Fishing !

[Tspringer]

My wife and 2 kids will be spending 3 weeks aboard our Stevens 47 in the Virgin Islands starting next week. We will be in the USVI, Culebra, Vieques and the BVI.

I want to go fishing.... catch fish.... and eat fish!

What licenses must I have? I assume I will have to pay for a license in the USVI and another for Puerto Rico and yet another for the BVI? I have done google searches but I cannot find any info on exactly what licenses are required nor where to get them. Any help is greatly appreciated.

What fish can i spear on the reefs that are tasty? What other fishing tips can anyone provide?

I have a good bit of fishing gear aboard and the bulk of my youth was spent freshwater fishing but so far we have done no fishing aboard our boat. I am anxious to change that... but also a tad bit clueless on what to fish for, how and what is good to eat.

Thanks!


Terry

[Rubikoop]

No fishing license is needed in the USVI. In Puerto Rico, I am pretty sure none is required as well but not %100 confident. That would explain why you can't find any information on something that is non-existant. DO NOT fish in the BVI on your boat without a license. Their penalties are incredibly severe.

For fishing information I would suggest you stop by Neptunes in Redhook and tell them what you want to do. They are very helpful and will gladly share information and can supplement your existing lures. I would suspect your best bet will be trolling between islands in deep water with some tuna type lures giving you the opportunity to catch tuna, wahoo and mahi (AKA dorado and dolphin), all of which are tasty. In shallower waters, less than 100', you will probably catch mostly barracuda. They can be fun to catch but do NOT eat them.

The guy who runs the Admiralty Dive Center in the Holiday Inn on the waterfront is an avid speerfisherman and all around great guy. He can tell you what you can and can't legally take, along with more importantly what you do and do not want to eat. Ciguatera is a very serious condition that can result from eating fish. If you are not familiar with ciguatera you might wish to Google it or read this Ciguatera and the Fish that cause Ciguatera Poisoning I have spoken to people who have experienced it and it sounds like a brutal way to spend a few days. So many species are protected by law or are not safe to eat I found the identification process more difficult than the actual activity of speerfishing.

Many people around here that I know do not eat reef fish because of ciguatera. I do not know if it is as common in the Spanish VI's. Generally, other than barracuda, it is safe to eat most anything that you'll catch in the open water.

This is getting too long, PM me if I can provide more assistance on fishing strategies.

Good luck!!!!

[Palarran]

I asked a simular question last year and had a lot of advice given. Here is the link: http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ice-13415.html
We caught a baracuda between Anagada and Virgin Gorda - it was one of the highlights of our trip. Were going to St. Maarten this year and plan on trolling two lines insead of one.
For tackle I used Cabela's and was pretty happy with the gear. Pole and trolling reel cost about $80 as a combo. It's expensive to buy rods and reels in the islands so bring them. One other thing, get the rod holders that bolt onto your handrails or stanchons. They cost like $20 and where easy to put on when we arrived.

[SilentOption]

If you haven't brought a fish aboard a sailboat that you intend to eat I recommend a gaff. Fishing under sail means you'll be bringing the fish aboard with while still moving forward. Obviously its done all the time just know there is a good chance of losing the fish. The bigger the fish the greater the chance of losing it especially if the tug of war is long. Heavy fish tend to tear at the mouth when being drug forward at the same time they are diving away. As soon as you hook up I recommend a slow safe turn in one direction or the other while reeling in as fast as possible. You want to get back as much line as you can as rapidly as possible. Even a few shallow S turns will go along way towards getting the fish alongside. Treble hooks are often better because they normally ensure a solid hookup.
Typical trolling speed for dolphin is between 5-7 knots.
On the map I attached there is a red line. If you find yourself in this area you need to watch your depth finder and look at your chart. Troll right down the drop off. Its only about 5 or 6 miles offshore if I remember right. This is a very popular billfish area. You will want to troll with something blue and white. 6 inch cedar plugs are best. Paint them before you go and take several. That way if you do get a billfish on the line you can play it long enough for a photo then cut them away.
Make sure you have a pretty stout leader. No matter what you get on the line you'll want something like 80lb mono.
If not the barracuda will cut you off more often than not and you will go through many lures. Make sure you bring a good belt for standup fishing. Don't be surprised if pick up a billfish or at least have one or two crash your bait. If you are lucky enough to get a billfish hooked up resist the urge to play them a long time. The longer you have them on the line the greater the chance a Bull Shark will join the fun. No sense killing something as beautiful as Blue Marlin.
Sharpen your fillet knife! Good luck.

[Hud3]

Have a (plastic) bottle of cheap vodka or rum handy to pour on the fish's gills. The fish will conk out quickly, instead of flapping around spreading blood and slime all over the cockpit.

[SilentOption]

Originally Posted by Hud3

Have a (plastic) bottle of cheap vodka or rum handy to pour on the fish's gills. The fish will conk out quickly, instead of flapping around spreading blood and slime all over the cockpit.

I prefer to drink the cheap rum until I conk out and have the kids clean up the slimey mess!

Just kidding.

Have any of you tried cutting a gill with a pair of dykes while holding the fish over the side? The fish will bleed out in seconds and the meat will be much whiter along the spine.

[Curmudgeon]

A fishing billy works as well as vodka and never requires a refill.

Actually I just "field dress" the fish on the spot. Make a slit up the belly right to the gills. Then grab both gills and pull hard. Scoop out the guts and dump them overboard: they make pretty good chum.

Then get the fish on ice (or at least refrigerated) asap.