Aruba in April ???

[rdmissel]

I plan on going to Aruba in mid-April...Any advice on fly fishing Aruba would be appreciated. It seems that most of the searching that I have done results in trolling/bottomfishing charters - and thats OK, but I was hoping to do a little fly flinging!
Thanks in advance
Big Bob

[bgabel]

I plan on going to Aruba in mid-April...Any advice on fly fishing Aruba would be appreciated. It seems that most of the searching that I have done results in trolling/bottomfishing charters - and thats OK, but I was hoping to do a little fly flinging!
Thanks in advance
Big Bob


Big Bob,
I have posted some info on this site about aruba. I've only been there once so no expert but there is some bones to fish for. Do a search for my posts and you should find some info. If you have any specific questions feel free to send me a message with questions.

bgabel

[SWB]

Big Bob,

I am going to Aruba in May and am hoping to do some fly fishing myself. Let us know if you have some success.

I have searched for info pertaining to Aruba and there is not a lot. Here is what I have copied from previous messages:


" I went to Aruba during the first week of April in 2001 and stayed at the Holiday Inn. I tell you that because I couldn't find anything on bonefishing myself so I went it alone. I hit a falling high tide a little after sun up and decided to head out to the right of the hotel and walk the beach looking for action. Well, there were schools of small Pompano chasing minnows along the shoreline with bigger fish behind them but never saw what they were. I only made it about a mile in that direction and nerver saw a flat. More importantly for you though, I found out later in the trip that if I had gone left my chances would have been much better. I don't have the exact details but there is a "board walk" that runs in front of all the hotels on that beach and at the very end of it on the left as you look toward the sea is a small flat that has built up on the right side of a rock jetty which looked very promising.
Not a lot to go on but I imagine that the place you would stay would be along that same beach because there are some very high end hotels there.
Also you should know that at night I saw Tarpon to about 35 lbs at the end of the hotel docks which were lighted and the wind in Aruba is brisk all day long so bring equipment to match."

"My oil burner repair guy was telling me the other day that he got a slam last year down there, fishing on his own. Flats near the Divi Divi. So yes, bring your bonefish/permit/barracuda stuff.

That said, most of the fishing down there is trolled bait for marlin and barracuda."

"There are both bonefish and permit there, actually more permit than bonefish according to what I saw, but not huge numbers of either. There is sight flats fishing to be had just up-beach from the Marriott, in front of what's called "Fishermen's huts", and also at "Baby Beach" at the far end of the island. From what I saw at a distance I would also check out "Boca Grande". The mangrove lagoon abutting the airport looked fishy but you would need a boat. I am unaware of anyone operating as a flyfishing and/or light tackle flats/lagoon guide. There are the usual offshore blue water boats.
My suggestion? Bring your rod and CRAB flies, but don't get yourself into the mindset that this is a destination fishing site. last year I told all this to someone from this forum and he did and caught his first permit on a fly, so he's one up on me. "

" Have been there three times and yet to get a fish. You might try the area near the California Light House. I understand that the natives fish here. They also say that there are snook under the docks wher the fishing fleet docks. I've been out there early morning and never had a hit. Good luck "


" found some barracuda walking left from Divi-Divi past some of the newer resorts until you hit a coral/rock wall right before the harbor...walk to the right and you pass some of the resorts more popular with Euro clientele where topless bathing is de rigeuer...the fishing really wasn't all that good..

if ya gotta get out look into a charter and they will take you off the N side where the surf and coast precludes wading but that's where the restaurants dump there food waste and so there are lots of sharks and big, dumb fish that you can catch on 50 lb class stuff...

..or you can go back to the divi, show them your wristband, get a drink and walk to the right.... "

Steve

[ChuckD]

While staying at the Marriott(not the one in town, the one outside of town), I asked a few of the windsurfing instructors where to fish and they directed me about a mile down to the right(as you look out to sea) of the windsurfing school where there is a point with a wreck(don't know if the wreck is still there but the point is easy to pick out). Little rollers break onto the reef off this point. I would wade out to the edge of the reef(sneakers or other footwear a must) and watch for cruising bones which I could see through the waves as they crested. They were in +/- 5 lb. range. I don't recall if tide made a difference. One time on my backcast I hooked the reef behind me(the wind was tough). I waded back to retrieve my fly and noticed a small hollowed out funnel of sand in between land and the reef where the waves had made a mini-channel. It was only a few inches deeper than the reef but as I glanced at it while unhooking my snag, along drifted a shadow of none other than a senor bonefish. I got my fly off and made a little 20 foot cast and he pounced on it and was off to the races. I came back the next few days and would sneak up low and quietly and just sit and watch that little channel for a while to check for bones before getting out onto the reef to look for the more frequent cruisers off the edge of the reef. This was ~5 years ago but that spot is definitely worth a shot. Good Luck! (#$121)