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south of the Tropic of Cancer, at approximately 23.5 degrees north
latitude, (named nearly 2000 years ago because the sun was in the
direction of the Cancer constellation during the June equinox) is
the northern tip of the Mexican Yucatan.
The peninsula itself is bordered
on the west and north by the Gulf of Mexico and on the east by the
Caribbean Sea. On its southern boundary are found Belize
and Guatemala. Back in the 70’s and 80’s, it’s
man-made tourist attraction of Cancun added to the discovery of
fabulous flats fishing to the south, putting it on the radar of
fly fishers from all over the world, but especially the US, with
the relatively short, easy trip to get there. The Mexican Yucatan
covers 44,000 square miles with over 500 miles of coastline –
along this vast shoreline are thousands of square miles of shallow
bays and flats. It is home of the famous Chicxulub Crater located
in the northeastern part of the peninsula marking the impact location
of the 6 mile wide meteor that caused it a short 65 million years
ago. It is held by some to have contributed, in part, to the demise
of Earth’s dinosaurs.
The land in the northern section
of the peninsula, north and west of Cancun is riddled with caves,
cenotes (sinkholes usually filled with water) and underground waterways
in it’s mostly limestone base. The northeast, north
and northwest shorelines are almost completely filled with shallow,
clear water bays and waterways lined with mangroves that are perfect
nurseries for tarpon (lots of baby tarpon 2 – 20 pounds) and
homes to snook, sheepshead, barracuda, snapper, some permit and
a few bonefish. The deeper waters off shore a little ways provide
food for migrating tarpon of sometimes giant size (over 150 pounds),
especially during the summer months. The southern Yucatan in Mexico
has four huge saltwater bays, Boca Paila, Ascension Bay, Espiritu
Santo Bay and Chetumal Bay moving from north to south. Chetumal
Bay in the extreme south, shares its waters with Mexico and Belize.
These all have direct access to the Caribbean Sea, therefore giving
ingress and egress to permit, bonefish, tarpon and several other
ocean living fishes who like to feed in the shallow water flats.
The population centers around
Cancun, Isla Cozumel, Riviera Maya (coastal area from Cancun
to Tulum), Merida, Campeche and Chetumal. There are modern highways
connecting all of these cities, except, of course, Cozumel, an island,
which necessitates a ferry ride or a flight to get there. It is
very easy to get around this part of Mexico. Rental cars are still
very inexpensive and/or all of the lodges we work with have transfer
services that are part of the fishing packages. The US dollar is
widely accepted except in very rural small communities and even
there, they usually do not have any problems with it.

It is the ancient land of the
Mayan peoples with many ruins with the towering pyramids
dotting the jungles and coastline. Some are still entwined in the
jungle undergrowth and some ruins remain as tiny small structures
still standing strong against the elements and vandalism. They stand
as evidence of the strong thriving civilization of a thousand and
more years ago and as a reminder to the Mayan peoples of today,
of their heritage.
Proving that the Mexican peoples
are forward-looking at protecting their natural history and wildlife,
the Sian Ka’an Biosphere, a 1.3 million acre reserve, was
established in 1986 and stands today as a success for preserving
over 20 known archeological sites, over 100 known mammal species
and over 300 known bird species in conjunction with over 2000 inhabitants.
It’s Mayan for “where the sky is born” or “gift
of the sky”.
The popularization of fly fishing
in the Yucatan and especially in the state of Quintana Roo,
can be traced primarily to Antonio Gonzalez, when he first founded
Boca Paila Lodge in 1964. Tony was an adventurer as well as the
mayor of Cozumel. Mike Michalak, The Fly Shop owner, recalls that
it was with Tony at Boca Paila in 1978, that he caught his first
bonefish. Tony loved two activities dearly, flying and fishing.
Unfortunately, one of these loves proved more dangerous than the
other. He died with his plane’s controls in his hands instead
of a fly rod. It is the longest continually running fishing lodge
in the Mexican Yucatan. In the 60’s, 70’s and early
80’s, fly fishers from the US started exploring these south-of-the-border
waters. They found huge schools of unsophisticated bonefish and
miles of shoreline habitat perfect for baby tarpon and snook. Permit
were also abundant, although still as persnikity as ever and rarely
taking a fly. Other lodges started popping up, mostly around Ascension
Bay. One was started on land (a private island named Punta Pajaros,
on the south side of Ascension Bay) once owned by Gonzalez and was
to become one of the more famous fishing lodges in the saltwater
world; Casa Blanca and later Playa Blanca. Other lodges to follow
were Pez Maya, Ascension Bay Bonefish Club, Pesca Maya, Palometa
Club, Paradise Lodge and others spread out up and down the coast
from Xcalak to Isla Holbox.
It is also home to tens of
thousands of bonefish, permit, tarpon, snook, snapper and barracuda.
The fishing is holding up very well. Some say, in part, due to the
rules set down by the Sian Ka’an Biosphere, severely restricting
commercial and sport fishing within it’s boundaries. Thousands
of sportfishers visit the Mexican Yucatan every year, but there
is still remote and secluded fishing to be found where you, your
fishing partner and your guide are the only people in sight on a
flats miles in length and the next fish you see might be a bonefish,
tarpon, permit or a snook. You can’t ask for much more than
that.
Flights into Cancun are common
from just about every major city in the world. Several non-stop
flights are available from the US. Once you arrive and get through
customs, you will make your way to your car rental, hotel or will
be met by the lodge representative where you are going to stay.
Pretty easy.
Seasons
There is no bad time to visit the Mexican
Yucatan for fishing. Most of the fishing we are interested
in involves sighting the fish before casting to it. Clouds and rain
are the worst elements to prevent this. There are times of the year
when these conditions have higher odds of occurring (October through
January), not usually for long periods, but possible none-the-less.
But even with these days, fishing is still possible, even if it
is blind casting for tarpon, snook and barracuda or just looking
for tailing fish under just right conditions. But even during this
season there are usually far more good days than not. And when you
consider that even “bad” days during the winter in the
Yucatan are better that “good” days at the same time
in the northern US, going south in mid winter is can be a very good
plan.
Newcomers to this part of the
world need to be aware of the hurricane season between June
and November. Just because it is the season it does not mean hurricanes
will happen. In fact, during any given stay the odds are that anglers
won’t be anywhere near a hurricane. It is a favorite time
of year for a lot of long-time Yucatan anglers. July and August
offer up some the best fishing of the year. Fewer people, more fish
and bigger fish. Good ingredients for a fishing recipe.
Money
The Mexican Peso is the currency used,
even though the US dollar is accepted almost everywhere throughout
the Mexican Yucatan. If you are planning to spend some time traveling
through or staying in one of the smaller villages or towns, it would
be wise to trade some dollars for pesos when in Cancun. Credit cards
are accepted in the larger cities, but not so widely accepted in
smaller towns and villages. Be sure to notify your credit card company
that you are planning to travel outside of the United States and
your dates of travel.
Travel
Almost all of the major airlines have flights
into Cancun. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations
in the world. You will need a passport, but you don’t need
a visa. As with any international travel, be sure to check with
your family doctor about medicines you should take and if any shots
or vaccines are recommended.
Check http://www.tsa.gov/index.shtm
for the latest in travel regulations.
Every traveler should check
out travel insurance and/or medivac insurance before traveling to
a foreign destination. Some have rules that require signing
on with two weeks of making a deposit for a trip to cover certain
pre-existing conditions, so make this one of the first things to
look in to when planning a trip.
Once in Mexico, every
one of our lodges has honed and updated their transfers so that
each of our and their clients is assured of the safest and most
comfortable trip available. All are met at the airport (unless,
of course, they decide to stay in a hotel for a night or two before
traveling on to the lodge), by the driver/lodge representative.
They are then driven to the lodge or in the case of Casa Blanca
and Playa Blanca to the General Aviation airport (next to the international
airport) to fly by chartered plane to the lodge.

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Boca Paila
This historic lodge is the most famous fly fishing haven on
the Yucatan Peninsula and the nearest to Cancun.
> read more |
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Palometa
Palometa is only a few minutes away from the grand slam angling
excesses of Ascension Bay and has instant access to the fishing
that begins in the huge, wind-sheltered Boca Paila lagoon
just behind the lodge.
> read more |
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Casa Blanca
Casa Blanca is, arguably, the finest, most deluxe and best-equipped
angling resort in the Mexican Yucatan.
> read more |
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Playa Blanca
If one were to dream up the perfect location for a saltwater
flats fishing lodge, it would be hard to find one better than
on the private island of Punta Pajaros...
> read more |
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Campeche
No sweat, often non-stop, and always exciting 8-weight tarpon
action can be found on the Mayan west coast of the Yucatan
Peninisula.
> read more |
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Paradise Lodge
Paradise has near exclusive access to a million-acre in-shore
preserve and more than a dozen shallow lagoons near the lodge
with a remarkable population of teenage tarpon.
> read more |
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Holbox
This quaint island Mexican fishing village just north of Cancun,
is literally surrounded by tarpon.
> read more |
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