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Vieques Fishing Guide - Capt J. Ferguson |
Hello, I’m Capt. J. Ferguson. I have been a
full time professional charter fishing captain since 1989.
After spending many years as one of the busiest guides in
the ultra competitive waters of Key West, Florida, in 2006 I
made the move to the island of Vieques, Puerto Rico. I have
found these new waters to be a very exciting place to take
my clients fishing.
I learned the art of guiding from some of the pioneers of
our sport and some of the very best charter captains in the
world. I employ the same techniques that were effective in
my former fishery for the same species in these pristine
waters and so far have had very good catches and happy
customers.
I still appreciate the thrill of fishing and enjoy providing
the encouraging coaching that allows everyone from first
time salt water fisherman to seasoned anglers to get the
most out of these waters that I am fortunate enough to call
my office. |
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About the Vieques Fishing Boat |
My boat is a 26 foot Panga. (Panga is a Japanese word for a
machete like blade). These boats are pound for pound some of
the most seaworthy, efficient boats in the world. They are
roughly the same shape as New England dories, surf rescue
boats, North Sea commercial fishing boats and Viking
longships.
This particular design came about through a partnership
between the World Bank (a nonprofit, multi nationally funded
organization) and the Yamaha Corporation. The World Bank
contracted Yamaha to design and build a rugged hull that
would allow commercial fisherman in the poorer nations of
the Caribbean, Central and South America to earn a living
and help provide for the planet’s growing demand for
seafood. |
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In Vieques, we are lucky
enough to have our best fishing within minutes of the beach.
We have a blue water dropoff that goes from the 160 foot
range down to 1500-5000 feet in the space of a hundred
yards. In all my years on the ocean, this is the most abrupt
structure change that I have witnessed. This ledge runs
along the length of our island all the way past the main
island of Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Best of
all, it begins about a mile from the beach. Sometimes our
best fishing is within a few hundred yards of the shore.
The fish that we find along this edge are some combination
of blackfin tuna, mahi mahi, wahoo, kingfish, barracuda,
bonito, blue marlin, white marlin, jacks, etc. Part of what
keeps it exciting for me is that there are no real set
seasons regarding species and any given day could bring any
of the above.
Trolling is generally the most effective means of catching
fish as most of our targeted species are pelagic or
migratory fish that spend their entire life on the move.
We don’t do any bottom fishing because it does not work very
well in these waters.
Almost all of your charter is fishing time with no long runs
to the grounds. A four hour charter is generally more than
enough time to put a great catch together. The bite tends to
wind down around midday, so a 4 hour charter is generally
all that is needed. If the fish are still biting after 4
hours, schedule permitting, we can extend for an hour or two
at a rate of $90 per additional hour.
RESERVATIONS
In order to hold a date, I
require a one hundred dollar deposit. Simply give me a call
with a credit card number (Visa, MasterCard or Discover) at
(787) 502-3839. I will send you an email confirmation once
your deposit is processed. I suggest reserving well in
advance.
POLICIES
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We have a generous 7
day cancellation policy. If you cancel within 7 days,
the deposit is non -refundable.
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You MUST give me a
call or text the day before to touch base and for
directions. If your phone doesn’t work here, find a bar
or restaurant and ask to make a local call. If that
doesn’t work, email me. If I don’t hear from you by 6 PM
the day before your charter, I will not be there in the
morning and your deposit will be lost. I hope you
understand, there is considerable set up involved and I
must hear from you.
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Last minute no shows
will be charged in full for the price of the charter.
-Weather- If the weather is too bad or unsafe and we are
unable to reschedule, I will gladly refund your deposit.
Weather decisions are made by me alone.
PRICING
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$350 for the WHOLE
BOAT for 4 hours. I only do private charters so it is
just you and your party. 2-3 anglers is best but I can
take a maximum of 4 anglers provided the average per
person weight is less than 200 pounds. Everything is
provided. You just need to bring whatever you want to
eat or drink.
If the fish are biting, we can extend by the hour (my
schedule permitting) at a rate of $90 per hour for up to
two additional hours.
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For more information, please
contact us today!
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