Ascension Bay, Mexico fly fishing report by Farlows Andy Buckley

Andy Buckley from Farlows has just spent his first week tropical saltwater fly at our great value lodge Casa Veijo Chac in Punta Allen fishing Mexico's Ascension Bay. Despite so poor weather both he and the group still managed some great fish. You can read his thoughts on the trip below:

Bonefish Beginnings in Permit Paradise

As a lifelong freshwater angler I've always cast quietly envious glances towards the seemingly endless stream of achingly glamorous looking destinations and fantastically beautiful fish found in tropical saltwater. From November to May Farlows customers come from far and wide to share with us their stories of battles with bonefish, barracuda, tarpon, snook and the much revered permit. In many ways the inevitability of my first far-flung foray was certain from the moment I joined the team at Pall Mall. Having spent a year fishing the rock hard, gin clear waters of New Zealand I began to long for a different challenge and a saltwater trip would provide me with just that.

With such a variety of global destinations seeming to offer a slightly different experience at different times of the year and to suit different budgets I began to experience the trepidation that I imagine many anglers feel towards booking their first saltwater trip. I took the kind of advice I would offer to any angler in such a situation - talk at length to an experienced saltwater angler at a reputable tackle shop (in my case this conversation had been ongoing for eighteen months!) and then take further advice from an experienced destination fishing travel agent. Mat McHugh, owner of Fly Odyssey listened to my requirements and ambitions, took in to account my budget and came up with the perfect trip - Ascension Bay, Mexico.

The Punta Allen resort on Ascension Bay has a fantastic reputation as a mixed species resort where one can conceivably catch a bonefish, permit, tarpon and snook from the same flat. Punta Allen also offers a variety of fishing scenarios from the cliché white pancake bonefish and permit flats to lagoons where bonefish, tarpon and snook live alongside each other, to mangroves full of tarpon and snook and a whole number of offshore options. 

Having taken the advice of my fellow Farlows staff and of Mat McHugh I packed an 8# and 10# outfit which would appear to cover most eventualities. I chose the seemingly indestructible Hardy ProAxis rods and Fortuna X reels - having kit that can withstand the rigours of saltwater fish and resist corrosion from the water itself is vital and I've seen too many examples of kit that wasn't up to the job in the shop to make the same mistake. 

Gathering up the correct selection of flies, leaders and tippet can be time consuming but do take any advice given by experts who have been to your chosen destination - I found that there are specific requirements to particular areas. Remember to take plenty of lightweight UV proof clothing that will protect you from the searing sunshine. Take the best pair of polarised sunglasses you can afford as these will be totally vital to your success - Costa del Mar glass lenses are perfect. Add in a pair of flats boots relevant to your destination and a few other generic travel essentials and you'll find there really isn't a huge amount of kit involved.

The flight to Cancun is around about eleven hours and can be taken from either Gatwick or Manchester. Upon arrival you are met by your transfer host and taken by a very comfortable mini-bus to Punta Allen. The end of the drive can be a little arduous as the resort itself is very rural, but having arrived at the lodge late in the evening there is no issue with getting straight to sleep before the first days' fishing. Casa Viejo Chac is one of the most established lodges on Punta Allen and is more than comfortable. The staff are very friendly and cannot do enough to help you, the food is excellent and the owner of the lodge Manuel Chac is a mine of fishing information that is well worth tapping in to. Many of the members of our trip took impromptu casting lessons from him and all agreed that his advice helped them hook more fish.

The guides at Casa Viejo Chac are all very experienced and exceptionally knowledgeable. My boat partner and I were guided by Chucho and Oscar who at 24 and 21 years old respectively have fifteen years of guiding experience between them. It seemed that all the guides spoke more than adequate english, many had even picked up a few choice phrases that you might not have expected!

