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Looking forward to doing some fishing once I make the trip.  Common catches for the table include Dorado (Mahi Mahi), Grouper, Snapper and Tuna.  Wahoo is also commonly caught, as much for the sport as for the table.  Spiny lobster and Conch (much like escargot) are also harvested for the table, and round out the list of common, local seafood.  I've heard of Caribbean crab, but I'm from the Chesapeake Bay, so I don't know how common they are, or how they stack up to our blue crabs.

Wouldn't worry too much about the toxicity.  You'd have to eat more than you could handle to suffer any ill effects.  Adding locally-caught seafood to your diet is tasty, healthy, and good for the local economy.

Oh, I'll share the advice I gave to my wife regarding making a choice among the possibilities -- consider the texture as much as the taste.  Tuna is quite substantial -- this is a good choice if you are in the mood for something like a steak.  Grouper is very light and flaky.  Snapper is the most "fishy" of them all, without being "fishy" tasting.

Thanks @WarnerW- I love to go fishing. Every year I go fishing in Costa Rica and have caught Dorado and tuna for the table and sailfish, roosterfish and Marlin for sport (catch and release).

There are not too much information about fishing in PR, so thanks for your info!!! I am just counting the days until we move there.

There are some groups on FB dedicated to fishing and sport fishermen in the island. Lots of good places to do some shore fishing. Best advise is to talk to the locals, visit the local fish market. I do a lot of costal fishing on the west part of the island. As per for boating fishing, you do notneed to go too far out to catch some nice fish. Just make sure you go with someone that knows the local waters. The weather in the Caribbean can change pretty quickly and if you're not experienced it can be dangerous.

adlin20 wrote:

The weather in the Caribbean can change pretty quickly and if you're not experienced it can be dangerous.

Specially north side, The Bermuda Triangle.
Muhhhaaha

West side waters are very dangerous as well. I grew up around the beach in Guayanilla. Unfortunately we had fishermen loosing their lives and never returned. I learned early on to always respect the ocean.

I'm looking forward to doing some fishing as well, I'm moving on August 30th, maybe we can hook up and go fishing together

Butch

Butch,

What part of the island you moving to?

adlin20;

I'm thinking about moving to the West coast, maybe Rincon. First, I want to rent a place for a month and explore the island before I make firm decision, I want to check out Vieques as well, I hear it is a beautiful island. I've only been to PR once years ago. I did a installation of a large UPS for a skyscraper that was a home for the elderly. They wanted the elevators to work during a power outage for those too old to take the stairs. It took me a week to do the installation and I was housed in a bad area of San Juan and have had a negative view of PR for years. But now that I've opened my eyes and my mind, I think PR will be the perfect place for my semi retirement, I plan to continue my artwork and do a number of other things besides fishing.

Butch

Rincon is big with expatriates, the problem with that is over priced properties. We build a house on Sabana Grande, about an hour from Rincon. We are both from PR and getting ready to retire as soon as my latest contract ends. So I spent my time between PR, Tx and Ca since my work allow me some remote work.

Take your time, explore around before settling on a location. The island have lots of beautiful places to settle.

condorbutch wrote:

adlin20;

I'm thinking about moving to the West coast, maybe Rincon. First, I want to rent a place for a month and explore the island before I make firm decision, I want to check out Vieques as well, I hear it is a beautiful island. I've only been to PR once years ago. I did a installation of a large UPS for a skyscraper that was a home for the elderly. They wanted the elevators to work during a power outage for those too old to take the stairs. It took me a week to do the installation and I was housed in a bad area of San Juan and have had a negative view of PR for years. But now that I've opened my eyes and my mind, I think PR will be the perfect place for my semi retirement, I plan to continue my artwork and do a number of other things besides fishing.

Butch

when you get here look me up. I like to fish.    The west end is nice!
will you rent or buy?

Sitka;

Until I can get some problems settled with my GI Bill home loan eligibility settled, I'll have to rent. I don't know how long this will take, the VA doesn't do anything fast, it might take 2 or 3 years before I can get things ironed out.
From what I've been reading, a small boat, maybe even a canoe might be needed to fish the reef so you can "Chum" the water. But, I open to other methods of fishing, perhaps from the shore or inland in fresh water rivers and lakes. But, we can make up a game plan when we hook up.

