CUBAN FISHING REPORTS WANTED!!

[CubaManiac]

have you been fishing in cuba? tell us a CUBAN FISH STORY!!

[PAPARICI]

;D
I was in a fishing contest with my girlfriend's father a few weeks ago. We fished in a place called Minerva Reserva. It is a damed lake near the town of Manajanabo in Santa Clara. It was great. Lot's of large mouthed bass biting on worms. You can rent small fiberglass boats w/ oars.The lake is about 500 acres and has some islands on it. Very pretty place. Good fishing spot for fresh water fish.Talapia also caught.
My friend's father is Sergio Fando and lives in the center of the very small town of Manajanabo. His phone # is 274410
His daughter's name is Yusimi Fando Perez.

[mickbell]

Have just returned from Cayo Guillermo,dont believe anybody who says there are no bonefish on the north side of Cuba. I found HUNDREDS. Not as big as the south side, my largest was 5lb. The Guides we excellent and ex-jadines de la reina so they know their conkers. Contact me for the details. Mick

[gpfly]

hello mick,
let's tell us more !!!!

paolo

[Gary_Knowles]

Yeah, Mick. Come on give us the info mate. I'm off to Cayo guilemera myself in two weeks. Any tips on the fishing, what to take where to fish etc much appreciated.

Cheers

Gary

[mickbell]

Have just returned from Cayo Largo and between the six rods for the week we returned 90 bonefish, ten snapper, twelve baracuda, two permit and ten tarpon. The biggest tarpon was cought by my pals 13 year old son and weighed 90 lbs ( you can see a picture of this fish if you go to the " saltwater " page of my website: www.bloke-rods.co.uk
Mick Bell

[slydog]

wow mick!

i am jealous, sounds like a great time.

who did you use for guides?

how much did it cost??

ps. love to see your photos, but your link did not work ??? :-/ :-/

[mickbell]

Slydog. Sorry the link is corrupt, should be OK in twelve hours.
We went to the Casa Batida fishing club, all in all the seven days cost us £3000 including flights, transfers, all inc. hotel spending money etc etc. The real drag for us is that we have to fly to Madrid, transfer to Havana, overnight in Havana and fly out to Cayo Largo the following morning and then do the whole lot in reverse to get back to London !! Each year we say we will go to the Bahamas but we just keep going back to Cuba !! Great place, Great women !!! Great Fishing !!!!!
Kind regards,
Mick.

[slydog]

cant wait to see the fishing pics mick!

but web site is still DOWN :-/ ;)

[slydog]

it owrks!

custom fly and spinning rods :o wish i could afford one, they look great ~

A 90 LB CAY0 LARGO TARPON !!

nice one mick!

what does it cost for the captain and guide per day?



http://www.bloke-rods.co.uk/boat.jpg

[mickbell]

Slydog. Glad you found the pic- nice fish or what and Charlie is only 13! Expect to pay $400 per boat for two rods per day.
Mick.

[mambomaniac]

13 :o :o

$400 FOR FULL DAY IS NOT BAD!! ::)

THANKS

[cubafish]

I guess $400 is OK if you don't know what you are doing. I pay $25/day plus fuel (assuming we have an outboard vs oars).

[candyman]

I will be travelling in the Oriente for about 3 weeks in Oct. I just got back from fishing the french river in Northern Ontario. Not a great catch (only 1 10.5" small mouth). Anyways I have heard that a fishing license is required if you want to fish in Cuba. I will NOT get a charter to take me and my buddy out. I WILL find a local cuban with a boat who knows the area to take me out. Question #1 DO I NEED A CUBAN LICENSE TO FISH? If yes where do I get it. Question #2 I am bringing my rod and some tackle. Can I easily get some worms in Cuba?
I will be staying at casas and will be staying in SDC for about a week then spending about 2 weeks travelling the oriente. Any advice appreciated. Any hassles at customs with fishing gear?

Thanx in advance.

Sincerely,

Me.

[cubafish]

Dear Me:
1. Although the guidebooks say you need a fishing license, I have never seen anyone buy, sell, obtain, or possess one. * :)
2. Can you easily get worms? *No. *Bring your own shovel. * ;)
3. As long as you do not have an excessive amount of fishing gear you will have no problema with Cuban Customs. * 8)

[David_21]

I am thinking of going in May. Any recomendation on the best place.

David

[cubafish]

May is a great month anywhere for any species. First pick the destination where you want to go then figger out if you're going to end up in a fresh or salt water area and plan your tackle from there. Worry about with whom and exactly where you're going to fish once you get there and have a chance to ask and snoop around. If you've not previously been to Cuba and are going for the fishing, beaches, ocean, etc., then Cayo Largo is a good place to look at.

[Wade]

Cubafish,

Can you give us some details of where you fish for $25/day - who, what, when? I'm still looking for a big tarpon and Cayo Largo sounds good - is that close? When I was fishing Laguna Tresoro a few years ago, my guide mentioned fishing for river tarpon a couple of hours drive away - don't know where it was exactly but wouldn't mind combining both, maybe in March/April.

Any advice is much appreciated.

[cubafish]

Wade:
This is my 10th year going to Cuba and over the years I have become good friends with one of the few Cubans I have run across who is a true recreational angler, and he and I fish together a lot. He knows almost everyone in the angling community in Cuba and has contacts where he can get deals on boats and fishing. I tag along and used the $25/day example to illustrate a point, but this figure is not readily available.

