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Philipsburg Fishing Charters | Deep Sea & Inshore Fishing - Book Now!
Saltwater Pros

Sint Maarten · Sint Maarten Coast

PHILIPSBURG
FISHING CHARTERS

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4.7★
Avg Rating
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Fishing Types
9+
Species
Philipsburg, SX
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About

Philipsburg Fishing

Philipsburg is Sint Maarten's capital and one of the busiest cruise ports in the Caribbean, receiving ships from Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, MSC, Princess, and more. Deep blue water is just minutes from the harbor, making half-day fishing trips perfect for cruise passengers. Blue marlin, wahoo, mahi mahi, and barracuda are caught year-round in these productive waters.

Travel Info

Getting to Philipsburg

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

Cruise Ships

Year-round, peak October-April with multiple ships daily during high season

Royal Caribbean Princess Celebrity Carnival Norwegian MSC P&O Windstar AIDA Viking Ocean

Excursion Alternatives:

Royal Caribbean Princess Celebrity Carnival Norwegian MSC P&O Windstar AIDA Viking Ocean

By Air

Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM)

Booking Tips

Book charters 2-4 weeks ahead during peak cruise season (November-April) when multiple ships dock daily. Half-day morning trips (4-5 hours) are ideal for cruise passengers. The cruise terminal is in Philipsburg — confirm pickup location with your captain. Book through your charter company, not through the ship, for better rates.

Sunscreen SPF 50+, polarized sunglasses, hat, light rain jacket, motion sickness medication if prone, camera, cash for tips (15-20% customary), valid photo ID

DIY Fishing

Shore Fishing Guide — Philipsburg

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

Great Bay Boardwalk

Pier Fishing

The boardwalk along Philipsburg's Great Bay offers easy shoreline casting access. Blue runners and bar jacks feed around the dock pilings, and barracuda cruise the deeper channel close to the cruise ship berths.

Target: Jacks, Barracuda, Needlefish

Bobby's Marina Jetty

Pier Fishing

The rock jetty protecting Bobby's Marina creates excellent habitat for snapper and jacks. Fish the outgoing tide when baitfish flush out of the marina and predators stack up at the jetty mouth.

Target: Snapper, Jacks, Tarpon

Little Bay Beach

Shore Fishing

Accessible by a short trail from Philipsburg, Little Bay offers rocky shoreline casting to reef fish. The underwater boulders hold snapper and the deeper water off the point attracts roaming jacks and barracuda.

Target: Jacks, Snapper, Barracuda

Walter Plantz Square Waterfront

Pier Fishing

The waterfront pilings and concrete structure near the main square provide light-tackle fun for blue runners and grunts. An easy spot for beginners and kids visiting from cruise ships.

Target: Blue Runners, Needlefish, Grunts

Best Baits

Small jigs, Gotcha plugs, cut bait (herring, squid), live pilchards, topwater poppers

Tactics

Shore fishing in Philipsburg is convenient for cruise visitors with limited time. Fish early morning before cruise crowds arrive. Target structure like jetties, docks, and rocky points. Light spinning gear (10-15 lb) works well for most shoreline species. Topwater action for jacks is best at dawn.

Regulations

Sint Maarten requires no fishing license for recreational shore fishing. Spearfishing requires a permit. Respect marine park boundaries. No fishing in designated marine reserves.

Fishing Calendar

What's Biting in Philipsburg?

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
Jacks
Nearshore
 G G G G G G G G G G G G
King Mackerel
Nearshore
 P P P P G G G G G G P P
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
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
Tarpon
Inshore
 - - - G G P P P P G F -
Species Glossary

Philipsburg Fish Species

9+ 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.

Mangrove Snapper

Peak: Jan, Feb, Mar

Tarpon

Peak: Jun, Jul, Aug

Nearshore Species

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

Barracuda

Peak: Year-round

Jacks

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
Charter Guide

Fishing Charter Types in Philipsburg

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

Philipsburg Fishing Blog

Local insights, seasonal reports, and expert tips for fishing in Philipsburg.

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Guest Reviews

Philipsburg Fishing Reviews

5 based on 3 reviews

Booked this trip during our Celebrity cruise stop

Our cruise docked in Philipsburg and we booked a half-day deep sea charter right from the port. Within an hour we were hooked up on a gorgeous mahi mahi and ended the trip with four mahi and a nice wahoo. The captain knew exactly where to go. Best port excursion of our entire Caribbean cruise.

C
Captain Willem
January 2026
Deep Sea
Mahi Mahi Wahoo

Marlin fishing out of Philipsburg is underrated

Ran southeast into the deep blue and trolled ballyhoo and lures along the 1000-fathom curve. Raised a big blue marlin that lit up like neon and gave us a 90-minute battle before a clean release. We also boated three nice blackfin tuna. Sint Maarten deserves more recognition as a billfish destination.

C
Captain Dwayne
March 2025
Deep Sea
Blue Marlin Blackfin Tuna

Snapper and grouper on the reefs off Great Bay

Fished the reef structure just outside Great Bay and the yellowtail snapper were biting aggressively on cut bait. We also pulled up a couple of nice Nassau grouper and a beautiful queen triggerfish. Easy half-day trip that gets you back to the cruise terminal with time to spare and a cooler full of fish.

C
Captain Jasmine
August 2025
Reef Fishing
Yellowtail Snapper Nassau Grouper Queen Triggerfish
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