Accommodations
Season
Species
Ideal for
Conservation
Small Fishing Community on the Famous Bay of Pigs
This land-based option, located only a few hours from Havana, can be a great way to get in a day of fishing if you are already in Cuba traveling on your own itinerary or if you have booked a cultural tour and would like to get in a day or two on the water. With new Beavertail skiffs for saltwater fishing on the Las Salinas flats, and Bass Tracker boats to access tarpon and snook fishing in the nearby Rio Hatiguanico River, this option allows for a completely customizable trip that offers the best of both salt and freshwater fishing in Cuba.
With ultimate flexibility, you can elect for the right combination of saltwater flats fishing days combined with freshwater fishing for tarpon and snook. The hotel and the dining package, which include trips to local paladars (restaurants in private homes), allow for the unique opportunity to experience the real local flavor of Cuba. You can choose to fish for a day and return to Havana for the night or stay in Playa Larga for a dynamic week of both salt and sweet water fishing.
Accommodation Details
Lodging Details
Anglers will stay at a private, anglers-only section of the Playa Larga Hotel in the town of Playa Larga with a private entrance. Guests stay in colorful bungalows with a front porch, interior sitting area, private bath with shower, two double beds, air conditioning, and hot water. There is a private beach area available to angling guests only a short walk from the bungalows.
Food and Beverages
There are a variety of dining options in Playa Larga. El Ranchon is a private bar and grill for the angling guests at Playa Larga Hotel only. Beers, spirits, sodas, water, and juices will be available at any time to guests at this cantina. Guests can order from a diverse menu of meat, seafood, chicken, or pork options, all expertly grilled and prepared at El Ranchon. In addition, an abbreviated menu will be available 24 hours a day for anglers. Upon request, transportation to a local paladar (private dining experience at a Cuban home and some of the best food in Cuba) such as Casa Alexis, Paladar Chuchy el Pescador or Paladar Las Terrazas for dinner. We highly recommend having at least one evening meal locally – the experience and the food are not to be missed.
Typical Length of Stay
Any length of stay can be accommodated. A package of any number of nights and guided fishing days can be arranged, and guests can arrive and depart on any day of the week. Additional days and nights in Havana or visits to other parts of Cuba can easily be arranged and itineraries can be fully customized. Combo trips between Zapata and other fishing areas can also be arranged if desired. Please contact Yellow Dog for more details.
Non-Angling Activities and Options
Non-angling activities include snorkeling, diving, bird watching, and guided walking tours of the nearby Ciénaga de Zapata National Park.
Internet/Communications
Wi-Fi is available at the hotel, but can be unpredictable and may not maintain good connectivity. You can purchase internet cards from the hotel for about 2 CUC for one hour of connectivity. Keep in mind that U.S. cell phones currently DO NOT work anywhere in Cuba. Also, satellite phones are strictly prohibited in Cuba and will be confiscated at the airport upon arrival.
Travel Details
How To Get There
The fisheries that are located in the Western half of Cuba (Cayo Largo, Isla de la Juventud, Zapata, Playa Larga/Las Salinas and Cannarreos) can all be best accessed with flights directly into Havana’s Jose Marti International Airport (HAV). There are many daily flights to Havana on US carriers such as American Airlines, Delta, Jet Blue and Southwest that can easily be booked to get to Havana. If you are traveling to Jardines de la Reina, Cayo Romano or Cayo Paredon, the best arrival city is Camaguey (CMW) which is served with daily flights from Miami (MIA) on American Airlines. There are a number of international flights that can be booked into Havana from international cities such as Milan, Madrid and Istanbul. Yellow Dog can help advise on the best days to travel to and from Havana based on the specific fishery that you are traveling to. We can also help with tour services and hotel arrangements for your trip.
Arrival and Departure Details / Times
For the grand majority of fisheries in Cuba, anglers typically fly into Havana’s Jose Marti International Airport (HAV) on a Friday, where they overnight in the city. The next day (Saturday), you will be met for your transfer to Port where you will board your mothership for the week. Once everyone is aboard, you will transfer to the fishery where you will moor for the night. Your guides will meet you the next morning with the skiffs for your first day of fishing. On the following Friday, you will bid your guides goodbye and the boat will head back to port to prepare for your Saturday morning disembarkation. You can either schedule a late departure flight (after 4 PM at the earliest!) out of Havana on this day, or we can arrange a final hotel night in Havana prior to your departing flights. Many visitors choose to add an extra day or two in the city to explore Havana and the surrounding areas either before or after your week aboard. Yellow Dog can help arrange for additional time in Cuba and associated logistics.
Documents Required
A valid passport is required for all visitors to Cuba and must be valid for at least six (6) months beyond the duration of your stay. Citizens of the United States are also required to have a Cuban entrance visa that can be secured when checking in for your direct flight to Cuba. You will be asked to sign an affidavit for your trip to Cuba and determine which OFAC category your trip qualifies for and as an American traveler, you are obligated to maintain a record of your trip for five years – documentation is supplied to you by Yellow Dog.
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 Fishing Information
One of the things that make this fishing area so unique is the large amount of skinny or shallow water. Much of the area simply cannot be accessed and fished using traditional flats skiffs with two anglers and a guide. To that end, we utilize both “single angler” skiffs – smaller, skinny-water boats designed for a solo angler and one guide in addition to Beavertail double skiffs. The skinny water single angler boats are typically used for shallow water to access the bonefishing and permit fishing deep within the flats systems.
Each morning, guests will transfer by a vehicle about an hour to Las Salinas fishing area which is part of the Ciénaga de Zapata National Park. You will arrive at a covered staging area where you can rig your gear and, if you are fishing for multiple days, you can rinse and store your gear for subsequent fishing days. Once rigged, you step onto the private docks and board your skiff(s) for the day. Anglers can expect to fish for bonefish and permit, with possibilities for other marine species (tarpon, snook, jacks, barracuda, etc.) as well.
If you are fishing the Rio Hatiguanico, you will transfer by vehicle an hour and a half to a different park entrance to the expansive Ciénaga de Zapata Biosphere Reserve and National Park. The source of this gem of a fishery is a huge sweet water natural spring that flows westward into the Ensenada de la Broa and the open ocean. There are a small boathouse and staging area where you can rig your rods and step onto the comfortable boats for a short motor downriver to where the river opens up into a wide channel. There are over 14 kilometers of river channels to fish between the headwaters and staging area and the river mouth where it meets the salt. Tarpon and snook are the targeted species along with this With any luck, you may see manatees coming up for air in the main channel.
Boats and Equipment
When fishing the flats of Las Salinas you will be fishing from either a 16’ 8” foot 2016 Beavertail skiff (single occupancy) or a 17’6” foot 2016 Beavertail skiff (double occupancy). These Beavertail skiffs are specifically designed for very skinny water and are the ideal craft for accessing the far reaches of the expansive flats system. Wading boots are highly recommended for Las Salinas.
When fishing for tarpon and snook on the Rio Hatiguanico, you will fish from either a 16 or 17-foot 2016 Bass Tracker with 40-50 HP Mercury motors.
It is recommended that anglers bring all of their own fishing equipment. Flies, leaders, tippet, all terminal tackle, and all accessories should be brought down, as very few items, if any, are available anywhere in Cuba.
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. Trips of any length of stay can be arranged.
Please contact Yellow Dog for rates.
- Private ground transfers to/from Havana to Playa Larga
- Daily ground transfers to and from the fishery for either Las Salinas or the Rio Hatiguanico
- Breakfast at hotel, packed lunch, 2 soft drinks, 2 bottles of water
- Taxes and GSTs
- Dinners at local paladars (private eateries) and the Hotel Playa Larga
- International flights to/from Havana (HAV)
- Hotel nights, meals, drinks, taxis, tours, and any additional expenses while in Havana
- Fishing tackle, equipment, flies, and all terminal tackle
- Cuban entrance visa
- Gratuities for guides and staff (must be paid in cash)
- Gratuities for paladar dinners and hotel dining
- Beer or alcoholic beverages (available to purchase in route to Hotel if desired while fishing and available at meals, but not included in package price)
Playa Larga, Las Salinas and Lago Del Tesoro (Playa Larga, Cuba)
TERMS AND CONDITIONS – CANCELLATIONS
For trips outside of 90 days, a 50% deposit is required at the time of confirmation to hold all reservations and trip dates. For all Cuba trips less than 90 days out, full payment is required to secure reservations. Passport number, date of birth and full name (as printed in passport) is required to confirm any Cuba reservation. Payment for all Cuba trip must be made in US dollars and can be made using check, money order or wire transfer only (no credit card payments for Cuba trips will be accepted). All trip cancellations must be received in writing, sent to Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures, LLC. and cancellations will incur a $250.00 per person Yellow Dog handling fee in addition to a $100.00 per person handling fee charged by the operator, regardless of timing or reason. For cancellations outside of 120 days from start of trip, 90% of trip payments are refundable or transferrable to another date or angler, minus an $100.00 per person cancellation fee charged by operator and a $250.00 per person fee charged by Yellow Dog. For cancellations made 119-61 days prior to trip departure, 80% of trip payments are eligible for a refund or transfer. There are no refunds for trips cancelled within 60 days of trip departure. No refunds will be issued for unused portions of packages. Because of the operator’s strict cancellation policies, we highly recommend the purchase of trip cancellation insurance. In no event will the operator be responsible for any cancellation of services or operations due to inclement weather, any event of force majeure, airline delays or flight cancellations, or any other reason beyond the control of the operator. The operator will not refund payments in the event of poor weather. If your flights are cancelled and connections are missed, the operator is not responsible for alternative travel arrangements including flights, hotels, meals and any other expenses incurred. Please note that credit card payments cannot be accepted for any incidentals or expenses once in Cuba. 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. Once again, Yellow Dog strongly recommends that anglers and guests purchase travel insurance these Cuban packages.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW YELLOW DOG GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND CANCELLATION POLICIES
Payment Terms For All Yellow Dog Trip Bookings
In order to lock in your trip reservation, we ask that you please remit payment at the time of receipt of invoice. For your convenience, Yellow Dog accepts on-line payments via a direct and secure ACH platform – a quick and easy way to complete your trip reservation. Note that all Yellow Dog invoices include a live link that takes you directly to the Yellow Dog ACH platform for fast and easy payment. For open and existing invoices with a remaining balance, payment reminders also include this easy link to the ACH page.
Other customary forms of payment that are accepted are checks or wire transfers. If you would like to pay in a different way or have any questions about alternate payment methods, please contact Yellow Dog at (888) 777-5060 or (406) 585-8667. We are available Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Beginning September 1st, 2020, Yellow Dog will apply a 3% convenience fee for all credit card transactions.
Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures Standard Forms For Payment
- ACH online payments (for US banking institutions only).
- Traditional checks (sent via mail)
- Electronic wire payments (client is responsible for any wiring fees)
*Please contact us if you prefer or require a different payment option. Convenience fees may apply for other payment methods.
**Please be aware that the ACH platform is only available for US financial institutions and bank accounts. International payments can be made via wire or with a credit card.
Gallery
Quick Reference Legend