I have been looking for big tarpon in Cuba for 10 years and have traveled around Cuba a lot both looking and asking, and have come to the conclusion that there are no big tarpon in Cuba. <- and I have to qualify that remark. I live in south Florida where a big tarpon to me is a tarpon over 125 lbs, some here might say it is a fish over 100 lbs, while others classify big tarpon as those over 150 lbs. In Cuba I have seen and caught tarpon that were maybe 70-80 lbs, so if a 70-80 lb fish is big to you, then yes there are big tarpon in Cuba. I have been told by several people that the larger tarpon show up in July and August, whereas here in Florida the big ones (females) usually show up in May.

There are lots of small (5-30 lb) tarpon all around Cuba but I have never seen any big tarpon around Cayo Largo, although there may be some - it is a hugh area. Big tarpon are where you find them and it has been my experience that the big ones show up in the same areas around the same time year after year, so if someone told you there were big ones in some river, that river would be my next stop. The biggest tarpon I have seen (the 70-80 lbr's) were in a fairly deep channel (+/-6 mtr's) between two islands in the Cayos north of Cabarien (near Remedios - Santa Clara Province), but I have seen similar size fish several other places in Cuba.

If you or anyone else runs into some bigger tarpon I too would like to know where. 8)

P.S. The picture of the above tarpon is not 90 lbs - 60 maybe, which from what I have seen thus far is average for a big tarpon in Cuba. The guide wil tell the angler the tarpon is 90 lbs so the angler will feel better, and maybe leave a larger tip. :)

[David_21]

I want to go to Cayo Largo, Casa Batida, but was told that they are filled until June 20th. Does anyone know any other guides and have contact information.

David

[Wade]

Thanks for the info, Cubafish.

Any 50+ pound tarpon would be just fine with me! I was thinking also of southern Florida but most guides seem to charge at least $400/day and I figure I could afford more days on the water in Cuba. I saw a fishing show filmed in Florida last winter where they were catching 60-70 lb. tarpon with medium-heavy largemouth bass tackle - looked great - they even landed a few. One of these days...

[cubafish]

Yes, like some places in the Bahamas, fishing south Florida has become very pricy. :(

[David_21]

Are there any recomendations of which is a better place to go for Bonefish Cayo Largo or Jardines de la Reina. I prefer to wade fish. The trip wil be in mid May.

David

[cubafish]

Both are good, but different. When you stay on the floating lodge La Tortuga ("The Turtle") in Jardines de la Reina you are in a very isolated area where the fishing is fairly expensive ($4,000+/week by the time you leave). At Cayo Largo you are in a resort area where you stay in a hotel and can fish as much or as little as you want, and the cost will vary accordingly.

[flytier4]

The last time I went to Cuba, I fished in the Bay of Pigs with a guy I met in a bar in Havana. It was awesome - caught a lot of nice bones and had shots a several permit in one day. I'm thinking about going back, but have lost my guide's number and have no way of getting in touch with him. If anyone has an alternate contact there that can arrange fishng trips, I'd really appreciate it...Thanks....

[yoram]

I like to go to Santiago de Cuba and Guantanamo...is it possible there to fish...does anybody been there doing that...do you have a name and address? And what are the costs?
greetings...yoram de Hollanda

[Invicta]

Just got back from Cayo Guillermo. Took a #9 fly rod with matching line/reel. Bought some flies, but when i saw how basic they were i tied some myself. Anything flashy, with eyes, (if you want them to look the part) will serve you well. And yes there are Bonefish there. Facing the ocean head left to the end of the beach to the rocks. The ones i caught were in the 2-3lb range. I caught these on the first 100yds of rock and close in too. Wear suitable footwear as the rocks are pitted and sharp. I also caught Permit and Mutton Snapper about the same size. Caught some Garfish/Needlefish, however they became a bit of as nuisance when i wasn't using a wire trace as their sharp teeth cut my line a few times. If you know they are following your fly, slow the retrieve and they usually lose interest. There are some large Baracuda there too. If you're going for these and the Needlefish don't forget the wire trace and some long forceps for removing the hook. Keep your fingers away from their teeth!. half a mile further there is a bay which when the tide is out is good for wading. All the above fish are are there. At the far end of this bay the locals fish from the rocks/cliffs and all sorts of fish can be caught there.
Another place i would recommend is the bridge about mile and a half back down the main road. You'll see locals fishing their when you go past in the bus. The water flows under the bridge with the tide and it is deep and clear. Here i caught a small Baracuda and several Garfish which i gave to the locals for bait. Very nice friendly people who curiously studied my fly gear. There are some huge fish here.
Here's a challenge! I tried a few times but failed. Wanna have a go for some good size Tarpon?. As you approach Sol Cayo Guillermo Hotel reception look to the right (not the left where the hotel disco is)through the trees. You will see a dirty channel of water that extends to the right of the hotel towards the Melia hotel.From outside the hotel go right where deliveries to the hotel go. From inside the hotel go to the far corner of the complex behind Le Eden buffet restaurant and study the water. You will see Tarpon rising to breathe. It's difficult to cast because of the trees but a few places are accessible. If you are unsure ask Ismael, one of the gardeners. I am by no means an expert fly fisher but if i can offer advice/info I'll do my best.

