July marked the beginning of the second half of my quest to catch a blue marlin from Cayman Island waters during each month of the year.  A single failure during the first half of the year would have put a halt to my pursuit, but I had been “lucky” enough to catch a blue marlin each calendar month from January through June.  Any doubts that I had about being successful had less to do with a confidence in my ability to consistently catch fish, and more to do with my busy work schedule, limiting me, for the most part, to fishing on weekends, and only those where I wasn’t traveling and fishing conditions looked favorable.  As mid-summer arrived, those concerns were fully realized.  Travel and family commitments severely restricted my fishing time, but I was able to “release” that all-important single blue marlin on July 13 to keep my streak alive.

A spirited blue marlin churns the surface of Grand Cayman's western Caribbean waters before being brought boatside and released

I’m reminded that my goal is not to just prove I can catch a blue marlin from the waters around the Cayman Islands each month of the year, but that such an accomplishment helps demonstrate that a Grand Cayman marlin fishery is stronger than previously thought.  Diving is the featured watersport attraction around the Cayman Islands, while sport fishing has yet to reach it’s full potential.  That being said, the means to accommodate an influx of bluewater fishermen on a year-round basis are in place.

First of all, getting to Grand Cayman is very easy.  Cayman Airways, the national flag carrier of the Cayman Islands, schedules daily flights from Miami, just 65 minutes away, as well as regularly scheduled direct flights from Tampa and New York.  American Airlines, Continental Airlines, US Airways and Delta Air also schedule direct flights from major airports throughout the eastern half of the U.S.  Once you’ve arrived, you’ll find an abundance of first-class resorts and hotels in the Cayman Islands, with the Ritz-Carlton and the Westin Casuarina heading an ever-expanding list.  For family travelers, there are also many condos available for weekly stays.  Visit: www.caymanislands.ky for complete information about accommodations — and fishing opportunities.  Though the best time for blue marlin fishing around Grand Cayman is generally from March through June, I’m on my way to proving that you can catch them year-round.  Tournament dates and fishing news are available from the Cayman Islands Angling Association’s website at www.fishcayman.com.  A number of other Cayman websites offer information about fishing charters, including www.divecayman.ky .  If you’re bringing your own boat from the States, the old Cayman Yacht Club, Morgan’s Harbour, and a newer marina at The Barcadere, in North Sound, have berths available, as does Harbour House Marina, which also offers a haul-out service.

The Guy Harvey Gallery & Shoppe in the heart of George Town, fully stocked with Guy Harvey artwork, sportswear and gifts, is a must-see destination for anglers visiting Grand Cayman Island

A great family vacation destination, Grand Cayman offers something for everyone, with amazing waterfront shopping and sightseeing in a safe, clean, English-speaking environment.  And of course, if you and your family enjoy both diving and fishing, you’ve come to the right place.  

As a reminder, when you schedule your next trip, plan on visiting my 4,000 square-foot retail Guy Harvey Gallery & Shoppe in the heart of George Town, stocked with original works of art, limited edition prints, a complete selection of Guy Harvey Sportswear, plus many other gifts and souvenirs.  Also worth a stop in George Town is Guy Harvey’s Island Grill, a combination restaurant and gift shop, featuring a specialty menu, a casual decor and a selection of Guy Harvey Sportswear and gift items.  For more information, visit www.harveysgrill.com/

My July ended with having spent little time on the water and catching that single — but important — blue marlin.  Unfortunately, in looking forward, I could see that my prospects for getting out to fish would not be much better during August.  In addition, mid to late summer often marks the beginning of hurricane season, which can unpredictably further complicate things.  Though there should be plenty of blue marlin around, getting to them could prove problematic.

— Guy Harvey

For a complete list of our other featured blog posts and to see the full line of Guy Harvey Sportswear, please visit: www.guyharveysportswear.com

Related posts:

1. Intro to Guy Harvey’s Marlin a Month Series
2. Guy Harvey Marlin a Month | December
3. Guy Harvey’s Marlin a Month | October
4. Guy Harvey’s Marlin a Month| May 2010
5. Guy Harvey’s Marlin a Month | January 2010

Tags: Grand Cayman, Guy Harvey

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 28th, 2010 at 2:17 pm and is filed under Fishing, Guy Harvey. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.