F

The fishing was very very good indeed, despite the best efforts of the weather. Unsettled pressure around the Caribbean was pushing unseasonal tropical storms over Punta Allen at a rate of three per day - one in the morning, one in the early afternoon and one late in the evening. These rarely lasted more than half an hour and were punctuated by the kind of tropical conditions that often only seems to exist in travel catalogues - just perfect.

Our group caught countless bonefish both from the pangas (the type of skiff used) and by stalking tailing fish on foot. There were permit, tarpon, snook, barracuda, snapper and many other species caught and the huge areas of flat around Punta Allen meant that no two days were the same. Our guides gave us regular shots at all the species and could give advice on not only fishing matters but also on the history of the area and the local wildlife that includes crocodiles, flamingoes and frigate birds amongst many others. They can also change a fly in seconds which often proved invaluable.

Given its accessibility, the multitude of species and variety of habitat along with its relatively low cost I would regard a trip to Punta Allen as the perfect destination for a first time saltwater angler. Huge shoals of bonefish, regular shots at tarpon and snook and some of the largest populations of permit anywhere in the world make Punta Allen a great destination for those anglers chasing the holy grail of saltwater achievements, the Grand Slam. I myself managed what is known as the "poor man's slam" (snook, tarpon bonefish) but I have seen and heard of many anglers who have managed the elusive permit too. The possibilities at Punta Allen are almost endless.

If you are looking in to the idea of your first saltwater trip and would like more information on Punta Allen then please don't hesitate to contact me at andy.buckley@farlows.co.uk or at the shop on 0207 484 1000.

 FOR MORE INFORMATION ON FLY FISHING IN MEXICO PLEASE CALL US ON +44 (0)1621 743711 OR EMAIL: enquiries@flyodyssey.co.uk

Ascension Bay, Mexico Trip Report March 2011

Ascension Bay fly fishing report by Jonathan Tomlinson (Sportfish Reading)

Well another trip to Ascension bay’s Punta Allen has been and gone; with the weather playing its usual mixed hand. The first couple of days saw the normal steady trade winds and a mixture of bright sunshine and cloud which is always a tough way to try and tune your eyes back into fish spotting mode. Bonefish and barracuda were interspersed with shots at Permit and Tarpon some of which were up and over the very magical 100lb mark but none that size fell to our offerings.





Two days of much heavier winds and cloud made fish spotting increasingly difficult but none the less bonefish were tracked down and caught with some of the group hitting up to a dozen fish in a day. A day of heavy storm clouds building and the onset of a brief visit of low pressure saw us all arrive back into the lodge just in time to see the heaven’s open and thunder and lightning fill the air. A tentative night followed as we waited to see what the next day held and if the storms had passed, thankfully they did only leaving a slight higher than average cloud level. A couple of very good days chasing tarpon saw close to 30 tarpon landed up to around 25lb+.





A couple of very good days chasing tarpon saw close to 30 tarpon landed up to around 25lb+. 3 of the group left including one of my regular travel partners Paul Procter leaving 5 of us to head out on the last day. All bar 1 of the group had Bonefish on the mind but for me a single boat meant that my usual past time that occasionally results in a Permit could resume; standing on the bow of a boat staring out over flat after flat! As ever when you place a Permit rod in your hand it results in every other species of fish appearing, Bonefish, Barracuda, rays, boxfish, puffers all came by to say hello but only a couple of permit. Some really good shots that my guides and I couldn’t believe ended in a “no eat” took us up to Lunch with a couple of stray Bonefish to the boat. The afternoon resumed in the same vein of form as the morning but this time a rather obliging permit started tailing in front of the panga, not content with eating the fly once it came back and had a second bight of the cherry and this time it stuck.



A trip to find a tarpon to complete a grand slam saw a snook get in there first; a little more hunting for Tarpon a couple of flashes at the fly and there were no Tarpon to show, it was time to make the long run back home for a beer. Just missing out on a super grand slam on the last day is just another reason that I will have to head back again in November with Paul for a couple more weeks!