Butch

I am looking into shore fishing and exploring the possibility of rigging a jet ski with a fishinf rack. I have seen some done to fish in the Keys and I like the idea of been able to use a jet ski for fun and fishing. Plus it is easier for one person to launch a jet ski than a boat.

If you hookup Jaws it may take you for a ride Adlin

There was a show on awhile back about guys fishing on seagoing kayacks

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking about, fishing from a kayak.  Of course, it all depends on where I wind up, water conditions, etc.  I may end up with a little boat, a sail and an outboard.  Who knows?

ReyP wrote:

If you hookup Jaws it may take you for a ride Adlin

But it will be a heck of a ride!!! Lol

we had reports of a large 6' tiger shark in our area, a sea turtle was killed and the local fishermen were trying to get him.  Apparently, the tiger shark has a reputation of being very aggressive.

They are very aggressive, that's a nice size. They will sell it for "pinchos" and have the bragging rights. This time of the year the sand sharks start to mate, they come close to the coast to give birth. In my town of Guayanilla you can see them, they like the warm waters of the cooling discharge from the electric plant turbines.

Let me run this up the flag pole and see if it will fly, We form a partnership and buy a small boat. There is a great one for sale in Key West, it's a 33' Trawler, a Willard.

Here is what the owner has to say about it;

Located in Key West, Florida, this 30-foot used Willard Vega 30 Searcher is a great trawler. Willard Marine builds mission proven boats as tough and worthy as those who depend on them. Powered by a 50hp Perkins 4-107 engine, this Willard boat can get you to your favorite spot, or help you discover a new one. And with only 20 hours, you will have the peace of mind that comes with a Perkins in great condition. This boat is in very good condition and systems are working well, according to her owner. The Vega 30 Searcher has lots of space for your family and friends, and all your boating gear. With ample room to sleep 3 comfortably, spend the night aboard your Willard boat at your favorite water front spot. This boat boasts an air conditioning unit. Don't miss out on your opportunity to own this great condition Willard boat!.

Burns less than 1 gal per hour. (0.75-0.8) with a speed of about 5 1/2 - 6 knots gets you an astounding 5-6 nautical miles PER gallon. With 100 gal fuel capacity, this boat can go long distances very inexpensively. Manufacturer claims that at 1200rpm you should achieve 4.3 knots with a fuel consumption rate of 0.3 gal per hour extending your cruising range to over 1200 miles. Has 80 square foot steadying sail and 20 square foot jib which may help slightly.


Here is a link to see what it looks like.

I know it's a crazy idea, but I've done a lot more crazier things in my life before, but its the crazy things I've done that I remember the most.

Butch

PS, The guy seems like a motivated seller  so I'm sure if saw someone was serious, he'd be willing to go down on the price. From my experience, if this does pan out, it is wise to have the boat surveyed, a detailed inspection that includes the smallest screw. It's money well spent, a survey saved me from buying a 42' Trawler that was a lemon. I'm damn sure this isn't the case with this boat, Willard has a solid reputation.

Dam good idea to have it checked. I love the price, but I never had a boat before so I am not in the market at this time. But if I was, I would buy it and see if I could put it to work taking people out to fish or scuba/smoke for a fee.

May be a good investment.

You know, I didn't eve think of using it as a source of income for fishing or snorkeling, if none of the partners were using the boat, it could be used to charter a cruise to earn its keep. Good idea, now it's starting to make even more sense, not just buying a boat, but making an investment, creating a job

Butch

I would buy it flat out and not take partners, instead hire some crew to run it and have it ready for tours or charter anytime I am not using it. I would also consider living in the boat all the time instead of renting or buying a house if it would be confortable to live in it.

I'd like to buy for myself as well, and yes you live on it, In a couple of weeks when I'm in PR, I'll see if there is a way to for me go ahead and buy it for myself and use it to live in and as an additional source of income

Butch,

I will like the idea of buying it in a partnership, I have see it done before and it works with the right people. It will have to be plan out and with the right persons. It's like the concept of group leasing in Texas for been able to hunt on a bigger ranch.

