Hi,
I am going to Tobago this August for the first time with the family. We like to do a little bit of fishing for fun and so i wondered if anyone could tell me whether it is practical to fish off the beach or rocks and catch something good for ones supper!
any ideas will be gratefully recieved.
clive
Fishing
-
Steve Wooler
- myTobago Editor & Chief Anorak
- Posts: 4856
- Joined: Sun Apr 21, 2002 11:00 pm
- Location: Suffolk, England
- Contact:
Hi Clive
The general answer is yes – you can fish off rocks and jetties. Rock fishing is very popular with the young local lads, in particular. Obviously success will vary from area to area, so a lot depends upon where you’re staying.
Steve Willis of Kalina Cats provided this comment on fishing in answer to a similar question some months ago:
Also, I suggest you use the Search link at the top of this page and search for posts by Steve Pitts (enter in the “Search for Author:” box). Steve has done a couple of good posts on the subject.]
Sorry I moved your post, but it was somewhat off-topic in Health & Security.
The general answer is yes – you can fish off rocks and jetties. Rock fishing is very popular with the young local lads, in particular. Obviously success will vary from area to area, so a lot depends upon where you’re staying.
Steve Willis of Kalina Cats provided this comment on fishing in answer to a similar question some months ago:
All our research indicates that Kester Herbert is THE MAN when it comes to fishing on Tobago and particularly inshore fishing. I had the pleasure of meeting him during my last visit. He's a really nice, quietly spoken guy who really seems to know his stuff. Absolutely ideal for gentle one-to-one fishing trips.“You can buy tackle here in the Mangrove Shop (near Pigeon Point) where the owner John Trim will advise on shore fishing possibilities in the vicinity. The dilapidated jetty at Plymouth is a good spot for some great fighting fish like tarpon that can be caught on a fly. No one rents self drive boats. Insurance is a problem and the current and tides are a problem to the novice and have caught the odd windsurfer or small dingy sail yachts off balance, especially from Coco Reef. (I have saved one or two people over the years – up to 2 miles out!). There is a guy called Kester Herbert at Black Rock village who takes small groups inshore and offshore fishing in all the best spots. He is a specialist in fly fishing and spinning. Kester can be contacted on (868) 639 9961 or cellphone 683 1958.”
Also, I suggest you use the Search link at the top of this page and search for posts by Steve Pitts (enter in the “Search for Author:” box). Steve has done a couple of good posts on the subject.]
Sorry I moved your post, but it was somewhat off-topic in Health & Security.
Steve Wooler
myTobago.info - the definitive Visitor Guide to Tobago
myTobago.info - the definitive Visitor Guide to Tobago
-
Steve Pitts
- Tobago Anorak
- Posts: 710
- Joined: Mon Apr 28, 2003 11:18 am
- Location: Bristol U.K
fishing
Hi Clive
If you email me on [email protected] I'll send you a summary of the available fishing options.
Cheers
Steve
If you email me on [email protected] I'll send you a summary of the available fishing options.
Cheers
Steve
-
Clive
Hi Steve,
many thanks for your reply. Thank you for moving the message ... a bit of finger trouble late at night for a new member on this Forum.
Was just the info I was looking for as the next question was 'can I hire equipment locally or do I need to bring it with me and whats the chance of hiring a boat'. We are staying near Stone Haven and Grafton Beach so sounds like there might be some spots close by.
I will follow up Steve Pitts kind offer to send me some info.
On a general note have found the site extremely helpful in deciding that Tobago is the place for our holiday this year!
thanks again
Clive
many thanks for your reply. Thank you for moving the message ... a bit of finger trouble late at night for a new member on this Forum.
Was just the info I was looking for as the next question was 'can I hire equipment locally or do I need to bring it with me and whats the chance of hiring a boat'. We are staying near Stone Haven and Grafton Beach so sounds like there might be some spots close by.
I will follow up Steve Pitts kind offer to send me some info.
On a general note have found the site extremely helpful in deciding that Tobago is the place for our holiday this year!
thanks again
Clive
-
Steve Wooler
- myTobago Editor & Chief Anorak
- Posts: 4856
- Joined: Sun Apr 21, 2002 11:00 pm
- Location: Suffolk, England
- Contact:
-
Barry
Hi Clive,
Got back from Tobago a couple of days ago. It was everything we expected and more and I will write a review when I have finished catching up with the depressing backlog of work that has accumulated. Just thought I'd respond to your post while it is fresh in my mind. First thing I would say is take your own rods and reels. I don’t think anyone rents equipment. End tackle is cheap locally - the Mangove shop on the Pigeon Point turn off has weights, hooks etc.
Like you, we fished for fun a few times and also went out with Kester on the larger of his two boats - this one has shade. A really pleasant guy and certainly knows the area and techniques. My son and I caught several large Barracuda and a Kingfish on the trip - great fun.
Unfortunately, at US $250/half day, it's not something we could afford to do every day so we fished the rocks and piers a few times. We initially tried Plymouth jetty where, in the early morning and late evening, you can watch the Tarpon feeding. We only had spinning rods with 20lb line and some of these fish are over 80lbs. Despite that we still tried by floating both live and dead bait but without success. There is a spot on the rocks(look seaward from the end of the pier and at about two o'clock there is a rocky outcrop) where you can get much closer to the fish and I think live baiting would be successful. The problem is, the first thing a hooked Tarpon does is leap out of the water and head out to sea. If that happened at Plymouth you would almost certainly lose the fish amongst the moored fishing boats. On our first trip to Plymouth pier we were accosted by mango sellers and aloe appliers but once you have made it clear you are just fishing they will not bother you. The local fishermen will also come and chat to you and offer advice and fishing trips. You can haggle over prices and they are a great bunch. Beware though that apart from Tuna man their boats are open Pirogues without even basic safety equipment.
