Fishing in Cuba with Roxtons

The Isle of Youth is perhaps best known for its extraordinary tarpon fishing and there are very few places in the world where you will have more chances to cast to big tarpon on the fly. The bonefish and permit fishing are worth the visit on their own. 

Accommodation can be land based in Hotel Rancho which is basic but clean and comfortable or, our preferred option, an intact party of five can take the 75ft yacht, Perola. Not only is she very comfortable but a ‘live aboard’ takes away long skiff rides and means you can maximise the superb fishing that this destination can offer.

A Maximum of 14 rods have exclusive rights to fish this entire pristine and most importantly, protected and remote, Marine Park in the Canarreos Archipelago.

Bonefish are of an excellent average size of around 4lbs, with tarpon frequently tipping the scales at 100lbs plus and the guides’ vast knowledge of permit, an incredibly pernickety fish, mean that Grand Slams are certainly achievable.

As well as the wonderful array of flats that one can either wade or pole, there is an amazingly productive reef with a range of species; grouper, bonito, barracuda, jacks and snapper will all come readily to a well-presented fly. The trolling can also provide some extraordinary fishing with yellowfin tuna, kingfish, wahoo and shark being just some of the fish that will test your tackle to its limit.

The Perola is a 75ft live aboard yacht that is based at the Isle of Youth and is perfect for groups of five to six guests.  There are five comfortable air-conditioned cabins, four have single beds and the fifth has a double bed.  Most of the cabins have their own bathrooms with good showers and plenty of hot water. 

This is an impressive yacht with highly polished hardwood floors and a circular stairway take you downstairs to the cabins or upstairs to the dining area on the top deck.  A full sized, air-conditioned salon on the main deck level is utilized for a living and dining area.  Relaxing into one of the plush couches or hammocks on deck with a freshly made cocktail is the perfect way to end a long day on the flats.

Cuisine on the Perola is superb.  Start the evening with fresh sashimi for appetizers and some of the finest frozen Daiquiris known to man, followed by fish of the day either caught by the fishermen or harvested by the crew accompanied by salads with fresh vegetables, pasta and rice dishes.   

Rod and Reel
The ideal rod for bonefishing in Cuba is a 9ft 8 weight with a robust reel constructed from a non-corrosive metal such as aluminum with good smooth drag control. The reel should hold at least 150 yards of backing. You should ensure that you have a spare rod in case of breakage as well as a spare reel and spools in case of accidents. This tackle will also suite well to catching permit.

If you are going to be targeting tarpon these immensely powerful fish require a 9ft, 10 to 12 weight fly rod, outfitted with a good quality tarpon reel.

Lines
High visibility weight forward lines compensate for the ever-present trade winds and can be seen in the air or on the water in bright light. Take an extra fly line just in case the first suffers damage. For tarpon fishing and permit fishing you should also have an intermediate line as well.

Nylon
Leaders should be 9 to 12ft, tapered clear nylon with tippet between 5 lbs. and 10 lbs. Ensure that you carry plenty with you. Most tackle stores stock excellent pre-tied bonefish leaders.

Flies
Below is a list of some of the flies we recommend:

Bonefish flies

• Pop's Bonefish Bitters
• Pop's Egghead Bitters
• To-Dy-For (small unweighted shrimp pattern)
• Gotcha, Horror, baited Breath
• Crazy Charlies - white, pink, brown
• Raghead Crab
• Various small shrimp and crab patterns

Permit Flies

• Del Brown's Permit Crab
• Raghead Crab
• McCrab
• Various other crab patterns

Tarpon Flies

• Apte style tarpon flies
• Cockroach, black & purple, orange & black, red & black
• Dark colors tend to be better in the early morning and brighter colors work best when it is bright

The list is endless and will depend to a large extent on the kind of flat you are fishing, its background color and depth.

Other Items

• Lightweight long sleeved shirts
• Lightweight long trousers/shorts
• Wide brimmed hat
• Wading shoes with socks
• Lightweight sweater or fleece
• Lightweight rain jacket
• Polarised Glasses
• High factor sunscreen and lip salve

In our opinion we consider the Isle of Youth to be purely a fishing destination, and activities for non fishing guests are very limited.

Season
The season for fishing in Cuba runs from October until the end of July each year.

Time Difference from GMT
- 5 hours

Electricity
The Perola has both 220 and 110 volt 2 prong plugs so Europeans will need converters and an adapter.

Currency
The national currency is the Cuban Peso (pesos cubanos) however, most, if not all of your transactions will be in Convertible Pesos (CVP's). It is now illegal to use US$ Dollars in Cuba to purchase anything from bars and shops. You can only obtain CVP's in Cuba, the best place being at the exchange counter at the airport or from branches of CADECA (CASA DE CAMBIO) which are located in Havana and around the country. It is advisable to take UK Sterling or Euros to exchange as there is a penalty for exchanging US$. 1CVP is equal to US$1.

Most travellers cheques and credit cards are accepted at the hotels except those issued by American banks i.e. American Express and Diners Club.

Tips
Whilst in Havana, you will find that the majority of hotels are all-inclusive and additional gratuities are at your discretion. Tips are discretionary and should be regarded as a bonus for exceptional service. As a guideline we recommend approximately 150 CVP's per person to the guide and 75 CVP's per person for the boat staff. It is usual if you are fishing on your own to double the amount for your guide. If you night fish then a gratuity to the guide would be most welcome.

Visa Requirements
Tourist card available through Roxtons. Your passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of your return home. A tourist visa is compulsory for entry to Cuba. This is valid for 30 days from the date of arrival. You need to hand in your Tourist Card on check-in along with your tickets and passport. Whilst you are in Cuba you must retain the tear-off part of the Tourist Card given to you by customs as you will require this on departure from Cuba.

Medical Requirements
At present there are no mandatory vaccination requirements for those traveling to Cuba. However we recommend that you check with your doctor prior to departure to receive the most up to date health information.

Insects
Whilst on the flats you are unlikely to encounter mosquitoes. However, when pursuing tarpon in the mangroves and in the evening or on a still night you may find mosquitoes and we would advise that you carry insect repellents such as Jungle Formula.

Recommended Reading

• Fly fishing in Saltwater by Lefty Kreh
• Fishingthe Flats by Lefty Kreh & Mark Sosin
• Bonefishing with the Fly by Randall Kaufman
• Fly fishing for Bonefish by Dick Brown
• Fly fishing the flats by Barry and Cathy Beck