If you are interested in joining our trips to Ascension Bay we have a number of options in May and November. For more information please email us or call on +44 (0)1621743711.

Ascension Bay: The Host's trip Report

Over the past few weeks we have posted up some of the client reports from their trips to Mexico's Casa Veijo Chac with Paul Procter in November 2010. Paul has sent through a summary of the three weeks fishing while he was there.



Fly fishing Ascension Bay Report: Paul Procter's Report

With numerous Permit credited to our party last year, November 2009 was always going to be a hard act to follow. However, our annual pilgrimage to Ascension Bay in 2010 was to prove just as successful for many different reasons. Yes, Permit did feature from day one though for me it was the tailing Bonefish that captured my imagination, as nothing comes close to gently strolling through ankle deep water and scanning the flats for glistening tails of large feeding fish. When I say large, it’s pleasing to see the average size of bonefish has increase year on year in Ascension Bay as we regularly encountered fish in the 5-7lb bracket with the occasional 8 pounder showing up too. Believe me, using 7-8 weight outfits, such specimens take off at a fair lick when hooked, exhilarating stuff I can tell you. Enjoying several days of this, personally, it ranks as one of my most memorable fishing experiences to date.



Whilst low tides are not to everyone’s liking, it certainly presented us with plenty of opportunities to tangle with Snook. These secretive predators are often tucked up tight in mangroves roots, but low water pushed them out into more accessible areas. And whilst every member of our group managed to hook them, Mark Windsor certainly got more than he bargained for when he latched into a Snook of well over 20lb.




Barracuda are one species that are often neglected here. So this year, we all decided on a concerted effort to bag a decent sized fish. Using slender baitfish imitations dressed on TMC 600SP, I experienced a high hook-up rate and managed to land several cudas over 10lb. What’s niggling me now, is the number of these fish I’ve past up on previous trips. For my money they’re a great sporting fish that take off at speed before tailing walking. One of our group-Rob Evans almost exclusively targeted these menacing creatures for his entire trip. Others thought he’d lost his marbles, but I’m with Rob all the way on this one!



As for the elusive “P” fish, well our group had days when they cast at not just one, but several permit. In fact they were surprisingly prevalent during our stay and at least one Permit was reported being caught most days, a testament as to how extensive the Permit fishing is out in Ascension Bay.



Newcomer to saltwater fishing-Steve Grimes didn’t realise what all the fuss was about, as on his third day, he landed a monster Permit of 25lb….incredible. I too got amongst fish with hefty shoulders and managed one nudging 20lb. Perhaps more of an angling feat was Jonathan Tomlinson who connected with a substantial Permit when bonefishing. Naturally, his 8-weight outfit took a beating, equally, he was looking somewhat worse for wear after the battle. Congratulations must surely go to Steve Langan though, who finally joined the Permit Club after chasing them for a number of years now. Though, before that eventful day, Steve did say he’d decorate himself a tattoo to mark the occasion, we wait with bated breath!



Finally, let’s not forget the Casa Viejo Chac in Punta Allen which made this trip special. Run by Manuel Chac we had access to the best guides in Ascension Bay, including the services of Manuel himself. His kindness and generosity made everybody welcome when on most evenings he entertained us with fly tying demonstrations. Needless to say, we have made many friends out there and have already rebooked for 2011.

Paul Procter Dec 2010

For further details please email us or call + 44 (0) 1621 743711.

Mexico Fly Fishing Report by Mike Bilson

Mike Bilson kindly shared his thoughts on his second trip to Mexico with us on one of the Paul Procter hosted weeks. It makes for an interesting read and sums up the experience nicely....

