Saltwater Fishing in Mexico

HOLBOX ISLAND, MEXICO

Tarpon Fishing

ISLA HOLBOX FLY FISHING LODGE

Located to the northwest of Cancun, Mexico, Holbox Island is just 26 miles / 42 km long. Holbox is separated from the mainland coast of Mexico by a shallow lagoon which gives sanctuary to thousands of flamingos, pelicans and other exotic birds and creatures.

Most of the people of Holbox Island make their living fishing. It is common to see fishermen walking through Holbox Village with their catch of the day or carrying their nets. The streets of Holbox Island are made of white sand, and there are very few cars. Holbox is considered a virgin tourist destination because very few outsiders visit the island. In spite of Holbox' natural beauty, inaccessibility has left it unspoiled by mass tourism.

FISHING

This trip is designed for the fisherman looking for some world class clearwater, warmwater fishing. You'll target big tarpon, baby tarpon, snook, barracuda, cobia, sea trout and even permit on occasion.

ITINERARY

Day 1	You will be picked up at Cancun the airport, there are several direct charter flights which we can arrange for you. Your private van will take you through the jungle of the Yucatan to the island of Holbox. At the village of Chiquila you will board a private boat for the thirty minute ride to the beach in front of your home for the next few days. The manager will meet you on the beach and welcome you to the island and the lodge.
Days 2 to 7	You will be woken early with a fresh cup of coffee at your door. We may have a continental breakfast or eat on the boat to get an earlier start. The guide will report the weather conditions and depending upon his recommendations you and one other angler will head out in classic Ponga fishing boats perfectly suited for our waters. The giant tarpon gather nearby in clear shallow water and feed on the migrating bait fish and you will chase and intercept schools while presenting your “Black Death” fly in hopes of jumping a hungry tarpon. Each battle can last 30 to 45 minutes and you might bring one or less in three to the boat. However, that one may well be the best tarpon of your career. You will return in the mid afternoon (8 hours of fishing). When wind conditions make casting efforts unproductive, we’ll move into the mangrove lagoons where the guide will pole your boats in search of the healthy resident population of baby tarpon and snook. Upon your return to the lodge we’ll have a golf cart available for a couple hours of island exploration. You may also simply choose to lounge on the beach. The lounges will be available at the waters edge for a cold drink as you watch the sun drop into the Gulf. Later, there will be happy hour beverages and hors d’oeuvres ready for you and the guide as we discuss the day’s activity and then plan the schedule for the following morning. The manager will advise you on the various excellent restaurant options available for you after happy hour.
Day 8	You will rise late for a delightful last breakfast and a special espresso on the terrazzo. Depart mid morning from the lodge by private boat for the connecting van to Cancun or your next fishing stop on the Yucatan Peninsula. We can arrange extension trips to Bone Fishing Lodges in Ascension Bay. You may also charter a small plane for the flight to the Cancun Airport from the little airfield on the island.

TARPON

IGFA Record 286 lbs.
Average Weight (Mangroves) 10 - 40 lbs. (Open Water) 70 - 100 lbs.

The Tarpon at Holbox can exceed 100 pounds in April to September and there are 5 to 40 pounders available year round along with plentiful barracuda, snook and some permit. Fishing licence for the week is $25.00
Tarpon

Small tarpon are available year round while the bigger fish are found May through September. The silver king can put on quite a show for anglers, spending most of the fight in the air rather than the water. Tarpon are able to live in both salt and fresh water with small waters making the chance of landing fish almost zero. The fish are able to destroy most tackle and battles of over an hour are the norm not an exception. In Florida waters, especially along the south-western coast, live mullet are used to take large tarpon. The baits are allowed to swim unhindered by sinkers. Anglers will drift in areas where tarpon school, easily tipped-off by the fish as they roll at the surface to fill their air bladders. Artificials are the preferred method so that the fish do not ingest the hook.

FLY EQUIPMENT & TACKLE

The reel is actually less important than the rod. Any good salt water fly reel will do, usually rated as a tarpon model. Fin-Nor, Pate, Penn, STH and Ross all make a quality reel with a good drag. The decent tarpon rod needs power to jam the hook-point into solid bone, something many heavy fly rods lack. Choose a 12 or 13-weight, but make sure the rod has enough oomph! Tarpon on the flats can be stalked with a floating or intermediate sinking line. To take baby tarpon on fly tackle, just scale down to an 8 or 9-weight outfit and use correspondingly smaller flies, including shrimp and crab patterns.

FISHING SEASONS

Month

Large Tarpon

Small Tarpon

Bonefish (few)

Snook

Permit (few)

Jack Crevalle

Barracuda

Bonita (tuna)

Spanish Mackerel

King Mackerel

Grouper/ Snapper

Corvina (sea trout)

ACCOMMODATION

ISLA HOLBOX FLY FISHING LODGE

Holbox Fly Fishing Lodge is the only property on Holbox Island dedicated to fly fishing enthusiasts and their non fishing partners. Anglers and guides pursue big and baby tarpon, cobia, sea trout, snook, barracuda and some permit in clear gulf waters, endless flats and mangrove lagoons.
Isla Holbox Flyfishing Lodge

The lodge’s beachfront location affords privacy, a gentle breeze, and a terrace view over the sea. The rooms are modern and air conditioned. Comfortable lounge furniture is available for use on the deck or sand and the hammocks allow you to siesta "Island Style". An outside shower with a Conch Shell spout pours warmish water over sandy feet and sweet water rod rinsing station helps you care for your gear. Food is always an important part of any vacation and Holbox will not disappoint you. You will be able to watch the daily catch brought in to the beach. The Gulf of Mexico provides superb seafood which is on the menu at the several nearby restaurants - lobster, shrimp, calamari and the freshest of fish. An Italian presence has been on the island for many years resulting in excellent European cuisine that provides the island's continental flare alongside the classic Mexican food. Included is a continental breakfast at the lodge to begin each day and lunch is served on the boats on fishing days. Happy hour at the bar includes tasty hors d'oeuvres and all other meals are on your own in the local restaurants a 5 minute walk away.


