Anegada March 2017

[Bonecrusher]

Heading to the BVIs in March '17. Chartering a power cat to travel around the islands and plan on spending at least 24 hrs on Anegada.
I know the Faulkners are the 2 main guides and I plan on reaching out to them but wondering if DIY is a good option for an experienced bonefisherman with limited time?
Any other advice greatly appreciated.

[MartyG]

Bonecrusher,

I've been to the BVI's 11 times and bonefished with limited success. I would recommend a guide since the footing is very muddy unless you walk the beach or fish very close to shore.

I mostly drifted around using the dinghy I got with my charter boat and had sightings of permit. I'm told that they do get some good tarpon there as well.

If you have some say so about where you are cruising I would recommend a stop at the spot between Jost Van Dyke and Little Yost Van Dyke. Caught my first bonefish there. There is a small flat there of turtle grass. I used a floating crab.

There is a a great little restaurant called Taboo. Named after Foxy's black lab many years ago. it is also the location for the Bubbly Pool. Maybe 10 moorings.

PM if you'd like more info. Enjoy! It's a great cruising area.

Marty

[MartyG]

here's a link that shows the area. Very nice hangout for half a day or over night.

http://www.bareboatsbvi.com/jost-van...restaurant.php

[Swalt]

It has been years since I fished Anegada. I fished with Garfield Faulkner with some success a couple of times. As for DIY there there is a small coral flat down from Anegada Reef Hotel that you can fish at low tide. Looking at the water it's to the right. Heading toward the village you can stop near the bridge and fish that area. Go back toward Anegada Reef and walk the beach to the mangroves. Found some bones at low tide just off the beach there. My son, 12 at the time, caught his first bonefish there. You can also wade that area back toward the bridge but when you hit the mangroves it is too soft. I have also seen bones walking the shore at Cow Wreck Bay.

[Bonecrusher]

Thanks for the info fellas. I'm thinking since I'm only going to have about 1 day to really fish the flats hard, my money is probably better spent on a guide who can put me on fish rather than spending the time just trying to find them. Although I do love DIY and have done so successfully on a number of islands including Aruba, Bonaire, Little Cayman and others, I don't get to fish nearly as much as I used to (family) so need to make the best of it.

When I was in the BVIs about 10 years ago, I did catch a bone on St. John near the Anaberg? ruins. Also caught a 50lb tarpon on fly from our boat moored in Cane Garden bay.

[MarkZ]

Went about 10 yrs ago and on my first day caught 2 bones wading from bonefish villa to the bridge. I sort of cut through the back yard of BV as it seemed a bit deserted, but was met by the lady of the house upon my return and she wasn't too happy with me. Saw her at the outdoor bar in town at happy hour and sent over a round...things got patched up and I actually went out with her 75 yo husband Clinton who sort of guided part time out of an old school Carolina skiff sans platform. He must've sucked down minimum 12 Heinekens while poling that day and he was a riot...unreal eyes that seemed to get better with every beer! Got multiple shots at 3 45# permit tailing with no love and ended up with a few decent bones. I took out garfields brother a couple times with decent bone action and jumped a 40# poon. I saw a huge bone tight to shore while walking Cow Wreck as Swalt referenced and somehow blew the shot.
Great people and food there so enjoy!

[Bonecrusher]

great info.
What I'm thinking is getting one of the Faulkners for the 1/2 when we arrive and then either DIY or perhaps Mr. Faulkner again for a 1/2 the morning we depart. I don't mind paying for a guide, but for 2 half days + tip is going to be pushing $1K.
Not a great deal of $ in the grand scheme of things (because money spent on fishing isn't really spending money....it's kind of like Monopoly money) but $500 is $500.
If I fish with the guide the first day, I can pretty much figure out on my own, where the fish tend to be and then DIY the next day. I really don't even need to guide to see fish, just need them to get me to the fish.

[Bonecrusher]

Just returned from my trip to the BVIs where we motored around the islands a 44 power cat.
Here's the total: 1 tarpon on fly off the docks at Scrub Island. There were probably 30-40 tarpon feeding on small glass minnows in the underwater lights of a mega yacht, it was an awesome sight (the fish, not the yacht and I'd never seen anything like it). But, they were really picky. Sometimes they'd follow the fly but not eat, other times they'd give it a look but turn off. But, I did get the one so that was victory:
1 bone on fly: caught it on a DIY 1 hr trip on a little flat the surrounds the harbor of Hodges Creek where we picked up our charter. My buddies were going through the boat checkout so I gave a guy $10 to run me over in a dinghy and pick me up.
Several jacks, blue runners, yellowtail: they'd be hanging around the boat feeding on glass minnows or waiting for scraps to be tossed in the water.
Anegada:This is where things went south. I had been communicating with Garfield Faulkner and his booking agent for about 3 months, confirming a trip for 3/20 (my birthday). I started to get a back feeling because as 3/20 approached, I wasn't getting replies from either. Finally, that morning, when we pull into our anchorage and get him on the phone, he tells me he hasn't been feeling well and cancels. Now, for any of you as addicted as I am to bonefishing, and having looked forward to this one day for months, if not years, you can understand what an incredible punch in the gut this was. To him, it might have just been another day of fishing, to me, it was months of anticipation and something I very rarely get to do anymore and this was my one and only day to fish. Even if he wasn't feeling well and knew he wasn't going to fish, he should have made other arrangements for me. Not only was I disappointed, but I was mad as well. Therefore, I would recommend against Garfield Faulkner if you're looking for a guide on Anegada.
I immediately jumped into plan B and spoke with Danny Vanterpool, one of the other boneffishing guides on Anegada. He was really sympathetic to my situation and I can't tell you how helpful he was. While he couldn't take me, he did set me up with another friend who had a boat, name was Alex Varlack.
Alex wasn't a bonefish guide but he'd been enough to know the flats, etc.
We fished the flats on East End, along the south shore and then a mangrove area called Little Anegada. We found a good number of fish on LA, but they were spooky. I managed to hook into 3 but landed 0. Tough day to say the least.
So, bottom line, if you fish Anegada, I'd call Danny's bonefishing first.

[MartyG]

Not the most wonderful fishing report. My sympathies.

Cruising around the BVI's is usually a no brainer fun factory. Beautiful water, cooling breezes and rum around every corner.

Marty