Full-Day Deep Sea Fishing Adventure in Sint Maarten

Big fish require a long day. This private St. Maarten charter is built for serious time offshore, with a professionally outfitted catamaran, a wide rear deck, and room for only your group of up to two people. I like the private setup and the chance to fish as far as 30 miles offshore, where wahoo, mahi-mahi, and kingfish may be found.

I also like that rods, reels, tackle, bait, fuel, snacks, water, sodas, and unlimited local beer are included. The main consideration is the price: $1,445 per group, before lunch and any private transportation, so this makes the most sense for two people who want a full fishing day rather than a casual outing.

Key points at a glance

• Nearly 100 nautical miles is possible: One recorded outing with Capt JT and Mate Ricky covered almost 100 nautical miles round trip and reached the area near St. Kitts and Nevis while searching for wahoo.
• Private fishing for up to two: You get the whole boat with your guide and mate, rather than sharing deck space with a larger party.
• Surface trolling comes first: The crew searches for wahoo, mahi-mahi, and kingfish before sending lines more than 600 feet below the surface.
• A stable catamaran matters: The boat has a dry, stable design, comfortable seating, a private head, and a wide-open back deck.
• Your catch can come home: Catch and release is preferred, but you may keep fish within reasonable personal consumption limits. The crew will prepare your catch for transport back to your hotel or resort.
• Plan lunch ahead: Lunch is not included, though French baguette sandwiches can be arranged for $10 per person with 24 hours notice.

Why this is a serious fishing day

This is not a quick harbor trip with a few hours of casual casting. The schedule runs about 9 hours and 30 minutes, starting at 8:00 a.m. and ending back at the meeting point. The boat may travel up to 30 miles offshore, so much of the value comes from time, distance, and the crew’s willingness to keep searching.

I like that the trip has a clear purpose. You are not simply riding around St. Maarten with a fishing rod in hand. You troll the surface for game fish, then work deeper water with lines sent more than 600 feet down. That gives the day two different fishing styles and improves your odds of finding active fish.

Still, fishing is fishing. A long run offshore does not guarantee a wahoo or mahi-mahi. You are paying for a well-equipped boat, a private crew, a full day on the water, and a serious attempt to find fish. You are not buying a guaranteed catch.

Starting at 8:00 a.m. in Cole Bay

The stated meeting point is 58 Well Rd, Cole Bay, Sint Maarten, with the activity ending back there. The start time is 8:00 a.m., so you should plan your morning around being ready early. The available information also highlights hotel pickup and drop-off, but private transportation is listed as not included, and the official start and end point is the Cole Bay address.

That detail deserves a quick phone call before you commit. Ask Coconut Reef whether pickup is available from your hotel, resort, or cruise-related accommodation, and if so, what it costs. Do not assume that the pickup mention means a free transfer.

Confirmation is provided within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability. Since this is a private boat with only one group per departure, I would avoid leaving the reservation until the last minute. The average booking lead time is about 53 days, which tells you that planning ahead is sensible, especially during busy periods.

Getting comfortable on the catamaran

The boat is a professionally outfitted catamaran designed to be dry and stable. That matters on a long fishing day. A 9.5-hour trip can feel very different on a steady platform than on a small boat that pounds through every wave.

You have a wide-open back deck, comfortable seating, and a private head. The open deck gives the crew working room when a fish takes the line, while the seating lets you step out of the action when you need a break. The private head is a small feature, but after several hours offshore it becomes a very useful one.

The boat is described as fully SOLAS compliant, with the safety equipment needed for emergencies. You also have professional rods, reels, tackle, and bait included. You may bring your own gear if you prefer, but you do not need to pack a full fishing kit to take part.

I would still bring practical personal items: sun protection, a hat, clothing that can handle spray, and any medication you normally use for motion discomfort. Those suggestions are basic boating sense rather than special equipment requirements. The tour does call for a moderate level of physical fitness, so expect to move around the deck and take part in the fishing rather than simply sit as a passenger all day.

First phase: trolling for wahoo and mahi-mahi

The surface trolling portion is aimed at species such as wahoo, mahi-mahi, and kingfish. This is the kind of fishing that keeps you watching the rods and the water, since the action can change quickly when a fish strikes.

The crew handles the included bait, rods, reels, and tackle, and the private format gives them time to focus on just your group. That is one of the strongest reasons to choose this trip over a shared charter. You can ask questions, adjust the pace, and spend more time on the technique that interests you.

The long offshore range is also part of the appeal. A day may stretch far beyond the immediate waters around St. Maarten. One particularly ambitious outing covered nearly 100 nautical miles round trip and reached by St. Kitts and Nevis while Capt JT and Mate Ricky searched for wahoo. That is not a promise for every departure, but it shows how far the crew may be willing to travel when conditions and the fishing plan call for it.

The drawback is clear: more distance means more time spent getting to the fishing grounds. If you want a short, easygoing boat ride with a guaranteed return before lunch, this is the wrong shape of excursion. If you enjoy the search as much as the catch, the long run is part of the adventure.

Second phase: lines sent more than 600 feet down

The trip also uses deep-water techniques, sending lines more than 600 feet, or 182 meters, below the surface. That changes the pace from surface trolling. Deep fishing takes patience and requires the boat crew to manage heavier tackle, line, and positioning.

For you, this means the day is not limited to one method. If the surface bite is slow, the crew has another part of the water column to work. The deep-water section also gives the trip a more serious feel than a basic coastal fishing excursion.

No particular deep-water species are promised, and the material does not give a fixed order or time split between the two methods. The crew can tailor the private itinerary, which is useful if you have a target fish or a preferred style. I would ask about your priorities before departure. Tell the crew if you are especially interested in wahoo, mahi-mahi, kingfish, or deep-water fishing.

