* Only Catch and Release Allowed 
HELPFUL HINTS FOR CATCH 
AND RELEASE FISHING 
 
1. Use barbless hooks – barbless hooks reduce 
the time needed to handle a fish before 
releasing and may be easily removed if you 
should get hooked. 
2. Use artificial lures – natural baits are more 
likely to be swallowed, causing extreme 
damage to the fish. 
3. Reduce fight time – this allows fish to 
conserve its energy resources and recover 
faster. 
4. Keep the fish in the water –remove the hook 
and release the fish without removing the fish 
from the water. 
5. Use a ‘dehooking device’  
6. Be gentle –wet your hand first to minimize 
the amount of protective coating of ‘slime’ 
removed from the fish by handling. 
7. Help the fish – when releasing a fish, hold the 
fish in the water in an upright (swimming) 
position.  Hold the fish loosely by the base of 
the tail and under the stomach until it is 
strong enough to swim away. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
For more information on Recreational 
Sportfishing contact 
DPNR’s Division of Fish and Wildlife at: 
dpnr.vi.gov/fish-and-wildlife/ 
 
 
 
Shallow Water Game Fish 
RECREATIONAL FISHING 
IN THE U.S VIRGIN ISLANDS 
DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND 
NATURAL RESOURCES 
 
Division of Fish and Wildlife 
45 Mars Hill 
Frederiksted 
St. Croix, V.I. 00840 
(340) 773-1082 
 
6291 Estate Nazareth 101 
St. Thomas, V.I. 00802-1118 
 (340) 775-6762 
GAMEFISH 
SEASON 
LOCATION 
BAIT/ 
LURES 
FLY FISHING 
 
 Albula vulpes 
Bonefish* 
All year, 
best late 
March 
through 
September 
Near shore, shallow seagrass and sand 
flats, mangroves 
St. Croix-. East end and south shore 
beaches and bays. 
St. Thomas - All lagoons, Mandahl 
Pond. 
St. John - Mary’s Creek, Annaberg Flat.  
Live shrimp, 
small jigs 
often baited 
with shrimp or 
crab 
Various small flies 
tied to imitate 
shrimp, crabs, and 
worms 
 
Trachinotus falcatus 
Permit 
All year, 
best April 
through 
October 
Shallow seagrass, sand flats and back 
reefs 
St. Croix - South shore beaches and 
back reef areas. 
St. Thomas & St. John – All lagoons. 
Small live 
crabs, pieces 
of crab, small 
sea urchins 
Crab patterns 
 
Megalops atlanticus 
Tarpon* 
All year, 
best March 
through 
October 
Mangrove lagoons, bays, harbors, 
deeper water adjacent to shallow flats, 
around offshore cays 
St. Croix  - Christiansted Harbor and 
Salt River. 
St. Thomas – East end lagoons, 
Mandahl Pond. 
St. John –Mary’s Creek, Annaberg Flat. 
Silver spoons, 
white jigs, live 
baitfish 
Large streamers, 
Seaducers, various 
“tarpon” flies 
Centropomus 
undecimalis 
Snook 
All year 
Mangrove lagoons, bays, harbors, 
along beaches with sharp drop-offs and 
submerged structures 
St. Croix  - South shore beaches 
St. Thomas – East end lagoons, 
Mandahl Pond. 
St. John –Mary’s Creek, Annaberg Flat. 
Live shrimp, 
small fish, 
baitfish 
imitation lures 
Baitfish imitations 
Sphyraena barracuda 
Barracuda 
All year 
Around reefs, channels adjacent to 
shallow water, mangrove lagoons and 
bays 
St. Croix - inshore reef areas. 
St. Thomas & St. John – entire island. 
Live fish, 
baitfish 
imitations, 
silver spoons, 
feathers 
Baitfish imitations, 
needlefish 
imitations 
 
