Tips for Fly Fishing in late Jan, Feb&Mar 08 -Plus anyone want to hook up(bad punn)

[Toby]

Hello all,

I am in the process of planning a 6 week trip to Cuba, I am a keen fly fisherman (never before Saltwater but have read up on it and am kitted out).
I am planning to hire a car and travel the island stopping to fish where appropriate can anyone give me some advice on the best spots so I can plug them into my itinerary, also is there scope to DIY fish on the Isles de Juventus or will Avalon have you turfed out?
I will be on my own for 4 out fo the 6 weeks so if anyone fancies a cruise round the island camping and fishing let me know.

Regards,

Toby

[cubafish]

Your post generates a lot of questions and you may have more knowledge about fishing Cuba than you have indicated, but if you do not -

For instance: unless you are a Canadian citizen the first thing you should know is that the "Tourist Card" you will need to enter Cuba will only allow you a maximum stay of a 30 days, ie. you did not say if you were Canadian or not? - so if you are not Canadian you will need to do a bit of research to find out how you can stay longer, and where you need to go to get permission to do so.

Do you have information on how you plan on "hiring a car?" Is "hiring a car" in your definition renting a car and driving it yourself? or hiring a car with a driver? If you have not rented a car in Cuba and know the problems of doing so then you should know that one of the minor problems is that none of the roads in Cuba are marked and bringing a GPS is prohibited - so navigation is very difficult. You also do not say if you have been to Cuba before and if you have not, you will find it very different than any country you have visited. For instance: your chances of renting a car during the time period you say you are going is close to zero if you do not already have a car reserved and a deposit (via credit card) paid.

Your idea of traveling the island and stopping to fish where appropriate is great.

However, doing so on the Isla de Juventud will require a bit more planning than I think you are aware of. FYI the Italian's Avalon operation has only a small option on fishing the areas where they fish, and your chances of getting near their operation without paying a LOT of money is close to zero. And your chances of catching a fish - any fish - on la Isla itself without a LOT of knowledge of the Isla and A LOT of pre-planning are also close to zero.

I don't mean to sound negative, but doing what you are planning requires a lot of knowledge about Cuba. Hopefully my post will help somewhat and hopefully you already have the answers to the questions I have posed? If not, I and I am sure others will try to answer any questions you have.

[Toby]

Thanks Cubafish.

Length of Stay: have read that 30 is max stay for Brits, althouh all you have to do is report to an immigration office and you can get it extended for another 30 days.
Car Hire: I am aware of the difficulties in hiring a car and plan to either pre book one for the whole duration prior to departure with a travel agent or to hire a car in stages as and when required (I am not planning to use a car in built up areas). I am also aware of the all the other bureacracy and troubles involved, although I still deem it the preferred option.
Navigation: That is interesting that GPS's are prohibited-any chance of placing one at the bottom of your bag and hoping for the best,or will this be more trouble than its worth? I was not too concerned by navigation, as long as my milometer works I reckon I can get a fairly good idea of my location (maps wise I have had the flexi map recomended to me, any others you know of?)
Isles De Las Juventud: Interesting, do you think I should not bother with the Isles then? Could you expand on what knowledge is required. I was planning on turning up there hiring a scooter and touring round until I found somewhere suitable (no doubt after speeking with some locals etc)
Previous Posts: I have read almost all the posts on Cubamania regarding fishing and feel I have a good picture of where to go (Cayo Cocos/Guillermo/Verando). Do you think that there are more areas to be discovered or as I fear has the island been documented minutely for any aspect of commercial gain?Many Thanks
Toby

[cubafish]

1. Correct.
2. OK.

3. GPS. Do NOT put a GPS or any electronic item in your checked bag(s), and do not put anything of equal or greater value in your checked bag(s) unless you are willing to lose it/them. When you arrive in Cuba your checked bag(s) AND your carry-on(s) will be x-rayed as you go thru Immigration, and if you have electronic items in your carry-ons' and "they" see them in the x-ray machine, you will be subjected to secondary inspection.

