Cancun, Mexico

[LyNcH]

We are heading to Cancun next week and are staying at a resort that has an exceptionally long beachfront. This time of year the resorts are not crowded and I should have plenty of early morning space to try fishing the surf for the first time. After doing a little web surfing, it looks like I might be able to get in a few jacks and possibly a bonefish or 2. I don't really have too many flies, mostly deceivers, a few crab patterns and crazy charlies. Will be taking down an 8wt rod and a friend is loaning me a couple fly lines, a floater and sink tip with a few more flies. Here is what my box looks like now.

I hope to be fishing the surf in the mornings M-W. Any tips regarding how to fish them, what to look for, presentation, leaders strength and length, floro vs mono tippet, etc?


On Thursday, I have booked a trip with a flats guide who will be taking me to Isla Blanca where the target fish are Bonefish, Snook, Permit and Tarpon. I have never fished from a platform boat nor stalked the flats, I can't wait!

I think I will sleep in on Friday and we will be returning home Saturday. Just enough time for me to rest up for the following weeks steelhead trip.

 

[draku007]

I fished below Cancun (2h south) and caught mostly small permit. There were couple monster barracudas in the area so I would definitely take some needlefish flies. Permits were chasing small white crabs and I already see some in your box so you're good here. You can also go after snappers when the sun goes down and they'll take any fly as long as you can get it to the bottom so take some lead with you.

Good luck.

 

[Trout Nazi]

Just a note. Before you go wading into the lagoon there at night, know that there are crocs, big ones, in there.

 

[Philthy Phil]

The first thing to look for is bait....if you're lucky the fish will be busting the surface. This is what I hope for when on the beach at first light. Its going to be hard to spot fish until the sun is up, so ideally they show for a morning blitz. If not, try to cast around any bait you see. If not, just flail...it can be worth it for the first hour of light.
I've fished beaches for snook but not bonefish. Spotting them can be a challenge in itself. When/if you do spot one don't take you're eyes off it, especially in the surf where its easy to lose them in the waves. The snook typically cruise at a walking pace so you can follow them down the beach and get into position. You probably know not to line the fish and place the fly ahead until they get to it then strip... With a weighted fly I try to lead by at least five feet to not spook with the splash. With unweighted flies you can drop at as close as 2 feet. This works for Snook at least which are "up lookers" , I think bones are typically lead more with weighted flies since they are "down lookers" and are designed to suck things off the sand.
The Jacks will typically crush anything that get in front of them. These fish are awesome fighters. I've have sight fished one yet, as the ones I've spotted (30 lbers!) were moving fast. Flies that cause commotion will get their attention. I've heard they will take poppers especially in the early morning...

For a leader, I usually just use a straight peace of 25 lb flouro. You can get away with 5-6 ft most times, but if you're sighting pickier fish like bones/snook go with 8-10 ft. A lot people like floating lines when spotting fish, preferably with a clear tip. When you just prospecting/flogging the surf an intermediate or sink tip will cut through the waves and keep your line in the strike zone longer than a floating line that will get washed in.
Don't forget to at least rig up some sort of stipping basket...

 

[draku007]

Also dress properly for the sun and don't forget to take a pair of gloves - I highly recommend Simms sun gloves.

 

[LyNcH]

Also dress properly for the sun and don't forget to take a pair of gloves - I highly recommend Simms sun gloves.

Thanks. Those are the exact gloves I purchased a couple weeks ago. I think I am set up forthis adventure. Thanks to a friend, I now have 3 fly boxes of saltwater patterns, and a sinking and floating 10wt line.

Were will be at the airport 48 hours from now, I can't wait for my all-inclusive non-stop hand delivery of alcoholic beverages will chilling on the beach. The weather will be in the low-mid 80's all week, tropical storm Sandy is staying far east of Cancun. We were originally looking at the Bahamas, thankfully we didn't book there!

 

[LyNcH]

Here is an overhead shot of the resort we will be staying at. Looks like I'll have access to around 2500' of beach front!

