Accommodations
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Current Trip Special
What: Receive 20% off of standard package rates for trips of any duration between June 1st – October 1st, 2023.
Additionally, receive a 20% discount for trips booked after November 1st, 2023 through 2024 if paid in full upon time of booking.
One of the Yucatan's Most Popular Fishing Destinations
Pesca Maya has recently moved its program into a beautiful location that is on the water just north of the old lodge site. This has been a real upgrade from the old lodge location and we are super excited about the change! Situated in the middle of the 1.3 million-acre Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, Pesca Maya Lodge offers a solid fishing program, great food, and one of the best values found anywhere in the world of saltwater flats fishing. Pesca Maya first opened its doors in January 1996 and has since established itself as one of the Yucatan’s most popular fishing destinations. The property is located 90 miles south of Cancun on a long, narrow strip of the barrier beach that is virtually surrounded by the waters of Ascension Bay and the Boca Paila Lagoon. If you’re a beginning saltwater angler, Ascension Bay is one of the best places in the world to catch your first bonefish, tarpon, snook, or get a shot at a permit. For more seasoned anglers, this is one of the world’s best locations to target permit with a fly. With hundreds of square miles of flats, it is not uncommon to see bonefish, permit, tarpon, snook, barracuda, and other species all on the same day!
Accommodation Details
Lodging Details
The new Pesca Maya Lodge location is approximately 3 miles north of Punta Allen and just north of the old lodge site. The lodge has 4 double rooms that are each nicely decorated, clean, and comfortable. Each room features a private bathroom, hot and cold water, and air conditioning. The Lodge is located on an untouched, solitary white sand beach, surrounded by turquoise waters and a magnificent coral reef that starts only 90 yards from the beach. The main dining room/bar area serves as the Pesca Maya hub, with an attached room overlooking the ocean that is perfect for cocktails, appetizers, and swapping stories after a day on the water!
Food and Beverages
Breakfast and dinner will be served in the main dining room and lunch will be on the water with your guide. Anglers can enjoy margaritas and other cocktails on the outdoor deck of the restaurant that overlooks the seascape of Sian Ka’an. The lodge offers a fine mixture of local Mexican/Mayan cuisine and seafood. Lunch is to order and typically wraps, empanadas, or sandwiches.
Typical Length of Stay
Packages and itineraries of any length can be accommodated and anglers can arrive and depart on any day of the week. Please contact Yellow Dog Flyfishing for more details or custom packages and rates.
Non-Angling Activities and Options
While Pesca Maya is primarily a fishing-focused operation, non-angling guests will feel comfortable and well cared for. The lodge can easily arrange for a variety of activities, including birdwatching, snorkeling, a wild dolphin tour, beachcombing, and just plain relaxing. The lodge can also set up an excursion to several Mayan ruin sites further north! The lodge itself is located in one of the world’s largest protected wild areas, the Sian Ka’an, Biosphere Reserve. This pristine reserve covers over 1.3 million acres and has been designated by the United Nations as a World Heritage Site. The abundance of marine and wildlife in Sian Ka’an is hard to imagine until you have seen it for yourself. Found here are over 325 species of birds, four different types of marine turtles (loggerheads, green sea turtles, hawksbills, and leatherbacks), and fish species too numerous to name.
Internet / Communications
Wi-Fi is available free of charge to lodge guests. It is a ‘Starlink’ satellite connection.
Travel Details
How To Get There
All guests should book flights to Cancun International Airport (CUN), an easy airport to reach with direct daily flights from most cities in the U.S. and abroad.
Arrival and Departure Details / Times
It is very important to schedule your arrival time into Cancun International Airport (CUN) BEFORE 2:00 PM and also plan to book your return flights for AFTER 12:00 PM. This is very important to ensure a smooth transfer to and from the lodge and the airport. Pesca Maya schedules one transfer per day, usually departing Cancun around 1:30 PM. If you arrive early (11:00 am for example), you may have to wait for other guests to arrive before leaving the airport or pay a special transfer surcharge. If there are other arrivals later that day you will depart Cancun immediately. Guests arriving in Cancun after 3:00 PM may be charged a special transfer surcharge or may have to overnight in Cancun.
The driving portion of the transfer is about 2 hours and 20 minutes from Cancun to the Ultimo Maya dock south of Tulum. The remainder of the transfer is by boat through the Boca Paila Lagoon. This boat ride is approximately one hour long, and passes directly through “Permit Alley.”
On departure day, breakfast is served at 5:30 AM and all guests depart at 6:00 AM in order to get to the airport for midday flights. Please keep this in mind when booking your departure flights. And again, do not schedule your departing flight before 12:00 noon. The Cancun airport does require you to be at the airport 2 hours prior to departure.
