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St. John's Fishing Charters | Deep Sea & Inshore Fishing - Book Now!
Saltwater Pros

Antigua & Barbuda · Antigua Coast

ST. JOHN'S
FISHING CHARTERS

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4.7★
Avg Rating
4
Fishing Types
10+
Species
St. John's, AG
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About

St. John's Fishing

St. John's is Antigua's capital and main cruise port, welcoming ships from Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, and other major lines. The deep waters north of the island produce blue marlin, wahoo, and yellowfin tuna, while the harbor area offers light-tackle fishing for jacks and barracuda. Heritage Quay and Redcliffe Quay provide excellent shopping and dining.

Travel Info

Getting to St. John's

Whether arriving by cruise ship or flying in for vacation, here's what you need to know.

Cruise Ships

Year-round, peak November-April with 3-5 ships weekly during high season

Royal Caribbean Marella Celebrity AIDA Princess TUI P&O Holland America Norwegian Cunard

Excursion Alternatives:

Royal Caribbean Marella Celebrity AIDA Princess TUI P&O Holland America Norwegian Cunard

By Air

V.C. Bird International Airport (ANU)

Booking Tips

Book charters 2-4 weeks ahead during peak cruise season (November-April). The Heritage Quay cruise terminal is walking distance to charter pickups at the St. John's harbor. Half-day trips are ideal for cruise visitors — confirm sail-away time and plan to return 2 hours early. Full-day offshore trips target the deep-water banks north of Antigua.

Sunscreen SPF 50+, polarized sunglasses, hat, light rain jacket, motion sickness medication if needed, camera, cash for tips (15-20% customary in EC$ or US$)

DIY Fishing

Shore Fishing Guide — St. John's

Want to fish on your own? Here are the best shore, pier, and bank fishing spots.

Fort James Beach

Shore Fishing

The beach and rocky headland at historic Fort James, just north of St. John's harbor, offers excellent shore casting. Jacks and barracuda hunt the reef edge, and snapper hold around the fort's submerged stone foundations.

Target: Jacks, Barracuda, Snapper

Deep Bay Reef

Shore Fishing

Deep Bay features the wreck of the Andes just offshore, which concentrates fish. Cast from the beach toward the reef and wreck structure for snapper, jacks, and barracuda that use the wreck as ambush cover.

Target: Snapper, Jacks, Barracuda

St. John's Harbor Seawall

Pier Fishing

The seawall along the inner harbor provides easy access for shore anglers. Mangrove snapper and grunts hold tight to the wall, and blue runners chase baitfish schools in the harbor. Best fished early morning or late evening.

Target: Snapper, Grunts, Blue Runners

Runaway Bay Beach

Shore Fishing

This long stretch of sand north of St. John's offers wade-fishing along a gradually sloping bottom. Jacks and needlefish feed in the shallows at dawn, and barracuda cruise the deeper water beyond the reef line.

Target: Jacks, Needlefish, Barracuda

Best Baits

Small metal jigs, Gotcha plugs, live pilchards, cut herring, topwater poppers

Tactics

St. John's offers convenient shore fishing close to the cruise terminal. Fort James is a 10-minute walk from Heritage Quay. Fish early morning before the heat builds. Target reef edges and rocky structure with light spinning gear (10-15 lb). The wreck at Deep Bay is a fish magnet — cast toward it from the beach.

Regulations

Antigua and Barbuda does not currently require a recreational fishing license for shore fishing. Spearfishing is regulated — permits required. Lobster has a closed season (May 1 - June 30). Respect marine park boundaries.

Fishing Calendar

What's Biting in St. John's?

See which species are available each month, color-coded by activity level.