A private boat changes the whole day

The boat is reserved for your group, with a maximum of two people. That is a major advantage for a couple, two fishing partners, or a parent and older child who want personal attention.

You are not sharing the back deck with strangers, waiting for someone else to finish with a rod, or negotiating which fishing style the group prefers. The crew can focus on your ability level and interests. The itinerary can also be adjusted within the practical limits of weather, sea conditions, fish movement, and the boat’s operating range.

That privacy comes at a cost. At $1,445 per group, the effective price is about $722.50 per person if two people go. The price covers a private full-day boat rather than a seat on a shared half-day charter, so the comparison should be made with other private offshore trips, not with a short group excursion.

For two people who would otherwise book a premium charter, the value is easier to see. You receive the boat, crew, fuel, tackle, drinks, snacks, and the chance to keep a catch. For one person, the same group price is much harder to justify unless private access is the main goal.

Drinks, snacks, and the missing lunch

The included food and drink plan is useful but not complete. You receive snacks, water, sodas, and unlimited local beers. The operator avoids single-use plastic bottles and encourages you to bring your own reusable water bottle, a practical touch on a long day at sea.

Alcohol is included, but I would keep your drinking moderate while fishing offshore. Beer may sound refreshing in the sun, but dehydration and motion discomfort are poor companions when you are trying to handle a fish. The water and sodas are just as important as the beer.

Lunch is not included. You can bring your own food, or the crew can provide French baguette sandwiches for $10 per person if you call at least 24 hours ahead. Do not wait until the morning of the trip to request lunch. If you arrange sandwiches, you still may want a little extra food for a full day that could run nearly ten hours.

Catch and release, with a practical keep option

The crew prefers catch and release, which is a sensible approach for a sport-fishing day. At the same time, you may keep a fish or two within reasonable personal consumption limits.

If you keep a catch, the crew will prepare it for you to take back to your hotel or resort. That makes the option more useful than simply placing a fish in a cooler and leaving you to manage it. You should confirm the current limits and what preparation involves before you depart, since the available information does not spell out species-specific rules or the exact form of preparation.

I like this middle ground. You can enjoy the sport, release fish when appropriate, and still bring home a catch for personal use when the conditions and limits allow. The trip is not presented as a commercial fishing operation, and that is important when setting expectations.

Safety, crew, and the feel of the day

The boat carries the required safety equipment under its SOLAS-compliant setup. That does not remove the normal risks of offshore travel, but it shows that safety equipment is part of the boat’s design rather than an afterthought.

The crew is described as professional and friendly. Capt JT and Mate Ricky are specifically associated with a demanding wahoo search that covered almost 100 nautical miles. The strongest thing I take from that account is effort: they kept working to put the anglers on fish rather than treating a slow bite as the end of the day.

That work ethic matters on a private charter. You are paying for the crew to fish strategically, manage the gear, and keep trying. Still, no captain controls the weather, sea conditions, or fish behavior. The rating of 4.4 from nine reviews suggests a generally positive experience, but it is not a guarantee of a trophy fish or nonstop action.

Weather, cancellation, and physical demands

This trip requires good weather. If poor conditions force a cancellation, you are offered another date or a full refund. You can also cancel for a full refund if you do so at least 24 hours before the start time.

Changes or cancellations made less than 24 hours before departure are not accepted, and the amount paid is not refunded. The cut-off follows local Sint Maarten time. That is worth noting if you are booking from another time zone or fitting the charter between flights.

The moderate fitness requirement is also real. You will be on a boat for most of the day, handling fishing equipment and moving around the deck. The catamaran’s stability, seating, and private head make the day more comfortable, but they do not turn it into a passive sightseeing cruise.

Who should book this charter?

I would choose this trip if you:

• Want a private boat for two people
• Care more about serious offshore fishing than a short scenic cruise
• Are happy to spend most of a day on the water
• Like the chance to use both surface and deep-water methods
• Want the flexibility to keep a fish within reasonable personal limits
• Value included tackle, fuel, bait, drinks, and snacks
• Can accept that a big catch is never guaranteed

I would hesitate if you want a low-cost activity, dislike long boat rides, need a guaranteed lunch arrangement, or plan to spend most of the day sightseeing rather than fishing. The price is difficult to justify for one person, and the trip’s appeal depends heavily on your interest in the fishing itself.

Should you book the Full-Day Deep Sea Fishing Adventure?

Book it if you want an all-day private fishing charter with room to range far offshore. The stable catamaran, private deck, included equipment, deep-water option, and experienced local crew give the trip real substance. The recorded search with Capt JT and Mate Ricky, which ran nearly 100 nautical miles round trip toward the waters near St. Kitts and Nevis, also shows that this crew is prepared to work hard for a target species such as wahoo.

Before paying, confirm the transportation arrangement from your accommodation and decide how you will handle lunch. If two people split the $1,445 price and both genuinely want a full day of fishing, the cost can make sense. If you simply want to get out on the water, choose a shorter and less expensive trip instead.

FAQ

How long does the fishing trip last?

The experience lasts approximately 9 hours and 30 minutes. It starts at 8:00 a.m. and ends back at the meeting point.

Where does the trip start and finish?

The stated starting point is 58 Well Rd, Cole Bay, Sint Maarten. The activity ends back at the meeting point.

How many people can join the private charter?

The price covers one private group of up to two people. Only your group participates in the activity.

What fishing equipment is included?

Bait, rods, reels, tackle, and fuel are included. You may bring your own fishing gear if you prefer.

Is lunch included?

Lunch is not included. You can bring your own food, or request French baguette sandwiches for $10 per person with at least 24 hours notice.

Can I cancel for a refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled start time for a full refund. If poor weather causes the operator to cancel, you are offered another date or a full refund.