Best Times & Seasons to Fish in the Cayman Islands (A Guide)
Many anglers traveling to the Cayman Islands want to know the best time and season to fish. There are several factors that play into your decision on when to fish in the Cayman Islands.
The best time to fish in the Cayman Islands for yellowfin tuna, bluefin tuna, and sailfish is April through June. For redfish, tarpon, and queenfish, the best fishing window is October through January in Cayman Islands’ coastal waters.
| Fish Species | Best Fishing Times in the Cayman Islands |
| Yellowfin Tuna | April through June is the best season for local tuna fishing. |
| Redfish | Year-round availability; October through December is the best fishing season. |
| Tarpon | October through March is the best tarpon fishing season. |
| Queenfish | December through March is the best season for local queenfish fishing. |
| Barracuda | Year-round availability; October through February is the best fishing season. |
The Cayman Islands are a British Overseas Territory located within the group that consists of three islands: Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, and Cayman Brac. The people of the Cayman Islands are known as Caymanians and their official language is English.
Cayman Islands Seasonal Fishing Guide
While the prime seasons typically tend to be summer and winter, fishing in the Cayman Islands is excellent all year. For dedicated fishermen, late April may be the finest time to visit the Cayman Islands, as that is when the island territory’s major fishing event takes place.
The Cayman Islands Fishing Tournament occurs, and individuals who place well in the various fishing competitions are rewarded handsomely.
Are you looking for some of the best fishing in the Cayman Islands? With so many species and so many different times of the year, it’s hard to know where to go or when. That’s why we put together this list of our most caught fish in the Cayman Islands.
January: Tarpon, Queenfish, Barracuda, and Mutton snapper
February: Tarpon, Queenfish
March: Queenfish and Tarpon
April: Blackfin tuna, Curly-tailed porgy
May: Yellowfin tuna and Barracuda
June: Blackfin tuna and Queenfish
July: Queenfish
August: Mutton snapper
September: Red Drum
October: Tarpon, Drum, Barracuda, and
November: Tarpon, Drum, and Barracuda
December: Tarpon, Queenfish, and Barracuda
Recommended Fishing Charters in the Cayman Islands
These Cayman Islands-based charters have earned great reviews from anglers and will offer you a tremendous service. The captains are knowledgeable, friendly, and are sure to put you on fish. By clicking the links below, you will be taken to the charter’s respective profile on Fishing Booker where you can read reviews, learn more about the charter, view photos, and book online at the best rate.
| Recommended Fishing Charters | Type of Fishing Offered |
| Get Bent Charters | Inshore, Nearshore, Reef, Wreck & Offshore |
| Reel Vibes Charters | Offshore & Reef |
| Outcast Charters Cayman | Inshore, Offshore & Wreck |
| Happy Day Charters | Nearshore, Inshore, Offshore & Reef |
| Captain Charlie Charters – Wild Card | Inshore, Offshore & Reef |
Best Times to Fish the Cayman Islands
Dorado (Mahi Mahi)
The Dorado or Mahi Mahi is a large fish found in the tropical waters of the Western Hemisphere. The name “dorado” means “golden,” and is a reference to its coloration a brilliant greenish-yellow.
When targeting Dorado in the Cayman Islands keep in mind timing and location. The best time for catching them is in January and February preferably offshore near coral reefs and shipwrecks where they congregate in the late afternoon to feed on baitfish.
Bonefish
Bonefish are popular because they are an easy catch and can be cooked in a variety of ways. They also have a lot of flaky white meat, which is what many fishers and cooks alike look for in their seafood delicacies. Bonefish can be caught through different methods, but anglers usually use live fresh bait.
For ample results. Bonefish are from the Tarpon family. The bones of a bonefish are found on the outside of their body hence this is what gives them their name. They can cripple smaller fish by ripping off meat and fins with large teeth
Drum
The Drum fish is popular in the Cayman Islands. It is also called the Black Drum. There are many methods to catch this fish, but the one that is most popular in the Cayman’s is by using a cast net.
The Drum fish lives in shallow water and can be caught anywhere from 3 to 5 meters deep. Look for an area that has weeds or artificial lures such as eelgrass, which should attract more fish, and can be caught by “chumming” or by casting with heavy tackle and shrimp or baitfish.
Moray eel
The Morey eel can grow to be around two meters long. They are mainly found at depths of up to 240 meters, but they have been seen in shallower waters as well. Moray Eels are usually brown or green with white markings on their bellies and they have long pointed snouts.
Large Morays are opportunistic predators who feed on almost anything they can find like sharks, crustaceans, fish eggs and larvae, mollusks, small invertebrates like octopus and squid.
Moray eel is an invasive species in the Cayman Islands that has become popular with fishermen because of its size, and taste.
Gray snapper
Gray snapper is a popular fish in the Cayman Islands. They are found in deep waters and can be caught with a cast net, live bait, or artificial lure.
Snappers come in several shapes sizes and species, prominent in the rich seas surrounding the Cayman Islands. They are usually found at depths of about 50 feet (15 meters) but they will come up to shallower waters if they are hungry. Gray snappers can be caught using live bait, cast nets, or artificial lures.
Wahoo
Wahoo’s are abrasive fish that will put up a fight. Wahoos are among the fastest fish in the ocean, reaching speeds of up to 60 mph. Once hooked, they go on blazing runs that may blow out even the best reels. They’re also equipped with razor-sharp fangs.
As if their blazing speed wasn’t enough. Be prepared for that incredible battle when you catch one of them. They’ll follow your lead and could reach speeds that match most cars on the freeway. In the Caymans they can weigh up to 100 pounds. They are also very tasty.
