myTobago – your questions, review and comment about Tobago

Post Recreated: Originally posted - 22 January 2003

Hi Everyone from freezing Scotland!!

I'd like to thank Steve for a brilliant website..... I have spent the last week trawling the net for really good sites to seek accommodation and to get the skinny on Tobago and this one takes the biscuit! Well done! OK, now down to the big question - is there any bone fishing (on the fly) from the shore in December or indeed, are there any bonefish at all??? I read your posting from December about the tarpon fishing off Plymouth jetty which sounds great and we will definately be giving Kester Herbert a buzz, however we can't afford $175 every second day so we'd like to find out where we can 'do our own thing' just wading knee high on the flats somewhere without upsetting any local fishermen. We're also seriously into our diving and boy oh boy does it sound good. I can't wait to drift away!!! We're celebrating our Silver Anniversary (married in St Lucia, another beautiful Carribean island) and planning a trip 6-20 Dec 03 and want to see as much of this magical island as possible. I look forward to your car rental review in February (thanks for taking time out to do this for us all). It's very difficult to decide on where to stay and we're still diliberating as the North sounds ideal but a bit remote if you want to pop out to see a bit of the local scene on the odd occasion and the South sounds a bit touristy. Is there a compromise??? The bird life sounds amazing (we're not birders) but I think we'll be investing in a decent pair of binoculars.

Thanks again for this great site.

Post Recreated: Originally posted - 22 January 2003

Thanks for the kind words. I had hoped to publish an article on sports fishing just before I left for Tobago, but my escapades with a certain stop-cock totally cocked things up. Here is a brief extract that might be of use Tobago is a reasonable, but not ideal, destination for the salt-water fly fisher. There is a scarcity of flats so essential for bonefish. However, the flats at Friendship (between the Crown Point airport and Lowlands) are popular and ideal for bones and permit and catches of 40 pound tarpon are regularly caught on fly from the shore. Other popular areas are Plymouth Bay and Pigeon Point, where fly fishers can be in the midst of the action within five minutes sailing from shore.

Post Recreated: Originally posted - 22 January 2003

Thanks Steve for your quick response and help. This will help us make a decision on where to stay!

Post Recreated: Originally posted - 14 February 2003

HI Steve, Karen and Keith

What a fantastic website!!!!! Having been to Tobago 3 times in the past few years (going again in April 2003, I have a few tips on bone fishing. Sad to say that I have rarely seen a single 'bone' fall to anglers weilding a fly rod. I have caught small fish on float fished crab and a couple of friends returned from their trip in Jan 2003 having caught fish up to 3 kilos on small plugs (rapala J7's) Once again, despite seeing several other anglers fly fishing, they witnessed no bones being caught. That is not to say that you would be wasting your time trying, but I think that this success with crab and lures would indicate that larger flies such as clousers, sea habits and crab imitations could work rather than the gotchas, charlies and shrimps paterns that most people use.

I have seen bones at friendship flat (easy access via canoe bay resort) in two's and threes up to 3 kilos, so there is potential. This flat is a mixture of sand, turtle grass and busted coral 'hardcore'. By the mangroves there are areas of black mud which appear to be rich in clams and other molluscs. No shortage of food for them. An 8 weight outfit is perfect for these small to medium sized fish. It is rumoured that the largest bone caught on rod and line came from this flat a couple of years ago (on crab) at around 12lb. Fisherman's tale...who knows.

There are two other likely spots for bones and permit on the Island and they are both reletively close by. Pigeon point, between the entrance to Stalag P.P to the windsurfing club could produce fish. I know of at least half a dozen that have been caught in the knee-deep water. Watch out for the guards though. One unfortunate local fisherman was shot dead a couple of years ago whilst trying to enter the compound. A trip with Kester will be a revelation and will be well worth the price tag. This is cheap compared to florida keys prices. Buccoo reef is kesters spot for bones and permit.

On our first trip in 2001, kester put us (my daughter Hayley and I) on to at least 7 or 8 permit. I couldn't believe it! Hayley covered the first fish (5 or 6 lbs) and unfortunetely lost it after a blistering 50 yard run. Despite my best attempts to console her she was upset. I didn't let her know, but I was almost suicidal. By means of a consolation, an hour later, Hayley was firmly attached to a charging bonefish. We didin't weight it, but whenever I look at the photo's, I think that it must have been around 8lb. Her first bonefish on her first bonefish trip. Oh, by the way, I blanked and had to wait another year for my first bone. To cap it all, two days later, we hired Kester to take us out past the reef for a spot of tarpon fishing. No Tarpon but Hayley struck again by hooking, playing and landing the mother of all barracuda. I have never seen such a huge cuda and neither had Kester or any of the fishermen at pigeon point. Hayley, who was 16 at the time, is 5ft tall and the cuda was a long as that. It had to weight at least 50lb, posibly as much as 65-70lb. If you have been to Tobago since posting your question, I would be interested to hear how you got on. If you have yet to go, then I hope that this helps. Tight lines

Steve Pitts

PS I'm packing my rods again this year, so if I have any more info, I will gladly add to this chain.

Post Recreated: Originally posted - 23 February 2003

Hi Steve - many thanks for some great fishy feedback! I think we'll be saving up plenty of readies for a few trips with Kester. It sounds like you had a lot of action and fun. Were you fly fishing or bait fishing or both with Kester? We're intending taking our own saltwater flyfishing reels with us but not sure what size and weight of rod to take. Hope you have a great trip in April. We're not going to Tobago until December but looking really forward to our trip. Regards Karen