Carangidae 
Jacks 
All year 
Around reefs, channels adjacent to 
shallow water, mangrove lagoons and 
bays, back reef flats. 
St. Croix - All shelf drop offs and Salt 
River Canyon. 
St. Thomas & St. John – docks and 
along shoreline.  
Squid, shrimp, 
cut bait, small 
spoons, 
spinners, jigs 
Small streamers, 
clousers, shrimp 
imitations 
 
Lutjanus mahogoni 
Mahogany Snapper 
All year 
Around reefs, channels adjacent to 
shallow water. 
St. Croix- Inshore reefs  
St. Thomas– all along shoreline, and 
east end lagoons. 
St. John –Mary’s Creek, Annaberg Flat. 
Baitfish 
(squid, fry) or 
cut bait, squid 
 
ETHICAL ANGLING 
 Help fish stocks increase through catch and release. 
 Limit your take, don’t always take your limit. 
 Observe regulations  
 Report violations to the Division of Environmental 
Enforcement at (340)773–5774 in St. Croix or 
(340)774-3320 in St. Thomas. 
 
REMEMBER: 
Bring all garbage in, don’t teach it to swim. 
Captain your boat, practice safety afloat. 
Share what you know to help your sport grow.
 
 
 
GAME FISHING 
Fishing has been defined as the act, 
occupation or sport of catching fish.  Since the 
1950’s shallow water game fishers in the USVI 
primarily targeted bonefish, tarpon and permit.  
However, bonefish are not as abundant in the 
Virgin Islands as they once were.  Permit and 
tarpon are now at the top of the list for shallow 
water gamefish enthusiasts in the U.S. Virgin 
Islands.  Barracuda and jacks are the most 
common shallow water gamefish and can 
provide great sport.  Snook are caught 
occasionally.   
Shallow water game fish may only be 
caught in unrestricted areas.  Information on 
the location of and regulations pertaining to 
marine reserves and closed areas in the US 
Virgin Islands can be found in the 
“Commercial & Recreational Fisher’s 
Information Booklet” a copy can be found on 
the Division of Fish and Wildlife’s website 
(dpnr.vi.gov/fish-and-wildlife/) or at the 
Division of Environmental Enforcement. 
 
FISHING THE FLATS 
Two common fishing methods used in 
shallow 
areas 
are 
“sight-fishing” 
and 
chumming.  The most popular method for 
pursuing shallow water gamefish is “sight-
fishing”.  Unlike fishing around reefs or 
offshore no baits, lures or flies are cast until 
the fish is spotted.  Once a fish is spotted the 
chosen bait, lure or fly is then presented to the 
fish. 
 
Accurate 
casting 
and 
correct 
presentation of the bait are essential.  The 
fisher is truly stalking his catch. 
Fish can also be attracted by chumming 
with pieces of fish, shrimp, squid, etc.  Casting 
in “fishy” water may yield a tarpon, snook, 
barracuda or jack.  Anglers can also troll for 
barracuda and jacks, and occasionally tarpon.  
Others may fish baits on the bottom for 
bonefish and permit, or near the surface for 
tarpon, snook, barracuda, and jacks. 
 
WHAT TO LOOK FOR 
As bonefish and permit dig their mouths 
into the bottom rooting for food, their tails often 
come out of the water.  Occasionally, bonefish 
and permit pass through water so shallow that 
their dorsal fins and backs are exposed.  Trails 
of mud or other bottom sediments may 
indicate bonefish digging in the bottom in 
search of prey.  Bonefish can be spotted in 
water just a few inches deep, while permit 
prefer water deeper than 16 inches. 
Tarpon can be seen at the water surface 
gulping air; they are able to utilize oxygen from 
the air via a lung-like bladder.  They can be 
spotted rolling on the surface as they feed on 
smaller fish.  Tarpon occasionally swim just 
below the water surface with their dorsal fin 
exposed. 
 
