Cuba Fishing (Varadero)
Cuba Fishing (Varadero)
I'm headed to Cuba (Varadero) at the end of the week and I'm going to bring my heavy/med spinning rods and was wondering if anyone if anyone has fished in the area before. I don't have much (next to none) experience in saltwater. Ant tips on tackel or techniques for saltwater (dosen't just have to be Cuba) would be awsome. Locations to try would also be appriciated as well as there is not a whole lot of info on the web about fishing other then deep sea, I'll be doing most of my fishing from shore or a rented padel boat. Also i will be renting a moped or something or i don't mind traveling an hour or two. Thanks in advance and i'll be sure to post a report as soon as i get back
I haven't read any of the forums, but I found this site:
http://www.theperfect.com/forfishingincuba/
http://www.theperfect.com/forfishingincuba/
I havent done any in Cuba, but I do have experience in the Gulf of Mexico in Florida.
I mainly used Shrimp down there. I fish near a small harbour in a quiet section of Sarasota Bay and I'll use a full shrimp (live) on a single hook & weight rig.
When fishing across the road (in the Gulf of Mexico) I typically used cut shrimp on the same rig. I have had success about an hour or two before high tide, either going to a pass (where the ocean flows into a Bay) or just in the waves.
Your best bet is to ask the baitshop. They'll know.
Best of luck!
I mainly used Shrimp down there. I fish near a small harbour in a quiet section of Sarasota Bay and I'll use a full shrimp (live) on a single hook & weight rig.
When fishing across the road (in the Gulf of Mexico) I typically used cut shrimp on the same rig. I have had success about an hour or two before high tide, either going to a pass (where the ocean flows into a Bay) or just in the waves.
Your best bet is to ask the baitshop. They'll know.
Best of luck!
Varadero...with all it's strip hotels with many hotel guests and then you have locals who are also crazy about fishing and looking for protein. 
I'd start with google earth. Look around and see what current is near the area. Areas with good current are often visible from google earth. For a first timer I'd target Cudas. Bait works I simply tipped some of my lures with raw seafood from the resort. Cuda are always around but I'd guess that the size won't be as big. They don't need bait. Still they are really aggressive and I had one hit my lure so hard that it bent the tip of the rod down about 60 degrees in an instant which caused my line to wrap around the tip, which then got yanked off.
They like fast moving baits through current. You must be on the water with the tides. They wait in ambush around flowing water. Forget any Rapela like lure, spinnerbait, cranks...they don't chase wabble. Topwater can work. They don't know black..they won't chase it. They like white, silver, and chartreuse.
What I would bring
- a great pair of sunglasses above all else.
- wading boots
- loads of heavy sunscreen if you don't have dark black hair
- a reel that can hold 200 yards of say 20-40 braided. The reel should also have a good gear ratio for burning a lure
- deer hair jigs(can be tipped with bait and reeled a bit slower for other species)
- look for flat chunky "spoon" like lures...kinda like an ice fishing lure. They have specific lures for down south like this and some of the better fishing stores in Ontario carry them. You need lures that you can throw and burn quickly. Long plastic sluggos perhaps even muskie size...in white and silver. They Cuda tube lures in the states.
Ahh looking at this picture makes me wish I was going again. Notice the small tackle box, the goal is light weight. I'd carry a small knapsack with water, camera...and sandels. All of that is easy to get onto a rental scooter. I'd walk the shore for a few hours each day with the incoming tide and also outgoing tide.
Try these websites
http://www.tides.info/list.html
http://www.cubamania.com/cuba/forumdisplay.php?f=93
http://reel-time.com/forum/forumdisplay ... d93ff1&f=7
I'd start with google earth. Look around and see what current is near the area. Areas with good current are often visible from google earth. For a first timer I'd target Cudas. Bait works I simply tipped some of my lures with raw seafood from the resort. Cuda are always around but I'd guess that the size won't be as big. They don't need bait. Still they are really aggressive and I had one hit my lure so hard that it bent the tip of the rod down about 60 degrees in an instant which caused my line to wrap around the tip, which then got yanked off.
They like fast moving baits through current. You must be on the water with the tides. They wait in ambush around flowing water. Forget any Rapela like lure, spinnerbait, cranks...they don't chase wabble. Topwater can work. They don't know black..they won't chase it. They like white, silver, and chartreuse.
What I would bring
- a great pair of sunglasses above all else.
- wading boots
- loads of heavy sunscreen if you don't have dark black hair
- a reel that can hold 200 yards of say 20-40 braided. The reel should also have a good gear ratio for burning a lure
- deer hair jigs(can be tipped with bait and reeled a bit slower for other species)
- look for flat chunky "spoon" like lures...kinda like an ice fishing lure. They have specific lures for down south like this and some of the better fishing stores in Ontario carry them. You need lures that you can throw and burn quickly. Long plastic sluggos perhaps even muskie size...in white and silver. They Cuda tube lures in the states.
Ahh looking at this picture makes me wish I was going again. Notice the small tackle box, the goal is light weight. I'd carry a small knapsack with water, camera...and sandels. All of that is easy to get onto a rental scooter. I'd walk the shore for a few hours each day with the incoming tide and also outgoing tide.
Try these websites
http://www.tides.info/list.html
http://www.cubamania.com/cuba/forumdisplay.php?f=93
http://reel-time.com/forum/forumdisplay ... d93ff1&f=7
Thanks to all that have replied with tips, i'll be sure to bring some large brightly coloured muskie/pike lures and the fastest reel i have spooled with fireline crystal (anyone try that line yet?) The hotel also rents out padle boats so hopefully there is a reef holding fish close by as those padle boats are a lil slower then my boat here at home. Is jigging with a bright jig a good idea? or a waste of time? Anyway I'm bringing some extra hooks, swivels and mono line to give to some of thr local fisherman maybe they will share some spots with me. Just got a new digital camera and can't wait to take my first fish picture with it.....report to follow hopefully with some nice fish pics.
Jigging on a reef can be awesome especially jigs with tipped bait. Colours to try are very bright party colours and white and silver. You can cast and burn heavier jigs or bounce them on the bottom for some less aggressive fish like snapper. Get a 1/2 ounce jig or as heavy as you can get it for burning. Plastic works too instead of deer hair but even small Cudas completely destroy plastics on the first take so bring lots if you do it that way.
Also don't forget leaders. You don't need big muskie leaders but titanium at say 20 pound test would be best or fluorocarbon at 80 pound test. Many fish down there will just rip through any other type of line or quickly kink regular leaders.
Even if the catches are not on the larger side, post pics. I'd love to see the landscape on that side of the island and also species of fish. If you are thinking of doing deepsea fishing and are willing to dish out $200-$300 dollars consider going to a game reserve on the south side of the island. It will cost you about $100-200 dollars for the 3-4 hour taxi ride but I heard the fishing is great. PM me if you want more details on that one.
Also the saltwater really is corrosive so totally load up your reel with grease and wash everything as soon as you get back to your room. I wouldn't bring expensive reels or lures unless they are designed for the ocean.
Also don't forget leaders. You don't need big muskie leaders but titanium at say 20 pound test would be best or fluorocarbon at 80 pound test. Many fish down there will just rip through any other type of line or quickly kink regular leaders.
Even if the catches are not on the larger side, post pics. I'd love to see the landscape on that side of the island and also species of fish. If you are thinking of doing deepsea fishing and are willing to dish out $200-$300 dollars consider going to a game reserve on the south side of the island. It will cost you about $100-200 dollars for the 3-4 hour taxi ride but I heard the fishing is great. PM me if you want more details on that one.
Also the saltwater really is corrosive so totally load up your reel with grease and wash everything as soon as you get back to your room. I wouldn't bring expensive reels or lures unless they are designed for the ocean.