myTobago – your questions, review and comment about Tobago

I'll be staying at the Coco Reef 20 April for 2 weeks and hope to get some fshing in. I've been to Tobago before and fished with Stevie Mohammed on Hardplay, Stevie Mohammed on Dream Catcher, Stanley Dillon on Super Cool, and in 2004 with Kester and Kevin on the Grand Slams.
I am a bit short of cash right now, so would like to try some fishing around the hotel area without a guide. Can anyone make any recommendations? I often lure fish in the UK and have also had a crack at fly fishing.

Peter

Hi Peter

Firstly - Welcome to the forum.

I guess that I should have a stock answer to your question, as to be honest, I've replied to many similar posts over the past couple of years.

One thing that I have noticed (and please don't be offended by this next comment, because it isn't aimed at you personally), is that of the dozens of posts that start off like this and then develop from simple 'where to fish?' into 'what with?' - 'what for?' - 'when?' - 'how much?' etc. etc. very few posters contibute anything to the forum by way of catch reports when then get back home, so the info traffic is mainly one way.

As I said, I hope that comment doesn't offend you, but the general lack of feedback from those who I have 'pointed in the right direction' is not helpful in cracking some of the fishy conundrums that abound around the Tobago angling scene.

I bet you wished you hadn't asked the question now......

Anyway, I am sorry to offload that onto your post, but hopefully others will read and reciprocate with reports.

What I would advise, as you are based in the Crown Point area, are trips to Sandy Point and the jetties to the right, for tarpon and jacks. Pigeon Point is within walking disstance and could offer bonefish and (very rarely) permit.

Also take a look, in this very section of the forum, at the lengthy thread 'Casting a lure in January' where you will find numerous suggestions, along with lots of similar threads on shore fishing, fly fishing and species-specific questions. There is also a whole section on fishing in the 'Out and About' section at the top of the page.

Cheers
Steve

Thanks Steve - no offence taken. I will post a report when I get back. As for my previous visits, the first time would have been with Stevie onboard Hardplay Light. We trawled the reefs off the soutwest coast I think. I had a 20lb dorado and my fishing buddy had a large blacktip reef shark. Next time, 2 years later, on Dreamcatcher, again with Stevie, we got very wet as we trawled the reefs along the western coastline - but no fish! In 2003 a few of us from the Coco Reef went out with Stanley Dillon on Super Cool. Great boat, we caught a few barracuda - I was lucky, I had a 20lb King fish - very tasty - cooked at Stanleys' restaurant. And the best ever was with Kester and Kevin in 2004. We fished around Crown Point (airport) where I caught tarpon up to 60lb on float fished live baits, plus a snook. In addition I had a couple of bonefish in the flats around Buccoo on floatfished crabs. Unfortunately no Slam........didn't get a Permit.
One thing I would have asked for, is, if anyone is in Tobago at the same time, maybe we could share the cost of a session on Kester's boat.

Peter.

Steve other than the fact i will be back in the UK I shall look forward to post a detailed report on the fishing, you will have to excuse the spelling perhaps and it may not have much in it if you have to rely on me to catch. However I will have my two boys with me and they usually turn up after I have fished for 8 hrs solid without a bite and pull out a monster fish usually on the bait rod or something like that.

Peter

We will be just packing to leave so will not be able to go out wiyh you this time, we leave for home on the 22nd but we will be fishing upto the last minute! This is our first time but we have found plenty of info here about the fishing everyone is really helpful

Regards Chris

Hi Steve. I have looked at the information in 'Out and About' on what to use and found it really useful.....thanks alot. For your info. I asked at the tackle shop about the Shimano Sahara and was told it is no longer available and that it has been replaced with the Shimano Exage 4000RA - so now I'm almost ready. Got a new reel, and found some Yo Zuri lures that I bought a couple of years ago - just 18 days to go and I'll be there.

If there is anyone out there at the same time as me (20/4 to 4/5), let me know as I would love to meet up for some fishing and or Carib.

Peter.

Hi Peter
We will be out there from 27th April to 11th May & i am looking to do some fishing , maybe we can sort something over a beer before you leave .
Thanks Paul.

Hi Paul. Would be good to meet up with another angler. Which hotel are you staying at? What type of fishing do you normally do? Have you fished for tarpon, bonefish etc before? I have some experience but it's very very limited. I checked this forums fishing info and found it really useful. Spent the past week getting my gear together and buying new stuff for the trip. Can't wait to get out there.......one week to go

Peter.

Sorry I’ve not written anything since I got back to the UK, but have been busy fishing, gardening and generally loafing around in our somewhat Tobago-like weather.
Anyway, here goes. Steve Hull has already written reviews of the sessions I had with him at Crown Point, Rusty Lewis at Castara and with Kester at Buccoo, so I will add my observations and suggested tips.

1. When fishing at Crown Point, get there as early as you can. Better to be there before first light which is around 5.00 – 5.30. Go there in daylight beforehand so you can see the terrain as it’s very rocky towards the fort.
2. Lures are fun, but best bait appears to be livebait. Although I did catch a Bar Jack on a lure at Sandy Point, the best lure fishing session was trolling from a boat with ‘Rusty’ Lewis when we caught Barracuda, Tuna and Kingfish. To avoid tangled lines, I would recommend only 2 anglers in the boat at any time, plus Rusty.
3. Rods – I have two that I use for saltwater lure fishing. One is a 20lb class rod and the other is a lighter rod I bought last year in Texas that I used for Red fish. Both great rods, BUT, both are short….2.1m and this was my problem. With a longer rod, better casting distances can be made especially from the beach. The biggest problem I had was when livebait fishing using these short rods. Casting a bait with a 2m leader and using a 2.1m rod, it’s impossible to get any distance – better to take rods that are longer – 3m plus is clearly a better option.


And finally, my thanks to Steve Hull for arranging the sessions with Kester and Rusty, and for taking me fishing at Sandy Point – the Bar Jack was very tasty!!

Right, Steve, here is my very own report:
I have been trying shore fishing from englishman´s bay with Rapala floating lures of large size and have once hooked a barracuda which unfortunately snapped the line. I have also trolled with Brian Ferguson in his dinghy from castara to the sisters and back twice. We generally catch tuna, jack and crevally? of rather moderate sizes. First year we managed to live off my angling but last year we only caught a lousy little tuna weighing at most 6 pounds. Generally using red/white rapala or more coloured ones. Gear: An old boat rod with an Ambassadeur 10000C and my very ancient one-handed Caster 132 with an Ambassadeur 5500C. That´s sport if You get anything larger than a mullet on the last one.
Probably our fault is that we have been out during the midday sun. I suppose the foam around our jaws scare fish away.