I know I have been promising a full list of gear and an itinerary, but have been too busy getting ready to do so--don't worry, I'll still do it, but here is a little taste. The following are the rod and reel combos I will be taking on the trip for all of my fishing needs:
Inshore:
7' Cabelas Salt Striker 2 pc medium-light spinning rod with a Salt Striker SS30 spinning reel sporting 14 lb. Crystal Fireline and 20 lb. monofilament backing.
7' Salt Striker 2 pc medium-heavy spinning rod with a Salt Striker SS30 spinning reel sporting 14 lb. Crystal Fireline and 20 lb. monofilament backing.
6'6" Salt Striker 1 pc medium-light trigger casting rod with a Bass Pro Shops Rick Clunn Signature baitcasting reel 7.1:1 ratio with 15 lb. Stren microfuse braid and 20 lb. monofilament backing.
7' Salt Striker 1 pc heavy trigger casting rod with an Abu Garcia C4 5300 round baitcaster 6.3:1 ratio with 20 lb. Crystal Fireline and 20 lb. monofilament backing.
As you can see, I like to use braid, then I use a 3-6' flourocarbon leader of about 5-10 lbs. greater tensil strenght of the braid attached with a double uni-knot and in certain circumstances an additional equal strength 4-8" AFW Surflon Micro Plus knottable steel leader.
As for offshore:
6'0" Offshore Angler Captain's Choice stand-up rod heavy action (50-80 lb.)with a 4/0 Captain's choice conventional 4.3:1 reel spooled with 100 lb. Power Pro braid and 80 lb. monofilament backing. I troll with this, but it is better suited for deep dropping heavy iron or cut bait for jacks and grouper.
6'6" Shimano Trevala Butterfly Jigging rod medium-heavy (50-100 lb.) with a Shimano Torium 16 conventional reel 6.3:1 with 65 lb Power Pro braid and 80 lb. monofiliament backing. This is the new set up for butterfly jigging this year. Can't wait to try it out and report.
6'6" Salt Striker casting stand-up rod, Medium Heavy (15-40 lb.) with a Pfleuger Contender 50 level wind reel spooled with 30 lb. Berkley Trilene Big Game monofiliament line. This is a great set up for trolling. Not too heavy and a lot of fun fighting the kinds of fish we typically catch trolling in the Fall.
6'6" Salt Striker boat spinning rod, Medium heavy (15-30 lb.) with a Salt Striker SS65 spinning reel spooled with 30 lb. Power Pro braid and 80 lb. monofiliament backing. This is good when jigging or bottom fishing for smaller snapper and grunts. Will try it this year with smaller butterfly jigs and to cast plugs from the boat if we can chum in some kings, cudas, or anything else that might come around.
7' Shakespeare Ugly Stick Catfish spinning rod. I found that this was a much cheaper and just as effective spinning rod for use on the boat. It is rated to 30 lbs. and costs much less that the Ugly Stick saltwater specific rods. I use it with a Salt Striker SS50 spinning rod with 20 lb. Crystal Fireline. Again, will use this as a light or shallower jigging rod and for casting plugs, etc. if anything comes into the slick.
Next up: Lures and stuff
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Monday, September 15, 2008
Gearing up again
Starting to prepare for the pilgrimage to Akumal in November. I am excited to try some new techniques--namely, butterfly jigging while drifting. I have read up on it, now if I can muster enough money to buy some of the equipment needed...I have semi-reserved my date with Pesca Maya for flats fishing and plan to try to make two trips down to Ascencion Bay this year. Also, we went ahead and rented a car for the trip so we are "no strings attached" to go to Boca Paila a few times--very excited about that.
Anyway, watch for more information in the next few days about preparations and equipment procurement.
Anyway, watch for more information in the next few days about preparations and equipment procurement.
Monday, June 9, 2008
The Latest Question from Loco Gringo
Posted by CoachM:
My wife and I bought at place in a sub division of Chemuyil and have stayed at Akumal Beach Resort a few times. I am a really big fisherman and have taken a couple of small boat charters at the resort in January. We will be down there June 21st -28th. Any advice on Charters and where to fish from shore. I will be spin casting and don't have a clue on bait, lures, etc?
My Response:
June is an AWESOME time to go fishing on the Mayan Riviera. Mahi Mahi are running, they taste great, they are prolific reproducers and are fast-growning and short-lived so you can actually harvest a few without feeling guilty and they are pretty as all get out. I would second the earlier suggestion for flats fishing. I would go ahead and pay the money for a guide from Boca Paila Fishing Camp or Pesca Maya (my favorite). Be up-front with them. Let them know that you own a place in Chemuyil, that you want to learn about some places you can wade to. I think that will be pretty straight with you. You may have a little more luck as far as finding places to wade if you go with Boca Paila Fishing Camp and it is a little closer to you. As for off-shore, I don't think you can go wrong with any of the suggestions you have gotten so far. As Iguana Mama stated, Carlos from Cueva del Pescador is very popular. I have heard nothing but good things about him. Personally, I always go out with Francisco who you can book through Akumal Dive Center. As for what kind of fishing you will do, just tell them what you want to do when you book. If you definitly want to catch something, go bottom fish, but for me, in June, I would troll, troll, troll and get into the mahi, marlin, sailfish or even some tuna. June is too good a month to spend soaking baits on the bottom. That said, maybe you could do 2 hours of trolling and an hour of bottom fishing. They will do whatever you ask, just be clear about what you want. All of those guys are cool. Who wouldn't be? They get to go fishing everyday! Anyway, if you want more details, you can visit my less-than-stellar blog (you see I.G., I stopped saying "crappy" just for you) www dot ****fishing dot blogspot dot com (I have to spell out the address or it gets filtered).You should find some good information. I could talk for a hours about lures, tackle, etc, but check out the blog first, if you have more questions, I'm happy to help, just PM me. Good luck, Jim
And then a follow up:
Shoot, I need to spell it out again: www dot mayan riviera fishing dot blogspot dot com. I also forgot to mention that Captain Ricks out of Pueto Adventuras is substantially more expensive, but you also go out on actually sport fishing boats, more comfortable and probably a little more palatable for those who are a little nervous about going out on the ocean. One thing I have noticed though is that the larger sport fishing boats willl fish exactly the same water as the small pangas. Anyway, I have heard nothing but good things about Captain Rick but I have not had any experience with him myself. Personally, I like the "panga" experience. Just another step closer to the whole "Old Man and the Sea" experience. I actually got to catch a 4 1/2 ft lemon shark on a hand line last year. Pretty cool experience.
My wife and I bought at place in a sub division of Chemuyil and have stayed at Akumal Beach Resort a few times. I am a really big fisherman and have taken a couple of small boat charters at the resort in January. We will be down there June 21st -28th. Any advice on Charters and where to fish from shore. I will be spin casting and don't have a clue on bait, lures, etc?
My Response:
June is an AWESOME time to go fishing on the Mayan Riviera. Mahi Mahi are running, they taste great, they are prolific reproducers and are fast-growning and short-lived so you can actually harvest a few without feeling guilty and they are pretty as all get out. I would second the earlier suggestion for flats fishing. I would go ahead and pay the money for a guide from Boca Paila Fishing Camp or Pesca Maya (my favorite). Be up-front with them. Let them know that you own a place in Chemuyil, that you want to learn about some places you can wade to. I think that will be pretty straight with you. You may have a little more luck as far as finding places to wade if you go with Boca Paila Fishing Camp and it is a little closer to you. As for off-shore, I don't think you can go wrong with any of the suggestions you have gotten so far. As Iguana Mama stated, Carlos from Cueva del Pescador is very popular. I have heard nothing but good things about him. Personally, I always go out with Francisco who you can book through Akumal Dive Center. As for what kind of fishing you will do, just tell them what you want to do when you book. If you definitly want to catch something, go bottom fish, but for me, in June, I would troll, troll, troll and get into the mahi, marlin, sailfish or even some tuna. June is too good a month to spend soaking baits on the bottom. That said, maybe you could do 2 hours of trolling and an hour of bottom fishing. They will do whatever you ask, just be clear about what you want. All of those guys are cool. Who wouldn't be? They get to go fishing everyday! Anyway, if you want more details, you can visit my less-than-stellar blog (you see I.G., I stopped saying "crappy" just for you) www dot ****fishing dot blogspot dot com (I have to spell out the address or it gets filtered).You should find some good information. I could talk for a hours about lures, tackle, etc, but check out the blog first, if you have more questions, I'm happy to help, just PM me. Good luck, Jim
And then a follow up:
Shoot, I need to spell it out again: www dot mayan riviera fishing dot blogspot dot com. I also forgot to mention that Captain Ricks out of Pueto Adventuras is substantially more expensive, but you also go out on actually sport fishing boats, more comfortable and probably a little more palatable for those who are a little nervous about going out on the ocean. One thing I have noticed though is that the larger sport fishing boats willl fish exactly the same water as the small pangas. Anyway, I have heard nothing but good things about Captain Rick but I have not had any experience with him myself. Personally, I like the "panga" experience. Just another step closer to the whole "Old Man and the Sea" experience. I actually got to catch a 4 1/2 ft lemon shark on a hand line last year. Pretty cool experience.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Shore Fishing, Rules, Lures, and Misc.
Got a PM from another Gringo from Loco Gringo.com. Here is his message and my answers. I hope they can be helpful for you all:
Jim,
i checked out your blog, nice job! not crappy, informative! i just have some questions. am i correct in thinking that i don't need a license to shore fish? i'll be at the crt from july 9th to the 18th. i understand that up the beach (towards cancun) i could fish, away from the resort. i understand that crt is the only open hotel on that beach for quite aways. my plan( an i'm not sure if it's correct) would be to bring down a medium rod with some fresh water smithwicks and rapala jerk baits of different depths along with some 12 to 20 pound line and some heavy leader. i have no idea if this would be sucessful but what the hey. got any ideas? also i would be interested in going out for one of those 3 hour tours with francisco.(not gilligan?) whats a ball park price for that? is it per person or for the boat. i am strictly a catch and release guy normally so if that helps the price thats cool, but a fresh mahi mahi or grouper dinner might sway me. any other info would be great. thanks for your time and effort.
--Zydecorich
I replied:
Hi Zydecorich,
First, let me address the license issue. This came up a little while ago in a thread on LocoGringo. Here is a link to it, I think you will find if very helpful: http://forums.locogringo.com/forums/tm.asp?m=511611&mpage=1&key=fishing%2Clicense񼹻
For me, the clearest part of this thread came from a poster called stimulator. He explains, "A Fishing License: is required for any individual, regardless of age, who wishes to fish in fresh or salt water in Mexico. This rule applies to all people fishing out of boats or fishing underwater while skin diving. A Fishing License is not needed when fishing from land."
That said, I cannot vouch for the veracity of this or any other statements in the Locogringo forums, but it sounds pretty good and it has been my experience that it is most likely accurate. Even though earlier in the thread it talks about your guide charging you for a license, I haven't had that happen either. They either don't worry about it, or they add it in to the price. Pesca Maya fishing lodge (the service I use for flats fishing down in Ascencion Bay) even states on their website that they need to charge you for a license, but I have yet to be charged for one.
Now, onto a guide. Out of Akumal, the going rate is about $150 US, non-negotiable for the boat, not per person. You can fit 4-5 people in the boat but 2-3 is a little more comfortable. A tip is customary and appreciated. As for catch and release--just make sure you make that clear before you catch your first fish. Any billfish (sailfish or marlin) are a mandatory catch and release. Expect your guide to want to keep anything else unless you specify ahead of time. Fish that we would usually not eat in the US (like barracuda) are considered to be excellent table fare in that area. Ciguatera poisoning does not seem to be an issue with the fish in and around the reefs of the Mayan Riviera. Also, you can always send fish home with your guide. The catch can sometimes act as secondary income for the guide as he can sell it to a market or simply use it to feed the family. If you do book with Francisco, tell him I sent you and tell him hello for me. He is a great guy and he knows a TON about fishing around there. Also, let him know what you want to do, if you just want to troll for pelagics or barracuda or if you want as close to a sure thing as there gets in fishing and bottom fish an off-shore reef for grunts, triggerfish, snapper, etc. (a great option if you want some fresh fish for dinner) An hour of this is typically enough to get all the fish you could want, then you could spend the rest of the time trolling. Now, since you will be there in July, there might still be a good number of mahi around so maybe you just spend the whole time trolling. Obviously, that would be up to you. Another consideration is asking to go out earlier. If there is anything negotiable, it is the time you leave. You can sometimes get some extra time by asking to go out earlier. Generally they just need to get back in time to be able to go back out again and have time for a full trip in the afternoon, so if you head out really early, there is a good chance you will still come back at the same time. That could mean that instead of taking your three hours from 8:00 to 11:00, you might go out at 6:00 and STILL get back at 11:00. No guarantee on that, but its a possibility. If they do do that for you, remember to take care of him come tip time.
Now, on to lures and such. I have personally not had a lot of success with plugs thrown from shore. The first problem is the wind and being able to cast out far enough. That is not to say that you won't have better luck. I am not sure how the beach will be where you will be. Where I stay, there is a lot of rock--very, very snaggy rock. The first year I spent much of my time snorkeling out to retrieve lost lures (for the record, I have yet to lose a lure nearshore that I haven't been able to swim out and find). A good bet for all inshore or nearshore species is the tried and true leadhead jig with a curly tail grub. I uses a 7' medium light spinning rod with 12lb fireline crystal with a 15 lb florocarbon leader and did well for lookdowns, grunts, snapper and even a bonefish (the highlight) and those were all from shore in the light surf just outside of the condo. Down the coast at Boca Paila, I used a little heavier gear and a bigger bucktail jig with a curly tail grub and caught a nice 20 lb ish Jack Crevalle (one of the funnest fish I have ever caught). One problem with plugs is that it seems that most of the fish nearshore tend to feed on mullusks and other prey that live on the bottom as opposed to other, smaller fish. Obviously that does not describe EVERY fish around there. I know one popular tactic that several of the guides I have used in Mexico have suggested is using a good sized popper or surface stick bait--like a skitter walk or a zara spook (walk the dog, you know) to target barracuda in the surf or just past the breakers (a nice option that is snag proof). If all else fails, make sure to bring some bobbers or casting bubbles and fish with bait. Pick up some shrimp or cut some chunk bait and let it soak. Myself, I'm not as excited about bait fishing, but to each their own. I should mention that in Ascencion Bay, the weapon of choice to target permit is fresh cut chunk of hermit crab on a size 4 to 1/0 octopus hook or 1/4 oz jighead. The bottom line is, plugs seem to be a little more effective offshore, trolling or casting from a boat as opposed to fishing from shore, but that could just be because of where I fish and could be totally different where you will be. I would just bring a nice mix of lures--but don't go overboard. The first year I went I brought the kitchen sink. WAY too much stuff and ended up using very little of it effectively.
Well, I have gone on and on. Hopefully I have answered your questions, but feel free to PM me if you have others. I am going to post our exchange on my blog. Thanks for giving me something to do for the last hour of work!
--Jim
Jim,
i checked out your blog, nice job! not crappy, informative! i just have some questions. am i correct in thinking that i don't need a license to shore fish? i'll be at the crt from july 9th to the 18th. i understand that up the beach (towards cancun) i could fish, away from the resort. i understand that crt is the only open hotel on that beach for quite aways. my plan( an i'm not sure if it's correct) would be to bring down a medium rod with some fresh water smithwicks and rapala jerk baits of different depths along with some 12 to 20 pound line and some heavy leader. i have no idea if this would be sucessful but what the hey. got any ideas? also i would be interested in going out for one of those 3 hour tours with francisco.(not gilligan?) whats a ball park price for that? is it per person or for the boat. i am strictly a catch and release guy normally so if that helps the price thats cool, but a fresh mahi mahi or grouper dinner might sway me. any other info would be great. thanks for your time and effort.
--Zydecorich
I replied:
Hi Zydecorich,
First, let me address the license issue. This came up a little while ago in a thread on LocoGringo. Here is a link to it, I think you will find if very helpful: http://forums.locogringo.com/forums/tm.asp?m=511611&mpage=1&key=fishing%2Clicense񼹻
For me, the clearest part of this thread came from a poster called stimulator. He explains, "A Fishing License: is required for any individual, regardless of age, who wishes to fish in fresh or salt water in Mexico. This rule applies to all people fishing out of boats or fishing underwater while skin diving. A Fishing License is not needed when fishing from land."
That said, I cannot vouch for the veracity of this or any other statements in the Locogringo forums, but it sounds pretty good and it has been my experience that it is most likely accurate. Even though earlier in the thread it talks about your guide charging you for a license, I haven't had that happen either. They either don't worry about it, or they add it in to the price. Pesca Maya fishing lodge (the service I use for flats fishing down in Ascencion Bay) even states on their website that they need to charge you for a license, but I have yet to be charged for one.
Now, onto a guide. Out of Akumal, the going rate is about $150 US, non-negotiable for the boat, not per person. You can fit 4-5 people in the boat but 2-3 is a little more comfortable. A tip is customary and appreciated. As for catch and release--just make sure you make that clear before you catch your first fish. Any billfish (sailfish or marlin) are a mandatory catch and release. Expect your guide to want to keep anything else unless you specify ahead of time. Fish that we would usually not eat in the US (like barracuda) are considered to be excellent table fare in that area. Ciguatera poisoning does not seem to be an issue with the fish in and around the reefs of the Mayan Riviera. Also, you can always send fish home with your guide. The catch can sometimes act as secondary income for the guide as he can sell it to a market or simply use it to feed the family. If you do book with Francisco, tell him I sent you and tell him hello for me. He is a great guy and he knows a TON about fishing around there. Also, let him know what you want to do, if you just want to troll for pelagics or barracuda or if you want as close to a sure thing as there gets in fishing and bottom fish an off-shore reef for grunts, triggerfish, snapper, etc. (a great option if you want some fresh fish for dinner) An hour of this is typically enough to get all the fish you could want, then you could spend the rest of the time trolling. Now, since you will be there in July, there might still be a good number of mahi around so maybe you just spend the whole time trolling. Obviously, that would be up to you. Another consideration is asking to go out earlier. If there is anything negotiable, it is the time you leave. You can sometimes get some extra time by asking to go out earlier. Generally they just need to get back in time to be able to go back out again and have time for a full trip in the afternoon, so if you head out really early, there is a good chance you will still come back at the same time. That could mean that instead of taking your three hours from 8:00 to 11:00, you might go out at 6:00 and STILL get back at 11:00. No guarantee on that, but its a possibility. If they do do that for you, remember to take care of him come tip time.
Now, on to lures and such. I have personally not had a lot of success with plugs thrown from shore. The first problem is the wind and being able to cast out far enough. That is not to say that you won't have better luck. I am not sure how the beach will be where you will be. Where I stay, there is a lot of rock--very, very snaggy rock. The first year I spent much of my time snorkeling out to retrieve lost lures (for the record, I have yet to lose a lure nearshore that I haven't been able to swim out and find). A good bet for all inshore or nearshore species is the tried and true leadhead jig with a curly tail grub. I uses a 7' medium light spinning rod with 12lb fireline crystal with a 15 lb florocarbon leader and did well for lookdowns, grunts, snapper and even a bonefish (the highlight) and those were all from shore in the light surf just outside of the condo. Down the coast at Boca Paila, I used a little heavier gear and a bigger bucktail jig with a curly tail grub and caught a nice 20 lb ish Jack Crevalle (one of the funnest fish I have ever caught). One problem with plugs is that it seems that most of the fish nearshore tend to feed on mullusks and other prey that live on the bottom as opposed to other, smaller fish. Obviously that does not describe EVERY fish around there. I know one popular tactic that several of the guides I have used in Mexico have suggested is using a good sized popper or surface stick bait--like a skitter walk or a zara spook (walk the dog, you know) to target barracuda in the surf or just past the breakers (a nice option that is snag proof). If all else fails, make sure to bring some bobbers or casting bubbles and fish with bait. Pick up some shrimp or cut some chunk bait and let it soak. Myself, I'm not as excited about bait fishing, but to each their own. I should mention that in Ascencion Bay, the weapon of choice to target permit is fresh cut chunk of hermit crab on a size 4 to 1/0 octopus hook or 1/4 oz jighead. The bottom line is, plugs seem to be a little more effective offshore, trolling or casting from a boat as opposed to fishing from shore, but that could just be because of where I fish and could be totally different where you will be. I would just bring a nice mix of lures--but don't go overboard. The first year I went I brought the kitchen sink. WAY too much stuff and ended up using very little of it effectively.
Well, I have gone on and on. Hopefully I have answered your questions, but feel free to PM me if you have others. I am going to post our exchange on my blog. Thanks for giving me something to do for the last hour of work!
--Jim
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
More Specifics-Trolling, Flats Fishing and Boca Paila Bridge
Here is an email exchange between me and a gentleman named Don:
Don wrote: Going to Akumal 2/24- 3/1. Is this a decent time to fish for bones and permit? Staying at Playa Caribe and while there in Sept , one of the condo owners said he and another guy went and used crab pcs on a jig and caught like 25 and missed a helluva lot more before they caught on as to when to strike. Said they had a ball. I'm not too proficient with the fly so probably will use spin tackle also. Bought some Berkley Gulp crabs and shrimp to take down. Have amassed quite a few Crazy Charlies and other bonefish flies to give away there. Also got some 30,40 and 50lb test line in lg amts to give out as well and a lg bag of trolling lures and 200 or so 6/0 circle hooks. (most all off E-bay). Have fished around the Boca Paila bridge with minimal luck but it's something to do. Another guy I talked to uses lg Rapalas in the smaller bays for> a "little of everything." Any hints (other than secret places) would be appreciated. And how far from the bridge is Pesca Maya camp? Went all the way down once but don't recall seeing the place. Thanks for your time. Don
I responded: Hey Don,
Don't really have any "secret" places in that I only go down once a year, so any places I have found are freely shared. Let's see, where to start:
Bones and Permit:
The beauty of Ascencion Bay and Boca Paila lagoons are that there are ALWAYS bonefish and permit. Tarpon and snook are the ones that are a little more seasonal, but you will always find bonefish and permit. A method that we used with quite a lot of success was using a jig with a 3-4 inch grub (the gulp shrimp would also work really well for this [I would strongly suggest getting the smallest ones, 2 inch I believe, in that they tend to run a little bigger than a equal sized grub]0 then tie a 12-18 inch dropper line from the jig and tie on a crazy charlie or some other shrimp or crab pattern fly. I was amazed that the fish seemed to grap the dropper fly about 75% of the time. Could have just been the day or some other factor, but it really seemed to work. Also, if you are fishing in a little deeper water, we would also use a clear casting bubble with about a 2' leader with a #4 octopus or 1/0 circle hook with a hunk of fresh hermit crab. This worked very, very well for permit, but, of course, you have to find some first.
Boca Paila Bridge:
On my last day there last year, we went down to fish around the bridge. We fished all day. I saw so many freakin' fish. Tons of bonefish. Some great big barracudas, more bonefish, a permit, more bonefish, did I mention bonefish? Anyway, the operative word here is "saw" not "caught." I don't know what I was doing wrong, but I could not get anything to bite. I tried just about everything (other than live bait which probably would have worked). One problem could have been the moon phase, we were at full or close to it the whole time we were there, or it could have been the kite boarders who were out stirring things up and scaring away the fish--although they were very nice and courteous. I still had fun, just checking the place out thoroughly and learing a bit more about the structure, depths, current, etc. As we were headed out, however, I hooked into a decent sized Jack Crevalle that literally took me 45 minutes to get using my 10lb tackle. It was awesome and easily made the whole day of waiting well worth it. I was using a 3/8 oz. white SPRO bucktail jig with a 3 inch white curly tail grub. Probably the most fun I have ever had catching a fish. I was fishing out on the beach and caught the jack right at the mouth of the inlet/outlet. You can often see big (4'+) barracuda lurking around the bridge, but it is difficult to get a lure to them. I also noticed a few places right before you get to the bridge where you could access the Boco Paila lagoons on foot and then wade. Check out Google Earth and look at some satellite images, you will see a few places where the road gets really close to the lagoon and there are some trails that would take you there. You could park down by the bridge, then backtrack (that is on my list of things to do this year when we go down).
Pesca Maya
Is about 20-30 minutes from the bridge depending on the road conditions. Since there tends to be less traffic on that side of the bride, the road is usually in pretty good shape. It is on the left side of the road (heading south). They don't have really big signs, so you need to be on the lookout anytime after about 15 minutes past the bridge. They are very helpful there and will make you feel very "at home."
Rapalas and Trolling
For the flats, an f11 Magnum Rapala in sardine, blue mackerel, or mullet is a good choice and a little less likley to get hung up than the same sized CD Magnum as it floats, but the CDs will also work. I would also suggest you bring down a couple of skitter walks or Heddon Zara spooks or super spooks for topwater--especially for tarpon or barracuda. If you go out of Akumal or any other place trolling blue water, go bigger. I had very good success with an F18 Magnum in blue mackerel. One trick that worked pretty well for me was to take my main line down to a three way swivel, then a 4' leader off the bottom to a big honkin' XRap Magnum 30 and a 5' leader off the top to an f18 Magnum. The Xrap takes the whole rig down around 20' (it is supposed to take it to 30, but I don't think it goes that deep--at least not when trolled in tandem like this) then the smaller and more suble f18 is just out there a few feet about the other. We did well for kingfish and barracuda, but could also have gotten wahoo, spanish mackerel, etc. We got bites and hookups on both the x rap and the f18, and had much more success than just trolling them one at a time. It's kind of a pain to set up--but for me that is half the fun.
Hopefully I answered your questions and gave you something useful. Feel free to ask me more specifics, I love to talk about fishing. Also, if you don't mind, I would like to put your email and my response on my crappy blog: www.mayanrivierafishing.blogspot.com. Feel free to check it out and share it with others.
