Cuban Mullet

Posted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 5:41 pm

I was very fortunate to spend Christmas and new year fishing in the ‘Jardines de la Reina’, a 130km long archipelago off the southern coast of Cuba. Arriving in Havana, the warm, humid air made a welcome change to the snow and ice so prevalent in the UK. The ‘Jardines’ are an area of nature conservation and the amount and diversity of wild life encountered would make even David Attenborough grin from ear to ear. This was to be my ‘trip of a life-time’ and my expectations were greatly exceeded. The whole experience was simply fantastic. Only one problem! How do I get my wife to agree to a second trip off a life-time? I fished for six days, each day producing its own wonderful memories, which I recorded in my diary. However, Day 5 in particular sticks in the mind……………………………..

Woken by the maid at 6.30am to dine on fried eggs, ham, toast and delicious Cuban coffee. Skiff departed the Tortuga at 7.30 and motored west through the mangroves and islands for 45 minutes before coming to rest in a wide channel between two large islands.
Helio handed me the 8wt and instructed me to cast towards an area of weed in around 10 feet of water. A menancing group of fish tailed the fly before slipping back into invisibility. "Beeeg Jacks" shouted Helio, "Cast again." A jack instantly took the 'Will's Skittal' and the fastly disappearing fly line drew blood from my index finger. The fish fought with ridiculous energy and strength but eventually came towards the skiff, where a 6 foot Barracuda smashed into the Jack and sliced the leader. Several more Jacks (yellow, horse eye and blue runner) along with Red snappers supplied great sport for the next 30 minutes until the radio burst into life and informed us of Tarpon activity in a nearby Mangrove channel.

The 65 HP engine could not get us there quickly enough. Helio's ultra cool exterior was starting to crack for the first time. As we travelled the 9wt Zane was thrust into my hand. We were the first boat to arrive. Alan, who generously instructed his guide to alert the other skiffs to the klondyke, was playing his second Tarpon of the morning.
Tarpon were breaking the surface immediately ahead and a group of six or so fish soon glided into view. I made a short cast towards the group and a 20lb Tarpon flashed to the surface and engulfed my fly. I remembered to strike and further remembered to hang on. Wow!!!
Sheer and utter power. This was totally unlike any fish I have experienced before. The guide instructed me to drop the rod when the Tarpon was about to jump and jump it did, aplenty. Eventually the fish tired and was gently released alongside the skiff. More Tarpon beckoned and in the next 45 minutes I hooked and eventually lost a further six 20lb fish at various stages of the fight, before 40lb Tarpon arrived on the scene. These fish took brutality to a new level. The first one I hooked threw the fly after a few jaw dropping jumps, only for a second 40lb'r to grab the now exposed fly. The other skiffs motored in just as the Tarpon faded away into the Mangroves.
A quick glance at my watch revealed the time to be 9.55am.
The next few hours were spent exploring a maze of mangrove channels, in the hope of encountering further groups of willing Tarpon but the silver kings won this particular game of hide and seek.

Helio beached the skiff on the white sands of an archetypical desert island, for a spot of lunch. Within minutes we were joined by a family of Iguanas, keen to share our fruit. Refereshed, we headed to the north side of the cays to re-new our pursuit of bone fish. Helio has fished these islands since childhood and is absolutely expert in locating bones. However, the first two bays we investigated were devoid of fish. “Tide too low. We go south side”, said Helio. The 65 HP engine propelled the skiff through mangrove channels and across wide, shallow bays of turquoise water, populated by Eagle rays, Sting rays, turtles, Lemon sharks and marauding Bull sharks to the far side of the Boca Grande channel. Helio poled the skiff with great stealth into the margins of a long, shallow bay, pausing occasionally to study the shimmering water for the presence of bone fish. I stood at the front of the skiff, entranced by the sheer beauty of the setting, listening to the call of the Ospreys whose nests adorned the upper branches of a stand of dead trees. A pair of dark shapes suddenly appeared from the Eel grass, swimming quickly over an area of sand between the skiff and the shore. The black shapes I could see were of course the shadows of two decent sized bone fish. A twenty meter cast into a slight head wind was required to deliver the fly successfully. The size 6 Cuban shrimp landed two feet to the side of the lead fish. Two short strips were enough to persuade the second fish to take the fly. The bonefish stripped 100m of line and backing during the first run, spooking several groups of unseen bonefish on its way. A few blistering runs later, an exquisite bonefish of 5lbs posed for the camera.

