Fishing in Eleuthera
"Fishing seems to be the favorite form of loafing."
-Edgar Watson
1) Eleuthera Fishing Charter Boats and Captains
2) Bahamas Fishing Regulations
6) How to screw-up a Fishing Trip
Types of Fish Around Eleuthera
DOLPHIN
Sometimes called "mahi-mahi", or "dorado", dolphin is a confusing name. It is a completely differend species from "Flipper" the TV porpoise
. This is among the most colorful of the game fish with gold-green and blue coloring. The colors will jump out at you when you see your catch in the water next to your boat. It is a hard fighting fish and very plentiful at certain times of the year. Best times for bringing in a great catch of dolphin will be spring, April, May and June and to a lesser degree in December and January. You might catch a male or bull dolphin with a distinctive blunt head or the cow dolphin with the more rounded head.
WAHOO
You’ll say “wahoo” when you hook into this speedy fish. This gamefish is known for its long hard runs at speeds up to 45 mph. The boat may troll up to 10knots for this catch. This fish is noted for its beautiful blue vertical stripes. Best time for a great wahoo catch is November, December, and January, but they are also here sometimes in February and March.
TUNA
Summertime, May to August, is the best time to catch a tuna. The most prevalent type is the yellow fin tuna. This is not the largest of the tuna family but you will think so as it puts up a fearsome fight before coming into the boat. You will see the long orange-yellow streamers and bright yellow finlets as you fight your fish. We also catch black-fin and big-eyed tuna primarily in the summer. All types of tuna are also available to a much lesser degree during winter months.
BLUE MARLIN
It is not uncommon to see this huge fish (up to 1800 pounds) heave itself skyward in a seemingly inexhaustible display of strength as you fight it. The blue differs from the white primarily in the shape of its fins that are pointed as well as its size, generally larger. Whether you catch a white or blue marlin you will have some amazing memories of a fight well fought. Look for the blue marlin primarily in the spring and summer months and rarely in the winter.
SAILFISH
This beautiful billfish has a large dorsal fin which resembles a sail. It is noted for its fighting ability and often spends as much time out of the water dancing and grey-hounding as it does pulling away from the boat in the water. You will see many shades of blues and purples as this amazing fish dances through the sea. Your best chance to meet up with a sailfish is late fall, October and November, and spring, April and May.
BARRACUDA
This tiger of the sea is an inquisitive, aggressive predator. It is found offshore and inshore wherever smaller fish are to be found. It may jump out of the water two to three times its length displaying its ferocious saber-like teeth when you are fishing light-tackle closer to the shore. You can catch this fish year-round.
SHARKS
Spend a day fishing for many different species of sharks. The hammerhead (pictured) is easily identified by its hammer-like head. It is a great fighter and will run back several times before you win the fight. Other sharks you might catch include tiger sharks, lemon sharks, black-tip sharks, bull sharks, and Caribbean reef sharks. Any of these is available year-round. The average size shark you might catch is five to ten fee.
WHITE MARLIN
You’ll find your marlin trophy primarily in the spring and early summer, March to July. This hard fighting fish is known for difficulty in luring it to strike. You’ll note its identifying characteristics of rounded dorsal, pectoral, and anal fins as it greyhounds over the water while you fight to bring it to the boat.