Merry Christmas

Just a quick thank you to all those who have booked trips and travelled with us in 2009. We at Fly Odyssey wish you all a very Merry Christmas and and a festive time catching up with family and friends over the New Year period. We have some new and exciting developments for 2010 which include:

1. We will be running the first exploratory liveaboard trips to French Polynesia, New Caledonia and Kanton island in the Pacific in the newly built liveaboard BONEFISH (See pic below). We will be releasing dates and prices in early January 2010.



2. We are now the exclusive European agent for Casa Veijo Chac in Punta Allen, Ascension Bay, Mexico. The 'Casa' is local permit guru Manuel Chac's 4 room lodge with a capacity for 8 anglers. Fly Odyssey clients have been fishing with Manuel for several years and always return full of praise. The lodge offers the most competitive pricing in the region and is a must for the Permit junkie to visit.

3. We have also teamed up with Chile's finest trout fishing outfit Estancia Del Zorro and Cincos Rios Lodge. The Estancia is a 15000 acre property that it is riddled with springfed streams which are stuffed with big brown trout (as the photo below attests). Cincos Rios is situated on the banks of the world famous Rio Simpson and offers the chance to drift, wade and even jetboat into the headwaters and tributaries chasing the brown and rainbow trout as well as the salmon that inhabit this system.



4. We have also joined forces with Palm Valley Outfitters in the US who are exploring and opening up new and unfished waters deep in the Southern Yucatan Peninsula as well as operating a lodge in South texas for Redfish and white-wing dove shooting. Jeff at Palm Valley will also be acting as our US agent and running some saltwater fly fishing hosted trips to Christmas Island and Australia so if you have any questions about any of the destinations that we offer and are based in the US please give Jeff a call on (956) 428566 or email Palm Valley Outfitters for more information.



Merry Christmas
Mat

Ascension Bay Trip Report

We have just had two large groups of anglers down in Ascension Bay in November. Paul Procter UK angling writer and guide has put together a summary of their fortnight below. Paul will be taking a group back to Casa Blanca Lodge in March for those interested in joining a trip with him.

Paul's Report

November 2009 proved a highpoint in my season during a visit to Ascension Bay. Given light breezes the first week we were treated to exceptional conditions. Consequently, blue skies and clear water allowed for top drawer sight fishing. Better still the highly prized and much elusive permit were up on the flats and even in a cooperative mood (does it get any better?). The group landed no less than 12 permit in the first two days with other fish being reported hooked and lost, I can tell there’s not many places that boast such stats.



To be honest, I’d gone in search of bonefish, but to squander such an opportunity would have been unforgivable. Besides, forgetting all around me, I turned to a gibbering wreck when the guide whispered “permit”, nothing can prepare you for the moment those dark sickle like tails come ghosting into view. Thankfully, following good fortune, by lunchtime the first day our skiff had three decent permit under its belt, not a bad start to the 14 day campaign!



With permit being seen and cast to everyday, it was hard to tear yourself away from the hunt. However, a few sessions wading ankle deep water, looking for tailing bonefish proved just as exhilarating. Nothing beats seeing those slender, transparent tails glinting in the sun from afar. I have fond memories for spending the penultimate day strolling along a golden shallow flat. With so many fish to throw at, it was even possible to target larger specimens. Believe me, 6lb of hooked bonefish has blistering pace in skinny water. More substantial bones were contacted, but their guile and speed certainly outdid me, especially amongst mangrove roots.



The breeze eventually yielded to cooler east winds which in turn favoured tarpon and snook. Either side of high water, we poled the mangrove margins for such tenacious predators and were handsomely rewarded with tarpon topping 40lb and snook into double figures. On a 10-weigth outfit the ensuing battle is real “heart in the mouth” stuff. What with dolphins, turtles, flamingos and even crocodiles watching on, it’s hard to imagine any better experience. However, chatting with the guides on our recent visit, aside from the usual suspects they reckon March is a prime time when permit can be found in numbers. With that, our scheduled trip in March 2010 to Ascension Bay promises to be something very special indeed.




We have a few spaces left on trips to Ascension Bay in 2010 but these trips are filling fast. If you are interested in joining one of these or fishing Ascension Bay at any time of year please contact us on +44 (0) 1621 743711 or email us.