[mellisas]

excellent story invicta.
mel car'nt wait to do some fishing at guillermo.
tell me how did you get out to the island

[Invicta]

Never went to any island as such. If you mean Cayo Guillermo itself, then it's connected to Cayo Coco by a single road with bridges, which allows the tide to flood in and out of the lagoons. The airport Jardines del Rey is on Cayo Coco. The lagoons or flats are amazing. Beautiful clear shallow water suitable for wading, although some are a few miles from the hotel. I never got out onto these flats because there was enough to explore along the beach and on the bridge. I got to the bridge via the hotel transport which travels between the hotels. Oryzbel a chap in reception sorted it for me, as i wanted to use the hotel bikes, but they couldn't find the key to unlock them. One of the local fisherman who was watching me fly fish, offered a lift back to hotel which i gratefully accepted. A taxi would probably only cost a few dollars so don't forget to have a few in your pocket. Which hotel are you staying at?. I stayed at the Sol Cayo Guillermo.

[mellisas]

we are thinking of staying at the melia at cayo guillermo.
are problem will be getting there from ciego de avila.
we will be traverling from bayamo.

[Invicta]

You can walk along the beautiful beach to the Sol. Facing the ocean turn left towards the Sol. In the distance, about 1 mile i think, you will see the rocky shore where the Bonefish and other fish are that i mentioned and spent most of my fishing time. Also, at the Melia, there is a wooden jetty/pier that is popular with fisherman. From the Melia you are closer to the bridge i spoke about which is popular with Cubans. I found them to be very friendly. One guy who watched me fly fish gave me a lift back to the hotel in his old Russian car. I assume the trips from the Melia will be the same as the Sol, so check out the Cubanacan folder and ask about fly fishing with a guide. It costs about $70 for half day and $130 for a full day. I think they take you half hour drive down the road to wade and fish the shallow flats. Again i never got round to doing this but should i return to Guillermo, i will. From Ciego de Avila you may be looking at a 2-2.5 hour drive. I know many of the hotel workers live in Moron and travel daily by bus which can take upto 2 hours. If you are into birdwatching take some binoculars. There are many different wading birds and everything from eagles and vultures to Hummingbirds.

[mellisas]

thanks for the info invicta
it sounds like a beautiful place.

[Pujic]

Invicta,

I am leaving for Cayo Guillermo on August 27th, 2004. I am a HUGE fly fishing fanatic in Canada and can barely wait to try my hand at the saltwater scene for the first time. We are planning on staying at the Villa Cojimar.

I am bringing my 8wt down with a nice heavy duty reel and lots of backing. What type of leader and tippet were you using? Were you depending on sight fishing 100% of the time or was it beneficial but not needed? What kinds of fly patterns?

If you ever need fly fishing information (freshwater albeit) please cehck out my site www.onlineflytyer.com r e-mail me directly. I would be happy to return the favor!

Cheers and thank you. You have given me new hope in my quest to fly fish this beautiful island.

Nick Pujic

[Invicta]

Hi Nick,
I'm envious, i wish i was going back!.
I used about 6ft 33lb butt section tied to a braided loop.
Then tapered down to 22lb for 2-3ft.
Anything around the 30lb down to 20lb will do.
To this i tied 2-3ft of either 15lb or 12lb flourocarbon, depending on the conditions.
I normally use the ready made tapered leaders then add my own tippet on the rivers at home, so this was the first time i had made my own tapered leader (for a change more than anything) and it worked fine.
I didn't always sight fish, much of it was speculative over likely areas. However you do develope a knack for sight fishing and start to see the moving shadows of fish the longer you're there.
Don't forget your polaroids.Not only for sight fishing but for eye protection especially when it gets windy.
As for flies, i don't think they are fussy.
Hook size 2,4,6.
Anything that looks like a Crazy Charlie and is stripped through the water.
Try different rates of retrieve.
Something thats flashy with eyes is excellent.
I tied a few of my own and experimented with colours.
The small Baracuda was caught on a pink bucktail.
Use a variety of colours such as greens, chartreuse, white etc.
Take plenty of flies as the garfish especially, soon shred them.
Shrimp worked quite well but i don't think it's essential.
I didn't have much use for the crab immitations.
You will love it!
Going to have a look at your website, bye for now.
Mark Fowler

[poco_pete]

Anyone know how the low water levels have affected the fresh water fishing ?

I'm supposed to bring some gear in November/December but may just go without if not worth it. :-/

[Pujic]

Thanks Mark, that is a wealth of info! One more question, were you using a floating line or a sinker? I plan on posting some pics when I get back, hopfully they will be of fish and not just the beautiful scenery!

Only 16 more days!

[mellisas]

a wealth of info indeed invicta [smiley=2thumbsup.gif]
mel will want to read this.
he is really keen on fishing.
only 16 days to go pujic 8)
have a great time.

[Invicta]

I only took a floating line which was excellent for fishing off the shore. The water is quite deep at the bridge next to the Villa Cojimar, so there is a case for a sinker but it's not essential as i still caught fish. Take flies with weighted dumbell eyes if you want to go deeper. Anyway the water is so clear the fish can see your flashy fly a mile off.
I asked about freshwater fly fishing for Bass at Laguna La Redonda near Moron. I was told they had cancelled fishing trips there because of low water levels.I don't know if this has changed since.
If i could figure out how to post a picture i'd show a couple of fish. Is this possible?. I'm new to forums.