There is a much better shore spot at the back of Crown Point airport. Turn right at the crossroads before the airport, follow the road for 150yds or so and it turns left towards the airport perimeter fence, when you come to the fence turn right and follow this road until it turns left. You will be on a small beach. Look right along the coast 100yds and you will see the pier.
Two good things about this pier, there are no boats moored in the fishing area and there is a bar/cafe. We tried several times from around 0530 using ledgered jacks(small baitfish) and between ourselves and another English angler had several takes and runs from Tarpon. Although we didn't successfully land one it was still great fun. They are terrific fighters. You can also fly-fish for Tarpon but we had neither the skills nor tackle required. Also try switching to smaller hooks and bait and fish around the jetty for various other species. Both my wife and son caught everything from Parrot fish to Moray eels. There are always a couple of locals around and they will advise what is good to eat. You will lose a lot of tackle here - lots of rocks, but hooks and weights are so cheap from the Mangrove shop it doesn't matter a great deal. If the surf isn’t too big try floating. You can also fish from the shore anywhere along the beach in this area - talk to the locals.
Whether you catch anything or not this is such a beautiful location in the evening. A setting sun, Pelicans wheeling and diving, a cold Carib and your family beside you - you'll soon forget all the big ones that got away.
Wherever you fish, good luck and have a great holiday - you have chosen a perfect destination. If you need any more info drop me an email at [email protected].
Regards
Barry
Got back from Tobago a couple of days ago. It was everything we expected and more and I will write a review when I have finished catching up with the depressing backlog of work that has accumulated. Just thought I'd respond to your post while it is fresh in my mind. First thing I would say is take your own rods and reels. I don’t think anyone rents equipment. End tackle is cheap locally - the Mangove shop on the Pigeon Point turn off has weights, hooks etc.
Like you, we fished for fun a few times and also went out with Kester on the larger of his two boats - this one has shade. A really pleasant guy and certainly knows the area and techniques. My son and I caught several large Barracuda and a Kingfish on the trip - great fun.
Unfortunately, at US $250/half day, it's not something we could afford to do every day so we fished the rocks and piers a few times. We initially tried Plymouth jetty where, in the early morning and late evening, you can watch the Tarpon feeding. We only had spinning rods with 20lb line and some of these fish are over 80lbs. Despite that we still tried by floating both live and dead bait but without success. There is a spot on the rocks(look seaward from the end of the pier and at about two o'clock there is a rocky outcrop) where you can get much closer to the fish and I think live baiting would be successful. The problem is, the first thing a hooked Tarpon does is leap out of the water and head out to sea. If that happened at Plymouth you would almost certainly lose the fish amongst the moored fishing boats. On our first trip to Plymouth pier we were accosted by mango sellers and aloe appliers but once you have made it clear you are just fishing they will not bother you. The local fishermen will also come and chat to you and offer advice and fishing trips. You can haggle over prices and they are a great bunch. Beware though that apart from Tuna man their boats are open Pirogues without even basic safety equipment.
There is a much better shore spot at the back of Crown Point airport. Turn right at the crossroads before the airport, follow the road for 150yds or so and it turns left towards the airport perimeter fence, when you come to the fence turn right and follow this road until it turns left. You will be on a small beach. Look right along the coast 100yds and you will see the pier.
Two good things about this pier, there are no boats moored in the fishing area and there is a bar/cafe. We tried several times from around 0530 using ledgered jacks(small baitfish) and between ourselves and another English angler had several takes and runs from Tarpon. Although we didn't successfully land one it was still great fun. They are terrific fighters. You can also fly-fish for Tarpon but we had neither the skills nor tackle required. Also try switching to smaller hooks and bait and fish around the jetty for various other species. Both my wife and son caught everything from Parrot fish to Moray eels. There are always a couple of locals around and they will advise what is good to eat. You will lose a lot of tackle here - lots of rocks, but hooks and weights are so cheap from the Mangrove shop it doesn't matter a great deal. If the surf isn’t too big try floating. You can also fish from the shore anywhere along the beach in this area - talk to the locals.
Whether you catch anything or not this is such a beautiful location in the evening. A setting sun, Pelicans wheeling and diving, a cold Carib and your family beside you - you'll soon forget all the big ones that got away.
Wherever you fish, good luck and have a great holiday - you have chosen a perfect destination. If you need any more info drop me an email at [email protected].
Regards
Barry
-
Clive
Hi Barry,
thank you for your fabulous post ...thanks for taking the time it will certainly be of great help. You certainly have inspired me and I think I will be taking more tackle with me as a result and seeing whether I can hook into one of those elusive Tarpon!
Steve Kitts was kind enough to email me some info as well and it seems to me that Tobago could hold some real fishing fun.
I'm interested that your had a good day out on a charter boat, my recent experience of doing this in Grenada was several hours of trawling up and down and not really feeing like we were doing the fishing ... was your experience different?
Finally did you eat any of your catch and if so what would you recomend?
best regards
Clive
thank you for your fabulous post ...thanks for taking the time it will certainly be of great help. You certainly have inspired me and I think I will be taking more tackle with me as a result and seeing whether I can hook into one of those elusive Tarpon!
Steve Kitts was kind enough to email me some info as well and it seems to me that Tobago could hold some real fishing fun.
I'm interested that your had a good day out on a charter boat, my recent experience of doing this in Grenada was several hours of trawling up and down and not really feeing like we were doing the fishing ... was your experience different?
Finally did you eat any of your catch and if so what would you recomend?
best regards
Clive