DIY on CC Cuba

[scuro]

Having been to CG for the last three trips we thought we would change it up and actually stay at CC at the Melia.



The place has it's upsides like the house band.



There there is the grill and beach side restaurant...lovely view.



Gotta love the beach.



I had spotted Pelicans off of the resort and was pleased with myself. Then I encountered the beach Pelican who let you get up close and personal for pics.



But I can't stay on the compound for long and for me that meant finding new fishing spots. Unlike CG choice spots are not within walking distance and that meant splurging for a rented car.



Cool was finding Flamingo beach with my wife. It's a lovely secluded beach and a beachcombers paradise.



I saw serious netting being just put away in in big mesh bags. Over a half dozen Cubans were at the end of the beach on Coco down from the Melia. It was about 1 hour after the high tide. They brought down a bigger truck. Virtually all of the islands get fished by Cubans, be it from boat or land, by line or net.



Still, if one takes the time to learn and explore, one can still find nice fish.



Exploring got me hooked up to my first tarpon not in the stink. Some swirls and two hook-ups that lasted less then 5 seconds. What a fun fish! Also caught bones and a jack and what I believe is a grey snapper below. It's a huge learning curve to learn how to fish the southern waters but I gotta admit it's a lovely way to spend a week out of our Canadian winter icebox!

[ratsotail]

Scuro,

Also referred to as mangrove snapper...that's what we always referred to them in Belize. Cool fish! Happy to hear you jumped some Tarpon...by far the wiliest and strongest game fish of all time in the saltwater IMO. Were they the smaller variety (10-20 lbs) or a bit bigger in your estimation...and what were you throwing? More details !

Tight Lines,

ratsotail

[GR8-Scott]

nice report and GR8 pictures ... thanks for sharing !

[scuro]

Throwing smaller poppers say 2 inches, the fish were all say 2 - 7 pounds. Baby baby tarpon...but a seven pound tarpon exploding on a popper is fun! Bzzzzz, splash, jump, shake, splash...zzzzzz, splash, jump, shake, and she is off.

If you take a look at the two fish photos I don't believe they are the same type of snapper. Isn't the one with the red tail a mangrove snapper?

[Chevy Champagne]

cool report for sure cool looking fish

[ratsotail]

Throwing smaller poppers say 2 inches, the fish were all say 2 - 7 pounds. Baby baby tarpon...but a seven pound tarpon exploding on a popper is fun! Bzzzzz, splash, jump, shake, splash...zzzzzz, splash, jump, shake, and she is off.

If you take a look at the two fish photos I don't believe they are the same type of snapper. Isn't the one with the red tail a mangrove snapper?

Scuro,

The first photo is really hard to tell since the fish is in the water and at an angle. The colors look different for sure. But if you google the Gray Snapper (proper name) or Mangrove or Mango Snapper (local names) you'll see the last fish on your post is a Gray. Too bad you didn't land one of those "baby" Tarpon. The smallest I've ever landed was around 20 lbs and spent more time out of the water than in. Congrats on breaking away from the crowds and exploring...and hooking up with fish.

Tight Lines,

ratsotail

[scuro]

Scuro,

Also referred to as mangrove snapper...that's what we always referred to them in Belize.

I've been thinking about going to Belize some time in the future. Any thoughts on their fishery? How much is a week there per person?

[RJ]

I loved Cayo Coco....though our fishing that week was relegated to lagoons at the resort I did make a great contact with a local who knows his stuff bigtime.....hopefully next winter we'll go back...

RJ

[chuchi]

Hi,

I'm heading down to CC (NH Krystal) in a few weeks with the family. I don't think I can sit still in the resort so I'd like to try some fishing. Would you be so kind as to provide me some tips such as what to bring, what to use and types of spots to look for. I've never fished outside of Ontario, so any tips would be greatly appreciated.

THANKS,

[scuro]

Gee that is a tough one. The trick is to find current which means you need a tide table. http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/get_pr ... &footnote=
Best current is two hours before high tide and two hours after. By the resort there is little serious current so that would mean a car...and even so, if you find current you are most likely competing with Cubans who know their stuff. I don't know how many tourists I've seen catch nothing while Cubans catch stuff with live bait. There are Cubans who work at the resort. If you wear fishing gear they will find him. If you want to Do-IT-Yourself I would suggest two possibilities. One would be the island at the far end of the beach on the west. It's a brisk hour + walk one way. It looks like there is deep water off the outer edge and there is a huge flat also. Fished neither but explored area on my last day. You would need water boots because to get there you have to walk on some gunky flats with shells. Flats fishing for bonefish is a giant learning curve and you would need a great pair of polarized glasses to do so. It is a stalking thing like fishing pike in the shallows at spring. You have to sight them before they sight you. Lots has been written about this. The other option would to be get up on that island and use a good sinking casting plug. Rapela has come out with some new ones. Clown pattern works as does fire tiger. Clown for sunny days. Silver is always good. If you sight current from the outcrop on the island, toss it there. There is also a large rock outcrop closer west of the beach with a good drop off. Weighted jigs and casting plugs would work here. Live bait works best. Never tried it but have heard from many that it is a good spot.

Easiest would to go fishing off of the back of one of the Cats. Around 20 pesos for 2 hours. One guy caught a 15 and 20 pound Cuda off of the back of one and he was in heaven. Guided trips around 200-300 pesos at Paredon will get you into serious fish in a hurry. Hope that helps. Don't overlook the lagoon at the resort itself. Most lagoons on the islands at least hold small fish if they drain. Try small poppers like chugbugs smallest version, at dawn and dusk preferably on the high tide. Bring a good pike rod with a sturdy reel that holds as much line as possible. 15 pound mono minimum.

Last but not least use Cubamania as a research tool. Loads of good advice if you sift. http://www.cubamania.com/cuba/forumdisplay.php?f=93

[D-mo]

Chuchi:
Have a look at this website, it details equipement and lure and line, and even some places to go. The links are kind wierd ... but search around the site and you will find all the info.

http://www.webpeche.owally.com/p_coco20 ... 009_a.html

http://www.webpeche.owally.com/techniqu ... tiona.html

I will be down in the Melia Cayo Coco to flyfish for bones in the next couple of weeks. If you need any further info, just PM me, I will be more than happy to point you in the right direction.

d-mo

[ratsotail]

Scuro,

Also referred to as mangrove snapper...that's what we always referred to them in Belize.

I've been thinking about going to Belize some time in the future. Any thoughts on their fishery? How much is a week there per person?

Scuro,

We used to go to Caye Bockel; the last island on the southern tip of the Turneffe Islands. The nearest lodge is Turneffe Island Lodge, which is a fine resort, but we used to laugh at the guides who took people out for the day. I'm sure it was pricey.

We were fortunate to stay with a family with a primitive camp set up on Bockel who fished and lobster trapped for a living. We'd fish the blue water, reefs, islands and flats and the family would sell the fish while we got great pictures and memories. The man that ran the camp is one of the most amazing people I've ever met. He had such keen eyes and could see things in the water (no sunglasses) that we struggled to see with our best polarized glasses.

We would pay the family about $700 a piece for ten days (cheap), but we'd buy all the food (for the whole family), gas, and supplies, and leave a bunch of terminal tackle and supplies behind. The camp would sell the fish in Belize City every third day and they would resupply the camp at that time too (no power or refrigeration).

The fishery was diverse and it just depended what you felt like doing. We'd fish off the deep reefs and blue water for big Kingfish (which you'd have to battle the sharks for once hooked), Grouper, Spanish Mackerel, big Cudas, Red and Black Snapper, and jacks. Fishing the islands and mangrove undercuts you'd catch every Snapper you could identify and bust the Tarpon occasionally. Permit and Bonefish on the flats, but we had too much fun going after the big fish. We'd always try to time our trips around a full moon, which sent the big Black and Cubera Snapper wild at night as they prepared to spawn. In a nutshell, the fishing was out of this world and the accommodations we had were spartan at best, but we had a blast with the extended family that stayed on the island.

Lastly, I liked summertime better since it was cloudier and easier on the skin. Fishing 10-12 hours a day (mornings, afternoons and nights) was pretty tough on the skin and body.

Tight Lines,

ratsotail

[scuro]

Sounds like paradise..... happy memories! thanks for sharing. Belize is protecting it's game fish now unlike Cuba. The americans are coming the americans are coming...to Cuba, and if not the Italians are buying up the fishing operations down there and then getting the government to enforce strict no fishing policies covering entire islands....except for their customers. It will only be a mater of time before I'll have to find another paradise. Gotta say my first taste of baby tarpon this go around peeked my interest . Never seen a more acrobatic fish. They just went ape$hite when hooked.