An 
experienced 
angler 
with 
polarized sunglasses may be able to spot 
tarpon in the shade of mangrove branches 
during the middle of the day. 
Snook can be seen swimming just below 
the water surface, often with their dorsal fin 
exposed.  They spend a lot of time among the 
prop roots of the mangroves, waiting for prey 
to pass within striking distance.  Their dark 
shapes can be spotted in the shadows of 
submerged structures such as rocks, coral or 
mangrove roots.  Snook can often be found 
close to sandy shorelines that have a trough 
or deep area close to shore especially when 
the water is turbid. 
Barracuda are often seen suspended 
motionless in the water, waiting for the chance 
to attack unsuspecting prey.  Smaller fish can 
be found in water just a few inches deep.  
Larger fish can be found just about anywhere 
it is deep enough for them to pass. 
Although large barracuda prefer the 
deeper waters around reefs and in lagoons, 
they can also be spotted cruising the flats in 
search of prey.  A school of baitfish jumping 
from the water as they flee a predator may 
indicate a feeding barracuda. 
Jacks can be seen cruising the fore-reef 
and back reef in search of food.  They also 
feed in lagoons, over seagrass beds, along 
beaches, and even on shallow seagrasses 
and sand flats.  Small jacks may be seen in 
small groups while feeding.  Larger jacks 
become more solitary.  Jacks can be seen 
feeding on schooling baitfish at the surface 
when in deeper water.  When on the flats, 
jacks often leave a wake as they pass through 
the shallow water in search of food, and can 
be seen splashing as they chase prey. 
 
MOON AND TIDES 
In general, fishing the shallow water flats 
is best during the few days before and during 
the full moon.  This is a period when the 
highest tides of the month allow the fish to 
access areas which are normally too shallow 
in search of food.  The last half of the 
incoming tide, high tide, and the first of the 
outgoing tide are best.  This is especially true 
for bonefish and permit.  Even in deeper 
water, such as fore-reefs and lagoons, feeding 
activity appears to increase during this time of 
the month. 
 
CATCH AND RELEASE 
Fishing the saltwater flats in the Caribbean 
provides a unique experience for both veteran 
and novice anglers.  Because these fish are 
limited in numbers due to their dependence on 
a 
limited 
habitat, 
they 
are 
especially 
susceptible to overfishing.  When practiced 
properly, catch and release fishing helps to 
provide a sustainable source of enjoyment for 
anglers. 
Please do not release live lionfish back to 
the 
water, 
as 
part 
of 
the 
territories 
management strategy, any lionfish is removed 
from the water and either eaten or disposed. 
PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT  
These fish can often be found in extremely 
shallow areas near mangrove and seagrass 
habitats.  These areas act as nursery grounds 
to juvenile fish species and can be easily 
damaged.  Extra precautions must be taken 
within these areas so that seagrass beds and 
mangrove prop roots are not destroyed.   
When fishing the shallow areas by boat 
watch for coral and shallow areas.  Use a 
push-pole or paddles to move through the flats 
rather than the motor; prop damage can cause 
permanent destruction of seagrass beds and 
coral reefs. 
 
POTENTIAL HAZARDS 
WATCH YOUR STEP! 
Stingrays often cruise the shallows looking 
for food (clams, crabs, shrimp, etc.) and often 
lie motionless on the bottom.  Although they 
will swim away if they see you coming, if 
stepped on, they can inflict a very painful 
wound with the bony spine located at the base 
of their tail.   
Sea urchins graze on the seagrass and 
algae found in the shallows, and their spines 
can cause painful injuries.  This is especially 
true of the long-spined black sea urchin.  This 
important herbivore died out in the early 
1980’s and is becoming more abundant in 
shallow areas. 
Scorpion fish are able to camouflage 
themselves 
perfectly 
in 
almost 
any 
surroundings and often lie motionless on the 
rocks and coral.  Their dorsal spine contains 
venom which can cause severe pain and 
swelling. 
Lionfish are frequently found and caught 
in the USVI.  While they are delicious they do 
have lots of long venomous spines, be very 
careful when handling lionfish.  Please if you 
catch a lionfish do NOT release it, it is part of 
our management program to remove all 
lionfish, please kill them.