The winter trade winds definitely made their presence known in November and December! Sustained 15-20kt E/SE winds resulted in persistent, unsettled conditions offshore. The few offshore trips we could squeeze in the small windows of calmer weather were successful however. A strong, early showing of Mahi-Mahi to the south of the island was a welcomed sign for their spring migration in the coming months and the Wahoos continued to bite well past their late summer/fall migration. Yellowfin Tunas were also hooked live-baiting along the North and South Drop but it was predominantly an early morning bite, giving us a small window of opportunity to get in on the feed. Fingers crossed we’ll be settling into the calmer weather periods typical of late winter/early spring months.
Due to the rough conditions offshore this month, the majority of our scheduled offshore charters switched gears and focused on the inshore grounds and the decision did not disappoint! The Yellowtail Snapper, Kingfish and Barracuda fishing has been on fire. Pompanos, Jack Crevalles and Rainbow Runners are also consistently chewing. Our good friends over at Hook Line and Sinker restaurant have been giving our guests the true island experience, cooking up fresh Yellowtail fillets for lunch or dinner after the day’s charter.
We’re looking forward to what the 2020 season has to offer. We’re just about to enter peak season in our inshore and offshore fishery in the USVI as winter and spring migration patterns converge. We hope if you’re planning a winter or spring getaway to St. Thomas or St. John, get in touch with us for a memorable day on the water with Capt. Alvin! You can keep up with all the inshore and offshore fishing action on our Facebook page where we post the latest pictures and reports from our trips:
God Bless and Happy New Year to all!
Capt. Alvin Turbe
340-626-4220
capt.alvin@fishinginstthomas.com