Written by Mexico Program Director Sam Mebane
At the beginning of August 2024, I embarked on a two-week mission down to Mexico to scout a new location, check in on an old friend, and host a group of anglers in Ascension Bay. Thanks to the Yellow Dog Fly Shop, I was totally prepared for any fishing scenario traveling down with boxes of flies, new fly-lines, tackle, and gear.
The trip began on August 3rd when I flew into the new Tulum International Airport. If you fish in the Yucatan regularly or are considering your first trip, I would highly recommend exploring flights to this new airport. It is incredibly nice, up-to-date, and most importantly, convenient for anglers traveling to Ascension or Chetumal Bay. Carlos Godoy and his son, Carlos Jr. from Fly Fishing Chetumal picked me up at the airport and we began our journey down to Chetumal. The ride took about 3 hours which is a significant improvement from the standard 5-hour ride from Cancun. During the drive, we talked a lot about flies, fish habits, and were soon jittery with anticipation for fishing the next three days.
Arriving in Chetumal, we pulled into the Villa Marcela Calderitas Oxtankah which Fly Fishing Chetumal uses for lodging. Villa Marcela is an upscale, quiet, and comfortable place that I thoroughly enjoyed. It is a small property located right on the bay with one building built for lodging with four total rooms, an elegant pool connected to an outdoor palapa for dining, and a dock out to the bay. We had our first dinner under the palapa, ordering a la carte off of a menu with countless mouth-watering dishes. They have everything from traditional Mexican cuisine to items that you would find here in the US like chicken or seafood fettuccine. I had to kick off the trip with shrimp tacos that I still dream about now that I am back home.
The following three days, I was able to fish and explore the waters of Chetumal Bay with Carlos, our guide Temo, and Carlos’s good friend, Alejandro Vega, better known as “Sandflea." The four of us scoured the flats each day looking for permit, tarpon, and bonefish. With a little luck and some great weather, we were able to land a grand slam on our first day, bringing to the boat a 100+lb tarpon, numerous bonefish, and two permit – one for both Sandflea and I. When the conditions are right, this fishery can be outstanding. The flats are crystal clear so having good overhead sunlight is paramount. One of the most amazing things about this fishery is the proximity that you can find permit, tarpon, and bonefish. Within an hour of being on a flat, we saw all three species in the same area. This is quite uncommon in other areas of the country as you have to motor to different places to find the three. Also, another amazing aspect of this fishery is that the large 100+lb tarpon live here year-round. The rest of Mexico offers migratory tarpon during the summer season when they are around, but in Chetumal, you can find them any time of year and potentially catch them no matter the month as long as the weather, and conditions cooperate. All in all, I was very impressed by Fly Fishing Chetumal’s operation, team, and fishery. For anyone who is looking to go off the beaten path, explore a new area, and hunt for the big three species, I would highly recommend considering Fly Fishing Chetumal for your next adventure.
The next stop on the trip was a visit with Miguel Encalada and his operation Fin Chasers. Miguel has been a long-time friend of Yellow Dog and runs an incredible fishing program just north of Cancun in Isla Blanca. Here, the main target species that you can find year-round are baby/juvenile tarpon. There is also excellent permit fishing seasonally, from March to November. For the next two days, we explored his Isla Blanca fishery and fished hard. Conditions continued to remain perfect, and so we were able to find two permit on our first day. The following day, we focused on his bread and butter: tarpon fishing. There are multiple places in the Yucatan where you can focus on tarpon fishing, and Isla Blanca can be as good as anywhere. We were able to find them in just about every scenario I could think of – outside the mangroves, along channels and rivers inside the mangrove, and backcountry lagoons. For the traveling angler who wants to visit somewhere on short notice, doesn’t want to travel far, and is looking for good action on tarpon (and potentially permit), Fin Chasers is a hard option to beat. Since there are daily direct flights to Cancun from the US and only an hour's transfer to the lodge, Fin Chasers might be the quickest international destination to get to out of anywhere.
Following Fin Chasers, we were onto week two of the trip. For the second week, I hosted a group of anglers at Ascension Bay Lodge in Punta Allen, just south of Tulum, right in Ascension Bay. One of my favorite things about fishing is the people you meet and the friendships you make along the way. This trip was no exception as we had anglers from all across the country representing Texas, New York, Illinois, Georgia, Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana. From day one, this group immediately meshed well together and we quickly became close friends and angling confidants. We had first-time saltwater anglers and seasoned veterans. No matter the skill level, everyone came together, collaborated, and cheered each other on to catch fish. Again, our primary targets were permit, tarpon, and bonefish. Throughout the week, there were countless bonefish caught, two 100+ lb tarpon, and a few permit. Although some days the weather was variable, we were still able to have great success and everyone got to feel the addicting pull of saltwater gamefish.
Halfway through the trip, we were joined by Brooks Scott of the Yellow Dog Community and Conservation Foundation. Brooks was passing through the area and got to spend a few days fishing, hanging out, and doing work in Punta Allen for the Foundation. Some of YDCCF’s projects in the area have been a community school, playground, teacher dormitories, and the latest project, a local gym. The entire angling group had the pleasure of touring the projects, learning from Brooks about the impact YDCCF has had on the community, and seeing first-hand how YDCCF has improved the quality of life in Punta Allen.
Ascension Bay Lodge treated us all with open arms and the week went by too quickly, as it always does. For anglers looking for a relaxing, comfortable, and “fishy” lodge, look no further than Ascension Bay Lodge. Their guides are excellent, every meal was better than the last, and the owner, Daniel Marquez, is as good of a host as anywhere that you will find in Mexico. Unless you are a master at throwing darts, be prepared for a very tough game against Daniel!
In closing, I cannot say enough great things about Fly Fish Chetumal, Fin Chasers, and Ascension Bay Lodge. Thank you again to all three for your warm hospitality, and excellent fishing. If anyone is interested in learning more, or potentially planning a trip, feel free to reach out to me anytime at sam@yellowdogflyfishing.com, or give me a call at 406-585-8667. I look forward to hearing from you!
