|
What would turn out to be the trip of
a lifetime began with an unexpected call a sunny afternoon, late
May. The call came from the Sport fishing association of Puerto
Rico. They asked if I were interested in accepting an invitation
from the Sport fishing association of Cuba to go Bonefishing in
the “Cienaga de zapatas”region in the south of Cuba. This
as part of a program to begin ties between both our sport- fishing
communities. Without hesitation I immediately accepted. A month, countless hours at the vise, and more than
100 flies later I boarded my first flight. This flight would take
me from Vieques P.R., where we run The Caribbean Fly Fishing Co.
a quaint flats fishing and offshore charter operation, to San Juan
where I met our organizer Don Esteves and my fishing companions
who also happened to be long time friends. Antonio Fullana Sr.,
Antonio Fullana Jr., Richard Rubi, and Paco Suarez , all well known
amongst the fly fishing enthusiasts in P.R.. The next morning we
would embark on a journey that would exceed our highest expectations. June 26- At the airport before six AM, the excitement
I felt was overwhelming. In a few hours I would be in Cuba a country
I’ve wanted to visit for so long and blessed to be going bone
fishing, this could only be a dream. Two flights later we landed
in “La Habana”. Our delegation of fly fisherman passed
through customs and immigration with well wishes and smiles from
our first Cuban friends. Holstering about 15 fly rods, which received
many an odd look, we boarded the bus that would take us across Cuba.
During this passage I was amazed at all the cultivation and “valleyness”
of it. We reach “El batey de don Pedro” our home for the
next four days. We were greeted by some of the guides plus the great
staff of the lodge with “mojitos”, typical Cuban rum drink,
to celebrate our arrival. About “mojitos” there are other
ingredients but the essentials are plenty of rum and sugar, so look
out!! Conversation quickly turned to fishing where we talked of
fishing days passed and more importantly fishing days in the immediate
future. After a very tasty dinner we went back to our cabins for
some rigging and a good night sleep for in the morning we would
fish! June 27- Wake up call at 3:45 AM for breakfast and
then the bus ride to reach the boat launch, which was at the end
of a dirt road that seemed eternal, yet beauty full. Once there
we rigged our rods and met our guides. My guide was “Don Alberto”
better known as “Japon”. Japon is a true fisherman, fishing
since he could remember. In the past few years he has turned his
enthusiasm to guiding for bonefish. From his smile and excitement
that morning I could tell I was in excellent hands. We boarded our poling boats that were meant only for
guide and angler. The boats were perfect for the area since no engines
could be used it was so shallow. My first morning started a little
hectic. I had six fish right of the bat managed only one the others
pulled the hook. Even then I was impressed that all the fish I had
thrown the fly at we had seen before doing so either by wakes or
tails. This would be the way we would all catch our fish for the
next four days, sight fishing, what I think is the true essence
of Bonefishing! After the rocky start I switched to a bigger fly
and we ventured through a small passage in the mangroves and came
out to a lagoon that left me breathless at the sight of this flat
that seemed to go on forever. Some prehistoric Jacks that left a
wake like a submarine in shallow water interrupted my awe. They
were fast and we took one shot without success then they were gone.
Soon we saw another big wake and “Japon” whispers “palometas”.
I knew what he meant and the flash of those black tails confirmed
it, Permit!!! We poled after them for a while until we finally got
our shot maybe 60 ft. away. I let my Merkin crab sink amongst them
and with a nerverackingly slow, long strip I saw one light up and
with tail clear out of the water I set the hook and was suddenly
hooked to a permit my first morning in Cuba. Heart pounding I cleared
my line and after about 5 minutes he was gone. A sour taste was
left in my mouth since I’m still searching for my first Permit.
This added a little more disappointment to my morning but the ‘’palometas”
and I would meet again before the end of our tip! We poled in silence for a while until we reached a
sand bar that again I could not see the end of. It was here that
our day turned. We saw 3 bones heading our way, fly in front and
again grins to our faces. We released that fish and decided to wade
the area. Barefoot we waded and saw many schools of fish and by
the time we got back to the boat we had scored 9 fish on that flat.
It was near lunch time and I had kept radio contact with Paco, who
had the great idea of bringing 2 way radios to keep in touch with
one and other throughout the day. We had lunch shared our mornings
and then parted ways again. Afternoons the water warms up a bit
under the June Cuban sun , shocker! We scored one more fish in the
afternoon and then headed back to the boat launch. Back at the launch
happy faces all around and I knew everybody had great day. Everybody
remarked not only of the great guides and the fishing but also of
the beauty and vastness of this untapped treasure in Cuba. That night I managed to get sick and woke up with
a sore throat and the rest of the days I would spend blowing snot
of the side of the boat. June 28- I met ”Japon” and we headed to
“El Tiburon” where we were the day before. The morning
started of great within ten minutes we had our first, out of a school
of 8 tailing fish. We got out of the boat and caught another one
from two feeding near a small mangrove. Back on the boat we see
a big wake very “palometa” like. They were Jacks not the
size of the day before but jacks non-the less. I switched from my
4wt. to my 8wt. That had the Merkin on. I placed the fly in front
of them and before it even stated to sink it was a matter of who
was going to get it first. A feisty 10 pounder was the winner, who
fought me with the brute strength that I think only jacks posses.
