CAYO LARGO
As of April 1st, 2008 the heavenly Cayo Largo (Long
Key) fishing center destination is under management of Avalon Fishing
Center. With this new undertaking we strive to achieve a paradise that
fishermen can enjoy and share with their families and non-fisherman
friends.
In Cayo Largo you can bonefish on white sand flats while your family
enjoys the breathtaking beaches, enjoy a cocktail in the hotel pool,
or participate in one of the numerous activities the resort offers.
Fish during the day and relax watching an incredible sunset in style and comfort in one of the most beautiful pristine natural environments in the world. All this with the personal touch and excellent service only Avalon can offer you, with more than 15 years of experience dedicated to top notch fly fishing trips.
Bonefish:
These are the most abundant and popular of the flat species. The average
weight is about 6 pounds but bigger specimens are caught, especially
in the winter months. Fishing is either from the skiff or by wading.
While wading the vast stretches of firm sand flats, in Carribean warm
waters, there is nothing more exciting than stalking and catching a
“bone“.
Tarpon:
Tarpon rate as the strongest, most acrobatic and most exciting saltwater
species on the fly. A large number of tarpon are resident year round
in Cayo Largo tidal channels and flats with migrating fish showing up
in April until August. Their average weight is from 15 to 30 pounds,
but fish up to 120 pounds maybe encountered and some large fish have
been caught over the past seasons. They are in the area all year long
but tarpons over 50lbs are usually found from March to August.
Permit:
Other than the Florida Keys, this is perhaps the best place in the world
to catch a big permit on a fly. There are both good numbers of big permit,
and superb permit flats to be found in the JDR. Flats that are barely
out of the water, or just below the surface at low tide are two to three
feet deep on a high incoming tide - perfect habitat for the largest
permit. Many of these flats are bordered by deep water- exactly the
same kind of conditions you see in the Florida Keys where most of the
world record permit have been caught. It is not uncommon to pole up
to these flats and see a half a dozen permit tailing, all of which are
in the 25-35 pound class! The Jardines de la Reina is one of the few
spots in the world where you have a very real opportunity to catch a
grand slam - any day of the year!
Other species:
Barracuda is another regular of the flats and reef species like Snapper,
Grouper and Cubera are also worth a try.
Barracudas: "Big Cudas are plentiful around all
the bonefish flats. Most will be three to four feet long, and will give
any fly angler a terrific fight. Their aggressive take is exciting and
few fish can swim faster or jump farther than a big barracuda. They
are easy to catch on the many good needlefish patterns, using a wire
leader."
Mutton Snapper: "This may very well be the best eating snapper
of all! A fantastic texture to the meat with high fat content that gives
the incredible eatability. The letter "M" is the ticket. They
bite best between March and May. They bite best in the morning. Now
don't go by this as gospel, because they can be caught all year long,
and any time of day. Muttons can be caught from the edge of the flats
out to almost 300 feet of water. You can tell where they were caught
by the color. Muttons will school on patches, reef, natural, and man
made structure. They aren't usually found in large numbers, but how
many muttons do you need when they run in the 10-30 pound range? They
will eat both live and dead bait, including ballyhoo, cigar minnows,
pilchards, crabs, and jigs. Keep you leaders long, hooks small or hidden
and your tackle appropriate for the job at hand"
Snook: "Cuba has some pretty big snook particularly in some of
the river mouths. These very aggressive predators generally hide in
mangroves or other shaded areas waiting for bait to pass. Snook in Cuba
tend to be pretty large, once the fish strikes they tend to run for
cover and will normally have to be prized out patiently"
