St. Croix Fishing Report: El Niño, Sargassum, & Silver Kings*

*Updated August 24th

As we officially cross the halfway point of 2026, we are turning our attention to the Late Summer season which is typically a mix of hotter stormy conditions mixed with epic shoreline Tarpon action!

State of the Ecosystem & Climate :

Warmer than average temperatures continue again here through 2026. In May, the global climate officially transitioned to a Strong El Nino. El Nino climates typically result in more wind sheer & dry air in the Caribbean and more rain and typhoons in the Pacific. El Nino allows the Saharan Dust to thrive, leaving a dull haze when it passes through. When it occurs the dust can unfortunately make it harder to track fish as it blurs out the sun slightly, but it also keeps storms from forming leading to more sunny days than normal for the start of the rainy season.

Sargssum Summer: It's Here To Stay

The 2026 Sargassum Belt has OFFICIALLY PEAKED! The July Satellite data shows less sargassum in the Atlantic & Caribbean than in June indicating that the bloom has peaked. With that said, Sargassum continues to come ashore, especially when winds pick up or change to either a Southernly or Northernly flow which pushes the seaweed in from the open ocean. . While many islands and coastlines are struggling to handle this massive influx, St. Croix is a bit more interesting. Its larger interlinked coral lagoons allow the seaweed in where the reef breaks, but with that also comes fresh saltwater. This combination of Sargassum and free flowing seawater make the mats a haven for Crabs, Shrimp, and Baitfish. These food heavy mats come in quickly, often within hours of appearing on the horizon which means there are still many nutrients that survive the nearshore ecosystem. These fresh nutrients bring in large schools of Tarpon, Jacks, Snook, and Permit chasing the bait that lives within the Sargassum. Depending on the winds and new sargassum inflow these feeds can last days to weeks providing for exciting nearshore action.

Bait & Lures:

The larger Sprat that were present in the Spring & Early Summer have (mostly) moved offshore and out to the West End seeking cooler, deeper water. In their place their Fry offspring, coupled with a healthy supply of Sargasso Crabs, Silversides, and Ballyhoo fill in the void in the food web. This year, we are seeing more adult baitfish (3-6") on the flats than in prior years, but the smaller 1-2" juveniles are the most prevalent which is why we recommend smaller lures and flies. If larger fish are sighted, you can break out those 4-6" soft plastics or a 3-5" Flies, but you'll likely get just as many big Tarpon on 2-3" baits. Additionally smaller Topwater lures or Floating Crabs have been deadly as the Sargassum Mats shift the focus to the top of the water column.

Conclusion:

While the weather and climate have been quite challenging this summer and we have only just begun this El Nino era , our catch rates remain high and the quality of shots has been as good as ever. Tarpon chances are abundant, Permit are around in numbers when the Tide is over 0.5ft, and when we get the right conditions the Bonefish bite goes crazy. Trophy-Class Fish are around and our Tides are finally starting to trend back better for Permit & Bonefish as we head into September. We are excited to see what the Island has in store for our clients next and if you want to experience some epic fishing reach out to us! As Aug-Oct is the off-season for the Caribbean, we can help Cherry Pick the best days to get after some epic fish with Tarpon being the Hottest Bite right now!

Best Catches Of Late Summer: