“FLY FISHING IN CAYO SANTA MARÍA" Tour

“FLY FISHING IN CAYO SANTA MARÍA" Tour

The incredible area of Cayo Santa Maria is known as the Shadpole paradise of Cuba's north coast and the world-class destination for Shadpole on the go. Here, your trophy fish is just a shot away! This fly fishing base is located in the north-central section of Cuba, at "Cayo Las Brujas", Villa Clara. The area is part of the beautiful attractions found in this site of a privileged and excellent area of marine life.

Environment:

Since the year 2000, Cayo Santa María was declared Biological Heritage of the Biosphere Reserve of Buenavista Bay by UNESCO. Jardines del Rey (GOK): From March to August, Cayo Santa María is characterized by the fly fishing of migratory shad. It is recognized as the best great tarpon fly fishing destination in Cuba and yet it has spines, cudas, cats and other saltwater species. With our new management and developments, the quality of fly fishing has increased. It focuses on the preservation of marine life, research and control of a "healthy" ecosystem which, along with conservation efforts, allows us to better fly fish. This northern area has become a relevant nautical infrastructure for tourism. Anglers can stay at a 5-star hotel on the coast, which offers a personalized service. Shad is abundant in this area from March to August, which is found in very clearly determined places. There are many channels through which large quantities of tarpon enter and leave the open sea, and where they are relatively easy to catch. We also have many areas for fly fishing in the bay, with deeper waters up to 20 feet; in these areas tarpon are abundant. You will often see fish rolling into the schools, and skiffs are positioned ahead of them to intercept casts. There are also large flat areas of clear water 3 to 6 feet deep where they can be easily seen. For the spiny fish, there are large areas of mangrove floors and vegetation for boat fishing or wading. Permits are vast in deeper waters called floats, some weighing up to 40 pounds. The average weight varies from 25 to 30 pounds. You can find many different varieties of flatfish at Jardines del Rey; however, it is Tarpon that makes this area famous for fly fishing. The resident tarpon is present all year round and varies in size from 10 to 80 pounds. Starting in March, Gardens of the King begins to see the largest migratory Tarpon, and the fish continue to be present until August. These fish can weigh over 150 pounds and are a true test of a fly fisherman's skills.

You should arrive every day at the Cayo Las Brujas marina, which is only 1 mile from the Cayo Las Brujas airport, your guide and boat will be waiting for you. We do not have equipment at the marina, so you must bring your own.

What does the tour include

• Professional bilingual fishing guide.
• Fishing boat for up to two anglers.
• 8 hours aprox (7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.)
• Round trip transportation.
• Box lunch.
• Open bar with non-alcoholic beverages (water, soft drinks, and juices)

Very important note: Spinning fishing is not allowed.

Maximum capacity of fly fishing boats: Maximum of 2 people per boat.

Main fly fishing species:

Bonefish:

Cuba has more Bonefish per square mile than any location that we have ever been. It's a destination where schools of Bonefish are not unusual. But casting to double or single cruisers is more the norm. That means that you are almost always targeting big healthy fish. The average size of Bonefish in Cayo Santa María is between 6 to 8 lbs. But casting to Bonefish over 10 lbs. is a common everyday occurrence. Recommended equipment: 8wt rods with bonefish taper floating fly lines. 15lb. fluorocarbon tapered leaders. Recommended flies: Bead head weighted flies. Tan Crazy Charlie’s with rubber legs. E.P. Spawning Shrimp and Mantis Shrimp. Size 4

Permit (Trachinotus falcatus):

Permit have been called many things. Easy to catch is certainly not one of them. They are a spooky, moody frustrating fish. Some fly fishermen who have been on a quest to land a permit for years brought to tears when that moment finally happens and they bring the first permit of their career to hand. Permit can be elusive. Your best chance of hooking and landing a Permit are in a location where Permit are abundant. The more shots that you have, the better the odds. The Permit population in Gardens of the King is extremely healthy. Permit are prevalent on the flats of Cayo Coco throughout the year. They begin to show up on the flats in more significant numbers towards the end of March and can be easily targeted until the end of November. Recommended equipment: 9-10wt rods with quick loading bonefish/permit floating lines. 16-20 fluorocarbon tapered leaders. Recommended flies: Flexo-Crab size 2, Crab patterns with rubber legs, Avalon Permit Fly sizes 4 and 2.

Tarpon (Atlantic tarpon):

Florida is clearly recognized as the best place to go to hook up a big Tarpon. But one of the complaints about tarpon fishing in Florida is the sheer number of people doing the same thing. The flats and channels where the big tarpon frequent in the spring are more populated by expensive flats boats and fishermen than they are with tarpon. The spring migration of tarpon to the flats of Gardens of the King is truly world class. Large Tarpon start to ascend on to the flats in the beginning of April and are usually present late into June and early July. Recommended equipment: 10-12wt rods with floating Tarpon taper line plus Intermediate Tropical Sink Tip. 30lb. fluorocarbon leader with 80-100lb. bite tippets. Recommended flies: Black Death, Purple Death, Tarpon Toad, Cockroach, Red/White Tarpon Fly. 2/0 and 3/0.

TIPS: • Note that you will need to bring everything that you need with you. There are not any fly shops in Cuba. • We always recommend that you bring an extra rod and reel in the event that one happens to break.