Fishing in Aruba

[KevinD]

Hi everyone,

I'm going to be in Aruba for a week around New Years. I'm staying at the RIU Palace (spelt correctly, I hope) and I was hoping people could suggest where I could fish from the beach in front of the hotel -- of course, I'm willing to walk a bit if that's where the fish are!

Let me know general ideas (are there lots of places to catch pan sized fish from shore? I'm just looking for hopefully some tough-fighting attractive fish, possibly with the potential to eat a few) and any thoughts on bait, equipment etc -- is a normal spinning rod okay?

Also, provided there are lots of fish to catch, what species should I be expecting/hoping for?

Thanks in advance!

[CINDYA]

HI MY HUSBAND AND I MET A MAN NAMED WOODIE,LAST YEAR. 2007. HE WOULD FISH RIGHT IN FRONT OF LA CABANA, RIGHT WHERE EVERYONE WAS SWING. HE USED A LITTLE POCKET FISHING POLE. MADE BY REMCO. HE WOULD HAVE A PAIL FULL EVERY DAY. HE WOULD GIVE THE CATCH OF THE DAY TO THE DOOR MAN. THE DOOR MAN TOOK THE FISH HOME AND COOKED THE FISH FOR HIS FAMILY. WE PLANNED ON MEETING WOODIE THIS LAST MARCH AND FISH WITH HIM. BUT, WOODIE WASN'T THERE THIS YEAR. THEN WE FOUND OUT HE HAD DIED. WE WHERE HAVE SAD. WOODIE WAS ONLY IN HIS 50'S. BUT, IN WOODIE HONOR WE FISHED AND HAD A BALL. MOSTLY WE USED FROzEN VEGGIES. AND TOSS BROKEN BEAD TO BRING THE FISH IN. AT LEAST 20 FISH IN A HOUR. YOU MUST TRY IT. YOU WILL LOVE IT.

[KevinD]

So what kinds of structures and landmarks should I be looking for?

Ideas please!

[Schnauzerjoy]

Hi Kevin

I have caught Jacks and Barracuda on Eagle Beach in front of Manchebo. Mainly fast spinning with 10 cm. wobblers in orange and blue.
But you need to be there just before sunrise and you will be able to fish for about an hour, before the beach goers wake up. When people start going in the water, then stop fishing and go somewhere else. You need to be over cautious, cause a big Jack or Barracuda will go sideways very fast with you line and hooks, so don't fish with people in the water.

If you are bottom fishing from shore, go north to Malmok. Follow the road past Fisherman huts until the road breaks 90 degrees right, there you can fish from the shore as well (not so crowded).

I will be on Aruba from next week, until sometime after New Year, and we will be fishing, but only flyfishing.

Tight lines.

Carsten

[KevinD]

Thanks for the ideas, Carsten. I'm staying at the RIU Palace in Palm Beach... is there anywhere suitable for shore fishing near there? I know Eagle Beach isn't that far but still closer would be great!

Failing that, is it pretty easy to get from Palm to Eagle beach?

[Schnauzerjoy]

Don't know the fishing near the RIU.

I always have a car there, but know that taking the bus from Palm to Eagle is easy an cheap, and taxis are cheap too, so shouldn't be a problem.

[NIUEE]

Kevin,
How was the fishing. I will be going this Thursday and staying at the same resort. '

Please provide report
Thanks

[coldsteel337]

Carsten, how did you make out Fly Fishing? I'll be back on the Island early Feb. I've had some good times hunting down some large Bones and have seen baby Tarpon. Caught a nice Snook last Winter using a spinning rod. There are plenty of opportunities if you have the time to explore.

John from the Croton River

[Schnauzerjoy]

The fly fishing was great... We caught a lot of different species, but no bones We saw plenty of them but they are big and smart, so guess we have to practice some more .

Arubaman (early Aruba Fly fishing pioneer) was there at the same time as us and he got some good bones.

Laurenz from www.flyfishingaruba.com got several very nice bones and other big fish during the same period, either by him self or with guests.

So all in all it was great fishing. Probably saw 30 bones with in 15 meters of me in one evening without catching a single one, but still consider it one of the best evenings ever.

[coldsteel337]

Great news. I'll be fishing with Laurenz on Feb 8th & the 11th and the rest of that week by myself. I get up early and fish until 9:30 or 10 and then spend the day with my wife. It works for us. I'm much better with Trout & Steelhead than Bonefish and any other type of Saltwater fly fishing. Did you ever fish in Savaneta? My cousin and I got into some nice Snook there last March. We were using spinning gear that day, after not having any sucess with the fly rods.