[jackd]

Create an album at the CubaManiacs group at MSN...

http://groups.msn.com/CubaManiacs/shoebox.msnw

If you don't have an account you will have to register, it's easy just follow the instructions

[Pujic]

Excellent, thanks again Mark! Is Villa Cojimar within reasonable distance of the resorts and locations you mentioned in your initial post? I have all of your posts printed out so when I get down there I'll know what to look for and where to go. LOL

I'm trying crazy charlies and baitfish imitations like crazy. How big were these gar fish which were breaking you off? Did you get the bones near the bottom or via a retrieve in mid-water?

15 days and counting!!!!

[Invicta]

The Cojimar is right next to the bridge. There is a marina there and the base for the "jungle tour". As well as fishing from the bridge there are some superb flats for wading which i never got to do. There has just got to be Bones there!
The rocks where i caught the bonefish are about mile and a half along the beach. You will pass the Iberostar Daiquiri, Melia Cayo Guillermo, and my hotel the Sol Cayo Guillermo. The rocks are at the far end of the Sol beach.
I caught the Bones in midwater using a moderate retieve.
The Garfish are between 1-3 feet.The biggest ones i saw are at the bridge. Put your fingers anywhere near their teeth and they will snap away at you. Take some long forceps.

[Afishionado]

Hi, I am a fisherman from England. I'm going to Guillermo in October but here's the thing I do not fly fish. I have plenty of light spinning gear and light long casting rods, but what I really would like to know is what sort of terminal tackle to take. Spinning spoons? Plugs? Wire leaders or heavy mono? Baited hook fished on the bottom?

Any and all advice is welcome.

Mike

[Invicta]

Mike,
I'm mainly a fly fisher although i do a bit of long trotting for Grayling in the winter on the rivers of N.E England.
Judging by the lures i would use anything that immitates other fish, like poppers, jigging lures, spinners rapalas etc. If you've read about my experiences above you will definitely need wire trace.
The locals were catching other fish and cutting them into strips and pulling it through the water for larger Barracuda. They didn't have rods just yards of line wrapped around a large bobbin-like spool. They loaded the hook with bait, twirled it around their head and flung it out into the water. I used 12-15lb tippet, but spinning, you will stand a better chance of hooking larger fish so go prepared.
If you hav'nt been before you will be amazed.
Good luck.

[Afishionado]

Your a hero Invicta, thank's for the information.

Anyone reading this who will be in the Guillermo area Uctober 12 to 26 this year and fancies going fishing??? Give me a shout.

Mike
Bournemouth
England

[Pujic]

Mark,

Very cool, thanks for the info! I am keeping busy by tying plenty of crazy charlies of all colors and sizes. I have about a dozen and a half so far with plenty more to come soon. I'm also tying some 8" and 10" streamers for the bigger stuff.

What time of day (what tide) did you catch the bones at? It's getting to the point where this trip is all I can think about as it draws closer. Thank you for all of your help. Finding solid information such as this is priceless.

Nick

[mellisas]

love reading about you guys and your fishin'
don't understand the slang but it is 8) 8) 8)

[Invicta]

I mostly caught the bones on incoming tide, and top of the tide.
For all fish, experiment with different coloured flies. Pink and green worked well.Anything flashy...fantastic. I even caught garfish on a fly tied with dark green marabou with a goldhead that i once used on a reservoir.
If your going to mix with the local fishermen its worth learning the names of the fish in spanish so you can get info from them.I Don't speak spanish (yet) so i had to muddle along, but i managed ok.
Bonefish - Macabi
Barracuda - Picua
Garfish or Needlefish - Agujon
Snapper - Pargo
Have a look at these websites for some general info about fishing for the above.
http://www.pescamaya.com/tackle.php
http://www.flyfishusa.com/flies/swf.htm

[Afishionado]

Invicta, one good turn deserves another so here's my turn..........
There is a memory system called mnemonic (nem-on-iks). By useing this system one can easily remember 5 words a day. If you do the maths 5 per day 7 days per week = 35 four weeks a month = 140 new words in a month. To carry out an intelligible conversation one needs a volcabulary of only 300 words. So you can be 'fluent' in conversational spanish in 2 months. The grammar will be flawed for sure but you will be able to converse, and your 'duck ups' will be the cause of merriment all round!!

So OK how? Get a book called 'LINK WORD SPANISH'. Link Word is available in several languages and it WORKS!
Mnemonics uses a system of connecting a visulisation of a bizarre or dramatic event to the word that you want to remember. eg The spanish for 'a fly' is una (a) Mosca (fly)
Now think of the Kremlin in MOSCOW (mosca) with a ducking great house fly sitting on the roof. Actually visulise it as a mind picture and think Kremlin- Moscow-fly-mosca. just do it a couple or three times.

Now let me tell you, like it or not, the connections you just made are INDELIBLY ETCHED IN YOUR MIND You will never forget them!!! And that's it mate...... Get Link Word 'spanish' and in two months you'll chat away like a goodun'

Muchos suerto mi amigo

Mike

[Invicta]

Cheers Mike,
I was thinking of taking GCSE Spanish at our local college ready for a return to Cuba...sometime. I'll use what you said all the same.

