READ THE WATER
Fishing Techniques
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Nine ways to fish the Caribbean, from mangrove edges to blue water. Pick where you're fishing and learn how to do it right.
Where are you fishing?
From shore, kayak or small boat01
Mangrove Edges
The roots hold bait, shade and ambush spots. Fish the edges on moving water and you'll find snook, tarpon and jacks waiting.
What you'll catch
How to do it
- Fish moving water. The first hours of a falling tide pull bait out of the roots.
- Look for points, drains and shade lines where the current bends.
- Cast parallel to the roots and land the bait within a foot or two of them.
- Start with a live shrimp or a weedless soft plastic and work it slowly with pauses.
Don't do this: Casting straight into the roots. You'll lose rigs and scare the fish.
Wading or poling the shallows02
Flats & Sight Fishing
Clear, knee-deep water where you see the fish before you cast. Quiet and careful wins here.
What you'll catch
How to do it
- Wear polarized glasses and keep the sun behind you so you can see into the water.
- Move slowly. Wade or pole quietly and watch for tails, wakes and shadows.
- Cast 3 to 6 ft (1 to 2 m) ahead of the fish and let it swim to your bait.
- Use a long, light fluorocarbon leader and a small bait in very clear water.
Don't do this: Casting right on top of the fish. Lead it, don't hit it.
Small boat over the reef03
Reef Edges & Drop-offs
Where the shallow reef falls off into deep blue, current pushes bait along the edge and the predators line up.
What you'll catch
How to do it
- Find the edge where shallow reef drops into deep water. Use your fish finder or the Hot Spots map.
- Anchor or drift up-current so your bait drifts back naturally to the edge.
- A little chum brings yellowtail up behind the boat. Feed it slow and steady.
- Go light on the leader for yellowtail and add a short wire for kingfish.
Don't do this: Letting your line sweep into the coral. Keep control and stay tight.
Anchored or drifting over structure04
Bottom Fishing
Snapper and grouper live on ledges, wrecks and rocky humps. Put the bait right on their doorstep.
What you'll catch
How to do it
- Mark the structure first: a ledge, wreck or rocky hump on the fish finder.
- Set up up-current so your bait lands on the structure, not past it.
- Use just enough weight to hold the bottom, with circle hooks and fresh cut bait.
- When a grouper bites, reel hard and lift right away to pull it out of the rocks.
Don't do this: Adding more and more weight. Move the boat or change your angle instead.
Deep water over humps and drop-offs05
Vertical Jigging
Drop a metal jig straight down to fish you see on the sonar and make it dance. It's a workout, and it works.
What you'll catch
How to do it
- Find the fish on the sonar and note how deep they are holding.
- Drop the jig a little past that depth before you start working it.
- Speed jig: short sharp jerks while you reel fast. Slow pitch: lift and let it flutter down.
- Keep changing speed and rhythm until the fish tell you what they want.
Don't do this: Jigging the whole water column when the fish are holding in one narrow band.
Small boat along the coast06
Inshore Trolling
Pull lures along reef edges, points and color changes to cover water and find the fish that are feeding today.
What you'll catch
How to do it
- Troll at about 4 to 7 knots along reef edges, points and where the water changes color.
- Stagger your lures at different distances and depths so they don't tangle.
- Make slow S-turns. The outside lure speeds up and the inside one slows, and that triggers strikes.
- Note the speed, spot and lure every time you get a bite, and repeat it.
Don't do this: Running every lure at the same distance and depth.
Blue water, miles offshore07
Offshore Trolling
Big blue water is huge. The trick is to find the edges, the birds and the floating stuff where mahi, wahoo and tuna gather.
What you'll catch
How to do it
- Look for weed lines, floating debris, FADs, birds and edges where the water color or temperature changes.
- Run a spread of 4 to 6 lures, staggered behind the boat.
- About 6 to 8 knots for skirted lures. Go faster with high-speed lures for wahoo.
- When you hook a mahi, keep it in the water near the boat. The rest of the school will follow.
Don't do this: Trolling empty blue water without reading the signs.
Drifting over edges and structure08
Drifting Live Bait
Nothing beats a lively baitfish. Catch your own, let the boat drift, and spread baits at different depths.
What you'll catch
How to do it
- Catch fresh bait with a sabiki or cast net and keep it lively in aerated water.
- Set your drift so it carries the baits across the edge or structure.
- Spread out: one bait high under a balloon, one in the middle, one deep with a sinker.
- With circle hooks, let the fish run, then just reel tight. Don't jerk.
Don't do this: Too much weight on a live bait. Let it swim naturally.
Wherever birds are working09
Casting to Surface Feeders
Birds diving and water boiling means fish are pushing bait to the top. It's the most exciting fishing there is.
What you'll catch
How to do it
- Watch for diving birds and splashing water. That's bait being pushed to the top.
- Come in slowly from the side or upwind. Never run through the school.
- Cast past the school and bring your lure back along its edge.
- Match the bait size. Small metals and poppers work best when the fish eat small bait.
Don't do this: Running the boat into the middle of the school. They'll be gone in seconds.
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