Documents Required
All U.S. citizens are required to have a valid passport that does not expire within six (6) months of trip dates. Please be sure that your passport has at least two blank, unstamped pages remaining in the back, and that it is not torn, de-laminated, or damaged in any way. No visas or inoculation are required for U.S. citizens. A Mexican departure tax is payable at the airport when leaving Mexico. Some airlines include this as a prepaid part of your ticket.
Minors Travelling To Mexico Without Both Parents
If you are planning on traveling with minors, remember that all children under 18 years of age entering Mexico accompanied by only one parent or legal guardian must have a notarized letter of consent from the other parent stating the child/children have his/her permission to enter the country. Single parents need a notarized documentation of divorce decree or death certificate of spouse. Minors unaccompanied by either parent require a notarized letter of consent signed by both parents.
Travel Arrangements
Yellow Dog provides airline reservations ad ticketing assistance through etcTravel Group, and a full-service airline logistics agent that can help book airline tickets, hotels, rental cars, and more. You can click here to request a quote or contact Yellow Dog for more information at 406-585-8667. etcTravel Group offers dedicated support services for all Yellow Dog clients. Service fees may apply when booking or researching tickets, and etcTravel will discuss this with you before sending quotes.
Travel Tools
– Airline Ticketing
– Moon Phases
– Rent This Rod
– Trip Insurance and Emergency Evacuation
– Global Rescue Membership
Fishing
General Information
Pesca Maya offers the best of both fly fishing worlds – a short boat ride to the productive flats of Ascension Bay or a quick trip to the more secluded lagoons that surround it. Whether you are wading expansive flats for schools of bonefish and permit or casting in lagoons for tarpon, snook, or barracuda, this is the ideal fishery for novice and seasoned saltwater anglers alike. If you’re a beginning saltwater angler, Ascension Bay is one of the best places in the world to take your first bonefish on a fly. For more seasoned anglers, this is one of the best locations on the planet to take a permit on a fly.
With hundreds of square miles of flats, it is not uncommon to see bonefish, permit, tarpon, snook, and barracuda all in the same day. Due to these strong resident fish numbers and seasonal migrations of snook and tarpon, there have arguably been more Grand Slams and Super Grand Slams (a tarpon, bonefish, permit and snook all in the same day) caught here than anywhere else in the world.
The “typical” conditions one encounters when fly fishing Ascension Bay are as close to perfect as a saltwater angler can hope for. Bright sun, white sand flats, and crystal-clear water create outstanding conditions for sighting and stalking fish. Even when the wind is blowing hard, the guides can usually find a lee in the mangrove-lined lagoons which offers easier conditions for fly casting. Whether wading the warm sandy flats or fishing from the boat, Ascension Bay is the ideal destination for the saltwater flats angler.
Boats and Equipment
Classic 23-foot Mexican pangas provide comfortable water transport – particularly in strong winds and rough seas – and a stable casting platform for fly fishing. These pangas are easy to pole in shallow water and have for decades served the region’s fishermen and guides. These boats can accommodate two fishermen, a guide, and an apprentice guide. The boats are roomy and comfortable with large, clean casting decks. If possible, anglers should plan on bringing all equipment such as rods, reels, and fly lines with them. The Lodge does have some rental rods available, and also has a limited selection of flies, leaders, and tippet for sale in the small gift and tackle shop. Yellow Dog recommends that guests travel with their own gear.
Rates and Terms
Package Rates
Remember that Yellow Dog’s services are completely free! When you book a trip with Yellow Dog, you never pay more than when you book directly with the lodge or outfitter. All prices listed below are per person and quoted in US dollars. Trips of any length can be arranged, so please call Yellow Dog for details and custom package pricing.
Double Occupancy Package (2 Per Boat / 2 Per Room)
7 Nights / 6 Fishing Days = $4,742.00
6 Nights / 5 Fishing Days = $4,078.00
5 Nights / 4 Fishing Days = $3,415.00
4 Nights / 3 Fishing Days = $2,751.00
3 Nights / 2 Fishing Days = $2,088.00
2 Nights / 1 Fishing Day = $1,252.00
Single Occupancy Package (1 Per Boat / 1 Per Room)
7 Nights / 6 Fishing Days = $8,491.00
6 Nights / 5 Fishing Days = $7,306.00
5 Nights / 4 Fishing Days = $6,121.00
4 Nights / 3 Fishing Days = $4,936.00
3 Nights / 2 Fishing Days = $3,338.00
2 Nights / 1 Fishing Day = $1,919.00
What’s Included in All-Inclusive Packages:
- The number of nights lodging specified in your package
- All guided fishing as specified
- Round-trip ground / water transfer between Cancun and Pesca Maya Lodge
- Breakfast and dinner at the lodge
- Cooler lunch on the water with your guide (includes 2 sodas, 2 bottled waters, and 2 beers per angler)
- Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages
- Up to two (2) rod/reel setups per boat. (Must be reserved in advance!)