[Afishionado]

Cheers Mike,
I was thinking of taking GCSE Spanish at our local college ready for a return to Cuba...sometime. I'll use what you said all the same.
Ah you'll need the GCSE eventually if you want to write and read Spanish. but for a chat and a laugh Link Word works.

Mike

PS the mnemonics system works for anything you wish to rember.

[Invicta]

help please!
i want to post a couple of photos of fish.
i can sign in.
when i try to create an album it tells me to join the group and wont allow me to use Invicta for my name.
will i have to change it?
does it mean someone else in the group has the same name?
i'd love to show you a picture of a beautiful mutton snapper before you go on your hols.

[Pujic]

Hey Invicta,

Sorry to hear you are having trouble posting pics. I would LOVE to see some pics of Cayo Guillermo fish! You can e-mail the photos to me at nick@onlineflytyer.com if you can't find a way to post.

Nick

[mellisas]

then you'll post them for us won't you pujic [smiley=2thumbsup.gif]

[Pujic]

I promise I will!

[mellisas]

good on ya mate ;)
by the way how old are you ;D ;D ;D ;D

[Afishionado]

Invicta send the photo's direct if you like........

mrv@mharvey31.freeserve.co.uk

Mike

[Pujic]

I turned 22 this last Friday.

[mellisas]

happy birthday for last friday pujic [smiley=balloon3.gif] [smiley=balloon3.gif] [smiley=balloon3.gif]
we are really looking forward to our trip to cayo guillermo.
we are staying at the melia,got a good deal through the cuba conection.
mel want to have another crack at the big fishes,this time l think l will stay around the pool.

[jackd]

when i try to create an album it tells me to join the group and wont allow me to use Invicta for my name.
will i have to change it?


Invicta (age 41, Sunderland UK) is your name here, the MSN site is completely different so just change your name, invicta1 will prob. work

[Invicta]

Thanks for your advice everyone.
I've sent the photos to Nick Pujic.
I know they're not monsters, but don't be deceived by their size....they fight like hell!
Mike,if you still want me to send them to you i will.
I must add that i always fish barbless so i nipped the barbs on my hooks. It helped to get them back into the water quicker.
A few of the fish i gave to the local fishermen to use as bait, for which they were very grateful. Lovely people!.
I'l try and sort my album out and post a couple of the resort.

[Invicta]

Mike,
I've sent the photos to you as well.

[mellisas]

hope we all get to see the photos soon :)

[Pujic]

Hey guys,

I just checked my mail and don't see any pics from invicta. :'(

[mellisas]

:'( :'( :'( :'( :'(l thought he sent them.

[Pujic]

I think the pics got lost somewhere in the process, but I have still to receive any e-mail :( *Hopefully Mike got them and he can share.

[Invicta]

Can't understand why Pujic didn't get the photos as Afishionado got his.
Anyway i've tried again so keep your fingers crossed.
How long will it take before i can create an album, now i have been accepted as a member?

[Pujic]

Mark, I got the photos. *Second time worked :)
Here are the links! *Thank so much for the pics Mark. *Now I really can't wait to go.

http://onlineflytyer.com/images/Bonefish.JPG
http://onlineflytyer.com/images/MuttonSnapper.JPG
http://onlineflytyer.com/images/Permit.JPG

[cubafish]

Invicta please don't take offense but the bonefish and mutton snapper are just babies. :o And I hate to be the one to disappoint you but your permit is not a permit, it is a palometa(trachinotus goodei), which like the permit is a member of the jack family. :(

Which means you will have to go back to catch your permit. ;)

[Pujic]

Permit or no permit I have to say that to catch fish in completely foreign water, let alone in another continent, is quite a feat. Invicta thanks for sharing these with us. I only hope to have the luck you did.

[jackd]

is quite a feat

Nick I must disagree with your wording, it not a feat, it's a "THRILL" ;)

[mellisas]

great invicta.
were these fish caught from the shore.
mel car'nt wait to have a crack.
thanks for the photos.
thanks pujic for posting them [smiley=2thumbsup.gif]

[Invicta]

I agree, these are just babies, and no offence taken.
Thanks for identifying the Palometa. I'm not disappointed as i'm happy to be catching any fish.
Having said that i'm pleased i got my Bonefish.
These fish, and many others i didn't photograph, were caught *from the shore.
It put things in perspective what it must be like to catch bigger ones 'cos these fought like hell and on a 9# outfit.
I even got a bruising when one decided to run and take line. The handle on the reel struck my knuckle and left it sore for a few days.
I loved every minute of it and i am missing it now.
This was all new territory for me as i'm used to fishing rivers in Northern England where my biggest fish have been a Grayling and Brown Trout of 2lb.
I'm not a trophy hunter and happily fish brooks 6ft wide for wild brownies.
Fishing is about being there watching nature, contemplating and wondering. Outwitting your quarry and catching fish is a bonus.
By the way i always fish barbless so the fish can be returned as quickly as possible.

[mellisas]

can you hire fishing rods at cayo guillermo.
l suppose mel counld take one of those sqiggy ones.
l don't fancy carting fishing what nots all over the place.

