Mayan Riviera bones and more...?

[wrx_canoe]

Hi,

Brand new to this board. A fellow spey-fisherman, who does tons of bonefishing in the Bahamas, pointed me to this site. Looks like a great resource.

Wondering if anyone can help recommend places and/or a fly fishing guide in the Mayan Riviera, Mexico. I'm staying south of Peurto Adventuras at the Barcelo Maya. I've got plans for an offshore excursion however my true interest is with a 7-9 wt fly rod! :)

I've read posts on Alex Juan in Cozumel and the lodges in Ascension Bay...just wondering if there's anyone else I should consider. I've never been to Mexico, nor bonefished, so the less complex the logistics plans the better for me.

Thanks in advance,
Preston
Toronto

[houdini]

Last time I was in the area - I did a "do it yourself" at Tulum. All I had was my travel 9 wgt. I was there to dive and took the rod as an afterthought. I caught small 'cuda and some other fish I couldn't identify right off the beach near the coral heads. Clousers, a couple of crabs and about ten other flies was all I had with me. It didn't take long with breakoffs and teeth to put me out of business. I saw some bones but couldn't get close enough to land a fly near them. If you go near the biosphere area they'll chase you off.
Down the coast towards Banco Chinchurro there are some guiding services - they fish mostly from native boats and don't speak english very well. And by the way - take everything you even THINK you'll need. It's not like there's a fly or tackle store around the corner.
Watch out for dehydration. Take about three times as much bottled water as you think you'll need.

[widdoes]

Preston- as I see it, you have a number of options depending on how involved you want to get. Least involved is exactly what Houdini suggests- take your rod and walk the beach, they're there. You could also stumble upon a permit, or snook (early morning is good for the snooks). Most involed (and probably most likely to be successful given your inexperience) would be arranging a guide in the Sian Kaan (do a search on this site for Boca Paila- my recomendation), or Cozumel (Alex). The middle ground would be DIY at the Boca Paila bridge. It's a trek, requires a car/jeep, you need a license (available in a little stand on the roadside that is not always open, or from BP lodge if you are using their guide), and it's not exactly easy to get to the fishing once you've arrived, although somebody posted a very good report about it on this site a few months ago (June-ish?). I do not know what the hurricanes have done to the Boca, but I do know that the lagoon is already back to "normal" fishing-wise.
For me, I'd call Boca Paila lodge and see if they can pick you up and bring you back. Least hassel, most cost, but you are all but guarateed to catch a fish.
Finally, I'm quite sure that the hotels in PA can set you up with a guide, but I don't have any first hand knowledge of who they would be or where they would fish- I'd bet it's the north end of the BP lagoon.
Good luck- PM me if you have any more questions.
Wild John
PS Go Loafs!

[lowwall]

Fished this area on my honeymoon, small olive maribu jigs, did the trick. I brought a pack spin rod and a 9wght. It was windy as hell so I never bothered with the fly rod.
The first day the wife and I went Horseback riding on this beach and came across this flat, from the horse I could see bones everywhere! She new that is where I would spend every morning! Caught tons of small bonefish on the spin\jigs, and all sorts of jack like fish and Pompano. The pompano where funny fish, at the beach you could hand feed them with bread. Caught a small cuda on a small Hammer spoon, but concentrated on the bones. They don't see any pressure and are real easy to catch.

Watch the sun down there. I had a hard time even with 45. Any place I missed was fried in short order, a couple of toes and my chin to be specific. Looked pretty funny.

Watch the towns to there was some real shady characters around. A guy sold me something in a store and didn’t work there. Thought I was going to be arrested when I walked out with the item. Once you leave Cancun and Cozumel it is really mexico .I hate malls but had to check this one out , Mall of America, Looks like a mall here, Funny to see a giant Sears sign in mexico, even had a Dunkin Doughnuts . Had a Ice Coffee that taught me the valuable lesson of do not drink the water or ice coffee in Mexico!. The mall was the same as one you would see in the states except had higher end merchandise (Sears Did To) the mall also had 5yr olds in these white suits shagging carriages and stuff. Depressing to see but these kids where probably the lucky ones.


Good Luck

[ArthurB]

I caught bonefish right at Barcelo last year on the northern beach.

[Supafly]

I did the day trip from just south of playa del carmen to Boca Paila fishing lodge. They picked me up at my hotel and it was about and 1hr and 15 minute drive. We had a fun day. i caught about 12 bonefish and broke off a permit. Tons of bones down there but they are small.

[flatslammer]

check on capt. RODMAN HUNTER,,, he's main operation is in cancun, i stayed at playa last week and hired him for 5 days,, he allways pick me up and drop off at hotel,,,, fished 3 days in the cancun area for tarpon and snook,, and next 2 days he took me wading to boca paila for bones and permit,, i caught lots of fish with this guide,,, i got a refferal from a friend and happy he show me this guide,, if there's a place in the yucatan area you want to fish and have a good guide,, this guy knows them all,,, and excellent sence of humor,,, he allways made me feel like if i was fishing with my best fishing buddy....
his web site is I_Didn't_Bother_To_Read_The_Reel-Time_Rules.com he's getting on his prime season and maybe hard to get,,, but you can try

regards