Fly fishing adventure to Cuba, Jardines de La Reina
12-20 April, 2013
This is a trip we are really excited about. Jim Curry, international fishing expert from Halstead and Bolton is putting together a team of anglers to fish one of the finest, and most untouched, saltwater flats regions on the planet.
Cuba’s Jardines de la Reina is famed as one of the best places in the world to catch a super grand slam on the flats – bonefish, tarpon, permit and snook, all in the same day. Anglers will be guaranteed plenty of opportunities to sight fish for large bonefish, and this is one of the best places in the world to catch permit, considered the most elusive and prized of the saltwater flats game fish.
This trip follows on from the Halstead and Bolton adventure at Cayo Largo, Cuba, last year, where we were amazed at the variety, numbers and size of the fish we saw, hooked and landed.
We are very excited about the prospect of testing our tackle and nerve again with more of these ultra-hard fighting saltwater species.
Jim is an AAPGAI master fly fishing instructor and a veteran of years of hosted saltwater trips, so the highest quality help and advice will always be on hand to make sure everyone gets the most from their experience.
We will stay aboard the brand new Avalon Fleet 1 yacht, which will be our floating base for the week’s fishing. The boat will move during the week ensuring we are fishing over different water every day. There are 8 deluxe king cabins, with 7 private bathrooms, and all with air conditioning. In all the cabins and communal areas there are electric sockets available for you to plug in your personal items (220 volts and 110 volts). Each room has panoramic windows to enjoy the breathtaking views of the Caribbean beaches.
There is a spacious and comfortable combination lounge, dining room and bar area on the boat deck. This is where we will eat and relax with a drink after our fishing. DVDs and music are on hand. The setting is casual and, given the hosts, the week will certainly be full of laughs, too.
The excellent Cuban guides will spot fish as well as any of the Caribbean’s best guides and direct your casts from the poling platform. These guides enjoy enthusiastic anglers and love to work long days, allowing you to fish as hard as you want. In all the Cuban destinations run by the operator Avalon, there is never any limitation on gas used or distances run in the day. If you want to get out early and fish to dark, you can do it! But the fishing is normally so good and so intense that you’ll be ready to quit in time to be back for cocktails.
At this time of the year our primary target species will be bonefish, tarpon and permit, although the flats will also contain many other species including snook, jacks and barracuda, to name just a few. The migratory tarpon, up to 100lbs and averaging 30lbs, are regularly spotted and shots at permit are frequent. Numerous Grand Slams are achieved each season as well as a few Super Grand Slams (tarpon, bonefish, permit and snook).
We will fish a variety of 8, 9 and 10 weight rods during the week, depending on our target species at the time. John Norris of Penrith will, of course, be able to advise on tackle and fly selection to make sure everyone in the group is perfectly prepared for all eventualities, though the Avalon fly, specifically designed for the permit in this region, will be certain to feature in our fly boxes.
Suggested itinerary:
Friday April 12
Flight arrival in Havana. Greeted by Avalon representative, transfer to 5-star hotel (hotel accommodation included in package)
Saturday April 13
4am: Meet in hotel lobby for pick-up and transfer to Jardines de la Reina at Jucaro Port at 9am
Transfer to Avalon Fleet 1 yacht
Early afternoon fishing!
Sunday April 14 – Friday April 19
Aboard Avalon Fleet 1
7am: Wake-up call
7:30am: Breakfast
8am: Fishing
Note: Schedule can be changed according to your preferences and your guide's suggestions.
Friday April 19
Lunchtime transfer back to Havana city. 8:30pm approximate arrival in Havana Night at 5-star hotel (included in package)
Saturday April 20
Taxi to Havana International Airport for departure flight
Please note: The hotel accommodation in Havana is included in the package. Not included are international flights and taxi transfers from and to Havana International Airport.
For more information or to discuss the trip, contact Jim Curry on 07973 291367 or email jim@halsteadandbolton.com.
For details, pictures and video visit www.halsteadandbolton.com/trip_cuba2013.asp.