[Invicta]

i don't know if you can hire gear.
I never saw or heard of anyone doing this at the Sol.

[mellisas]

l guess it's a bit of line tied on the end of a stick for mel then ;)

[mellisas]

l think it's great you use barbless hooks invicta.
it should be against the law to do other wise.

[jackd]

Mellissas, you should get Mel one of those little collapsible rods, they work great for putzing around, my little travel tackle box is the size of 2 cigarette packages with enough space for a doz hooks, a few different sinkers and a small selection of s p o o n s and plugs and flies.

My little rig has been around the world and I've yet to not catch something and that's from the top of mountains in the Rockies to the South Pacific.

Caught a couple of smallish Lora in Cuba last years *[smiley=2thumbsup.gif]

[mellisas]

yes but they cost money don't they jack.
l will need it all when l go shopping with mutt. ;)

[jackd]

They can be had quite reasonably, unless you think Mel isn't worth a few $'s ;D

The tackle box can be any little plastic case used to store/sort buttons or screws or like that ;)

[mellisas]

mmm l'll give it some thought.l may be able to pick up a cheapie at trash and treasure

[jackd]

You never know what you can find ;)

[cubafish]

<< l may be able to pick up a cheapie at trash and treasure >>

If you can, get a 4 piece rod as a 4 piece will fit in your luggsge. Other rods will not fit in your luggage and are a hassle to travel with.

[cubafish]

invicta - now that you mention where you are from and what you fish for I can understand your entheusiam at catching saltwater fish, but I'm sure you will agree that your 9wt was a bit of overkill - a 7wt is better suited for Cuban flats fish.

To learn about what saltwater fishing is all about you need to go on one of John Wilson's trips.

[jackd]

The 4 piece are good and you can get better quality but they require a case or bag and are a minor pain to assemble :-/

I've found my little collapsible more practical, no parts to mess with, stretch it out and when finished collapse it and your done ;)

[cubafish]

Hey jack - or anyone. How come when I type salt water <- as one word is comes out saltwater?

Also I can't get Smiley's on this computer - am using IE - is that the reason?

[jackd]

I think it's because contains the letters t w a t

The no smiley's could be one of your browser settings, which version of IE are you using ?

[cubafish]

I'm using IE v6.0

[Invicta]

Cubafish. I agree a 7wt would be more fun, especially when looking at the size of fish i did catch. At home i fish light using a 4wt and i'm looking to go lower using 6ft rod. However i saw the benefits of a 9wt when using weighted flies, and when the wind got up, as it often did in the afternoons. I was originally going to buy a 8wt but advised by the Scierra rep to go heavier. Also, i intend to fly fish for Pike which is one of our top predators. I may have a go at Sea Trout and Salmon at some stage.
Supposing i did get into a large bone, jack or barracuda how do you think a 7wt would cope?
You've obviously done a variety of fishing..which do you prefer?

[jackd]

cfish, a couple of days ago I had the same problem, on the posting page I had words to the effect that Browser does not support smilley's, I played with the browser settings in the advanced tab and reset my security levels downward and it worked *???

[cubafish]

Your 9wt is probably the rod of choice for salmon, pike and sea trout - and for coping with wind on the bonefish flats. A 7wt would be a size light for larger bones, jacks and cudas and you really need two flats rods when you travel to areas where the majority of fish are small like Belize, Christmas Island, Cuba, etc, such as a 7 & 9wt, 8 & 9wt, 8 & 10wt, etc. Plus when you travel that far the second rod acts as a back up in case of breakage.

[cubafish]

jack - I'm on a new laptop and coincidently 2 days ago I adjusted my security levels "upward." That's undoubtedly the cause as that is when I lost all the smileys.

[jackd]

That could be it amigo, give reseting a shot, let us know what happened

[Invicta]

Thanks Cubafish. I'll no doubt get extra gear at some point. Another rod as backup is a must.
Discovery H&L in the UK did a great fishing series called Buena Vista Fishing Club all about Cuba. It was presented by a chap called Matt Hayes, well known in fishing circles in the UK. Anyone see it?. I would love to see it again now that i've been there.
You can read about it here http://www.homeandleisure.co.uk/buenavista/index.shtml
Make sure you click on the bold type for further reading.

[cubafish]

jack - yea, I reset um [smiley=2thumbsup.gif]

[mellisas]

it's good you got the smilies back cubafish [smiley=2thumbsup.gif]

[jackd]

Right on Cfish [smiley=2thumbsup.gif]

[cubafish]

Just read the story of Matt's trip & it seemed very factual - especially when he talked about all of the fish ending up in nets . :(

[jackd]

They have net fishing down to an art, I saw some guys who would go "fishing" every couple of days and they would stretch a net out from the rocks, two others would swim out and around and spook the fish into the net.

A third would swim back and forth along the net and collect the fish and toss them up to an old guy on the rocks who cleaned them.

Each time I saw them (3), it took a total of 30 minutes from arrival to departure with 8 to 12 fish each time

[mellisas]

now thats my kind of fishing.
maybe mel could pack a small rod inside his didge.
but we would still have to find a place for the round thing that holds the line.
they supply all that stuff when you go on the boats.