 

[Philthy Phil]

Good thing you're missing the storm...good luck man
I would have to check out that golf course too

 

[BrownChickenBrownTrout]

Ask about flyfishing has several saltwater podcasts. Download them and listen on your flight.

I think you can also sight fish for rooster fish too from shore.

 

[Drossi]

Are you staying near Playa Delfines?

 

[skipper3245]

I fished playa blanca which is not too far from there. In cancun it will be hard to get out of the crowds so maybe try to get down or up the beach a ways. Fishing was not too hard. I could see permit in the flats from a decent way away. Bonefish are pretty darn easy to catch. Just keep changing up the retreive. Toads, deceivers, clousers, home invaders and even kelly galloup flies were working on them. I did not go for tarpon but i Know they go for toads and you really need to spot them, but bonefish are kinda everywhere that i was. I will be down there and then hondorus for a few weeks this winter cant wait

 

[LyNcH]

Are you staying near Playa Delfines?

Playa Delfines is close by, not sure what it is, but I did a quick search and it popped up on my resorts site as being nearbye. We going to the Iberostar Cancun resort, which used to be the Cancun Hilton resort.

We are waking up at 3am and 24 hours from now will be down there. If you have any tips specific to that beach, I'll be able to hop on the web here and there so I'll post up how the fishing is.

Thank you all for the tips! It's going to be hard to sleep tonight, wish I had one of Simms Adderall's.

I fished playa blanca which is not too far from there. In cancun it will be hard to get out of the crowds so maybe try to get down or up the beach a ways. Fishing was not too hard. I could see permit in the flats from a decent way away. Bonefish are pretty darn easy to catch. Just keep changing up the retreive. Toads, deceivers, clousers, home invaders and even kelly galloup flies were working on them. I did not go for tarpon but i Know they go for toads and you really need to spot them, but bonefish are kinda everywhere that i was. I will be down there and then hondorus for a few weeks this winter cant wait

This time of year the resorts are only at about 50% capacity and my resort's beach looks to be about 1/2 mile long as they also own the golf course which runs along the beach. I'm an early riser, so I'm hoping to have the stretch to myself.

I have an 8wt and 10wt packed with 2 loaded fly boxes of with a ton of salt flies ranging from decievers, crazy charlies, crabs, shrimp, a bunch of poppers and other various flies a friend is letting me use.

When I go out with the guide on Thursday, I am hoping the baby tarpon are in the area.

 

[LyNcH]

Been having a blast down here. A couple days i woke up early and hit the beach before the wind picked up. Using deceiver patterns ive caught a bunch of silver thin fish that are about 20" long. Have no idea what they are, but they are a fun fighting fish.

Hit the flats today with the guide. Lets start off by saying that i suck. What a difference it is trying to cast to a fish at 11:30, 25 meters, one chance. That happened to me many times today with permit, they are a spooky fish, i also struck out with bonefish as well. I was able to hook 2 "baby" tarpon, and land one. I had a shot at a very nice size tarpon, but decided it was more fun to screw up my back cast and play with the mangrove bushes.

Thankfully my guide was patient. I have my homework cut out for me for next year. I need to build a new rod, it's always the rods fault you know.

Waking up at 5am tomorrow for one last shot on the beach. We return home Saturday and then it's time to start focusing on steelhead fishing next week.



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[CTobias]

Stay there. There are no steelhead here. Except this one. But just this one.



Oh and this one that Garrett caught.

 

[LyNcH]

What a slab!! I can't wait to hit the dsr next week.

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[Philthy Phil]

The thin silver fish could be Ladyfish. They have big eyes and kinda remind of big sardines. Great fighters, known as the poor man's tarpon.

I was getting swayed towards the salt but Sandy came, so back to steel...

 

[LyNcH]

Ladyfish. Thank you. I looked them up and that's exactly what they were. Very fun fish.

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[Rugby10]

Looks like we are in for some snow next week for or Steel trip. Can't f' n wait!

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[LyNcH]

Here are a couple shots from my Mexico trip.