GARDENS OF THE QUEEN (Jardines de la Reina)
One of the most pristine marine habitats left on earth
Getting There: Travelers from the USA will arrive in Camaguey and then transfer overland about 2 hours to the port, and then by boat to Gardens of the Queen
The Fish: All species of flats fish live here, all year. Bonefish, Permit, Tarpon, Jacks, Cuda, Snapper are abundant
Notable: JDR is one of the most pristine, isolated habitats on planet earth. Anglers, divers, and eco-tourists are limited in number each year
guests arrived into Havana and had to take a bus nearly 7 hours across the island to the port of Jucaro. With flights now arriving in Camaguey, groups are transported a short 2 hours to the port where they meet their live-aboard boat. The fishing week in JDR includes 5 1/2 days of fishing.
The floating lodge, the Torguga is the original lodging for JDR, but the outfitter now has several yachts available for groups ranging in size from 6-12 anglers. Each is similar in that they have long fishing days, great food (relying heavily on fresh seafood of course), first class skiffs, and experienced guides. Please take your time in looking at all the different accommodations below, so that you might learn which is best for you and your group.
Jardines de la Reina is a remote archipelago of islands, lying some 50 miles of the southern coast of the Cuban mainland. This is a protected marine area, with a limited number of catch and release anglers, divers, and eco-tourists allowed to visit yearly. The habitat here is pristine and untouched. As a result, all the species of shallow water flats species flourish, including Bonefish, Permit, Tarpon, Barracuda, Jacks and Snapper. With a total fishing area greater than the Florida Keys, anglers are given a large area per skiff to fish, ensuring that they rarely see other fishermen. In fact, Avalon only allows a maximum of 15 skiffs fishing JDR at any one time. Fishing is consistent throughout the entire year. While Tarpon under 30 pounds are always available, the larger migratory fish arrive in April and stay through the end of June, and sometimes in to July. September is generally a month reserved for boat maintenance and guide vacations due to hurricane season.
Getting to Jardines de la Reina is simpler than it used to be when
