TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin At Ocean 82 and ?

Does anyone know what fish swim around about 10 feet from the beach at this place? The fish were at least 3 feet long and we could see about 5 of them at one time from our table that was ocean front.. They were large enough that I would be concerned about swimming out there while they are present.

Also noted their lobsters they display and prepare are much bigger than Skip Jacks or any other place we have ever been to on the island.

Over all another great SXM experience.

If they were sort of still they could have been Barracudas

Tarpon are huge and usually swim in groups. More common in Simpson Bay Lagoon

They seemed to be very pointy in the head and there was enough light to see how silver and rather gig they were. I assume they are not good for eating or someone would have an easy time catching them.

If you saw flashes of reflected light as they turned on their sides, they'd be tarpon, which is my guess, as I see them all the time in the night lights at GCBC.

Let's hope so.......

According to google "Tarpon is edible but people rarely eat them because their meat contains a lot of small bones and it's reported that they don't taste very good."

"Also noted their lobsters they display and prepare are much bigger than Skip Jacks or any other place we have ever been to on the island."
The bigger they are the higher the price per lobster.

I ate there a week or so back. The food was good, but as a wine aficionado I still salivate at these images:

Need a well padded wallet for those.

Naah, the '83 Petrus goes for a mere US$19,000 retail...
I spoke with a sous-chef there on Tuesday and asked if they just had one of the big ticket Grand-Cru wines but he said that they had 2-4 of most of them. That's a significant inventory investment! Were I rich and have a larcenous streak I'd rather hire a crew to get these than trying to steal artwork. You can't drink a Kandinsky or let it breathe

Go see Sylvain at Select Wine Cellars Zanshin. He's a sommelier who knows his stuff!

@Icote - I happen to be have my Sommelier certification. I did that years ago in Germany, at the wine university in Geisenheim. But I've never been to that store - I'll have to change that...

Yes, it is worth the trip. And stop next door at his restaurant as well- Champagne Bistro. You won't be disappointed! If your'e on Facebook, both Select Wine Cellar and the restaurant (Le Champagne SXM by Sylvain) have a page.

Sylvain is excellent. He knows our tastes so well. And he has never chosen us a bad wine! He is amazing.

If they were pointy and silver 90% barracudas. The ones around SXM are not edible, not that Barravudas' meat is the finest, but bevause there is a very high chance that they can transmit Ciguatera, a fish food poisoning.

I remember a facebook video recently that the angler was fishing off Grand Case and caught a big Tarpon, reeled it in and then released. Same discussion there, the fish is to bony and not worth the effort to eat.

I have never quite understood why a sport fishery for Tarpon has not been started in SXM. Isn't fly fishing for Tarpon considered a major challenge?

While they could be any number of species, most likely they were either Tarpon or Barracuda. If it was around dusk, then most probably Tarpon. Neither Tarpon or Cuda are anything to be concerned about when swimming. Tarpon are absolutely timid and harmless and have no teeth. Barracuda have a reputation (undeservedly, IMHO) of being aggressive but I've been scuba diving and snorkeling around them and never had a concern. In fact, I head-butted a 4 foot Cuda once when diving off a boat of Creole Rock. He gave me an indignant look then swam off into the blue. The only concern with Cuda is they are attracted to bright, shiny things and may snap at something they perceive as 'prey'. They have some pretty fearsome-looking teeth and could do some damage if they latched on to you. Just respect the ocean and the creatures in it - it's their home and we're just visiting. If you go swimming, leave your 'bling' back on the beach or better yet, at home.

Cuda are not edible in these parts (generally 35 deg N to 35 deg S) due to the high risk of Ciguatera poisoning. Tarpon are generally not good eating, though some people use them for fish stew/soup. They have a lot of small bones and the meat is oily, besides, they will feed on garbage and often live in the most brackish water. Good to catch though! Great sport on light tackle as long as you can get them out in the open.

We were there a couple of weeks ago and asked about the fish, they told us they were Tarpon and they swam by most every evening.

Tarpon used to congregate in Simpson Bay behind the former location of Lee's Roadside Grill. Customers would feed them french fries and other leftovers, just to watch the commotion the fish made grabbing the treats. It was part of the entertainment there, but I don't think Lee had them under contract and he had to leave them behind when he was forced to move up Billy Folly Road!

I believe tarpon were also the fish that were at Turtle Pier. Definitely fun to feed them.

Yes. The Tarpon can be found all along the piers and walkways along Simpson Bay Lagoon.

Back when Uncle Harry’s was still there the tarpon used to put on quite a show every evening. They seemed to be attracted to the lights and if any foods happened to fall in the water, the feeding frenzy was a sight to behold.

I also was told many years ago they weren’t particularly good eating - way too boney to enjoy. 🙂🙂

Not a fan of barracuda.....but I am a bit iffy on most type of fish etc swimming around me, lol....sorry I jsut am.....When we were out on a day trip,,,some got off to snorkel.....of course big chicken me stayed on board.....and the snorklers were feeding the fish,,,,one barracuda actually nipped a guys ear and drew blood....not sure exactly why or how,,,but boy was i glad I stayed on the boat!

While Scuba diving my dive buddy had a shinny ring around his mask lens. Barracuda grabbed the mask off his face. Let go instantly but gave my buddy a pi××ing moment. Been around Tarpon diving many times. They are quite docile.

There are plenty of Tarpon at the dock behind Naked Pirate Rum Bar....probably the ones from Lee's move down a bit....and when they had lights facing the water below the drawbridge there were MANY of them swimming below

There was a lot of them at the Turtle Pier, big ones too. Used to throw some food to them, sure was fun to watch. Miss that place....