Regards,
Jim RiddleOrem, UT
Don wrote: Going to Akumal 2/24- 3/1. Is this a decent time to fish for bones and permit? Staying at Playa Caribe and while there in Sept , one of the condo owners said he and another guy went and used crab pcs on a jig and caught like 25 and missed a helluva lot more before they caught on as to when to strike. Said they had a ball. I'm not too proficient with the fly so probably will use spin tackle also. Bought some Berkley Gulp crabs and shrimp to take down. Have amassed quite a few Crazy Charlies and other bonefish flies to give away there. Also got some 30,40 and 50lb test line in lg amts to give out as well and a lg bag of trolling lures and 200 or so 6/0 circle hooks. (most all off E-bay). Have fished around the Boca Paila bridge with minimal luck but it's something to do. Another guy I talked to uses lg Rapalas in the smaller bays for> a "little of everything." Any hints (other than secret places) would be appreciated. And how far from the bridge is Pesca Maya camp? Went all the way down once but don't recall seeing the place. Thanks for your time. Don
I responded: Hey Don,
Don't really have any "secret" places in that I only go down once a year, so any places I have found are freely shared. Let's see, where to start:
Bones and Permit:
The beauty of Ascencion Bay and Boca Paila lagoons are that there are ALWAYS bonefish and permit. Tarpon and snook are the ones that are a little more seasonal, but you will always find bonefish and permit. A method that we used with quite a lot of success was using a jig with a 3-4 inch grub (the gulp shrimp would also work really well for this [I would strongly suggest getting the smallest ones, 2 inch I believe, in that they tend to run a little bigger than a equal sized grub]0 then tie a 12-18 inch dropper line from the jig and tie on a crazy charlie or some other shrimp or crab pattern fly. I was amazed that the fish seemed to grap the dropper fly about 75% of the time. Could have just been the day or some other factor, but it really seemed to work. Also, if you are fishing in a little deeper water, we would also use a clear casting bubble with about a 2' leader with a #4 octopus or 1/0 circle hook with a hunk of fresh hermit crab. This worked very, very well for permit, but, of course, you have to find some first.
Boca Paila Bridge:
On my last day there last year, we went down to fish around the bridge. We fished all day. I saw so many freakin' fish. Tons of bonefish. Some great big barracudas, more bonefish, a permit, more bonefish, did I mention bonefish? Anyway, the operative word here is "saw" not "caught." I don't know what I was doing wrong, but I could not get anything to bite. I tried just about everything (other than live bait which probably would have worked). One problem could have been the moon phase, we were at full or close to it the whole time we were there, or it could have been the kite boarders who were out stirring things up and scaring away the fish--although they were very nice and courteous. I still had fun, just checking the place out thoroughly and learing a bit more about the structure, depths, current, etc. As we were headed out, however, I hooked into a decent sized Jack Crevalle that literally took me 45 minutes to get using my 10lb tackle. It was awesome and easily made the whole day of waiting well worth it. I was using a 3/8 oz. white SPRO bucktail jig with a 3 inch white curly tail grub. Probably the most fun I have ever had catching a fish. I was fishing out on the beach and caught the jack right at the mouth of the inlet/outlet. You can often see big (4'+) barracuda lurking around the bridge, but it is difficult to get a lure to them. I also noticed a few places right before you get to the bridge where you could access the Boco Paila lagoons on foot and then wade. Check out Google Earth and look at some satellite images, you will see a few places where the road gets really close to the lagoon and there are some trails that would take you there. You could park down by the bridge, then backtrack (that is on my list of things to do this year when we go down).
Pesca Maya
Is about 20-30 minutes from the bridge depending on the road conditions. Since there tends to be less traffic on that side of the bride, the road is usually in pretty good shape. It is on the left side of the road (heading south). They don't have really big signs, so you need to be on the lookout anytime after about 15 minutes past the bridge. They are very helpful there and will make you feel very "at home."
Rapalas and Trolling
For the flats, an f11 Magnum Rapala in sardine, blue mackerel, or mullet is a good choice and a little less likley to get hung up than the same sized CD Magnum as it floats, but the CDs will also work. I would also suggest you bring down a couple of skitter walks or Heddon Zara spooks or super spooks for topwater--especially for tarpon or barracuda. If you go out of Akumal or any other place trolling blue water, go bigger. I had very good success with an F18 Magnum in blue mackerel. One trick that worked pretty well for me was to take my main line down to a three way swivel, then a 4' leader off the bottom to a big honkin' XRap Magnum 30 and a 5' leader off the top to an f18 Magnum. The Xrap takes the whole rig down around 20' (it is supposed to take it to 30, but I don't think it goes that deep--at least not when trolled in tandem like this) then the smaller and more suble f18 is just out there a few feet about the other. We did well for kingfish and barracuda, but could also have gotten wahoo, spanish mackerel, etc. We got bites and hookups on both the x rap and the f18, and had much more success than just trolling them one at a time. It's kind of a pain to set up--but for me that is half the fun.
Hopefully I answered your questions and gave you something useful. Feel free to ask me more specifics, I love to talk about fishing. Also, if you don't mind, I would like to put your email and my response on my crappy blog: www.mayanrivierafishing.blogspot.com. Feel free to check it out and share it with others.
Regards,
Jim RiddleOrem, UT
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Stirring the Fish Pot
Some well-meaning guy asked a question on LocoGringo.com about fly fishing on the Riviera Maya. As per usual, he was greeted with the slurry of NO FISHING! FISHING IS ILLEGAL! comments as well as some very educated explanations of the actual rules (no fishing within 250 meters of swimmers or in designated no fishing zones--like Xcacel and Xcacelito). Any, I referred him to PescaMaya.com for information about types of flies and equiptment to bring. Hope he finds some help and I hope that others don't get turned off on LocoGringo.com which is such a good resourse for all things Mayan Riviera.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
I heard back from Jenny and Spencer (from LocoGringo):
Jim,Thank you so much for that information!!!! I forwarded it to my husband and he is SUPER excited! I really cannot thank you enough for putting the effort into such a detailed response. I am also super excited because my favorite fish to eat is the mahi mahi. We will definitely take a local boat out of Akumal and do some ocean fishing, do you have any recommendations for specific individuals??? You really made our day, I did not think we could be more excited about our trip, but now we are ecstatic! Hubby is also excited about the other opportunities as well and just needs to figure out how much he wants to spend. Once again thank you so much for being such a generous resource! Jenny and Spencer
I responded:
Actually, you kind of made my day. I am a copy/technical writer and I usually have to write about stuff that, quite frankly, I just don't care about that much. So thank YOU for the chance to write about something that I like! As for individuals, there are plenty that are all very good. I have gone out with several, but for the last 2 years I only go out with Francisco Pena, and I doubt I will ever go out with anyone else. Not because the others aren't as good--they are all good--but because I just like talking to him about fishing, his is totally fine with me bringing my own stuff, he will let me try new things if I feel like it, and is just a generally nice guy. Also, he is a "fishing only" guy, not one of the ones who does fishing one day, then snorkeling the next, followed by diving on the third. He fishes, that's it. Plus, he does very well in the local tournaments that they have going on down there from time to time. To book Francisco, you go to Akumal Dive Center. That is the one RIGHT ON THE BEACH next to the Lol Ha Restaurant. When you get there, ask for Jose. He is the one who owns the boat and will be the one with whom you will do the transaction. Just ask for Francisco. Do yourself a favor and go out early. They will take really good care of you and will also provide drinks--I think they also provide beer if you are into that--and no, you don't have to worry about Francisco getting drunk--he won't drink beer while captaining :). By the way, I am logging these questions and responses on my blog: www.mayanrivierafishing.blogspot.com. I will add some links there for some other fishing info sites and for Pesca Maya and Boca Paila fishing lodge.Please feel free to stay in touch!!--Jim
Jim,Thank you so much for that information!!!! I forwarded it to my husband and he is SUPER excited! I really cannot thank you enough for putting the effort into such a detailed response. I am also super excited because my favorite fish to eat is the mahi mahi. We will definitely take a local boat out of Akumal and do some ocean fishing, do you have any recommendations for specific individuals??? You really made our day, I did not think we could be more excited about our trip, but now we are ecstatic! Hubby is also excited about the other opportunities as well and just needs to figure out how much he wants to spend. Once again thank you so much for being such a generous resource! Jenny and Spencer
I responded:
Actually, you kind of made my day. I am a copy/technical writer and I usually have to write about stuff that, quite frankly, I just don't care about that much. So thank YOU for the chance to write about something that I like! As for individuals, there are plenty that are all very good. I have gone out with several, but for the last 2 years I only go out with Francisco Pena, and I doubt I will ever go out with anyone else. Not because the others aren't as good--they are all good--but because I just like talking to him about fishing, his is totally fine with me bringing my own stuff, he will let me try new things if I feel like it, and is just a generally nice guy. Also, he is a "fishing only" guy, not one of the ones who does fishing one day, then snorkeling the next, followed by diving on the third. He fishes, that's it. Plus, he does very well in the local tournaments that they have going on down there from time to time. To book Francisco, you go to Akumal Dive Center. That is the one RIGHT ON THE BEACH next to the Lol Ha Restaurant. When you get there, ask for Jose. He is the one who owns the boat and will be the one with whom you will do the transaction. Just ask for Francisco. Do yourself a favor and go out early. They will take really good care of you and will also provide drinks--I think they also provide beer if you are into that--and no, you don't have to worry about Francisco getting drunk--he won't drink beer while captaining :). By the way, I am logging these questions and responses on my blog: www.mayanrivierafishing.blogspot.com. I will add some links there for some other fishing info sites and for Pesca Maya and Boca Paila fishing lodge.Please feel free to stay in touch!!--Jim
Monday, January 7, 2008
The Basics
I had a lady send me a private message from LocoGringo.com asking about fishing opportunities around Akumal. I was happy to oblige her. Here is her question and my answer:
> Trollboy8,> > Hey just wanted to PM you in regards to your croc> reply post. Judging from your pics and some of your> replies I have seen you seem to be quite the fishing> expert on the area. I wanted to get your advice. > We are going down to the ABR June 15-23rd for> vacation, we love to snorkel and so I think that> area will be just what we want. > > However, my husband is an avid fly fisherman (we> live in Colorado, and he is from Wyoming - catch and
> release for the most part) and has never tried deep
> sea fishing, and would also be interested in all
> other opportunities for fishing. We probably won't
> fish every day or every other day, but since we are
> going to the ABR based on my solid interest in
> snorkeling, I also want him to have a blast and do
> some fishing. So, I guess my questions are, if you
> were going down to the Akumal area for a little over> a week in June, what are some of the best fishing> experiences/opportunities that you would recommend. > We are renting a car, but it will be our first time> to the area.> > Thank you for any recommendations! > > waterwoman
Waterwoman,My name is Jim, I am from Orem, UT. I am very gladthat you messaged me and I would love to give you someinformation about fishing down in the Akumal/RivieraMaya area. I am currently putting together a blogwhere I will have all the fishing information anyonewould ever want--and probably more--just by going to alink. However, I still haven't gotten around tofinishing that so I will just give you the spiel.There are (in my opinion) about 4 main fishingopportunities for you to enjoy while in the Akumalarea. Some are VERY close by (measured in yards fromABR, not miles) and others that are a little furtheraway.
1: Shore fishing. This is, oddly, the most difficultof all the fishing opportunities. There are plenty offish right off the beach at ABR--unfortunately you arenot allowed to fish there. I suppose that it makessense given the number of snorkelers, swimmers, littlekids splashing around, etc. so I won't complain toloudly (although it does pain the fisherman's heart tosee a 25" bonefish or a 20 lb. permit swimming next toyou while snorkeling in Akumal Bay and know that youcan't even try to catch them, oh well.) According toMexican law, you cannot fish in areas designated as"protected" usually on beaches that are designated asturtle sactuaries, or on any beach withing 250 metersof swimmers. That makes it pretty difficult anywherearound ABR. It is possible to walk south down thebeach to the south end of Jade bay in the earlymorning before anyone is up and get in a couple ofhours of fishing. Really, the best place to shore fishwith no chance of being hassled is an hour's (give ortake) drive down south to Boca Paila. You can fishfrom the beach or you can fish in the boca or lagoonsand have opportunity to catch anything from barracudasto bonefish to sharks or snappers. The fishing isdefinitly not "fast and furious" but if nothing elseis supremely relaxing on this somewhat remote andalmost always empty beach. Also a great place for therest of the family to play in the waves or just enjoythe beautiful white sand beach and lush vegetation ofthe Sian Kaan Reserve. The road is a little bumpygetting down, but being from the West--like me--I amsure you can handle it (unlike some of the more"prissy" city-folk that think that the Boca Paila roadis unpassable) believe me, it is not that bad at alland each time I have visited Boca Paila and beyond Ihave done so in a small 4 door rental sedan thatfinished the journey none the worse for wear.
2: Local deep-sea charter from Akumal. If you just want to go out and experience salt water fishing, thisis your best bet and, other than shore fishing, isalso the cheapest. You can book with your guide for 3hours--which really is ample time believe it or not and extra hours can be negotiated--especially if youare the type to get up early (which is also the besttime to go). For whatever reason, most of the touristsaround there just don't seem to get up and moving toearly so the guides tend to schedule their days in 3hour blocks starting at about 8:30 am, allowing timefor a long lunch and prep time for an afternoon tripthat would start around 1:30. Like I said though, ifyou want to go out longer, just book earlier--at say,6:00 am. Usually your guide will give you a good ratefor the extra hours. I am incredibly jealous that youare going in June because by all accounts, that ishands down the best time of the year to fish the MayanRiviera. YOU WILL CATCH FISH--BIG ONES, and plenty ofthem. May and June sees the annual migration of dorado(mahi mahi). These are fast growing fish that onlylive to be about 5 years old in most cases. Therefore,the are prolific reproducers and one of the fewpelagic species that are in really good shape as faras population and health. Catch them, keep them, eatthem, throw them back, it's up to you and you don'tneed to feel guilty about it. Often, your guide willkeep fish even if you are more of a "catch andrelease" kind of person because if you don't want thefish, he can sell it for some supplemental income. Thereal "target fish" for that area at that time of yearthough, is no doubt the sailfish. These are stricklycatch and release--as are all billfish--includeingblue, black, and white marlin--all of which aremigrating at that exact same time. You can also expectto catch barracuda, king mackerel, spanish mackerel,and possibly yellowfin tuna and wahoo.Generally--especially that time of year, you willspend most, if not all, of your time trolling withheavy equipment. If you catch a small barracuda onheavy tackle, its not much of a thrill, but you haveto use it because you never know when a 800 lb. bluemarlin is going to take your bait.One of the really nice things about the Mayan Rivierais that you can be deep sea fishing within a mile ofthe shore. Unlike a lot of places along both the eastand west coasts of the U.S. you really have to sail10, 20, even 30+ miles to get to an area where youwill have a chance at large gamefish. Not from Akumal,you will have your lines in the water about 5 minutesafter you get in the boat. The boats are smallish,about 20-25 feet, but very seaworthy--trust me. Youcan also request to bottom fish where you will catch aTON of smaller fish--mostly snappers, grunts, triggerfish and if you are lucky a huge grouper or cuberasnapper, but that time of year, I would suggest younot waste time bottom fishing and just troll for thebig boys during that special time of the year.
3: Big Charter Boats from Puerto Adventuras (PA) PA isabout 15 minutes up the road from Akumal. They have amarina and several Captains that charter larger, morecommercial sized sportfishing boats. Likely, the kindsyou or your husband have seen on fishing shows. Youcan put out more lines on these boats, they have morerange, but as you will see, they fish EXACTLY the samewaters as do the local fisherman out of Akumal. Theyare MUCH more expensive, but you can bring morepeople. Also, there are the amenities of having abathroom on board. Honestly though, I doubt I willever use one of these boats. I enjoy the simplicity ofusing the smaller skiffs out of Akumal, the more personal attention by the guides, plus I know themoney is going to the locals and not some largefishing conglomerate based in the U.S. But for many,this is the only way to fish, and more power to them.
4: Flats fishing. I saved, in my opinion, the best forlast. Flats fishing will require either an hour or anhour and 40 minute's drive down the Boca Paila roadand a slightly more expensive guide service eitherfrom Boca Paila Fishing Lodge or, my favorite, PescaMaya Fishing Lodge. Both are very good, cater to U.S.clientel, offer day trips or stay-overs, and will takeyou to absolutely world-class flats fishing. If yourhusband is an avid fly fisherman, this will be likecloud nine for him. A little different than flyfinshing on the Wind River Range, but still flyfishing. The target fish are bone fish, tarpon, andpermit. If you catch all three, you have yourself agrand slam. Add a snook or a barracuda for a "superslam." You will also likely catch all manner ofjacks--horse-eyed jacks, jack crevalle, blue runners,yellow jacks, and plenty of smallersnappers--mangroves, Lane, and mutton. The cost for aday trip is about $400-450, but that is for 8 hours offishing for 2 people, breakfast and lunch. The guidesusually don't speak a lot of English, but do wellenough for you to have a great time. They are veryattentive to your needs and I am certain you will havea good time. The hosts at the lodges speak very goodEnglish and will make you feel very welcome andcomfortable. My only complaint at all about either ofthose places are the sometimes snooty North Americanfly fishermen that turn there noses up at yourspinning gear or if you aren't wearing an Orvisfishing shirt. If your husband fly fishes, I am surehe knows the type. Luckily, you only see those guysfor a few minutes before you head out and a fewminutes when you get back and you can have thesatisfaction of having caught about 10 times the fishbecause you weren't wasting your time checkingyourself out in your L.L. Bean travel mirror all day.Anyway, there is nothing like getting a bonefish onlight tackle. Imagine a rainbow trout on steroids andcrystal meth and that is about what it is like to catch a bonefish.
Anyway, that is pretty much the deal. If you have anyother questions at all, feel free to email me. I willpost this response on my fledgling blog, so thanks forthe opportunity to write about my favorite passtime.Let me know what you think and defintly send a reportof how your trips goes. If you have specific questionsabout equipment, how to book guides, what to bringwith you and what to leave at home, I am more thanhappy to help.
Good Luck,
Jim Riddle
Orem, UT
> Trollboy8,> > Hey just wanted to PM you in regards to your croc> reply post. Judging from your pics and some of your> replies I have seen you seem to be quite the fishing> expert on the area. I wanted to get your advice. > We are going down to the ABR June 15-23rd for> vacation, we love to snorkel and so I think that> area will be just what we want. > > However, my husband is an avid fly fisherman (we> live in Colorado, and he is from Wyoming - catch and
> release for the most part) and has never tried deep
> sea fishing, and would also be interested in all
> other opportunities for fishing. We probably won't
> fish every day or every other day, but since we are
> going to the ABR based on my solid interest in
> snorkeling, I also want him to have a blast and do
> some fishing. So, I guess my questions are, if you
> were going down to the Akumal area for a little over> a week in June, what are some of the best fishing> experiences/opportunities that you would recommend. > We are renting a car, but it will be our first time> to the area.> > Thank you for any recommendations! > > waterwoman
Waterwoman,My name is Jim, I am from Orem, UT. I am very gladthat you messaged me and I would love to give you someinformation about fishing down in the Akumal/RivieraMaya area. I am currently putting together a blogwhere I will have all the fishing information anyonewould ever want--and probably more--just by going to alink. However, I still haven't gotten around tofinishing that so I will just give you the spiel.There are (in my opinion) about 4 main fishingopportunities for you to enjoy while in the Akumalarea. Some are VERY close by (measured in yards fromABR, not miles) and others that are a little furtheraway.
1: Shore fishing. This is, oddly, the most difficultof all the fishing opportunities. There are plenty offish right off the beach at ABR--unfortunately you arenot allowed to fish there. I suppose that it makessense given the number of snorkelers, swimmers, littlekids splashing around, etc. so I won't complain toloudly (although it does pain the fisherman's heart tosee a 25" bonefish or a 20 lb. permit swimming next toyou while snorkeling in Akumal Bay and know that youcan't even try to catch them, oh well.) According toMexican law, you cannot fish in areas designated as"protected" usually on beaches that are designated asturtle sactuaries, or on any beach withing 250 metersof swimmers. That makes it pretty difficult anywherearound ABR. It is possible to walk south down thebeach to the south end of Jade bay in the earlymorning before anyone is up and get in a couple ofhours of fishing. Really, the best place to shore fishwith no chance of being hassled is an hour's (give ortake) drive down south to Boca Paila. You can fishfrom the beach or you can fish in the boca or lagoonsand have opportunity to catch anything from barracudasto bonefish to sharks or snappers. The fishing isdefinitly not "fast and furious" but if nothing elseis supremely relaxing on this somewhat remote andalmost always empty beach. Also a great place for therest of the family to play in the waves or just enjoythe beautiful white sand beach and lush vegetation ofthe Sian Kaan Reserve. The road is a little bumpygetting down, but being from the West--like me--I amsure you can handle it (unlike some of the more"prissy" city-folk that think that the Boca Paila roadis unpassable) believe me, it is not that bad at alland each time I have visited Boca Paila and beyond Ihave done so in a small 4 door rental sedan thatfinished the journey none the worse for wear.