It's a way to be able to afford a bigger boat and yes managed correctly it will pay for itself.

Let me know, I may be interested. Big boats are expensive to buy and maintain. Good way to split costs.

Not sure about living in it thou. Most marinas are not equipped to do that in the island. Plus you have to think of hurricane season.

If I was to buy the boat alone, I'd live onboard and move during hurricane season. But with partners, that's a different horse. We could use it for ourselves as partners and either hire it out or take people on cruises to fish or sightseeing. It would pay for itself or help us to pay for it. The guy who owns it just sent me an email that financing  is a good possibility.

You're right about finding the right people, I've seen things work out good for partners buying an airplane and renting it out when not in use. Good people are out there and that is what it takes for a partnership to work.

In a past life I was an Marine Electrician and I have a strong mechanical background as well. I think if we pooled our resources there would be enough talent between us to maintained  the boat and do the upkeep ourselves..  ,

I have owned boats all my life, my last one was a 27' Cudy cabin that we keep docked at the lake. Most of the maintenance and upkeep was done by me. So my next boat will be the same.

With the right persons a partnership is great since you can buy a bigger boat and share costs.

A boat that size will require a dock, preferably with water and electricity to keep the equipment going. If you rent the boat out for a few days a month most of those expenses are covered.

Bringing that boat to PR will be expensive as well. You have 2 choices, either ship it on a container boat or navigate the boat down to the island. I have looked at navigating a boat from the keys, it is a tricky trip. Most people do it as a group and pay close attention to the weather.

This way you can keep the boat registered in the mainland. Keep in mind it is an older boat, so be prepared to face unexpected expenses.

This will start to add up on the cost, reason to get into a parnership unless you can afford it on your own.

Great, you've got some boating experience, more than me, you can be the Captain. As far as working on it, I'm sure between us, we'll be able to do 99% of the work by ourselves. My old man had service station when I was a kid and had me working on cars every since I can remember. I was Helicopter Crewchief, jet engine mechanic in the Army, and for kickers, I had a windgenerator business some time ago. A small wind system for boat is a snap to install and fairly cheap.

Sailing from the Keys? I'd think with todays modern weather forecasting and GPS it would be doable. I read a book about this guy who took a canoe and rigged a keel and sail and he sailed it from the Keys and island hopping all over the Caribbean with hardly losing sight of land. IN A CANOE!

He didn't sail to Puerto Rico, but there are only 3 stretch's of open sea for any distance. A stretch between Florida and Cuba, then hugging the Cuban coastline to the next stretch of sea between Cuba and Haiti, and hugging that coastline until the last stretch of open sea between Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, or take some other course similar to this one, one that could be done in relative safety.

The Willard has a incredible range 1200 miles, that could be greatly increased with fuel barrels. It's not going to win a race but it has a true dis-placement hull with a ballasted keel and is a hell of a lot safer than motor yacht planning hull in different sea conditions. 

Financing $32,000? depending on how many partners, I think it might be affordable to pay the loan and slip fees and upkeep if we do it right. Also, maybe borrow a few dollars more to cover shipping cost if we decide it's to "hairy" to sail ourselves. I wonder how many miles it is from the Keys to Puerto Rico taking the long safe route? It just might be possible to do it with a single tank of fuel. Anyway, there is another 33' Willard for sale in Baton Rouge for $17,500.I don't think its in as good condition as the one we are looking at.

O'well, in a couple of weeks I'll be on the island, we can hook up and at least do some fishing and take a close look at doing this
Butch

Sounds good. I will be in The island from September 3 - 11th. My house is in Sabana Grande, about 45 minutes from Rincon. What dates you going to be there?

Here is my email adlin20 /!\ I AM A STUPID SPAMMER /!\. We can talk more about it.

Don't forget to check insurance cost
The cost to go see it
The cost for a good inspection
And if getting a loan, the cost of getting it appraised

Yeah, you are looking to add another 15-25% to the cost by the time everything in settle.

