Fishing Charters in Curaçao

Two private fishing charters with Reef Riders Curaçao, from Playa Santa Cruz on the sheltered west coast: four hours of deep-water bottom fishing for red snapper, or five hours that add trolling for tuna and mahi-mahi. Up to three guests per boat, no experience needed, and you keep your catch.

Off Curaçao, the sea gets deep close to the shore. Head out from Playa Santa Cruz and you're soon over water hundreds of meters deep, which means real Caribbean bottom fishing for snapper, and trolling for tuna and mahi-mahi, without a long run offshore. Fishing here doesn't have to take a whole day, and you don't need to have fished before.

What fishing in Curaçao is like

Reef Riders Curaçao fish in two ways, and the two charters on this page mix them differently.

• Bottom fishing, or deep-dropping: the boat stops over deep water and the baited line goes down hundreds of meters to the snappers that live near the bottom. That line is heavy, so powerful electric reels bring it back up. It's easy even if you've never held a rod before.
• Trolling: lures are pulled behind the moving boat for open-water fish such as tuna and mahi-mahi (also called dorado). These fish roam the open sea, so trolling happens when conditions allow.

You fish from a private 22-foot boat with a shade roof, with an experienced local captain at the wheel. A Minn Kota trolling motor with Spot-Lock holds the boat steady over a chosen spot, which matters when your bait is that far down. When you're done, the captain cleans your catch and you take it with you.

The two charters compared

Private 4-hour charter: red snapper

The four-hour trip is real Caribbean bottom fishing for red snapper, without spending the whole day at sea. From Playa Santa Cruz you're soon over deep water, where the electric reels bring the heavy line up from hundreds of meters down. It's the simpler of the two days: one style of fishing, one main target and, if the snappers cooperate, something red for dinner.

It suits first-timers, families with children from 10 years old, and anyone who wants fishing as part of a day rather than the whole of it. See the 4-hour red snapper charter.

Private 5-hour charter: tuna, mahi-mahi and deep-water snappers

This is Reef Riders' most complete fishing day. From the moment you leave the bay, the lures go out for tuna and mahi-mahi, when conditions allow. Then, over the deep grounds, Daiwa electric reels drop the bait hundreds of meters down for queen snapper and other deep-water snappers. The boat carries light-tackle trolling gear as well as the electric reels.

It suits anglers who want variety, and groups who'd like a chance at a fighting fish on the way out as well as snapper from the deep. Take a look at Reef Riders' 5-hour fishing day.

What both charters include

• A private 22-foot boat with a shade roof and an experienced local captain
• Professional electric fishing reels and a Minn Kota trolling motor with Spot-Lock
• Fishing gear, bait and tackle
• Your fishing license
• Cold water and soft drinks
• Your catch, cleaned by the captain

Both are private for up to 3 guests, and the price is for the whole boat, not per person. Guests must be 10 or older; no fishing experience is needed. Pickup and drop-off are not included.

Which one to choose

If you mainly want to catch fish and take home fillets, the four-hour charter does that in less time. If the idea of trolling for tuna or mahi-mahi is what gets you out of bed, book the five hours, knowing that the trolling depends on conditions on the day.

Who goes fishing here

You don't have to be an angler. The electric reels take the hard work out of deep-water fishing, so children from 10 years old can bring up a fish from hundreds of meters down. One of Reef Riders' photos shows a young angler on the beach holding a tuna as long as she is. With room for three, the boat suits a couple, a parent with two kids, or a few friends.

What to do with your catch

Snapper is a favorite on Curaçao's tables, and a fish you caught yourself tastes even better. If you're staying in an apartment or villa with a kitchen, grill or fry the fillets the same evening. Fried fish (piska hasá in Papiamentu) is a local classic, often served with funchi, the island's cornmeal side dish.

Fishing from the shore on a Jeep tour

There's a third, very different way to fish in Curaçao. On Real World Adventures' Jeep tours, you can add Reefside Fishing: three hours of casting from the coral cliffs into the surf with your guide, with bait and gear included. It's an extra on the half-day off-road Jeep tour and on the full-day tour, so you combine caves and natural pools with a line in the water.

Where the charters leave from

The boats depart from Playa Santa Cruz, a broad bay on the sheltered west coast in Banda Abou and Westpunt. Mangroves at the bay attract birdlife, and green hills rise behind the coast. Another departure point is possible when the weather asks for it.

Since pickup is not included, plan on driving there or arranging a taxi. If you have a car, make a day of it: Playa Santa Cruz is the first stop on our self-guided route along the free beaches, which continues past Kleine Knip and Grote Knip to Playa Piskado and Playa Forti in Westpunt.

Reef Riders also run a private sea scooter snorkel tour from Fort Beekenburg in Caracasbaai, at the other end of the island. For a full day on a larger boat, see our boat trips to Klein Curaçao.

Practical tips

• Bring a hat, sunglasses (polarized ones help you see into the water), reef-safe sunscreen and a light long-sleeved shirt. The shade roof helps, but the sun on the water is strong.
• If you get seasick, take your usual remedy before you leave the beach.
• Bring a cooler bag to take your cleaned catch home, especially if you're staying somewhere with a kitchen.
• Bring cash: you pay 85% of the price in cash to Reef Riders after the charter.
• You choose the day and time when you send your request.

How booking and payment work

Send your preferred date and time and the number of guests. Kua Kaminda passes your request to Reef Riders on WhatsApp. Once they confirm that your date is free, you pay 15% of the price online to book, and the other 85% in cash to Reef Riders after the charter. There are no booking fees: the 15% is part of the price.