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Bam! Just past the
landfall of Charlotte Amalie's harbor, line peeled from the fishing reel
with the energy of a torpedo dispatched at light speed. "I had to
turn the boat on a 90 degree angle. Fifteen to 20 minutes later, we
got the huge 47-pound kingfish up to the back of the boat. What a
catch! And, we hooked up just shortly after leaving the dock," says
Capt. Steve Malpere, who specializes in light tackle in-shore and deep sea
fishing while operating Peanut Gallery Fishing Charters out of St. Thomas'
Crown Bay Marina. A New Jersey native, Capt. Steve used to take a month
off each year from his former job of restoring masonry in government
buildings and visit a different Caribbean island. "In 1980, I cam to
Water Island. That was it. I loved it and over the next few
years built a house," he explains.
Whenever Capt. Steve visited the Virgins, fishing would be the first,
middle and last stop on his list of activities. "It's so beautiful
here out on the seas. There's hardly any boat traffic, the sun is
warm, there's always a nice breeze and the fish are plentiful.
There's always something biting."
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Fishing full time and
professional since 1995, Capt. Steve offers a variety of trips from
2-hours to 8-hours aboard his 28-foot custom prowler.
"The most popular are 2 to 3 hour trips. On 3 hours, I can get to
the south Drop for a bit of inshore and offshore fishing, conditions
permitting," Malpere says.
Inshore, anglers can expect to catch barracuda, bonefish, king fish,
mackerel, snook and tarpon, while plentiful offshore species include
yellowfin and blackfin tuna, wahoo and dolphin (mahi-mahi).
"I get a lot of couples or parents and children, from first-timers to
experienced fishermen," Capt. Steve says.
He adds: "I provide the beer, soda, water, bait and tackle.
All guests need to bring is sunscreen and the desire to catch fish -
because we're definitely going to catch them." Need more
information? Feel welcome to call the captain at 340-775-5274.
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