myTobago – your questions, review and comment about Tobago

Here is a short report of my last weekend fishing in Tobago about 2 weeks ago.

Friday- Got to the Grange area about 4:30am. Big tarpon were busting baitfish in the dark! Cast as we may we were unable to get a hookup due to the vast amount of bait present. The entire length of beach was black with baitfish in the water and the tarpon were having a very easy time in just scooping these up.
Went up to Sandy point to try my luck there but it was the same. Huge tarpon and a temendous amount of baitfish. Caught nothing that morning. Did not fish in the evening either.

Saturday- Went straight to Sandy Point at first light. On my 5th cast with a very small lure I hooked into a smaller tarpon which quickly shook the hook off. That was it for the morning.
Returned to Sandy Point in the afternoon only to find that some fishermen had set a fillette net in the water in the hopes of entangling fish. Could not fish there for that reason and went up to Grange instead. Lots and lots of baitfish discoloured the water and people were coming out of the water with bait in their pockets sometimes due to the amount!!
Nothing was hooked there.
On Saturday night however I decided to try some bottom fishing @ Buccoo. We caught a few mutton snapper in the 2-3 lb range. We also had a hookup with a very big snapper that cut the line on the rocks after a very powerful run.

Sunday- Returned to Sandy Point but the net was still there so no luck there.

All in all it was a very enjoyable weekend but a very unproductive one as well as far as fishing was concerned. Better luck next time I hope and will return soon when the baitfish population decreases a little and the fish are into feeding mode once again.

WOW! Exciting report even without catching much. I'll be at Grange tomorrow, can't wait. I wonder if the results would be better if one were to catch some of the bait and use it instead of lures. I'll let you know soon.

Hugh

NIce report. Wondering what sort of bait you used for bottom fishing? Visiting Tobago next March for the second time and my driving force's gonna be fishing once again.


Regards

Robert

Hugh, the bait is very very small about 1 inch average so it may be some issue to put this on a hook and get it noticed by the fish but good idea though.I also heard that the day previous to my arrival some locals landed a few cavali (Jacks) in the 20lb range from right there in Grange in the afternoon. Jacks as you know ar nomadic fish and they do not stay in the area very long but you never know....

Robert, for bottom fishing you cannot beat flying fish which is what we used. its very oily and stays on the hook very well. You can get flying fish either early morning at Buccoo fishing depot where the fishermen come in after night fishing or go to Mt Irvin by the fish stalls about 4pm on any evening and you will be sure to get when the boats come in, its very cheap and just let someone know what you are looking for since they do not put them on the stalls for sale really.

Hi Collins,

Thanks for the info. The local guys recommended the same this February but I was only rigged for lure fishing. I'll definitely try bottom fishing next year. Which area do you think would be the best for a try?

Robert

Most of the bays and beaches on the leeward side are great for botom fishing especially where there are lots of rocks. The windward side is even better but in February the wind may be a little too high causing some rough seas on that side. Buccoo, on the point to the right of the jetty is a great spot. Plymouth on the rocks as well.