2: Local deep-sea charter from Akumal. If you just want to go out and experience salt water fishing, thisis your best bet and, other than shore fishing, isalso the cheapest. You can book with your guide for 3hours--which really is ample time believe it or not and extra hours can be negotiated--especially if youare the type to get up early (which is also the besttime to go). For whatever reason, most of the touristsaround there just don't seem to get up and moving toearly so the guides tend to schedule their days in 3hour blocks starting at about 8:30 am, allowing timefor a long lunch and prep time for an afternoon tripthat would start around 1:30. Like I said though, ifyou want to go out longer, just book earlier--at say,6:00 am. Usually your guide will give you a good ratefor the extra hours. I am incredibly jealous that youare going in June because by all accounts, that ishands down the best time of the year to fish the MayanRiviera. YOU WILL CATCH FISH--BIG ONES, and plenty ofthem. May and June sees the annual migration of dorado(mahi mahi). These are fast growing fish that onlylive to be about 5 years old in most cases. Therefore,the are prolific reproducers and one of the fewpelagic species that are in really good shape as faras population and health. Catch them, keep them, eatthem, throw them back, it's up to you and you don'tneed to feel guilty about it. Often, your guide willkeep fish even if you are more of a "catch andrelease" kind of person because if you don't want thefish, he can sell it for some supplemental income. Thereal "target fish" for that area at that time of yearthough, is no doubt the sailfish. These are stricklycatch and release--as are all billfish--includeingblue, black, and white marlin--all of which aremigrating at that exact same time. You can also expectto catch barracuda, king mackerel, spanish mackerel,and possibly yellowfin tuna and wahoo.Generally--especially that time of year, you willspend most, if not all, of your time trolling withheavy equipment. If you catch a small barracuda onheavy tackle, its not much of a thrill, but you haveto use it because you never know when a 800 lb. bluemarlin is going to take your bait.One of the really nice things about the Mayan Rivierais that you can be deep sea fishing within a mile ofthe shore. Unlike a lot of places along both the eastand west coasts of the U.S. you really have to sail10, 20, even 30+ miles to get to an area where youwill have a chance at large gamefish. Not from Akumal,you will have your lines in the water about 5 minutesafter you get in the boat. The boats are smallish,about 20-25 feet, but very seaworthy--trust me. Youcan also request to bottom fish where you will catch aTON of smaller fish--mostly snappers, grunts, triggerfish and if you are lucky a huge grouper or cuberasnapper, but that time of year, I would suggest younot waste time bottom fishing and just troll for thebig boys during that special time of the year.
3: Big Charter Boats from Puerto Adventuras (PA) PA isabout 15 minutes up the road from Akumal. They have amarina and several Captains that charter larger, morecommercial sized sportfishing boats. Likely, the kindsyou or your husband have seen on fishing shows. Youcan put out more lines on these boats, they have morerange, but as you will see, they fish EXACTLY the samewaters as do the local fisherman out of Akumal. Theyare MUCH more expensive, but you can bring morepeople. Also, there are the amenities of having abathroom on board. Honestly though, I doubt I willever use one of these boats. I enjoy the simplicity ofusing the smaller skiffs out of Akumal, the more personal attention by the guides, plus I know themoney is going to the locals and not some largefishing conglomerate based in the U.S. But for many,this is the only way to fish, and more power to them.
4: Flats fishing. I saved, in my opinion, the best forlast. Flats fishing will require either an hour or anhour and 40 minute's drive down the Boca Paila roadand a slightly more expensive guide service eitherfrom Boca Paila Fishing Lodge or, my favorite, PescaMaya Fishing Lodge. Both are very good, cater to U.S.clientel, offer day trips or stay-overs, and will takeyou to absolutely world-class flats fishing. If yourhusband is an avid fly fisherman, this will be likecloud nine for him. A little different than flyfinshing on the Wind River Range, but still flyfishing. The target fish are bone fish, tarpon, andpermit. If you catch all three, you have yourself agrand slam. Add a snook or a barracuda for a "superslam." You will also likely catch all manner ofjacks--horse-eyed jacks, jack crevalle, blue runners,yellow jacks, and plenty of smallersnappers--mangroves, Lane, and mutton. The cost for aday trip is about $400-450, but that is for 8 hours offishing for 2 people, breakfast and lunch. The guidesusually don't speak a lot of English, but do wellenough for you to have a great time. They are veryattentive to your needs and I am certain you will havea good time. The hosts at the lodges speak very goodEnglish and will make you feel very welcome andcomfortable. My only complaint at all about either ofthose places are the sometimes snooty North Americanfly fishermen that turn there noses up at yourspinning gear or if you aren't wearing an Orvisfishing shirt. If your husband fly fishes, I am surehe knows the type. Luckily, you only see those guysfor a few minutes before you head out and a fewminutes when you get back and you can have thesatisfaction of having caught about 10 times the fishbecause you weren't wasting your time checkingyourself out in your L.L. Bean travel mirror all day.Anyway, there is nothing like getting a bonefish onlight tackle. Imagine a rainbow trout on steroids andcrystal meth and that is about what it is like to catch a bonefish.
Anyway, that is pretty much the deal. If you have anyother questions at all, feel free to email me. I willpost this response on my fledgling blog, so thanks forthe opportunity to write about my favorite passtime.Let me know what you think and defintly send a reportof how your trips goes. If you have specific questionsabout equipment, how to book guides, what to bringwith you and what to leave at home, I am more thanhappy to help.
Good Luck,
Jim Riddle
Orem, UT
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Ooooo, Barracuda!
A typical late fall catch out of Akumal including barracuda, king mackerel, trigger fish, red snapper, grey snapper, red mouths (white grunts) strawberry grouper (red hinds) and bluestriped grunts
Boat Rods and Reels
Some of the boat gear described in the post from November 11, 2008
Butterfly and other Jigs
My new technique this year: deep jigging or freestyle jigging with Shimano Butterfly jigs, Deadly Dicks, Krocodiles, Williamson speed jigs, diamond jigs, and Offshore Angler Freestyle jigs (not pictured).
Trolling (mostly) Lures
Some Magnum Rapalas and X Raps and a Saltwater Sliver, a big Yozuri popper, bonita, Cuda Tube and a Williamson ballyhoo swimbait.
