we have a fisherman sailing with us this time, and are wondering about fishing options - getting a license and renting gear for fishing from the boat, and/or trying a deepsea fishing excursion. Anyone have any experience (luck) with this? And who to charter with if we try deepsea?

We always troll lines off of our Cat, but it's always "hit or miss" at best. Sometimes we do well with Mahi & Tuna and sometimes we don't. If you're going to fish from your boat, you'll definitely need a license.

I just received my fishing license this week. Apply about two weeks ahead of your departure date. License takes approx. a week to process and costs $45 if you apply directly to the Ministry - link: http://www.bvitourism.com/fishing

License comes via email.

Happy to share results when we return.

Plan to troll between anchorages, maybe hit the drop for bigger fish.

Tight lines.

Brendan

Big Ting Charters are the guys for deep sea. Look them up online.

Big Ting is the reason I don't use expensive lures anymore. I had just put a new $20 Tuna lure on and 5 min. later Big Ting came blasting across our wake and cut our lines. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/cloud.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/cry.gif" alt="" />

I would have your friend bring some gear and they can fish any time you are sailing. It will be hit and miss and they'll probably only catch fish a day or two.

If you want to help them, you could sail along the South Drop (just sail south from Norman and then over to Cooper on the south side of Norman and Peter).

Be prepared to be able to STOP on command. You can heave-to.

On our last trip we caught a beautiful mahi-mahi and we caught a lot of barracuda which were a real pain to get off the hook.

I wrote a couple of posts on it:
http://bvibound.com/can-fish-sailboat-bvi/
http://bvibound.com/gear-take-fishing-british-virgin-islands/

Stormy

We have caught Mahi, tuna and barracuda. Also King. You MUST have a licence. Penalties are heavy if caught without.

Your charter co. can line you up trolling rods and licences. Or rent from these guys. They will deliver and pick up trolling packages right to your boat. They will also request your licenses for you.

https://www.laststopsports.com/Fishing.htm

Island Surf & Sail is a great place to rent gear
www.bviwatertoys.com

stormster, great articles plus found other helpful things on your site. Thanks for all the helpful tips. We leave in 9 days so will apply for the licenses now and hope we get them in time. Will likely also do a charter for the men.

I'm happy with the WaayCool handlines. They are as easy to use as rod/reel for trolling. You can pull them in faster for clearing sargassum.

I picked up a couple of his prototype lures rigged with wire leaders. They cost about what it would have cost for me to build them. Quite heavy.

How'd we do? One barracuda.

Cheers, RickG

IMHO hand lines are not fishing. If you are a fisherman you have to love the sound of the reel screaming, the fight, the rod bending, reeling in, and the fish taking off again, that's fishing.

That's fun, of course. However I also fish because I like to eat fresh fish.
Lew