fishing bvi

[alkeach]

Heading to Cooper Island bvi in Feb. Any advice for shoreline/shallow water spin casting?

[fmw]

search archives, there's extensive stuff on bvi's.

[OceanRunner]

search under Virgin Gorda, Tortola & St. John and you'll find a lot of good info.

Finding bait in the area makes a big difference...

Good luck!

[Soundking]

I fished the BVI last march, and other than tortola and few smaller islands and cuts, the fishing was poor. Cooper Island was very slow in the evening/early am that I fished it, but that isn't to say that there wont be fish there when you go. Think spanish mackerel, small jacks and tarpon. You could find tarpon in spots like cane garden bay, and also a few marinas on tortola. Cane Garden bay also had spanish and very small false albicore working a patch of reef every evening for the two nights that I stayed there. The bitter end on virgin gorda had a few tarpon and small jacks, but that place has become way too crowded to enjoy it at all from a sailing/fishing aspect (although I must say the bar-hopping and night life there is the best I saw when I was down there). There are a few spots around the dogs and trellis bay on tortola that I found tarpon pushing pilchards or some form of herring-ish bait around. Jumped 5 fish in an hour working these fish, and got to see some of the coolest feeding I have ever seen by snorkeling around the feed. Anegada is probably the best bet for your fishing aspect of the trip, they have good flats and good guides. If you are bareboating and decide to head up there, pull a feather or swimmer behind the boat as you go from Virgin Gorda to Anegada, there is some good water out there for kings and pelagics. It is a gorgeous part of this earth, the only catch is the fishing is not what one would call stellar. There is a solid tarpon population, but other than finding those fish there are not too many viable options while you are in the area. Just have a few painkillers for me while you are down there.....and make it a painkiller #3 --127-3-

[Howie]

True enough Soundking, BEYC gets a little busy, though we actually got some cudas at anchor there! If you are mobile, try to hit Foxy's too. It gets a bunch of attention around the holidays, but should be quiet then. Good water all through there - problem is, sometimes finding the RIGHT chunk of good water. Enjoy.