The Tarpon Coast Adventure combines two of Mexico’s top juvenile tarpon fisheries—Tabasco and Campeche—into one seamless trip. Located along the northern coast of the Yucatán Peninsula, both destinations offer excellent juvenile tarpon fishing as well as an authentic taste of Mexico, making this trip ideal for both anglers and non-angling companions.
Why A Combo Trip?
A combination trip to Tabasco and Campeche allows anglers to experience a broader taste of the expansive Northern Yucatan coastline and its massive fisheries. Both Campeche and Tabasco are world-class juvenile tarpon fisheries, along with opportunities for snook. These two programs are the most flexible in the region, allowing anglers to choose as few or as many fishing days as they prefer, along with numerous non-angling historical and cultural tours in an authentic Mexican backdrop. By combining these two destinations, anglers gain a broader Mexican experience that balances high-action days on the water with opportunities to explore culture, history, and heritage.
Who Is This Trip For?
This trip is ideal for anglers of all levels who want to experience a high-volume, action-packed tarpon fishery. It is both a great fit for beginners learning to saltwater fly fish as well as seasoned anglers looking for a lot of shots. It is also perfect for travelers who want to combine their fishing with meaningful cultural exploration.
In Campeche, non-angling companions can enjoy sightseeing, birding tours, and visits to nearby Mayan archaeological sites such as Edzna, while anglers spend time on the water. Families, couples, and even solo adventurers will find this itinerary rewarding, with Campeche offering a more polished, city-based experience while Tabasco delivers exceptional value for its fishing opportunities. Though Tabasco is by no means as luxurious as other destinations in the Yucatan, it offers total immersion into an authentic, off-the-grid travel experience.
Fishing Details
We should note that there ARE other fishing programs along the tarpon coast, but these generally require a week-long stay, while Campeche and Fly Fishing Tabasco are customizable in length. We encourage you to discuss with our team if other programs are of interest.
Campeche
Campeche offers some of the finest and most consistent fishing for baby tarpon we have found anywhere in the Yucatan. Almost all of the fishing is sight-fishing from the bow of custom-built backcountry skiffs, with most tarpon averaging five to 15 pounds. Tarpon in the 20+ pound range are considered large in this area but are routinely caught in open water and in the mangroves during the spring and summer months. The primary fishing area near Campeche is a huge network of mangrove lagoons, flats, and creeks that begin immediately north of the city, running along the coast for more than 120 kilometers all the way to the small fishing village of Isla Arena.
Fly Fishing Tabasco
In Tabasco, the name of the game is numbers and anglers can expect to catch dozens of small tarpon in a day when the conditions are right. The baby tarpon are abundant and provides the perfect opportunity for both novice and expert anglers alike. This is an ideal destination for introducing anglers to tarpon fishing due to the sheer number of shots one can expect over the course of a trip. Most of the tarpon average 3 – 8 pounds but fish in the 10 – 40-pound range are certainly possible. There is an area fished that is only accessed by canoe, and when the tides and conditions are right does offer more consistent shots at 10 – 20-pound fish. The rivers do have good numbers of snook with the chance at a big one. At certain times of the year schools of jack crevalle also push into the rivers. The rivers and lagoons are encompassed by a mature mangrove forest providing the perfect habitat for tarpon and snook!
Sample Itinerary:
- Day 1 – Arrival in Villahermosa, Tabasco
Arrive in Villahermosa and transfer to your accommodations. Dinner and orientation with your hosts. - Day 2 – Fishing Tabasco
Full day of fishing rivers and lagoons for juvenile tarpon, with some opportunities for snook. - Day 3 – Fishing Tabasco
Explore new zones of Tabasco’s mangrove system, fishing from canoes or pangas depending on conditions. - Day 4 – Fishing Tabasco & Transfer to Campeche
Half day of fishing in Tabasco before driving 5–6 hours to Campeche. Evening at leisure in the historic city center. - Day 5 – Fishing Campeche
Full day on the skiffs targeting baby tarpon in Campeche’s extensive mangrove lagoons. - Day 6 – Mayan Ruins & Cultural Tour
Guided day trip to nearby ruins such as Edzná, with time to explore Campeche’s UNESCO-listed old town. - Day 7 – Fishing Campeche
Final day of tarpon fishing from the skiffs. Farewell dinner in Campeche. - Day 8 – Departure from Mérida
Transfer to Mérida’s international airport for flights home.
Due to the custom nature of combination packages, rates and inclusions/exclusions vary by programs and length of stay. If you would like to learn more, Please Contact Yellow Dog for details.
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