	OTHER ACTIVITIES
	Non-fishing partners mix horseback riding on the beach, sweet water cenote swimming, kayaking, windsurfing, birding and island exploration with hours of relaxation on the empty white sand beaches of this undiscovered island.

DEPARTURE DATES AND PRICES

Prices are in £ per person sharing a twin room.

Dates	Price
1 February to 31 October 08	£1620
1 November to 17 December 08	£1350
1 January to 30 September 09	£1785
1 October to 31 December 09	£1350

YOUR HOLIDAY INCLUDES

Transfers from the airport to the lodge, 7 nights with six days' fishing, accommodation in a twin room with bathroom, continental breakfast, 6 packed lunches during fishing days.

NOT INCLUDED

International flights, fishing licence, gratuities, items of a personal nature.

BAJA PENINSULA

Blue Water Fishing

The Sea of Cortez, with its beautiful white beaches, has more than 850 species of identified fish and ranks as one of the world's most productive fishing areas. Black, blue and striped marlin, sailfish, tuna, dorado, jack cravalle, pargo, pompano, yellowtail, rooster fish, sierra and occasionally wahoo are all found in East Cape waters. In addition, you can see dolphins and several types of whales, most of which migrate to this area. Your fishing day will either involve using a boat for inshore or blue water fishing or ATVs to explore over 30 miles of deserted beaches, stopping to cast a feeding fish.

FISHING SEASONS

Prime Time

Striped Marlin	February to October. March to July
Blue/Black Marlin	All year. July to November
Sailfish	All year. July to November
Dorado	All year. March to November
Amberjack & Yellowtail	December to May. February to May
Wahoo	April to December. August to November
Rooster Fish	March to September. April to July

ACCOMMODATION

BUENA VISTA BEACH RESORT

Accommodation is at the Buena Vista Beach Resort in East Cape, a beach-front property with comfortable rooms with air conditioning and private bathrooms. The resort has a restaurant and swimming pool.


	OTHER ACTIVITIES
	Snorkelling, scuba diving, horse riding on the beach, kayaking, golf, bird-watching, biking, hiking, swimming, whale watching.

DEPARTURE DATES AND PRICES

Prices are in £ per person sharing a twin room, for 7 nights.

Dates	Price
1 January to 17 December 08	£1250

YOUR HOLIDAY INCLUDES

3 days' guiding using an ATV on the beach and 2 days' guiding on a Panga with a guide. 7 nights' accommodation on full board.

NOT INCLUDED

International flights, fishing licence, gratuities and items of a personal nature.

YUCATAN PENINSULA - ASCENSION BAY

Bonefish, Tarpon and Permit

The two lodges we have chosen are situated on the Yucatan Peninsula in the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve which is listed as one of UNESCO’s world Heritage Sites and both are ideally located for fishing both the lagoon system and flats of Ascension Bay. Almost all the flats are hard bottomed and range from pure white sand, mangrove studded to coral and turtle grass.

Bonefish are plentiful and average 1-3lbs in the Lagoon and 2-5lbs in the bay. Both locations are considered among the best in the Caribbean to catch permit, which average 8-15lbs in the lagoon and some over 40lbs in the Bay. Barracuda, jacks, snook, lady-fish, cubera snapper and tarpon are landed throughout the season. Fishing for Bonefish or Permit is from skiffs or by wading the flats, which are between 5 minutes to 1 hour away. Ascension Bay is one of the best fishing locations to try your luck at achieving a ‘grand slam’ - bonefish, permit and tarpon in one day.

FISHING SEASONS

Prime Time

Bonefish	November to June. April to June September to November
Tarpon	November to June.
Permit	November to June.

ACCOMMODATION

PESCA MAYA FISHING LODGE

Pesca Maya Fishing Lodge opened in 1996 and has become one of the Yucatan’s most popular fishing destinations. It is in a quiet secluded location where you can watch the sun rise over the Caribbean from your thatch-roofed cabana and walk or swim from a beautiful, deserted, powder-white beach less than a hundred feet from your door. The boat dock is a short walk from the lodge and productive fishing can begin within minutes of casting off.

Accommodation is mainly in comfortable beachfront cabanas, each with a large bathroom and walk in shower. Excellent food is served.

DEPARTURE DATES AND PRICES

Prices are in £ per person sharing a twin room, for 7 nights.

Dates	Prices
15 June to 31 October 08	£1340
1 November to 17 December 08	£1505
1 to 31 January 09	£1595
1 February to 14 June 09	£1775
15 June to 31 October 09	£1420
1 November to 31 December 09	£1595

YOUR HOLIDAY INCLUDES

7 nights at the lodge on full board with 6 days' guided fishing.

NOT INCLUDED

International flights, fishing licence, gratuities and items of a personal nature.

Go Fishing Worldwide
2 Oxford House, 24 Oxford Road North, London W4 4DH
Phone: +44 (0)208 742 1556 Fax: +44 (0)208 747 4331