before. We're getting into San Juan at 5:00pm and the cruise leaves at 11:00pm, so we won't have any time to fish there. Hopefully I'll have a digital camera by then (yes, I'm still looking!) and I can post some nice photos. I've asked Santa for one for Xmas, so I've got my fingers crossed that he'll pull through for me. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[TUGBOAT]

SHORE FISHING !!?? Heck throw a Hand line over the Stern of that baby !! I can't tell how many lips I've brought in like that ! Sir, I didn't know I could'nt fish off here,Heck their shooting a shotgun over there !!

[Mark]

Capt. Brad,

What about combining the two: using those skeet guns on fish that are busting on bait? - the latest craze available only on your friendly Carnival Cruise Line [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[ScottM]

Capt. Brad,
Any of your lures track well at 20-24 knots? If so, I'll throw a couple of over the side while underway and see what I can bring up. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

Can you believe no more skeet shooting on cruise ships? PETA must have been screaming about the dolphins eating the clay pigeon pieces, or some whale getting a piece lodged in its blowhole.