[mellisas]

l think l will let mel take some fishing gear.
it's the right thing to do.
every time we came near water on our last trip he would say,l wish l had a rod so l could fish.
he really like fishing.
you should have seen him when he caught the barracoda in trinidad.he was so excited.
a big smile on his dail.
you would have thought he landed moby **** ::)

[mellisas]

but the one that got away is now up to a 40 kilo snapper.
l asked him how he knew it was a snapper.
he told me the guy said it was'nt a barra as they don't run to the bottom when caught but snappers do. :)
l must say l enjoyed the lunch that day.
the captain went diving for lobsters.
they were wonderful.

[jackd]

It wasn't fishing on a commercial scale but they did well for the time they took 8)

A telescopic rod would fit in the digg and a small reel with fold down handle (usually spinning) is the size of a criket ball, he could fish anywhere anytime, as long he doesn't hook ORCA he could have a ball. ;D

The boats going for big ones provide the gear ;)

[Invicta]

Pujic,
i've sent you a picture of the Sol hotel.It looks like it was taken a while ago.
I've highlighted the areas where i got my fish, and failed to get the Tarpon.The strip of lagoon and channel look very blue. It's not like that now. There's less water and it is almost stagnant.
Hope it is of some use.

[Afishionado]

Nick I must disagree with your wording, it not a feat, it's a "THRILL" * ;)


If it wasn't a foot it was a damn good 9 inches
Mike

[jackd]

Maybe 9" was an exageration but it was a fish, I did catch it and being a sportsman that fishes barbless I released it and I don't care what anybody says it was "THRILL" *;D


Reminds me of the story of the one armed fisherman who caught one indicating with his one arm that "it was that long"

Seriously, barbless is the way to go, odds are when shore or flats fishing in places like Cuba, the fish not be consumed and will be released, barbless just makes the release easier. Even if you don't land it and you still have the "THRILL" of having it on *8)

[mellisas]

are we all going to see the photos of the hotel :)

[Afishionado]

Quote......Maybe 9" was an exageration but it was a fish,

It was a poor attempt at a play on words......
An angling feat---feat = feet = foot = 12inches......

However I agree. To me it is very definately the thrill of playing and landing the fish that is my hot button. Once caught, the fish it's self, as such a thing of beauty, should be returned home immediately.
And yes I also agree that a large part of the pleasure is the 'being there' bit. Becomeing part of the landscape not just a stranger viewing it........

Mike

[mellisas]

could you catch a tarpon from the land,or do you need a boat. ???

[jackd]

Mellisas, looks like it's a possibility *;)

From: http://www.grandslamcuba.com/species_tarpon.htm

Tarpon (Atlanticus Megalops) this giant herring-like fish is one of the jewels in Cuba's fishing crown and the final member of the big three,(Bonefish, Permit and Tarpon) Catch all three in a day and join the privileged group of anglers who have managed a 'Grandslam'. *

Present along both the Atlantic and Caribbean coast, tarpon are numerous on the salt water flats, mangrove-lined rivers and along reef edges. A big silver fish with scales that are so silver that they look as if they have been poured from liquid mercury, the tarpon has a huge bucket-like mouth and a hinge jaw that enables it to swallow its prey whole and crush it at the back of its throat.

Cuban tarpon average five to thirty pounds in the rivers and on the flats but bigger fish are regularly seen and caught. Fish weighing up to and over one hundred pounds have been caught on spinning and fly tackle. Though harder to find, the biggest tarpon in Cuba are often found in the open ocean just off the reef edges. Trolling is the top method to catch them. A fantastic adversary, the tarpon has great strength and agility that is displayed in its acrobatic jumps.

Perhaps one our knowledgeable amigos can add to this as far a best locations or such* ???

[jackd]

Melissas, I put a pic of my little telescopic/collapsible rod for you to see at the pic place

It measure about 40 cms closed, 167cms extended and is the diameter of a broom stick

http://groups.msn.com/CubaManiacs/cubamania.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=1228

[mellisas]

excellent,just what mel needs.
l will have to get him one for christmas [smiley=antlers.gif]

[Pujic]

Hey guys,

Guillermo was a blast! Thanks to all, especially Mark, for all of the information and tips. We had a great time and I would go back in a second. Here is a link to some fishing reports and pics.

http://onlineflytyer.com/article_cuba1.asp

Cheers,

Nick

[Afishionado]

I've just read your article in 'Online Fly Tyer'. I do not know whether to thank you or curse you :D.
We are off there in Oct and if my antisipation wasn't high enough before reading your very good account, it is beyond control now. ;D :o 8) ::)!!!!! Is it possible to overdose on excited anticipation?

Nick, as I do not fly fish, how do you think I would get on with light spinning gear? I have three telescopic rods I can take and a couple of fixed spool reels loaded with 10lb braid. From reading your info' I will also make up some fine wire traces.

The charter trip? Who was it with and how much was it? Any info on this would be really appreciated as this is the sort of fishing I know best.
Thanks and regards
Mike
Bournemouth
England

[Pujic]

Hey Mike,

I think you will do much better with your spinning rod than I did with my fly rod. *Spend time at the causeway bridge between Guillermo and Coco. *If you need to cab it from your resort it will only cost you a couple of bucks. *The people are very friendly and the fish are huge at the bridge.

