Sail Rock
A lone rock that looks like a sail. Everything swims past it eventually.
Most likely: Blue Marlin, White Marlin, Dorado
Cap’n Ray“Mixed bag here. Plug head keeps you busy.”
Round 8 of 10
North Drop Moonlight Classic
St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. Full moon in August, and the giant blues show up to the party.
3fishing spots
Billfishcounts at the scale
450–620 lbwhat the rivals land
6 AM–4 PMone fishing day
Sail RockThe South DropThe North DropThe rules
Heaviest single billfish wins. Moonlight is free. The fish are not.
Clear Caribbean water. Fish the day from six in the morning to four in the afternoon, keep up to 11 fish in the box, and bring your heaviest to the weigh-in. Beat every rival’s best to win the round.
What’s biting
Each spot has its own mix. Deeper, harder spots hold bigger fish.
How to win the North Drop Moonlight Classic
What you need: the field’s best fish usually weighs between 450 and 620 lb, so you’ll need a big billfish to take the round. Only billfish — marlin, sailfish and swordfish count at the scale.
Rig for it: 130 lb line lands fish that size; anything lighter gets more bites but risks a break-off on the big one. The blue marlin likes the Large Live Bait and the Large Skirt best.
Where to start: Sail Rock is the gentlest spot (★★★☆☆) — a good place to find your rhythm. The North Drop holds the heaviest fish, if you can handle them. Birds work hardest over The North Drop: follow them to the bait.
Near shore: at Sail Rock you troll within sight of the beach — mind the sandbars and the pier.
Read the forecast: on cloudy mornings and evenings run your lure shallow; under a bright midday sun, go deep. A windy forecast means a rough sea, a rolling boat and more drift, so plan your passes into the wind.
The spots
The South Drop
The quieter drop-off. Quieter is relative. The blues still mean it.
Most likely: Blue Marlin, Yellowfin Tuna, White Marlin
Cap’n Ray“Fewer boats, decent blues. Big skirt, steady troll.”
The North Drop
Twenty miles out, the shelf drops off a cliff. Giant blues wait below.
Most likely: Blue Marlin, Mako Shark, Yellowfin Tuna
Cap’n Ray“Giant water. Large skirt or big live bait, nothing cute.”