We landed him snapped a few pictures then sent him on his way. We
heard from nobody that day, but I know we worked hard for the other
5 fish we caught that day. Back at base camp the rest of our team
had done extremely well with me having the lowest number of bonefish
but also scoring a nice jack. June29- Third day turned out to be special. This morning
we headed opposite direction from the 2previous days. We were on
our way to “Bahia de las piedras”. Here the bottom was
like a big slab of rock lightly covered with sand. This bay in keeping
with the rest of the areas we had seen did not disappoint, again
I could not tell where it ended. Fascinating!! We came out of the
mangrove passage to be interrupted by three schools of bones. This
would be the order of the day, hard to choose what school to cast
at. There were fish tailing all along the mangrove many schools
cruising the middle of the bay. It was a sight these eyes will never
forget. My eyes were interrupted by the news through the radio that
Paco had just caught his first Permit on the fly. Way to go Tilla!!
Bt the time we had reached the other side of the bay we had 17 bones
in the books having seen each one of them eat. I know I keep going
back to this detail about seeing them but if you love bonefishing
like I do you know there is no better feeling than sight casting
to BONES!! At the other end we ventured though the mangroves to
get to “Bahia de Troya”. Through the mangroves we added
7 more bones to our list with Japons tactical poling, a bit of running
and some heavy palming on my part. We didn’t loose one fish
to mangrove. Reached “Troya” and it opens up to another
amazingly big bay except this one has thousands of flamingos. These
would take flight in perfect unison creating an intensely pink horizon
if you got within 100 yards. Here we had some shots but no luck.
We had lunch with Jr. who told me of his 19 I told him about Pacos
Permit and my 24. We said good luck and went back on the hunt. We
scored one more fish heading back to the boat launch. This day was
the best bone fishing day I ever had, 25 Bones! Everybody had double-digit
days and Paco his first permit. Back at the lodge we enjoyed sharing
our day sipping on the deadly local drink “Mojito”. We
were early to bed though, as to take full advantage of our last
day of fishing. June 30- The day the planets aligned and there was
magic in the air! Well bonuses were around the next turn of the bay.
Permit, feeding this time. My first 2 casts were on the $ but no
takers. A little cheesy but, third times the charm. With a sharp
thrust from his tail he had the fly and before I knew it I had him
on the reel with just sweet music blasting from it. Again I controlled
my nerves and enjoyed the fight. Moments later I had landed my second
permit of the day and LIFE! “Japon” said 10-12 pounds
on him like the first, but as for me I only saw Permit, black tails
and yellow belly!! On the first fish “Japon” had asked me for
my fly to keep as a trophy, I gladly handed it to him. After releasing
the second I also gave that one to him. I tied another crab pattern
not a Merkin. While discussing the second fish and contemplating
our next beer some familiar black tails interrupted us not far from
our boat. We decided to wade to them. I got a few shots in but they
showed no interest on that crab. We were far from the boat so I
ask “Japon” to lend me the crab I had just given him,
which fortunately he had on his hat. I tied it on and on the first
cast one of the 4 permit showed interest enough to have me hooked
to my third permit of the morning. He cleared my line and then was
gone. No disappointment this was a lot more than I ever expected.
Then the tails show up again a bit further. We stealthily crept
to them and on my first cast I let the fly sink and again with the
turtle like long strip I hooked my fourth permit of the morning.
At this moment I needed to get smacked because this was simply unbelievable.
With a huge smile on my face I cleared my fly line and a short battle
later my third Permit was in the books. Smaller than the first two
but Permit non- the less. It was 9:30 AM and again we broke out
the cold ones, our last. But we needed to celebrate. ”Japon”
told me that no one had ever caught 2 permit in one day let alone
3. I felt extremely blessed and fortunate for the morning I had,
but the morning wasn’t over yet! After the beers “Japon”
suggested we check the other side of the bay where they also like
to feed. I pretty much told him to take me wherever he wanted because
this couldn’t get any better. How wrong I was!! We get across
the bay and were rewarded immediately by some cruising Permit. The
fish would cruise then stop to feed and cruise again and feed some
more. I got some shots at them while feeding but no takers. After
the last shot they started to cruise again heading away from us
but as luck would have it they turned and headed right for us. My
shot was downwind to them and landed a few feet in front of the
lead fish. When the fly sank the lead fish jumped on that crab,
his tail came out of the water and we knew this was the biggest
of all the ones we had seen earlier. He turned away from us and
with lightning speed he left with at least 250 yards of baking.
Right there I knew we were in for a battle. Before I mentioned the brute strength of the jacks.
I now think the permit have that strength too adding to it the finesse
of those long screaming runs. You know the ones where the reel seems
it’s going to fall apart. The fish kept his distance for a while and whenever
I brought him near he would take of on incredibly long runs. This
went on for about 40 minutes. We finally get him to the boat and
this bad boy had easily 20 pounds on him. With the leader in hand
“Japon” reaches in off for the tail and the fly came off
and the Permit swam happily away. No pictures for us with the big
one, only eternal memories. “Japon” and I looked at each
other, laughed, and I knew that we didn’t only share a great
friendship but also a bond that no other angler and guide had ever
shared in Cuba. Four Permit before 11:00 AM. We caught a few bonefish
before lunch. We had lunch with Richard who congratulated me and
then proceeded to call me a bastard. After some encouraging and kind words from Richard
we went back to fishing. All I could do was try to believe the events
of the morning, which were so freshly in my head. Our fishing was
over and back at the boat launch in what seemed to be the norm of
everyday everybody had great final day of fishing. After 4 days
of fishing between all of us we released 253 bonefish, average size
4 pounds, 1 Jack Crevalle and 5 Permit. Trip of a lifetime or what!! Back at the lodge our now Cuban friends had prepared
for us a roasted pig dinner with plenty of Havana Club to go around.
Needles to say we all had a great trip and were in celebration mode.
What more could I say about this trip except for the
great friends we made in Cuba and for me spending time with some
of the best company I know. It was a true pleasure! I look forward
to returning to Cuba and seeing all my friends again. Keep ‘em tight!!!!! |