- All applicable Mexican VAT and hotel taxes
What’s Not Included in All-Inclusive Packages:
- International flight to and from Cancun
- Gratuities for guides, lodge staff, and transfer agent
- Laundry, and additional special services
- Flies, terminal tackle, and additional rental rods if needed
- Mexican fishing license ($22 USD per day, $70 USD per week)
Pesca Maya Lodge (Punta Allen – Yucatan Peninsula)
TERMS AND CONDITIONS – CANCELLATIONS
A non-refundable deposit of 50% per person is due at the time of booking for all trip packages and reservations, and final payment if due 90 days prior to arrival. All trip cancellations must be received in writing, sent to Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures, LLC. For all cancellations outside of 60 days of the scheduled arrival at the lodge, a full refund or a trip credit (minus a 10% per person lodge cancellation fee and a $100.00 per person Yellow Dog cancellation fee) will be issued. For cancellations inside of 60 days, deposits and final payments will be forfeited, and no refund will be issued. Depending on availability, a trip credit may be issued by the lodge to be used within one year. This credit will be at the sole discretion of the lodge and may be issued minus a 10% per person lodge cancellation fee and a $100.00 per person Yellow Dog cancellation fee. If rates are higher for new / rescheduled dates, the difference will be added to trip cost. In the event of severe weather conditions such as tropical storms or hurricanes, your trip may be rescheduled at the discretion of the lodge. If you are already at the lodge, Pesca Maya will reschedule the number of days lost due to weather. No refunds will apply for weather-related incidents or hurricanes, which is why Yellow Dog Flyfishing strongly recommends that anglers and guests purchase travel insurance for your trip. Receipt of deposit and/or final payment is acknowledgment that registrant has read and accepts the deposit, cancellation, refund and responsibility clauses for these packages.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW YELLOW DOG GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND CANCELLATION POLICIES
Yellow Dog Client Reviews
“It was the greatest trip “fishing” wise I’ve ever experienced. They actually count the # of fish caught for the book the lodge keeps. I caught over 160 fish including 108 bones and 2 permit. I waded for a permit and the next day I got a big permit in deep water. I needed a tarpon for a grand slam 2 days in a row. The first day, I hooked a giant tarpon back under and behind mangroves. He jumped 3X before spitting the fly up in a mangrove about 6ft off the water. Scully is my favorite guide in the world. He is the salt of the earth and a permit legend. That being said, Daurin is right up there. We fished hard…he changed up flies more than any guide I’ve ever fished with. We ran up the beach, literally, to get in front of a school of permit, made casts. Then got back out and ran up the beach again. We did it 3X. He said he hadn’t run that much in over a year. He knew I was still rather young and driven, with a bit of skill. He pushed me …knowing I would enjoy it. A week for the ages.” – Jim A.
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“This was a last-minute booking after a previously booked Belize trip was canceled. Yellow Dog was all over it and this all came together in about a week’s time. I was very impressed with the response time and help in getting this done. The fishing was excellent. I have been to Key West, Bahamas, Cuba, and Belize. I have never seen so many Permit. I cast to more permit that week than I have ever seen at the other locations combined. Didn’t catch but two, but that’s permit fishing. Did get my first grand slam the second day. Caught three tarpon up to about 30 pounds and cast to many more. Caught more bonefish than I could count. The average size of the bonefish were not quite as large as Belize and Cuba but comparable in size to the Bahamas, but the sheer numbers of bonefish were amazing. You could catch bonefish all day long if you wanted. Bottom line, if you are looking for a really large Tarpon this is not your place, but if you want to catch tarpon up to about 30 lbs, cast at lots of big permit and catch bonefish until you get worn out, this is your place.” – Wilson H.
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“Very fun. Beautiful place and the staff was great. The views from the lodge are wonderful. You will catch fish every day.” – Spencer B.
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“Great immersion for me as a novice fly fisherman. Caught a ton of fish, my casting improved day by day. Was very happy with the whole trip.” – Joseph M.
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“Six of us went for a week for my 60th birthday. We had a great time. Everyone – from the 2 who had never before held a fly rod to the 1 who owns a fly shop – had a blast. The variety of fish and fishing opportunities is remarkable.” – Rob W.
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“Outstanding…that’s all I can say!” – Chad M.
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