FLATS & BEYOND - PLAYA LARGA
In close proximity to both the saltwater flats, and the Rio Hatiguanico
Getting There: Guests will transfer from Havana overland about two and a half hours by bus. Travel each day to the fishing is necessary
The Fish: All flats species are here. Tarpon on the flats and the river, plentiful Bonefish, many Permit, Snook, Snapper, Jacks and Barracuda
Notable: Short travel time from Havana. Not only are species plentiful, but guests are able to fish both the saltwater and a jungle river
There are also many Permit here, found both on the interior flats, as well as the beaches closest to the open ocean. Resident Tarpon are here every day of the year, most often in the mangroves or channels dividing the many cayes. Larger Tarpon do show up during the migratory months of late Spring and early Summer. To fill out the offering, the flats also have Snook, Jacks, Snapper and many Barracuda.
Another fantastic fishery available from Playa Larga is the Rio Hatiguanico. This is one of the few available freshwater fisheries in Cuba available to fly anglers. About an hour transfer from town, this is a true jungle river. It is very famous for Tarpon, and they tend to be in the river every day of the year. Small fish inhabit the feeder creeks, while juveniles between fifteen and thirty pounds are most common in the main river. Bigger Tarpon are not uncommon, as is the case with Snook and Jacks as well.
Unique to this fishery, is the opportunity to customize your trip. Although week-long packages are most common, groups have the opportunity to add days, take a day off from fishing to explore the Cuban countryside, or even do just a day trip from Havana.
Playa Larga is located on the beaches of the famous Bay of Pigs, and is still a quiet fishing village. Nearby is the largest national park in all of the Caribbean, the Zapata Peninsula. This park is much like the Florida Everglades…..largely inaccessible, and comprised of sawgrass, mangroves, birds, animals, and fish.
Guests arrive in Playa Larga by a short trip from Havana of about three hours. Once there, they are housed either in a hotel, or in smaller casa particulars on the beach of the bay. Unlike the boat trips offered throughout much of Cuba, this trip allows guests to experience a bit more of Cuban life each day. They often stay with Cuban hosts, and have time to explore the village after fishing. They also have the opportunity to choose different restaurants or bars in the evenings, which gives the trip more variety than does a boat experience.
Anglers here have two distinct areas to fish, both of which are accessed by car each day from Playa Larga. The saltwater flats of La Salinas are about a thirty minute drive from town. There, guests join their guides and venture in to this vast habitat. All flats fish exist here. Bonefish are the most famous, and most plentiful. They can be stalked from the skiff, or while wading.
ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS