[Retroboy]

Just got back from PEI and had a great fishing experience with a 3-hour group fishing tour out of the Rustico / Cavendish area with a great crew and a good fishing day on calm waters. Wondering if others have bought into 3- or 4- hour tours here in NB and what their experiences might have been.

Also, I have a brother-in-law coming into town in a few weeks and I'm wondering if there are similar outfits near Saint John that go out that anyone would recommend within an hour or so's drive.

In case anyone's curious, for my Rustico adventure, targets for the 3 hour tour were mackerel (the group of 20 caught somewhere around 100 in just half an hour, with many doubles on their two-buzzbomb rig) and cod (which required a lot more patience). The captain indicated it was one of the strongest mackerel day he'd seen, so maybe all of our NB ones were still hanging around out there...? I caught 5 mackerel and 2 non-keepable Atlantic Cod (they must be 19" to keep in PEI waters), and my 14-year-old heroine daughter caught 7 and 2 and, once again, outfished Daddy... and I couldn't be happier about that!

 

[MackTrev]

I have never done the tours, but I hear PEI is getting to be world famous for the bluefin tuna sport fishery. However, for 2000$, I think it's a little out of my price range! lol

 

[Retroboy]

And no guaranteed catch either. The excellent first mate on my tour and I chatted about it. He fishes tuna in the off-season and his comment was "either it's the best day of your life on the water, or you've spent a lot of money for a boring and long day".

 

[SG_Noodles]

Last Salt Water tour I did was in PEI with my family a few years ago. Everyone on the boat caught at least 1 and some 2 Cod, many were keepers, even my 6 yr old landed a 22" cod... all I caught was a Sculpin... but the captain said it was the largest sculpin he had ever seen, and it had a live crab in it's mouth (which I set free, though I admit that he probably has some PTSD from the experience).

Everyone out fished me that day, but the most impressive fish was caught by a Puerto Rican at close to 22lbs, which he totally rubbed in his father in laws face, LOL. I had a good time, despite being almost fish less. I would do it again.

 

[Fogducker]

PEI is in fact world famous for Tuna fishing and the price of a charter is $1250. I work part time on a charter boat and have had the privilege of releasing about 80 tuna (smallest approx 450lbs largest approx 1100lbs) over the last 2 years. Rarely does anyone leave the boat without a smile and the catch rates are high. We are booked up for this season but if anyone is interested PM me and I can put you in touch with some companies with openings in the hottest harbour.