Cuba: May 2019 Cayo Largo Trip Report

The island of Cayo Largo rests between Jardines del la Reina and the Isle de Juvintad on the southern part of Cuba. Know as a solid big bonefish destination, the spring, summer, and fall can produce quality shots at permit, tarpon, and snook. Permit opportunities range from fish on rays to tailers in lagoons and white sand beaches. Tarpon typically resides in the lagoons and hard ocean shorelines in good numbers.

When the permit are “on” anglers can expect lots of shots, but they are still picky. While you might see a lot of fish, it does not mean you will catch a lot. Cuban permit are still finicky permit. A permit hungry Yellow Dog hosted group had a unique week this past May. The group picked a permit and tarpon moon faze two years out, so they were ready to fish hard. Airflight Charters provided private flights between Fort Lauderdale and Cayo Largo. This made life easy for the group. Yellow Dog is proud to partner with Airflight for BAHAMAS destinations, or just about any Caribbean airport.

The numbers of permit on the flats we low for the week. There was just not a lot of fish around for this area, but the permit the group saw ate the fly well. The permit were happy and taking shrimp and crab flies. In fact, five permit were caught for the group and four of those converted to the Grand Slam by adding a bonefish and tarpon with-in the same day. Ian Davis from Yellow Dog hosted the group and said, “I have never had four Grand Slams in any saltwater trip and in fact, one of the anglers I was fishing with made three casts all day - one permit, a bone, and a tarpon in the bottom of the ninth to complete the slam. The guides worked hard all day long”. So, would you rather have consistent shots at permit all day, or just one shot a day and at suicidal fish?