Thorne Bros/Fly Angler Excursion!!!

[Matt Johnson]

PESCA MAYA 2008

Join Mike Rolek, from Thorne Bros/Fly Angler, flyfishing the flats of Ascension Bay, Mexico.

Fish for Bonefish, Permit, Tarpon, Cuda, Snook.

When:

Feb 26 to March 4, 2008 (6 days fishing) 2870pp dbl

or

Feb 26 to March 2 (4 days fishing) 2050pp dbl

Trip Includes:

• Accommodation in beach cabanas (double occupancy)
• Guided fishing on 4 or 6 day package (2 guides per boat)
• 3 meals daily
• National beverages and water
• Group airport transfers
• Monthly preparation/tying nights
• Thorne Bros/Fly Angler discounts

Not included:

• Airfare (To Cancun, Mexico)
• Fishing license (about 26 dollars weekly)
• Biosphere use tax (about 2 dollars per day)
• Tips (for guides and lodge staff)

For more information contact Mike at The Fly Angler... 763-572-0717

This year I’m going with you or without you, so come have some saltwater fishing fun! Get your Passport ready!

Here's a few pictures of what you can expect...

[Navigator]

I hope you don't mind me puting this up Matt. A report from last winter, but it details what I found from fly fishing in Cozumel. With Thorne Brothers reputation as a quality outfit, I'm certain anyone booking a trip with them will experience a great fishing trip.

Early February 2007 bonefish trip to Cozumel:

I managed to get in 6 hours of fishing with local flats guide Alex Euan.

The whole purpose of this trip, for me, was to catch a bonefish using a fly rod. One, I'm at an intermediate level (at least I thought I was) when it comes to using a fly rod. Mostly from fishing SE MN streams as a kid for trout and back then I used a 7' fly rod. I found out quickly that I was a novice with the equipment Alex uses. A 9' - 8 weight rod, saltwater fly reel, 8# leader with about 40 yards of floating fly line and what seemed like 100 yards of backing. My estimates are probably off, but close enough. After that first hook-set, I can see why he has soo much backing!! The only fish I was able to boat used nearly all of the backing and he peeled it off in less than 10 seconds. Half way into his run I start laughing - Alex starts laughing and I could tell this was going to be a fun day.

It took me about an hour of practice before I nailed that fish, but it was worth the wait. The fish tail in the shallows in groups of three or four and you can see them for 100 yards milling around and then they will move off. When they move is when you have that opportunity to make the cast. I lost count but I probably miscued and missed around two dozen of these pods all because of my lack of concentration. When I did everything right though, which was on three fish, man was that a blast. Like I implied above, they run faster than any fish I have hooked.

Let me explain the whole fishing experience for me, as best as I can:

1. Watching, patience & stealth count for this fish more than any other I have fished.

2. Cast's have to be accurate and in front of the fish, about 8'. Their eye sight is excellent and you can spook them by placing the fly too close. I did.

3. My side arm (SE MN style) of fly fishing doesn't work! I was rushing my back & forward cast too much and I didn't point the rod down on the forward motion which shoots the fly line out through the guides. Finish the cast.

4. Short strips with your rod tip almost touching the water. As Alex put it, 4" to 5"...strip...strip...strip short pause to let the fly sink and strip again. What this does is make the fly jump and man do those fish respond!

5. When they hit the fly, set that hook! I had two decent fish get off because I didn't "rear" back and hit them hard.

I heard multiple times from the back of the boat.....ai yai yai Jon

Alex ties his own pattern which looks like a shrimp. Real beauties too! I had a barracuda hit one and it was gone in a second.

He really worked his tail off using a push pole to put me on fish, man am I glad I have a minnkota!! The lagoons are a real wonder too. Everything from ospreys to sea turtles and a huge variety of fish.