Helio cut the engine and dropped the anchor amongst the ancient coral. The other guides rarely waded but with Helio wading was a daily occurrence. The area to be waded consisted of shallow, calm water sandwiched between the beach and a line of waves breaking over the edge of the coral, 50m off shore. Almost immediately we encountered bonefish. First cast and the line tightened into a fast running fish, which headed directly out to sea. This scenario was repeated along the entire length of the beach, with Helio joining in the action, picking off bone fish at will. Despite the propensity of fish, without Helio’s guidance I remained unable to detect bones for myself in the dancing water.

Around 4pm the breeze suddenly dropped, signaling a return to the north side of the cays in search of large, individual bones which cruise the mangroves. We glided into a small bay, punctuated by small stands of mangrove. Several large bone fish could be seen on the feed, either tailing or swimming with their backs partially exposed in search of food. Helio poled towards the nearest fish and instructed me to cast at the appropriate moment. The shrimp pattern came to rest three feet in advance of the bone. “Don’t strip” whispered Helio. A few seconds later the line suddenly came to life as the bone fish collected the fly from amongst the Eel grass. Upon striking, the fish engaged on an incredibly fast run through the shallow water, stripping more than a 100m of line, which it tangled around several groups of juvenile mangrove. “Wade” instructed Helio. I began to run through the water, afraid of loosing such a fine fish. “Slowly” said Helio. The bone fish had come to rest close by a small mangrove bush. Helio crept amongst the mangroves, releasing the line until finally approaching the fish to free the final snag. “Lot’s of loose line” requested Helio. I stripped of 20m of line, slightly puzzled. The reason became clear when the fish became spooked by Helio’s presence and took off once more. Fortunately the loose flyline followed and in the nick of time Helio liberated the trapped line. The bone embarked upon a second, searing run of 100m, somehow managing to evade the mangroves. Soon, a splendid fish of around 7lb was almost to hand before discovering the strength for one final run, during which the leader snapped. Helio stood camera in hand, ready to capture the bone fish. Instead, he snapped the look of consternation on my face..............

A few images from preceeding days;

Posted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 5:45 pm

Wow an amazing report and some amazing pictures. You lucky man winking

. Thanks for sharing that truely great experience happy

Posted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 8:39 pm

well done colin on your trip,looks brilliant.suppose the winner bank in febuary trying for flounders wouldnt be the same mate big grin

.well done and great report c u soon mate .
mick

Posted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 11:50 pm

Bloody fantastic report mate winking

got to be one of the best reports ive ever read , awsome bit of angling in an unknown climate winking

Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2011 9:14 am

Superb Colin, well done!

Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2011 11:11 am

Fantastic pics and report happy

Big thanks for finding the time to post them happy

Cheers
mrix

Occasional Joined: Jun 19, 2010 Posts: 159 Location: kent

that is an amazing report! well done on all the fish! happy

thanks
fishingnuts95

Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2011 4:49 pm

Fair play mate - I was in Cuba back in May ............ and apart from the Mossie bites I caught nothing !!

Cheers,

Dave

Guest

well ive seen them caught on the tele and have thought if only .but i must say reading you report and seeing your face in your pics holding the fish is a lot better .well done colin and thanks for posting a great very worth while report .brillient read
steve

Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2011 9:37 pm

Funny that after reading your report yesterday , watched knobson green catching them on the fly last night in cuba on telly big grin

Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 3:05 pm

hi
looks nearly as exciting as our trip up the hamble colin lol,bet you wish i had a 65hp motor on my boat.
glyn

Guest

Well done Mulletfly,

A fantastic report/pics/write up. looks like you had a whale of a time you

lucky guy big grin

Tim

Member Joined: Sep 13, 2009 Posts: 40 Location: Hampshire

Looks like you had a great time Colin, with the added bonus of escaping Christmas madness big grin

. My trips to the Algarve weren't productive (I was there again last week)

Suffering from tennis elbow ATM hoping it clears before the end of march ish
I won't be casting a fly if it doesn't.....toothache in my elbow angry

Happy New Year to y'all

Chris

Posted: Thu Jan 13, 2011 7:33 pm

Thanks for the kind words everyone. Glad you enjoyed the report.

Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2011 5:27 pm

MulletFly wrote:

Thanks for the kind words everyone. Glad you enjoyed the report.

your welcome mate .but can you now delete the images as they have truly depressed me. devil