What would you recommend to anglers fishing in San Juan for the first time?

Be prepared for issues out of your captain's control, particularly weather. Our first charter canceled because of wave height and our captain (of the charter we did take) said he was going to have to cancel the next day because of projected waves. We had a slow start and finish because of rain (the cloudy skies prevent the bait from shimmering), but the captain found clearer weather and we had a busy few hours. We were the only charter that went out and caught anything, so others had a much different experience.

According to the professionals, "choppy" water and sizeable swells are to be expected during this time of year. I wasn't aware of that and i definitely had to adjust to the circumstances! All in all, it was tougher than I expected to get the bites, but the captain did a great job finding them for me! The only thing that would stop me from saying it was "great" would be the rough water conditions. It was some fun fishing but more on the extreme side, for me anyway. Definitely not a calm, relaxed, day on the water. Lol.

Rough water with 7' - 10' rollers as the norm. Also....it's called fishing....not catching. We caught fish, I would bet catching odds are higher with Captain Jose than most captains. Out of 3 boats out we were the only boat to catch! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

Bring sunscreen, fishing/sun shirts, hats and good polarized glasses. If you are not a seasoned or experienced offshore fisher don’t be afraid to take some Dramamine the night before your trip. The seas will get bumpy even on the calmest day. Oh, and be ready to reel hard, fast and often!

If you are looking for a Captain who's passion is putting his customers on fish than Captain Carlos is your man. My experience with Carlos was the high point of my trip to this beautiful paradise. I look forward to returning next year to put in some more time in fishing these productive waters. Fish on Captain, Fish on. Peace

Captain Cleary with backwaters tarpon adventures. A1 operation. I’m a licensed fishing guide in the Northwest and will vouch and recommend Captain Cleary.

Don’t be discouraged if you don’t land a lot of fish. Enjoy the hook ups as much as possible. Hard fish to get landed.

6 hour or more trip. This allows for a great time with zero rush. The Captain really utilized the time to search for the right spots and delivered!

I have no experience to compare October to other months of the year, but the Tarpon were biting in the lagoons just East of San Juan.

Those tarpon are really hard to land, don't be discouraged we lost at least 5 or 6 fish near the boat, they spit hooks really easy or dive and run under the boat and snap lines a lot lol!!

Book a morning trip if possible, afternoons can be brutal with the humidity. Otherwise, definitely recommended

June is more focused on heavy tackle which means fewer bites, but bigger fights. I would probably leave the kids at home on big fish days and bring them out for light tackle days.

It's all about the Captain. Find a good one, trust he or she, and don't look at your watch. Just fish!

The fish can be spotty in June but if you keep a good attitude it will always be a great day on the water.

Not much the captain had everything we needed from cold non alcoholic drinks to gear and even sun block

This was our first trip. Captain rated sea roughness at 4. For us it was a 9 almost 10. Check Sea Condition don't forget your motion sickness meds. Do it.

If you go in not expecting to catch any fish it will let you enjoy the fishing trip better. You get a really cool view of old San Juan

Keep in mind that covid regulations are in affect. So the experience might be a little different than you would normally expect. Bait shops are closed and you have to catch your own bait.

Beginners stay in shore. Off shore is for experienced anglers with patience to hope for a hit on a big sports fish.

Definitely use this company. Make sure to stay hydrated. Enjoy yourself. It is hard not to when you fish with Captain Luis.

This was our first tarpon fishing trip and we had a great trip so I would highly recommend Bayside Charters 2 and Carlos Torres as your guide.

Save your money and not use bayside charters. Boat was not what they said and the captain didnt even have bait ready. Spent almost 2 hours trying to get bait on a 5 hour trip

Go early. Short ride off the coast. Deep water in 1 mile. Never out of sight of land. Watch the weather closely. Changes quickly.

If you are booking in the PM, stay patient and trust your guide the bite usually picks up late in the day.

If you want to catch tarpon, trust your guide. If you want to catch tarpon your way then bring lots of patience.

Be prepared for the short rain showers that can come up quickly and the inland bay and canal fishing was a much more adventurous and fulfilling experience than i expected!

Catch and release is only in the bay. Meat fishing is outside of the bay. The website should specify.

Wait until you get really close to yor trip to book. The weather/winds can be a factor, and should be taken into account.

Puerto Rico has some very deep waters and fishing here is truly and adventure you shouldn’t miss.

Don't think you are going to drink and enjoy a boat ride. It's work out at sea!