I hope you dont mind me gate crashing a fairly well discussed destination, but i am planning a hol in spring 2012, and wondered if you could advise me.... we plan on staying at the Melia, Cayo Guillermo,which seems better than Sol Cayo (next door i believe ?) but both up near the Parque Nacional, looking on Google maps ?
The advise i need is, are my assumptions above correct ?
and..... DIY and guides advice please, is where i'm planning to stay a good place for diy ? do i need a car or something ?
Guides, ive read about the guides on the other threads, reliable/unreliable etc, but contact numbers/emails, recomendations, approx prices to expect ?
and any other sound advice before i drag my wife there
I've salt water flyfished for years and have all the tackle etc, but never Cuba ! so any advice would be welcome.

Thanks in anticipation, pm me if need be, (and i promise to keep your advice secret if need be, thanks.)
Nick

see pm re the location!
regards
bert

I would just like to publicly thank welshtoffo, rookstorm, and top man aenoon for all of their help on my post, they have been great

You are very welcome Nick.
Enjoy your trip.
regards
bert

Hi Guys,

Im new to the forums and reasonalby new to Saltwater fly fishing with only one trip to Mexico under my belt last year, but the feeling when i hooked into my first bone was enough to get me hooked on Salt for life! Im looking to book a trip to Cuba in June this year and was hoping for some advice.

i am looking to stay in cayo coco at the Melia or neighbouring hotels,and want to know if this is good area for DIY fishing, are the flats and DIY fishing areas within walking distance from these hotels?

i hear conflicting stories about DIY fishing here, i am on a budget as most people so looking to take a guide on day 1 only and then go at it alone. So any advice on most suitable area to stay where best DIY fishing is accessible on foot would be great.

Feel free to Private message me with any info that could help me on my quest...I look forward to your replies

Hi, you will no doubt get a pm from aenoon/or rookstorm,i can tell you what i have learned so far, i am going to Cayo Coco, i wasnt, i was going to Guilermo,but changed my mind because of the huge flat about a mile from Melia Cayo Coco, you can see it on google earth, its big,and apparently is good for bonefishing. I will see, but if it is,then its a good cheap destination for DIY for me.
I am quite experienced at this,and i must say if you are a beginer,you will not see lots of the fish, it takes some getting used to,so use your day with the guide as soon as you can when you get there, as with him pointing the fish out it will get you in tune with 'seeing' fish, cos its not easy, and even harder on foot, most guides are higher than you in a boat and have a slightly better angle, so see them far off giving you a chance,but trust me they see them on foot way before you too . So its a skill,and as such,you can improve with practice... take a good pair of polaroids.
I am taking an 8# and a 10# (incase there are permit in April) and an 11# (for tarpon)with all the rest of the gear.
Booking a guide there can be difficult,as i have found...... there arnt many, but the hotels apparently have some numbers ? I'll see.
If you like i'll let you know more when i get back, it should be in time if you go in June
Good luck

Hi many thanks for the advice, I found out on my trip to Mexico last yr how tough it is to spot bonefish but I am more than willing to learn and improve, I am a component fly fisher in uk although I know it's very different to saltwater, from researching extensively it seems Cuba is the cheapest place for a DIY trip and I figure better for me to practice at less cost, future trips with more experience will include Bahamas, les toques and Mexico again! Do you have any suggestions on a reasonable mid price reel that will last, budget around £150? I'm sorted in the rod department.

I noticed your location is Herts, I'm in Hertfordshire myself, where do you do most of your uk fishing?

Many thanks for all the help and

Regards
Sean

Sent you a PM

Evening Gents

This discussion is right up my street. I got married at the Melia Cayo Coco in Feb 2010 and nothing was stopping me from bonefishing while I was there!! The picture is uploaded on my profile.

Contact Orlando Gonzalez for a guided day on government controlled flats approx half hour drive from hotel. Depending on current exchange rate you are looking at £100 per day roughly.

Fantastic guide and really nice water!!

Check the changes in fishing rules for DIY in Cuba as I believe there have been a few recently.

PS if you get a lagoon room then the snapper fishing off the balcony is great!!

Any questions give me a shout!!

Paul

Check out this months FF&FT

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