If you have a camera, when you de-plane, be a geek and carry the camera on a strap around your neck so the camera's electronic "motherboard" will not be in your carry-on bag for the x-ray machine to see. If you bring a GPS - put it in your carry-on/backpack in such a position that when you lay your backpack or bag on the conveyor belt the GPS is in a "VERTICAL" position. If the GPS is in a vertical position the antiquated x-ray machines used in Cuba have a lessor chance of detecting the GPS's motherboard - and you have a better chance of entering Cuba with a "prohibited" item. Good luck. I have carried GPS to Cuba 5 or 6 times and been successful most of the time - many people have not.

4. The "Isla" as it is referred to by locals is not on the Cuban governments "tourist destination" list, thus tourist facilities are few and far between on la Isla de Juventud (formerly the Isle of Pines), and getting there and back is an exercise in futility. Thus my recommendation on your first or second trip would be to avoid la Isla.

5. Interesting that you have "read almost all of the posts on Cubamania regarding fishing."

FYI, I have been going to Cuba since 1994 and have maybe 25 - 26 trips there, mostly fishing trips, and can assure you that there is more valid fishing information on this little site than all other Cuba websites put together.

This site has been re-done (new mainframes?, new servers, or whatever), with a lot of the early posts lost, but I did what you say you have done - during my first trip in 1994 when I made a lot of mistakes, I subsequently read the Fishing Forum here time and again and copied and pasted a LOT of the posts onto sheets I read again and again, and learned a LOT from previous posters experiences, and the information previous posters/anglers posted was invaluable to me on subsequent trips.

6. Yes, you will find a LOT of information/posts on Varadero, Cayo Coco, Cayo Guillermo, etc., etc., etc., where all of the All-Inclusive hotels are located. This is because these All-Inclusive hotels are where 90% of the tourists who go to Cuba go.

I will be the first one to tell you that the fishing in Cuba is 90% worse than it was prior to the Russian's pulling out in 1990, but that is another story (yes, I was in Cuba several times between 1960 and 1990 - and yes, I am an "old fart"). I will also tell you that the fishing in most of Cuba, including in and around the All-Inclusive hotels is shetty (yes I cleaned that word up for the Moderators).

No, the areas you will fish around Cuba have not been "documented for commercial gain," but they have been raped for personal subsistence after the Ruskies left. There are still a few unspoiled/virgin/undiscovered areas/world class saltwater fishing areas around Cuba, and with what you say you are going to do, you will likely find some of them. Also FYI, I work in the fly fishing industry and have for a looooong time and I take nothing but fly rods when I go to Cuba (well that's not true as I am a realist and know that weather has a bit of an effect on the long rod at times), so if you have questions about FF . . . . .

Hope this helps. Questions?

[Juanito]

Cubafish,

Do you have any tips or information on Cayo Largo ? I was there at the end of October but got pretty much blown out by the effects of Hurricane Noel, bad timing I know but am curious to find out how others have made out on the island. TIA.

[cubafish]

Juanito - I do not, but it you take a little time and read old posts here, there is a LOT of good information already posted on fishing that area.

[kubabound]

If you have not rented a car in Cuba and know the problems of doing so then you should know that one of the minor problems is that none of the roads in Cuba are marked so navigation is very difficult.

NOT TRUE!!!! To say "NONE" of the roads are marked.

Most of the main roads as of Dec 2007, were marked very clearly.
Traveling around Cuba is very easy, provided you have a good map... compass
helps as well. I speak very little spanish, and put 2200+ klms on a car...
Never a problem... ever. Plain straight up common sense is all that's required.

Pull over to someone on the road, show them your map, offer them a ride...
You'll get anywhere...no problem. DO IT!!!

If you need a phone number of a rental agent in Cayo Coco.. just PM me...
You can book through him. If you're not landing there, I'm sure he can ( pun intended )
hook you up to another agent elsewhere on the island.

Have a great trip

john
toronto

[mellisas]

the main roads are ok..but when you get of the beaten track the road signs disappear..we have got lost many a time...

anyway lets get back to the fishing..am enjoying reading about these guys experiences..