British Virgin Islands

[SaltyDog]

Any advice from fellow fisherman on where/how/tips for some offshore fishing while bareboating around the BVI's?

[iguana1]

Go to Anegada. It is 'off limits' for some charter companies due to shallow approach but they often will go via flotilla (we jsut go and take our chances). Anegada is the best of the BVI. Unbelievable snorkelling, real beach bars, etc. But the fishing...

Take your dingy (or bareboat for that matter) around to the backside (opposite the harbor). Maybe a 15 mintue dinghy ride. It drops from reef to over 600 feet in 1/4 mile. We trolled Braid Marauders for big barracuda, wahoo and even had a shark strike. No stop action until I lost both lures I had.

You can also have a lot of fun just trolling any of the reef edges at the anchorages with rapalas at dawn and dusk. You will catch all kinds off mackeral, jacks and barracudas.

At night keep your light on on the mooring and the jacks and cudas will swarm the boat and you can chuck spoons at them.

There are some restrictions to what you can keep in BVI that are worth checking out at customs. I never paid too much attention as I didn't keep stuff but I think there are fines.

Non-fishing related, go to the Willie T and check out the photo albums....

[carom]

before even rigging your hooks.......get a permit, it's cheap.......you'll thank me.....if the police catches you fishing without a permit you'll be in some nasty shit........I shit you not!!!!!!!

[andyyar]

Does anyone know how often the seas are condusive to Center Console fishing? I loved sailing through BVI, and I understand that the Marlin fishing can be good on the South Drop, the Seamount SE of Virgin Gorda, and the reef on the NE side of Anegada that is mentioned in this thread; all of course in addition to the North Drop. I always hear that the seas are consistently 6 ft or higher. Is there a certain time of year when it lays down for a little while, or are any of these other areas that I've mentioned generally any calmer or more protected than the North Drop? Any info would be appreciated.

Thanks
andy

[FESS]

I am not the end-all expert on this location (BVI), but u may find some of this helpful...South side is usually calmer in the winter time, due to a more northerly quadrant wind direction and that side being more in the lee that time of year. During the "season"...say june, july, aug, sept, oct....the "trade-winds" (SE to SSE) blow from Africa and it all can be sporty @ 6 foot or better...pending the wind velocity.
We hired a guy back in the early 80's during my first or second season there and he'd get sea-sick just hearing the wind ripping through the American flag at the dock in American Yacht Harbour marina. It would blow 20-30 every day....seems nowadays it's the exception to see anything over 15 knots (S.E.) except around a weather system as it passed though or hopefully passed by offshore.
Many days you'd be just fine in what they call the "corner" ...an area closest to St. Thomas though.
Do get yourself a (bvi) fishing license!
What time of year are u traveling? Water Cay is kinda cool too.
Wild times @ da Bomba Shack too don't cha know...during da full moon mon.

[SaltyDog]

thanks fellas, im heading out for 8 days end of this month, hope to get offshore at least twice, will let you know how it went