CANARREOS ARCHIPELAGO

The best of Cayo Largo and Island of the Youth

Getting There: Arrive through Havana and transfer 3 hours to the port, and another 3 hours to first moorage

The Fish: Bonefish, Permit, resident Tarpon, Jacks, Snapper and some Snook

Notable: Straightforward travel to destination. Combines unique fishing areas of both Island of the Youth and Cayo Largo. Has all flats species.

The Canarreos trip is relatively new to the fishing options available in Cuba. The Canarreos Archipelago is a chain of islands almost directly south of Havana. It starts in the west near the famous Island of the Youth, and ends in the east at Cayo Largo. Both of these islands are famous for fishing in Cuba, and are fished individually during the height of the season from mid-February to the middle of July. The rest of the time, the outfitter combines the whole area into one very unique fishing zone.

Getting there is fairly simple. Guests will arrive through Havana, and then travel overland by bus about three hours to a small port on the Bay of Pigs. Once aboard the yacht, the captain steams directly to a moorage in the islands for the night. At first light the next day, the boat continues and makes anchor at a passage that is about midway between Cayo Largo and Island of the Youth. After fishing the middle and western zones, the boat will move and make its final moorage near Cayo Largo.

The area in and around Island of the Youth provides a near perfect environment for Tarpon to grow up, and to return to during their annual migration. Guests fishing here on the Canarreos program will have access to mostly resident fish, in the numerous channels between the many islands, in dark bottomed bays, and within the mangroves themselves. Most of these fish are under thirty pounds, but for some reason bigger Tarpon are known to show up here even outside of the months they are usually expected. There are also other species here, but Tarpon are the most prolific.

Once the boat moves to the east, nearer to Cayo Largo, the habitat and fishing change dramatically. Things are more open here, with fewer mangroves, and expansive flats. There are many Bonefish available to anglers, and a good number of them are between four and six pounds. Most famous of all, however, is the Permit fishing around Cayo Largo. The flats are huge, easily accessible from deep water, and full of feed. Here Permit are often found feeding in the company of Rays, making them not only very visible, but also more apt to quickly grab a fly presented near the Ray.

Guests stay for the week aboard the Jardines Avalon 1 yacht. This is one of the newer boats in the fleet, and houses groups of up to twelve guests. It is spacious and comfortable, with a crew that is very attentive.