Yucatan Flats Adventure-2010

It was time again......

......to fish Isla Blanca-the extensive mangrove estuary and flats north of Cancun.

Because of the variety of species, it has been one of my favorites areas to fish, and it was a bonus having my wife along to shoot video, and enjoy, with me, the incredible environment, rich with life!

Our first encounter involved a nice pod of

baby tarpon (15-20 lbs.), and it wasn't long until...

..... we had a tarpon reaching for the sky!

What a show!

The Floating Minnow...

...a fly that I had used successfully here, 3 years ago, was very effective on the grassy, shallow flats.

Note: Using a fly, that can be fished near the surface, is critical when fish are in such areas.

I even used this fly with a weedguard when we fished the thick mangroves, and took 2 nice snook with it as well!!

*****

Deep Cover Shrimp

The Deep Cover Shrimp was designed for mangroves, trees, and other heavy cover. This fly was especially effective on tarpon and snook, when we fished one of the deep water lagoons near Cancun. The weedguard allowed me to cast deep inside the dead and downed trees, where the snook were waiting to ambush bait. In addition to the snook, I took over a dozen baby tarpon one afternoon, using the Deep Cover Shrimp. In fact, the guide was so impressed with this fly, he placed an order for his own use!!

********

For some reason, the Permit fishing was very slow, and it wasn't until the 4th day out, that we discovered an area full of Permit. However, these fish were bunched up into large schools of 20-50 fish, which made it very difficult to approach them, on the clear, shallow flats. Fortunately, after much effort, I was able to connect with my first Permit of the trip.

Permit

This fish was taken on my new crab pattern,

and were pleased to find the crab fly taken deep in the crushers, a sure sign that the permit "liked" the fly!!

Crusty Crab

Another beautiful sunset in Cancun.

We are already talking about our next trip to

Isla Blanca, Cancun!

Adios!