Words by Aaron Wood // Images by Aaron Wood & Jim Wagers
I booked my first trip toĀ Cuba over two years ago, so as the date approached,Ā I was giddy with excitement to finally experience this fishery.Ā
Myself and eleven other anglers flew into Miami before making the short flight into Havana. The airport experience was fairly straightforwardĀ though a little hectic, as we arrived only days after a hurricane had swept over Cayo Largo and the mainland, passing just west of Havana. Because of the hurricane, power had only recently been restored, andĀ the airport was still playing catch up.
We arrived to our hotel and our group were taken to a nearby restaurant for a great meal before we had the option to head back to the hotel, or take a walking tour around Havana. I'd been up since 3AM, but there was zero chance I missed out on the opportunity, so I joinedĀ a tour guide to experience a bit of Old Havana. Havana is an incredibly complex and intriguing city, and signs of its dynamic colonial past are everywhere including old Spanish forts and stunning cathedrals. The area's architecture is jaw-dropping in places, while other parts of the city are dilapidated and untenable.Ā The experience left me with a profound sense of thankfulness, as most of Cuba's residents don't have access to the common items we take for granted. With that said, everyone I met or came across was incredibly kind and welcoming.
After our walking tour, we took a ride around the city in an old car, and I strongly recommend anyone traveling to Cuba to do this. While your excited to start fishing, its a truly unique experience that everyone in our group felt was important to see, to not only take in the sights, but better understand the complexities of the country and its people.
The next day, we were loaded up with cigars and began our 3 hour bus ride to the port. Everything to this point was incredibly streamlined, and while I am slightly biased, this process would absolutely not be as easy without the help of Yellow Dog. Cuba is complicated to say the least, and the value of having someone navigate the process for you cannot be overstated.Ā Once on board the Avalon I mothership, we met the staff, settled into our rooms, cracked some beers, and soon made our way out to sea. We quickly made our way to the top deck to watch the sunset, and this quickly became most everyone's nightly routine as we recanted the day's fishing stories.
The Fishing
The most unique aspect of the Canarreos program is that it is designed to showcase as much of the fishery in a week as possible. Instead of staying around Cayo Largo or Juventud, the mothership moves along the archipelago to allow anglers to fish totally new areas each day. The only downside to this is I would happily spend a week fishing Cayo Largo or Isla de la Juventud on their own -- There are simply too many good options to fish, and the entire place felt like Disneyland for the saltwater angler.
Each fishing day consisted of breakfast at 6:30AM, launching at 7:30AM, a midday lunch around 12PM, and wrapping up the day around 4 or 4:30PM. Anglers pack their lunch each morning and select the type and quantity of beverages they'd likeĀ the night before. When its time to launch,Ā the crewĀ quickly gather anglers rods, gear, and lunch/beverages, and your off in minutes. At the end of the day, they gather your gear, wash off your rods, and stow them for the next day. Many of these crew/guides have been with the program for a while, so it is a super streamlined process.Ā
Instead of diving into the day-to-day fishing, IĀ will touch on a few of the big takeaways for myself and my fellow anglers:
1. The bonefishing is first class. I've fished for bones all over, and the average fish here are larger than most Caribbean destinations. Bonefish averaged three to four pounds, but larger fish were caught, including an eight pounder by an angler in our group. Opportunities ranged from tailing fish, cruising singles and small schools,Ā as well as massive schools perfect for doubling up with your boat partner.Ā On the final day, we had shots at bonefish on rays all morning over white sand flats which was an incredible way to wrap up the week.
2. The tarpon in the area are happy and did not generally require an abundance of skill to hook. I made some longer casts in the 60-70 foot range, but also hooked fish 10 feet off the bow. With that said, you'll definitely have more success if you are a precise caster, as most of these fish are cruising beneath the mangroves or holding in mangroves pockets. We had high water most of the week, so being able to get your fly underneath overhanging branches or ping your fly in a tight spotĀ meant more hookups. Most of the fish I personally landed were in the 5-15 pound range, but we did have some 45-50 pound fish hooked and landed amongst our group. If you want to focus on bigger tarpon,Ā I would recommendĀ booking in the Spring or early Summer.
3. Forget about pressure. The reality is, the complicated nature of the Cuban government means their fishing flats are only fished by a limited number of anglers each week. Each day, anglers are assigned a zone, similar to the "beat" system found on many European rivers. This means only a few anglers are fishing an expansive zone each day, and the productivity of the fishery is there for all to see.Ā
4. Grade A permit flats. Our group had mixed permit fishing, and this could be down to a lot of factors. We came only a week after a hurricane, and there was a lot of fresh water in the system. Additionally, weather for the week wasn't perfect by any stretch, and its possible the cold front moving in pushed the fish off the flats. Over the week,Ā only one permit was landed and a couple others broke off, but the habitatĀ around Cayo Largo is as good as it gets for targeting them.
5. Plenty of diversity. In addition to the "big three," anglers in our group caught snook, mutton snapper, cubera snapper, boxfish, and more. I'd recommend bringing a full sink line for dredging some of the deep channels for big snapper (or tarpon at times). This is a lot of fun, andĀ it was great to bring back some snappers for the chef to prepare for dinner.
As the week came to an end, our crew reflected on a really great trip. Despite a few days of persistent cloud cover and strong winds, every angler had great fishing. Additionally, the crew and guides took great care of us every single day. From doing our laundry, cooking and serving us meals, and loading the skiffs each day, the ship's crew worked incredibly hard to make sure we had the best experience possible. By the end of the week, I felt like I had made friends withĀ many of them, and we swapped Whatsapp numbers to keep in touch. I'm really looking forward to the day I can return, see the crew, and experience this epic fishery once again.
Important Notes:
- BasicĀ items most of us take for granted are not readily available in Cuba, so bringing extra items for them goes a LONG way. If you can, leave some space in your luggage for important items like adult, child, and baby clothes, OTC medicine, hygiene products, shoes, etc. They are incredibly grateful for these hard to find items. Treats like candy are also highly coveted! At the end of the trip, consider leaving behind some of your fishing apparel behind for the guides if you are inclined to do so.
- With that in mind, if you need tackle -- You better bring it. The guide team do not have access to rods, flies, or terminal tackle, so if you break a rod or come unprepared, you better hope you have some giving shipmates!
+ View the Cuba Equipment List
+ View the Cuba Fly Assortment
- Bring some dramamine if you're prone to sea sickness. We had rough seas on the way back into port, and its worth having it just in case. No one on board got physically ill, but myself and a couple others were working hard to distract ourselves.Ā
- As always, practice your cast. If you're a good-to-experienced angler, you should have no problem catching fish in Cuba. With that said, you will still have challenging shots, and being able to make quick, precise casts in varying conditions is crucial to maximizing your time on the water. We had 25 knot winds and overcast conditions at times, meaning shots were difficult and hard to come by -- In this case, its crucial you make opportunities count. Also, fish in Cuba will still spookĀ from things like an overweighted fly, a fly line slapping the water, excessive false casts, or water-loading too aggressively -- Be smart, and you'll crush it.Ā
To learn more about the Canarreos program or fly fishing in Cuba, contact Yellow Dog.Ā
Related Articles:
- Cuba Fly Fishing Gear Guide: Everything You Need
- A Guide to the Fisheries of Cuba
- Waypoints Podcast: Fly Fishing Cuba Part I and Part II
- A Complete Guide to Fly Fishing Cuba for Bonefish
- Fly Fishing Cuba Video Series
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