The Top Flies For Ascension Bay: What You Need to Bring

Mexico’s Ascension Bay is known the world over and is certainly one of the most diverse flats fisheries in the Caribbean. The enormous bay sits roughly 90 miles south of Cancun making it a convenient destination for any traveling angler.

And due to strict regulations placed on commercial fishing, the bay has been able to sustain the numbers of anglers while also retaining healthy numbers of fish. Between the convenience of travel and the terrific fishing, Ascension Bay with its lodges and operations perpetually makes our favorites list. Make sure you bring these flies on your next Mexico fly fishing trip to A-Bay!

Permit Flies:

• Squimp (tan w/ yellow lead eyes) - #2-#4
• Raghead Crab (tan) - #2-4
• EP Spawning Shrimp (tan)
• Umpqua Supreme Hair Shrimp (tan) - #2
• Pato's Crab (cream or white w/ yellow lead eyes) - #2-#4
• Da Tingum Shrimp - #1-#2

Bonefish Flies:

• Crazy Charlie (pink, white, and tan) - #6-8
• Veverka's Mantis Shrimp (tan and spawning) - #6-8
• EP Micro Crab (Rootbeer, sand and olive) - #8
• EP Turneffe Micro Shrimp (tan/pearl) - #8
• Gotcha (tan/pearl) - #4-#6

Tarpon & Snook Flies:

• Megalopsicle (tan/orange, chartreuse, purple/black, dirty olive) - #1/0, 2/0
• Homeslice (red/black, tan, brown/orange, purple/black, yellow/tan) - #1/0
• EP Finger Mullet (regular and black tail) - #1/0, 2/0
• EP Everglades Special - #1/0, 2/0
• Laid-Up Tarpon (tan) - #1/0, 2/0
• Tarpon Toad (chartreuse, purple/black, and white) - #1/0, 2/0

Barracuda & Toothy Critters:

• Banger Popper Fly (chartreuse and orange)
• Pencil Popper (chartreuse, blue/white, red/white)
• Needlefish fly (chartreuse/white)
• Gurgler Popper (chartreuse/white, black/purple)

This list is not exhaustive and just like with most aspects of fly fishing there are usually multiple methods to the madness. But we do hope this list gives you a good starting point in preparing for a trip to Ascension Bay.

+ Listen to this WAYPOINTS Podcast: SHAUN LAWSON - The Realities of Fly Fishing in Mexico

+ View the Yucatan Fly Fishing Gear Guide: Everything You Need

Check out these lodges in Ascension Bay:

Grand Slam Lodge
Pesca Maya Lodge
La Pescadora
Casa Blanca
Playa Blanca