A lot of the time I saw huge barracudas, jacks and other various fish from the bridge but deeper, where my fly couldn't get.

Whatever line you end up bringing make sure it's low vis. *As soon as I started using wire (Tyger) leaders the fish would come within inches of the fly but would stop short of a hit. *I think 50 or 60 pound mono would have been better. *A 10 lb mainline should be more than enough.

Believe me, you'll have a blast!!!
Cheers,

Nick

[Afishionado]

Thanks for the advice Nick. I elieve I will have a blast, and if I like it I may have another two which makes three blasts. That being the case the lifting bridge in the harbour near my home will open up!! ;D

I can't think of a holiday that I have looked forward to more. Particularly as it will be the first Carol and I have had on our own for 20 years. At last the lodger that claims to be our son says he would prefer not to vome but rather stay at home whith his girlfriend.

Mike

PS what was the cost of that fishing charter?

[whackedcat_13]

Will be in Varadero Nov 15-22 and want to get some fishing in. I want to either deep sea or fly fish but am unsure of what is in season and in what areas, but am willing to travel. Can you please help?

[Pujic]

Mike the charter cost us $210 USD for 4 hours. You can get an 8 hour trip for $245 USD. They include everything, including a bar! ;D

The way it works is, the boat can take a max of 4 people. So if you find another interested party the cost can be split up to 4 ways. Basiacally it doesn't matter if 1 or 4 people go, the cost stays the same.

I want to see some pics when you return! :)

[JohnUK]

Hi Everyone,
Help Please.
I am staying at Playa Pesquero for a week from 1st december 2004. I am wondering if anyone has been beach fishing here or near by? I have heard that there are some reefs near the hotel going west but thats about it.
Any info regarding beach fishing, Spinning, fly, deadbait etc, would be greatfully apprciated, Do you know what fish have and can be caught from this area or near by in december? And would anyone know of any local guides that they could recomend for boat fishing?
Thanks,
John

[cubafish]

Playa Pesquero. Lets see, it must be in Cuba because you Posted in a Cuba Bulletin Board.

Might help if you said where in Cuba Playa Pesquero is located. ???

[SandyBeach]

looks like it is near Holguin/Guardalavaca,Cuba

on Pesquero beach - 31 miles away from the "Frank País" International Airport and 9 miles away from Guardalavaca beach. ::)

[zunzun]

[smiley=2thumbsup.gif] [smiley=2thumbsup.gif] this is certainly the place to come for info on fishing in Cuba, keep up the good work [smiley=2thumbsup.gif] [smiley=2thumbsup.gif]

[jackd]

zunzun, welcome to Cuba Mania, you should put yourself on the Member Map

At the top of the page click on Member Map, from the drop down menu on the left hand side select your Country/Geographical location, when your map appears go to the bottom of the member list and click on Add my location, then point and click to your location to add your marker

Once you’ve done that check out the world time clock so you can see what time it is where other people are located: http://www.world-clock.org/

[zunzun]

Thank you so very much for the welcome, i will certainly have a look at your map

[mellisas]

welcome zun zun...where are you from..

oops think we are a bit off topic here [smiley=curtain.gif]

[zunzun]

thank you melisas, you certainly seem to be a very nice bunch of ppl in here,i look forward to visiting often

[bloke12]

Does anyone have any info on fishing on cayo santa maria/las brujas. any info would be appreciated. staying at the sol in two weeks time if any like minded people would like to hook up.

many thanks
bloke12

[Kubanita]

welcome to cubamania bloke12 :cheesy:

you can read this thread ... http://www.cubamania.com/cuba/showthread.php?t=12080&highlight=brujas ... and then take a look at the rest of our fishing in cuba threads for general fishing information ...

[Kubanita]

also ... you would qualify for our fishing contest by posting your fishing reports here http://www.cubamania.com/cuba/showthread.php?t=13783 when you get back ... but make sure you post them before the end of july!

tight lines bloke12 :cheesy:

[gitmofishin]

ok ive read a lot about the fact that the local population may have completely depleted the waters of fish surrounding their land in effort to get food during a tough time. i will be on the US base in the southeast cuba in guantonimo bay. i know that there are laws from the bases that provide a catch and release policy. from what i understand where the base is it is the only place left that still has the iguanas and the banana rats. the bay is quite large from what i understand. how do you think that my luck will prevale there. i talked to the local fishing joint that told me that they have... snook, tarpon, reef shark, snapper, grouper, bone fish. how do you reccomend that i fish for these... i know that i can rent boats but there is only so far that i can go... i believe that i can go maybe a hundred yards past the breaks on the reefs and thats it, inland i can go quite a ways into the bay and the guantanimo river. i came from virginia where im used to catching stripers, black bass, bluefish, croaker, spot etc etc... of course there are endless opertunities for shore fishing and i believe a couple of piers that i can use. what kind of bait is reccomended. i think they sell (at the bait shop) frozen shrimp/squid and sometimes have live bait of various types. what kind of jigs to you think. how about the gotcha rigs or the buffalo rig with a chunk of fish on the hook. if i do use cut bait... what kind of cut bait do i use. thanks in advance for the help.

[skitterpop1]

haha :thinking2

[Kubanita]

:earmuffs: :stop: ... making me :laugh4:...:laugh4:...:laugh4:...:laugh4:...:laugh 4: