Fishing in Cuba

[Tenacious Billy]

Heading to Cuba after Christmas and am wondering if anyone has any experience/advice on fishing there? Areas to try/stay away from?....I get the impression that January is a slower season as far as fishing goes, but I'm not beaching it all day, regardless of conditions.

I'll be packing my fly rod and we'll probably look to arrange something with a guide-outfit off shore as well. Any advice is appreciated.

Cheers,

[835]

Lucky bugger,,, my wife and i wanted to go there last season.... Bone fish.... Make sure you post what you find.
id be interested to hear how it goes. We will get there some day

[Shooter]

I didn't do any fishing while there but can recommend doing the catamaran tour. Do the full day trip that includes swimming with some dolphins and snorkeling on the reef. Also HIGHLY recommend taking a day to visit Havana.

[brian]

Don't bring a GPS or 2 way radio! They are illegal there.

[Shooter]

Oh ya... make sure the parent company of any credit cards you plan to use while there are not US based. They will not be accepted.

[Brez]

i'm going in Feb and a guy I just met has gone flyfishing for tarpon and had a blast. Google it and It will really get you going. I will be getting guides' names and cards in the near future and can pm you if you wish

[YAMMY-CA]

Heading to Cuba after Christmas and am wondering if anyone has any experience/advice on fishing there? Areas to try/stay away from?....I get the impression that January is a slower season as far as fishing goes, but I'm not beaching it all day, regardless of conditions.

I'll be packing my fly rod and we'll probably look to arrange something with a guide-outfit off shore as well. Any advice is appreciated.

Cheers,
I have fished cuba a few times-speaking spanish really helps if you are hoofing it-area around Cayo romano is good as are any areas around Isla de La reines.Wading flats is easy and there will be bones there but no Tarpon at that time-you may run into the occassional permit--offshore is a game for wahoo etc but haven't done a lot of it.it would help if one knew where you are headed.You could talk to Matt or Jason at Pacific Angler in Vancouver as they run trips down there-they might know some locals to hook up with.

[Tenacious Billy]

Thanks for all the input. Yammy, that post was aces! Cheers!

[ZENYO]

Thanks for the info Yammy! I'm going to Veradaro on Dec 28 for a week... First time to Cuba... First time anywhere sunnier than osoyoos for that matter... :). I'd love to do some fishing while I'm there also...

[Steelpulse]

obviously there is saltwater fishing which i'd imagine would be great but the large mouth bass fishing is supposed to be great can definitely find some 10lbers

[Rock Doctor]

I brought a Breakdown Spinning rod with me, caught lots of stuff right from shore: (Don't try to bring hooks on as "Carry-on")
Grunts
Puffer Fish
Silver Snapper
Octapuss
Don't remember the names of them all.
I just asked for a plate of raw prawns in at any of the resort eating establishments. Got some strange looks, but after a few days they always had a plate of raw prawns waiting for me.
Take a good supply of Batteries and cheap "Headlights". You WILL need lights to fish after dark. (3 for 10 bucks at Walmart). (To give to all your new friends)
No Licences or anything required to fish from shore
After a couple days, the resort security guys will be chatting you up, and in the evenings the guys getting off shift will start fishing with you.
Be carefull, I grabbed one fish that made my hands numb and ichy for hours, also, the Octapuss that I caught must have been very poisonous (The Security Guard, that was with me when I caught it ,almost freaked out when I brought it in. He would not let me touch it, killed it immediately and left it on my hook for bait.)

One of the locals that fished with me was a Chief in the one of the kitchens, he cooked up the Silver Snappers I caught for our whole party. They made a huge production out of it, very entertaining.
Sometimes the resturant workers will bring out a few bottles of wine for you to enjoy as you fish into the night

As mentioned, don't bring any GPS or GMRS Radios, unless you want to spend a couple hours in a Cuban Interigation Room with several Ugly Dudes pointing Machine Guns at you. (Yes, I brought radios and a GPS with me...........NOT cool)

RD

[whitetailsheds]

Sounds like an adventure Kyle!!! Any photos or some of your Youtube material?

[Tenacious Billy]

Great post RD - thanks.

[The Dawg]

As mentioned, don't bring any GPS or GMRS Radios, unless you want to spend a couple hours in a Cuban Interigation Room with several Ugly Dudes pointing Machine Guns at you. (Yes, I brought radios and a GPS with me...........NOT cool)

RD


OR a cell phone with GPS capabilities...my bro forgot and found out the hard way.

[Rock Doctor]

Sounds like an adventure Kyle!!! Any photos or some of your Youtube material?

Actually, we had 2 cameras go "missing" sometime between when we left Cuba, and when we got home.
I only have about a dozen pics from that whole 2 week stay in Cuba.
Kind of a Piss-Off, but on the bright side, they let me back out of the Country instead of tossing me into prison. (After aprox 2 hrs in the "Interigation Room" and about 1,000 questions, I wasn't sure if I was getting out of there or not)

Cool place to visit, I WOULD go back.

RD

[igojuone]

Check out www.therealcuba.com before you go.

[ZENYO]

Great info Rock Doctor! Thanks!