I'm moving there on August 30th with no return date. I was talking this morning to someone about renting a beach house between Aguadilla and Rincon I'm only planning to stay there for a month or two while I search for "the" place. I have a cell phone (505) 318-4759 that I will be using for a couple more weeks, after that I'll get another sim card with a PR area code. For now, I'm using Tring wireless. they are the ones who are offering the best rates I've been able to find so far. anyway, when the number changes, I'll let you know.

The owner is going to call me later this evening, I hope we can work something out, from the looks of the place he is renting, it's ideal for me, but it's a little more than I need, 4 bedrooms, there is just my wife and I.

When I land, I'll be in San Juan just long enough to buy a car, maybe 2 o r 3 days. I'd like to check out Vieques while I'm on that side of the island. People tell me its a beautiful island. I might decide to move there, but not right away, I want to live on the west coast for a month or two so I can take a good look at the rest of PR.

So, lets hook-up
Butch

condorbutch wrote:

Great, you've got some boating experience, more than me, you can be the Captain. As far as working on it, I'm sure between us, we'll be able to do 99% of the work by ourselves. My old man had service station when I was a kid and had me working on cars every since I can remember. I was Helicopter Crewchief, jet engine mechanic in the Army, and for kickers, I had a windgenerator business some time ago. A small wind system for boat is a snap to install and fairly cheap.

Sailing from the Keys? I'd think with todays modern weather forecasting and GPS it would be doable. I read a book about this guy who took a canoe and rigged a keel and sail and he sailed it from the Keys and island hopping all over the Caribbean with hardly losing sight of land. IN A CANOE!

He didn't sail to Puerto Rico, but there are only 3 stretch's of open sea for any distance. A stretch between Florida and Cuba, then hugging the Cuban coastline to the next stretch of sea between Cuba and Haiti, and hugging that coastline until the last stretch of open sea between Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, or take some other course similar to this one, one that could be done in relative safety.

The Willard has a incredible range 1200 miles, that could be greatly increased with fuel barrels. It's not going to win a race but it has a true dis-placement hull with a ballasted keel and is a hell of a lot safer than motor yacht planning hull in different sea conditions. 

Financing $32,000? depending on how many partners, I think it might be affordable to pay the loan and slip fees and upkeep if we do it right. Also, maybe borrow a few dollars more to cover shipping cost if we decide it's to "hairy" to sail ourselves. I wonder how many miles it is from the Keys to Puerto Rico taking the long safe route? It just might be possible to do it with a single tank of fuel. Anyway, there is another 33' Willard for sale in Baton Rouge for $17,500.I don't think its in as good condition as the one we are looking at.

O'well, in a couple of weeks I'll be on the island, we can hook up and at least do some fishing and take a close look at doing this
Butch

We can even look at boats down in the island. This will minimize some of the cost. I will keep my eyes open. If I see anyone worthed I will let you know.

Butch,

Here is my cell 817-739-7983. There are some nice boats in clasificadosonline dot com. They have a nice 28' Rampage listed and other nice boats on that size. May be worth looking at. It will save on shipping costs.

Raul.

You should not put that info in the public areas. Send via Private message

Fishermen on the South coast fish during the night by boat. The water is calm then.  Others fish from m shore when the tide is coming in. I have seen many  fine catches but I could not tell you the name of them

As an old mushroom hunter, I understand, mess with my wife, but stay away from my secret spot for finding mushrooms

ReyP wrote:

You should not put that info in the public areas. Send via Private message

Rey,

Unfortunately or fortunately in my line of work my info is out there. Heck if the telemarketing can call me at anytime may as well send it out.

I love getting call from someone trying to sell me something  I don't need or want. I listen for a few minutes, then tell them to hang-on, I'll be right back. I just let the phone set there until they hang-up. The way they operate is how many calls they make in a hour, and if you tie them up, your are wasting their time and they are losing money. It's all about fast calls. It use to piss me off when they called, now, its a game I enjoy. My number is (505) 738-7449, my cell is (505) 318-4759

Love it!