Canarreos Archipelago - Cuba Hosted Trip Report - May 2023

Canarreos Archipelago – Cuba Hosted Trip Report – May 2023:

Canarreos Archipelago – Cuba Hosted Trip Report: Sometimes we make fishing too complicated. It’s a very easy sport to get carried away with and it naturally happens to each of us as anglers at some point or a multitude of points in our angling careers. I can only speak personally, but this is very much the case for me when it comes to the saltwater flats. When fishing a dynamic flats fishery with a multitude of target species such as the Yucatan Mexico, Belize or Cuba, I all of sudden find myself chaotically packing far too much gear for the skiff each day and mentally scattered about which fish to target based on tides, conditions and most of all, current “fishing mood”. So, it was such a refreshing feeling this past May when Mike Dawkins and myself organized a Tarpon focused trip to Isla de Juventud, Cuba / Canarreos Archipelago – one of the world’s Tarpon meccas.

Canarreos Archipelago - Cuba Hosted Trip Report

Isla de Juventud (IDJ) or formerly known as Isla de Pinos prior to the revolution, is the second largest Cuban island and is situated off the southwest coast of the main island. IDJ and the series of islands and channels that extend to its east towards, Cayo Largo, are the epitome of classic, blue ribbon Tarpon water. Combining perfect access from deep Ocean into interior mangrove habitat within a very short distance, this fishery boasts reef, flats, channels and subtle depressions that are about as perfect Tarpon habitat as exists anywhere we have seen. The Tarpon that frequent these grounds range from juvenile 5-10lbs fish to medium sized ocean fishing that can push the 100lbs mark, making the fishing experience varied from day to day and tide to tide. We got a little taste of this destination in January 2022 when our trip to Cayo Largo was thrown off its intended track due to some Covid issues and we ended up fishing some of the water that Avalon defines as IDJ. From a Tarpon fishing perspective, what we saw that week inspired us to revisit this location more formally, during the prime Tarpon season.

This was most of our group’s first “Tarpon” trip, where a vast majority of our time and attention was spent targeting these legendary fish. Let’s just say, it was an absolute hit. It is hard to imagine a better sport fish in the world than the Cuban Tarpon. They eat the fly very willingly due to the ridiculously low amount of fishing pressure and they are not shy about coming into shallow flats or reef edges, producing intoxicating visual sight fishing. The excitement and anticipation from the moment a fish is spotted and the chaotic madness that occurs upon the violent eat is the most genuine and raw experience you can have with a fly rod in your hand. Once hooked, they do what Tarpon across the world do best, putting on an air show that is as entertaining to watch as it is to feel. By the end of day two, we officially had 12 full blown addicts on board the mothership. Each day ended on the stern of the boat with the group sharing epic stories, videos and photos and a very palpable excitement for the following fishing day to begin.

Arguably the coolest aspect of this trip and fishery is the fishing that occurs on the reef. There are not too many places in the world where you can target Tarpon on a significant reef break where schools of 60+lbs fishing are actively hunting over coral in less than 3 feet of water. The sheer beauty of the scene is enough to keep you coming back but when you start to engage with these fish, it is the ultimate example of “combat fishing”. It was absolute chaos as anglers and guides battled the waves, wind, current and tide while getting small time windows to accurately present flies to cruising Tarpon in the surf and when you hooked up, the ensuing madness for everyone involved, including the fish was a spectacle to behold. Appropriately dubbed “Reefer Madness” by the group, this was one of the most unique and special fishing experiences that I or anyone else on the trip had ever experienced.

The singular focus of this fishing trip with a deadlocked focus on Tarpon and all the different environments they can possibly live in, was an absolute treat for our group. Combined with the legendary hospitality that comes with an Avalon mothership, it was an unforgettable adventure. Considering the natural challenges that faced Avalon and their ground team in Cuba, the trip was about as seamless as one could hope for. Cuba is currently experiencing its largest fuel shortage in its ever challenging history. In Havana, gas stations were either completely closed or there was a line over a mile long with individuals and businesses being forced to ration what supplies they actually had on the island. The roads were practically empty. It was pretty easy for us to wonder how this would possibly affect our trip’s logistics considering it is a remote, mothership trip with 6 skiffs being used daily. By the end of the trip, we remarked on just how little it had a tangible effect on our trip which is testament to the boat crew and Avalon folks on the ground who tirelessly work to make these trips so special. With such a great experience, it is no wonder why we have dates for 2025 to go back to see it again!