okbow: Let me help you out about flyfishing in Aruba as I’ve been there twice on vacation and f/fished while there, with not great results but the fish are there if you get out just before dawn and fish quietly. I used a 4 pc. 8 wt. rod with clear intermediate line.
There are fish to be caught in front of the hotels along Eagle Beach and Palm Beach (where the Hyatt is) at dawn through about 10AM and if you’re a good caster, you should be able to reach them. Most of the time, the few spin fishermen I saw were more successful. I don’t know the variety of the fish as I’ve never seen them before but they’re not barracuda. There aren’t many fishermen fishing there.
As you’re looking at the water on the hotel strip, if you walk or drive all the way to the left around the dinner hour, past the Divi Tamarin, you might find bonefish near shore and a small white sparse fly or Crazy Charlie, tan or white or pink may enable you to catch one. There is coral near shore which could cost you a fish or tippet as the fish takes off, if you’re lucky enough to hook up. It was also suggested to me that bonefish could sometimes be found on the “airport flats” near dusk.
On the extreme other end of the beach, if you’re renting a car, you can park, very early morning, dawn, at the fishermen’s “huts” as well as in front of the old “wreck”, which is a very big rusty ship close to shore. It’s on the map. Wear wading sandals if fishing in front of the fishermen’s huts as the bottom holds sharp small rocks and oyster shells, sharp. The huts can be seen from the road and there’s a little park there where you can park.
You’d walk or drive to the left to fish the “wreck” area. If at dawn, it’s very possible to see bonefish tailing right at the shoreline so don’t even step into the water before looking for tails. They are very skittish and will probably take off as soon as they see you but, hey, it’s a possibility you’ll catch one. And if the conditions are right, they’ll be feeding. I haven’t figured out what those conditions are yet!
Wind, of course, in Aruba can be a casting problem as well as causing the line to swirl around your ankles in the “mini wavelets” as you retrieve, a real pain but who wants to pack a stripping basket in your luggage?
There is a flyfisherman resident in Aruba who is just beginning to “guide”. He knows where the bonefish are and has even said he has seen small tarpon. A friend of mine has gone out with him two years in a row on his boat and has caught bonefish with him. He is just beginning to informally guide and his “rates” are extremely reasonable. In fact, when he started “guiding” it was by word of mouth and he just did it to have company while fishing. He was appreciative if he got a line, some fly tying materials or anything to do with f/fishing, because Aruba had none of that stuff available to him. My friend gave him his Orvis stripping basket! Now, he has a very interesting small fee system going and as I’ve only heard about it from a friend who just returned but not experienced it, I cannot tell you in detail what it is. If you bring along some extra materials, a line you no longer use, fishing shirt, etc., it’s possible you could make a deal with him to take you out.
He’s just begun a little website which is here: http://www.flyfishingaruba.com/index.html and his name is Laurenz. I’m sure he’d be happy to offer you some fishing advice if you emailed him.
Hope this helps you out a bit and if you do get into flyfishing on your trip, please post your results here as it would be great to read about it.
Ron