Antigua spinning advice

[AL ATWICK]

Hello everyone,I'm off to Antigua in march 2009 and I will be taking a shimano exage 50-100g spinning rod,I'll be staying in the jolly beach area,my question is what spinners ,plugs etc would any of you guys recomend I take with me,I have a large selection of plugs including storm poppers +thundersticks,rapala J13,yozuri minnows and others in various colours + sizes,also a large selction of spinners,delta eels redgils storm weighted shads,crabs again in various colours and sizes, with all this to choose from I don't know what to take for the best ,any help would be greatly appreciated and if you could throw in some places to fish I would beforever in your dept,I will also be trying to get out on a charter boat at least once and advice on this would also be appreciated,
cheers Allan

[Cascars]

Although I did not fish when I went Antigua a few years ago, there were some very fishy looking spots worth trying. If you have a hire car it does not take long to drive right round the island and pick out some likely places to try.
If you are allowed to fish the Nelsons Dockyard area you have access to some deep water that could be good for Tarpon, Snook and other biggies. Most of the beaches are very shallow and I would imagine will hold Bonefish.
Just take a good selection of lures from tiny to quite large and try them until you find what works.
I am off to St Lucia in 2 weeks and will be doing the same.
Good luck and dont forget the camera!

[marktheshark]

Ullo matey
I've fished Jolly Beach area from the shore: it's not the best place. The actual beach is fine white sand so the water gets a bit cloudy, hence the lovely milky-blue colour. The locals say that they sometimes get a few snapper at night around the few rocks at the outlet from Jolly Harbour to the north of the JB hotel to livebait, fish strip or squid. I've tried spinning the beach (nothing), fly fishing (some palm-sized mackerel type baitfish) and bonito strip (bonefish to 4lb, needlefish, small moray eels and stingray to 10lb) at either end of the beach. If you're spinning, it looks like jacks and tarpon water so I'd take some big poppers and see if you can call up the fish in at dusk.
Jolly Harbour has barracuda, snook, mullet and tarpon, with the latter usually present when the charter boats come in and clean their catch. They're big fish (10-50lb) and every time I've hooked one, it's gone straight into the pilings and busted me off. Dusk is the best time, since the security guard won't see you and tell you that fishing's not allowed! Watch out for mozzies.
Opinion varies about the best shore fishing on the island: if you can find brackish ponds, such as the McKinnons salt ponds near St John, there's a good chance of baby tarpon on small fry flies or poppers, and locals tell me the pier near the oil refinery is good. There's big tarpon (15-40lb) that go for lures (small Yo-Zuri poppers and Bass Bullets worked for me) in the Galley Bay bird sanctuary, and a lot of locals rate the rocks near Cades Reef for big fish such as snapper, cuda and kingfish. If you're prepared to travel, these places plus Devil's Bridge will produce, but night is best and the drive back can be, um, fraught if you're not used to the roads.
The boats will be your best bet. I've used Captain Mike on Overdraught from Jolly Harbour in the past (few years back now) and he's a good skipper. The sea between Antigua and Montserrat is teeming with small pelagics, and barracuda, tuna and dorado will keep you entertained. They get a few bonus fish such as wahoo and big kingfish, which often slash up the tuna you're fighting, and very occasionally sails and marlin (more in summer). There's more info on this forum about shore stuff and guides so root around to see what you can find.
Good luck
Mark

[cuda]

I fished for the day with my brother in Antigua in March this year, we were only there for the day (cruise) but we fished off some rocks near the entrance to the harbour by an old fort - just spinning with spoons and bottom fishing with prawns. A few nice Kingfish around to the lures which are good fun and lots of mini species on the bait.

Cuda

[AL ATWICK]

Guys,what can I say other than thank you very very much for taking the time out to reply,I can't wait to get out there to give it a go,just a pity its next year