Color Key
Peak Good Fair Off Season
Species Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Barracuda
Nearshore
 G G G G G G G G G G G G
Blue Marlin
Deep Sea Fishing
 G G G G G P P P P P G G
Bonefish
Inshore
 G G P P P P G G G P P P
King Mackerel
Nearshore
 P P P P G G G G G G P P
Lionfish
Bottom Fishing
 G G G G G G G G G G G G
Mahi Mahi
Deep Sea Fishing
 P P P P P G G G G G G P
Mangrove Snapper
Inshore
 P P P G G G G G G P P P
Permit
Inshore
 G G P P P P G G G P P P
Wahoo
Deep Sea Fishing
 P P P G G G G G G G P P
Yellowfin Tuna
Deep Sea Fishing
 P P P P P P G G G G G G
Species Glossary

St. John's Fish Species

10+ species organized by fishing type. Click any species to learn more.

View Full Species Guide

Inshore Species

Fish the bays, flats, and passes close to shore.

Bonefish

Peak: Mar, Apr, May

Mangrove Snapper

Peak: Jan, Feb, Mar

Permit

Peak: Mar, Apr, May

Nearshore Species

Target reefs, wrecks, and structure within a few miles of land.

Barracuda

Peak: Year-round

King Mackerel

Peak: Jan, Feb, Mar

Deep Sea Fishing Species

Head to deep water for big game and bottom species.

Blue Marlin

Peak: Jun, Jul, Aug

Mahi Mahi

Peak: Jan, Feb, Mar

Wahoo

Peak: Jan, Feb, Mar

Yellowfin Tuna

Peak: Jan, Feb, Mar

Bottom Fishing Species

Lionfish

Peak: Year-round
Charter Guide

Fishing Charter Types in St. John's

Understanding the different charter types will help you book the perfect trip for your group.

INSHORE

Fish the bays, flats, and passes close to shore. Target redfish, speckled trout, flounder and more in calm, protected waters.

View Inshore Charters

NEARSHORE

Fish the reefs, wrecks, and structure 1-9 miles offshore. Target snapper, grouper, cobia and more over natural and artificial reefs.

View Nearshore Charters

DEEP SEA FISHING

Deep sea fishing 20+ miles out. Chase tuna, marlin, mahi mahi, wahoo and other pelagic gamefish in blue water.

View Deep Sea Fishing Charters

TROLLING

Cover water by dragging lures or bait behind a moving boat to target pelagic species.

View Trolling Charters

BOTTOM FISHING

Drop baits to the ocean floor to target snapper, grouper, and other reef dwellers.

View Bottom Fishing Charters

FLY FISHING

Sight-cast with fly rods on the flats for redfish, trout, and tarpon.

View Fly Fishing Charters

SURF FISHING

Fish from the beach or wade into the surf to target pompano, whiting, and redfish.

View Surf Fishing Charters

KAYAK FISHING

Paddle out for a more intimate fishing experience on bays and nearshore waters.

View Kayak Fishing Charters
Fishing Tips & Guides

St. John's Fishing Blog

Local insights, seasonal reports, and expert tips for fishing in St. John's.

View All Articles
Guest Reviews

St. John's Fishing Reviews

5 based on 3 reviews

Booked a charter during our Norwegian cruise stop

Our Norwegian Cruise Line ship docked at Heritage Quay in St. John's and we walked right to the charter boats. Within 30 minutes we were offshore and hooked into our first wahoo. We ended the day with two wahoo and a beautiful mahi mahi. The captain had the fish cleaned and bagged before we walked back to the ship.

C
Captain Lennox
December 2025
Deep Sea
Wahoo Mahi Mahi

Reef fishing off Antigua's north coast was unreal

Fished the extensive reef system north of St. John's and the variety was incredible. We caught yellowtail snapper, cero mackerel, horse-eye jacks, and a beautiful queen triggerfish all on light tackle. The water was so clear you could see the reef 50 feet down. Antigua's reefs are healthy and loaded with fish.

C
Captain Keisha
September 2025
Reef Fishing
Yellowtail Snapper Cero Mackerel Queen Triggerfish

Blue marlin released right outside the harbor

Didn't even have to run far from St. John's harbor before the deep water starts off Antigua's west coast. Trolled skirted ballyhoo and raised a gorgeous blue marlin that went about 250 pounds. After a hard-fought release we picked up two blackfin tuna. Antigua is a seriously underrated marlin destination.

C
Captain Devon
April 2025
Deep Sea
Blue Marlin Blackfin Tuna
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