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St. Thomas/Johns advice?

Started by Dougfish, January 10, 2017, 11:47:15 AM

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Dougfish

First things, first. I suck.There, I saved you from telling me.

The wife and I are headed to the US VI in a month. Gonna have 4 full days. Planning on packing the 9 wt. and trying my hand at some bones and small tarpon.
I have no clue what I'm doing. A good guide runs about $600.  :o
I'm here for the stellar, but cheap advice.
Probably just gonna wing it. I'll need to tie up some flies and figure out prevailing winds and such.
We're renting a car and we'll be out and about a lot, so I'll have lots of options on where to fish.
-0-
"Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don't you dig how beautiful it is out here?
 Why don't you say something righteous and hopeful for a change? "
Kelly's Heroes,1970

"I don't wanna go to hell,
But if I do,
It'll be 'cause of you..."
Strange Desire, The Black Keys, 2006

Woolly Bugger

#1
Be sure to stay out late and check out the local bars, carry lots of cash, 100s, and flash them around, you'll be sure to get good service  --- might want to read Mexico Returns before you go !


If you want to find a cheaper guide, go to the bars early in the morning and look around back and you'll find them sleeping, don't worry if they looked passed out, they are just resting for the long day ahead. Wave a hundred dollar bill under their noses and they'll pop right up. For no extra they will take your wife for a tour of the real St. Thomas, non of the tourist crap, but real Caribbean living....

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

Onslow

#2
Thoughts, and advice?  Leave the rods and home.   When the bar is on the ground, it is impossible to fail.  When on vacation, the task of trying to work in fishing time causes me stress.  To hell with all that crap. 

Buy/rent a spear gun, and kill something for dinner.  That would surely be gratifying.  Native berry/fruit/nut hunting might also be interesting if such opportunities exist.  The trees at the Keys fascinated me, as well as the birds.  I bet there are some cool and groovy trees down there.  Shit, I'd go full on Dr. Livingston.

Lay down some chocolate bar while yer down there -+; 

Dougfish

LOL. You guys don't disappoint.
"Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don't you dig how beautiful it is out here?
 Why don't you say something righteous and hopeful for a change? "
Kelly's Heroes,1970

"I don't wanna go to hell,
But if I do,
It'll be 'cause of you..."
Strange Desire, The Black Keys, 2006

Woolly Bugger

#4
If you want to catch fish I'd say the guide is the way to go.. $600 for a guide with a boat isn't too bad, and your wife can go along for the ride.. or go to the beaches on St. John... like this dude points out...



I think St. Thomas beaches you have to pay for entry... and there is a lot of sketchy dudes there too..

I googled up some chit for you too...

http://diybonefishing.com/2016/06/20/u-s-virgin-islands/

This is where you want to go..

https://www.google.com/maps/@18.3668838,-64.7298527,1178m/data=!3m1!1e3

https://goo.gl/maps/NQf13kAohvq

Is this the guy you were looking at?

http://arawakexp.com/fish/bonefish/

ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

Dougfish

Thanks. You and I found the same chit. Trying to figure out best February beach targets.
"Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don't you dig how beautiful it is out here?
 Why don't you say something righteous and hopeful for a change? "
Kelly's Heroes,1970

"I don't wanna go to hell,
But if I do,
It'll be 'cause of you..."
Strange Desire, The Black Keys, 2006

driver

2oz sinker, some hooks, a spinning rod, frozen shrimp, and lots of beer. That should get the job done.

Mudwall Gatewood 3.0

First, let me say I have never been to, nor do I want to visit, the US VIs.  But if I was going, I believe Onslow is the only one to even come close to giving you proper advice, only because he recommended leaving something at home, your rod.  I say leave the Mrs at home and take Big J.  He doesn't drink and I believe over 40% of the VI residents are Baptist, so not only can he safely see your woozy figure back to your temporary abode, he can also communicate with the natives in times of worries and misfortune.
"Enjoy every sandwich."  Warren Zevon

tomato can

Muddy your too funny but not necessarily useful. 

Doug I did a search a couple of years ago when my wife threatened to take me there.  There was not a ton of info when I searched a lot of it was don't bother.  But I do remember there is some flats on the undeveloped one.  But pretty challenging.  I hope you get more help than I did on my query about fishing in Maine.   

itieuglyflies

Once again I see the BRFF Travel agency comes through  for its members...for future trips I learned to leave the wifey at home, forget fishing and drink a lot.
All good thoughtful advice.

Dougfish

All of this should contribute to a good skunking.
"Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don't you dig how beautiful it is out here?
 Why don't you say something righteous and hopeful for a change? "
Kelly's Heroes,1970

"I don't wanna go to hell,
But if I do,
It'll be 'cause of you..."
Strange Desire, The Black Keys, 2006

Woolly Bugger

Yo bro, dis here iz what yo' first trip will peep like sho 'nuff!

ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

Woolly Bugger

here is an excerpt from Mexico Returns

QuoteNow to St. John...Most of the island is national park, with breathtaking views of mountains and the sea...beautiful beaches...and Goot Sand...No one ever talks about the Goot Sand, but if you get it on you, you will itch like a motherfucker for about five days...And I mean to the point that you can't sleep, eat or piss, cause you're an itching motherfucker....Anyway, the goot Sand is only in Grootpan Bay, which is a good thing...The bad thing is Grootpan Bay is right next to Keddel Bay and on the end of Mandel Estate Road, which is where Howie Mandel has his big chateau...The Goot Sand lies under the normal sand, so it's kind of hard to detect, and you don't start itching until you get out of the water and dry off, so the effects are neither obvious or immediate until later...Now Kiddel Bay has some pretty decent bonefish action, mostly 1-4 pounders, but a good number of fish you can cast at...Small schools and pairs running the beach mostly, but some good tailing stuff at dawn...Ghost crab patterns and tan Crazy Charlies work wonders on them...

As you wade north along Kiddel Bay, it abuts Grootpan Bay, so be careful you don't get overzealous and wander into Grootpan, which is easy because it has a ton of fish, and it's for a reason...The reason Goot Sand itches is because of a parasite called a boella worm, which lays eggs in your skin, which hatch after about an hour...The boella juveniles then spin, which separates the different layers in your skin, causing irritation...Over time, (like two or three days) they die, and unfortunately, their decaying bodies tend to bloat, so end up with small red pustules where the worms are...And dude,,,,There will be hundreds of worms under your skin, so by the fourth or fifth day, your feet and legs will be covered in red pustules, which besides waiting to pop and ooze are just the Mack Daddy of chick magnets...And don't even think about wearing shoes to cover them up, cause that will make them pop, and when they do, you won't believe the amount of fluid that comes out of that tiny pustule...And it stinks...Like sulphur...The locals have a name for the people who try to cover it up by wearing shoes, which is merde dans votre culott, and you'll hear people saying it and pointing to you on a regular basis...And your shoes will not only be squishing when you walk, but you'll have to throw them away afterwards because, dude, you're not that fucking tough that you can deal with the smell...


ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

Dougfish

I remember reading that. Lovely.
"Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don't you dig how beautiful it is out here?
 Why don't you say something righteous and hopeful for a change? "
Kelly's Heroes,1970

"I don't wanna go to hell,
But if I do,
It'll be 'cause of you..."
Strange Desire, The Black Keys, 2006

Big J