Offshore (Trolling) Rod Rental

Does anyone have any particular firsthand experience with or thoughts about any of the couple of companies that rent offshore trolling rods in the BVI's? I'm curious about quality of the rods/reels. While I have a lot of offshore fishing experience and am somewhat "particular", i'm not expecting much but would like to know if anyone has particular recommendations for rental outfits. I've searched and to my knowledge there are about three different firms on Tortola. In any case, would like to know if someone was particularly pleased about the quality of their rented gear. Also, for what it's worth I am absolutely interested in having full rods/reels and not just hand lines – my family will be aboard for 8 weeks cruising the Leewards and it's just a better way to fish. Thanks in advance for any recommendations/thoughts!

8 weeks? Its worth it to buy travel rods and bring your own reels. I would consider bringing handlines too.

Cheers, RickG

Rick:

Thanks and I have (and am) considering this as an option.

However, my challenge is that this would add an additional piece of luggage each way for me and I'm already over the 2 bag allotment due to other gear (sporting goods, etc) for my, yes, 8 week charter.

So, that means $300 of R/T luggage cost simply for the rods (which I'd also need to purchase) - so about $500 - 600 in expense in total. Thus, I'm looking at renting down there - and my questions above.

my husband brings his own rods that come apart in pieces & are very light & a reel. Packs right in our luggage. Good luck

OK, thanks Bella, but I'm packed to the gill. And by gill, I mean I have each of my allotted bags packed to 49.5 pounds each - just below the 50 pound limit - so there is NO additional room. And those bags include LOTS of lighter weight fishing gear - just not offshore gear. So, this is the reason I'm asking about rentals, if anyone has any experience in that area. (All I'm doing is trying to get a head start on my search. I arrive in Tortola 2 days in advance of leaving the dock so I'll have some time to get things arranged on island, but just wanted to get some recommendations, if any.)

Scott and Debs at Island Surf and Sail, maybe they can give you a "long term" deal

http://www.bviwatertoys.com/

Try Richardson Rigging, he also has a fishing shop and has repaired a few rods for me. He is a very nice guy. He might rent you some riggs. He also has rigged ballyhoo which work well over the drop.

I used BVI Watertoys last year. Good service, decent gear. Will bring more lures next time. Kind of a limited selection. Rod and reel in working order. Rods, gaff, lures on board when I arrived to my charter, there to pick up when I turned the boat in. Overall no complaints, would use again.

I rented from Last Stop Sports for 1 week. I am a novice fisherman, but they seemed to work okay.

Thanks for the thoughts and recommendations! I've got Last Stop Sports and BVI Watertoys on my list of people to talk to when I get to Tortola - Richardson Rigging is also a great idea for several reasons.

It's interesting how this trip is entirely unique and challenging from a packing and logistics perspective - its absolutely different from any other sail charter I've taken since the mid 1980s. Normally, I'd carry on a small backpack of clothes - in this case I have five 49.5 pound bags, a packed Yeti cooler (to become our onboard ice chest), plus large carry-on packs on each of the 3 of us traveling. But, I suppose its a different trip - regardless, the logistics have been incredibly challenging. (The packing process alone has taken a couple of days of packing, weighing, repacking, etc.)

There are times first class makes sense with lots of bags or overweight bags. You also get the first class lounge, free drinks and food.

I had the experience where I weighed my luggage at home using a hand held luggage scale. I was slightly below the allowable. At the airport I was one pound over and had to repack on the fly. 49.5 lbs is cutting it close. Good Luck.