Tarpon
Tarpon, dubbed the “silver king of sportfishing,” is primarily hunted for its fighting abilities rather than its culinary characteristics. Tarpon, one of the state’s most popular game fish and can tolerate a wide range of salinities.
Tarpon can be found in all of the waterways that encompass the Cayman Islands Tarpons fishing in the Cayman’s can go all year, Starting mid-March, but the optimum period is usually between late March and early April.
I recommend this Penn Pursuit Spinning Rod & Reel combo (available on Amazon) for inshore and nearshore fishing. It can handle everything from redfish to snapper and king mackerel. The Penn Battalion Series Spinning Rod and the Penn Battle Spinning Reel are fantastic if you want to create your combo.
Grouper
Grouper tend to be bottom dwellers and are important to both recreational and commercial anglers. Anglers who specialize in grouper refer to them as gag or black group.
Although they can be caught in shallow water by trolling artificial lures during the cooler months, most local fishermen recommend jigging at depth. Between May and June is the best time to catch grouper.
Barracuda
Most enjoy silvery baitfish, such as mackerel, little bonita, sardines, and other similar species. You can either throw them to likely places or troll them behind the boat at a fast pace. Barracuda frequently bite the tail first and then return for the rest later, so don’t pull the bait away too soon as the first strike occurs.
Amberjack
A fish with white flesh that is used as a sushi roll as well as fish sticks. It can also be used to make ceviche. It may be known as Escolar or Butterfish. Use feathers, strip baits, plugs, and spoons to attract amberjacks when trolling for them on the surface.
If you don’t want to go trolling, jig fishing for amberjacks is a popular alternative. Don’t try to catch this fish with any old line they are sure to break it.
Best Fishing Spots in the Cayman Islands (Best Times & Species)
Fishing is extensively available in the Cayman Islands, and angling aficionados can choose from a variety of excursions. Deepwater fishing in the Cayman Islands is a favorite among tourists hoping to catch a marlin or a sailfish, and local guides know where to go.
The flats that surround the islands are great for fly fishermen, and the South Hole Lagoon on Little Cayman is a bonefishing paradise.
Fishing charters on Cayman Island are reasonably straightforward to book, and you may cast a line from a variety of locations along the shore. Shore fishing is a popular activity that may be a great complement to going out on the water in a boat. Some of the best fishing locations include:
Rum Reef: Sailfish
Many huge sail catches have been recorded here. Other species you can catch here great barracuda, crevalle jack, and west Atlantic bonefish are some of the more popular species caught in the area. Please use your best judgment when deciding where you can fish and observe all local rules and regulations.
Cole Bay: Snapper and Grouper
Off the southern coast of St Maarten, enjoy coastal and deep-sea fishing in the Caribbean way. Go after exotic reef fish such as triggerfish, tilefish, blue runners, and small groupers in 60-200 feet of clear blue water.
Using traditional rod and reel. Trolling the surface for tuna, barracuda, kingfish, mackerel, and mahi-mahi from 300-600 feet utilizing lures or natural baits such as rigged ballyhoo produces great results as well.
John Brewer’s Bay: Grouper and Snapper
The flats in Brewers Bay are excellent for tarpon and bonefishing. Shallow regions like shoals and flats can be productive fishing spots.
Fishing on shoals is often most productive at night when fish can move freely without danger of being snatched by birds of prey from overhead.
Trolling, or simply quietly cruising with poles, is a good way to fish these locations. clear blue water, thrown directly to a visible fish, shallow-swimming lures can be quite productive.
Bloody Bay: Barracuda, Tuna, Wahoo and Mahi Mahi
Shore casting for snapper and the rare cuda is also an option. If you’re bringing gear “The best action appears to be on blue Rapelas and light-colored soft minnows.
A 30-pound braid is required, as well as a 12-pound braid keep in mind “Steel leaders must be used”. Bring a few extra lures down if you can… lures are very pricey on the island.
West Bay: Kingfish
A ton of kings in the area all year. Lobster fishing in West Bay is highly successful throughout the year. The peak season is January to February and December. The closed season: March to November.
Castara Town: Barracuda, Kingfish, and Queen Trigger Fish
Cayman Islands Fishing Overview & Best Seasons
The abundance of the fish listed is like only the Camans can produce. There’s generally a chance to get some freshly caught fish from the boat at the end of the fishing day Local restaurants will prepare you a delectable meal from the day’s catch.
Castara Bay is home to some of the island’s best fishing. When the sea is quiet and clean, you can see more of what’s beneath the surface. One of the distinctive features of Castara Bay is the possibility of seeing stingrays.
The Cayman Islands have been called “the place where time stands still” because nothing seems to change from one year to the next. They’re also known as “the islands where people fish,” with good reason: it’s one of the world’s best fishing locations.
The Cayman Islands is a place that holds great international clout as a tourist destination. It has been attracting people from all over the world for years because of the resorts, the beaches, and of course, the fishing.
Fishing choices in Grand Cayman range from the deep sea to beach and everything in between, and are sure to surprise even the most seasoned angler! Fish such as wahoo, tuna, mahi-mahi, barracuda, blue marlin, and a wide variety of tropical fish abound in the island’s seas.
There are a lot of guides on the island that can take you out on fishing expeditions for people of all ability levels. Anglers from across the globe come here for the incredibly rewarding fishing scene! Rest assured after your first fishing trip to the Caymans you will be caught, hook, line, and sinker.
For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Barbados, please check out this helpful guide. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Saint Lucia, please check out this helpful guide. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in the Bahamas, please check out this helpful guide.