Fishing Report – Punta Allen, Mexico: 22nd Nov to 27th Nov 2010

David and I met John Honour, Steve Grimes, and David Hoskins at Gatwick on Sunday 21st November for the ten hour flight to Cancun arriving at 14.30 local time. The Thomson flight was only half full so we had plenty of room. The AGI Tours minibus was waiting for us and we set off for Punta Allen, stopping briefly on the way at Tulum for a very pleasant meal at a road-side restaurant. The next part of the journey was a real test of perseverance with the main road running out and turning into a very hard and long 40 km drive. The road has clearly been badly damaged over the last year with constant pot holes and craters meaning that we averaged about 10 kph until Punta Allen. This was very unpleasant and will undoubtedly put some people off from returning, but the positive side is that Punta Allen will never become over fished with excessive anglers.

We were warmly greeted at Casa Veijo Chac by our host Paul Proctor who had organized the rooms. Since last year three new rooms have been built with good air conditioning and new showers, but the electricity did fail briefly on occasions in the evening. Not a major problem as it was quickly fixed but showering in the dark could be a challenge.

The first morning we were allocated guides over breakfast. Pepe and Marbella produced excellent authentic Mexican food all week which was wholesome and tasty with good measures of spice, onions and chilies. Breakfast was served at 07:00 before setting off for the boats at 08:15. A packed lunch was provided each day with plenty of drinks. Dinner was served at 19:00 and consisted of a three course meal. Beer was freely available and we settled up at the end of the week which was very reasonable at $110 each including staff tips and laundry.

The weather started mostly cloudy with a stiff East wind which was the aftermath of a heavy storm at the end of the previous week. The wind and cloud gradually calmed down each day until a magnificent last day of flat calm and few clouds. Temperatures were around 25 to 30 degrees centigrade.

Monday 22nd
Guides were Edwin and Osca who are new this year to Veijo Chac but very experienced. David’s first day started with an excellent 12 Snook on fly. I lost one Snook of similar size due to a straightened hook, and lost a tarpon of around 14lb on one of its airborne leaps. We also had several bonefish averaging about 2lb mainly on Cuban Shrimps, as well as a small Jack and Barracuda on a Deceiver. Fishing off the Punta Allen pier in the evening was not productive due to cloudy water from a strong onshore wind.

Tuesday 23rd
Heavy rain overnight cleared by the morning but still a stiff Easterly wind and 40% cloud cover. Philip was our very experienced guide. We chased permit in the morning and saw about half a dozen. I got one reasonable shot. After lunch we changed tactics and went for Snook, Barracuda, and Tarpon. David landed his first ever Barracuda on popper weighing in at 16lb. Soon after I landed a 15lb Barracuda on fly with wire trace. We saw a Permit cruising through so a quick change to crab fly was presented beautifully only to be stolen from the Permits nose by a greedy 2lb Snook. David then had a great shot at the Permit which followed the fly but turned away. We finished that day by wading for Bonefish at “Lagoon Duos” where we came across a massive shoal of tailing Bonefish, landing a few between us.



Wed 24th
Weather improved again with the wind calming and 30% cloud cover. Guides were William of 24 years guiding experience at Punta Allen and his boatman Edwardo. We waded for Bonefish in the morning and while doing so David got an excellent shot at a Permit which took the tan crab fly but after a very brief encounter, spat the fly out before he could set the hook. I later hooked a large Barracuda which bit through the 25lb wire trace and made its escape. Then we saw two Shark cruising and after casting a fly and getting a couple of follows with no takes the guide suggested we used a bait fish. So I rigged up a large wire trace and hook on the end of my AFTM 10 fly rod and line. We threaded half a Needle Fish on the hook and waded into the flat to stalk the Shark. After a brief sniff the Shark took the bait and there followed a massive fight on the fly rod taking about 150 yards on the first run. Many more long runs followed but after about 25 minutes the 30lb Lemon Shark was beached and duly dispatched presumably to feed the guide’s family for a week. The using of bait earned the esteemed prize of the “Pink Bow Tie” in the evening. Later David was smashed up by an estimated 40lb Barracuda on popper which ripped off line on its way to the mangrove snags 120 yards away. It took the hook, trace, braid and backing. During the day we also caught a few Bones.



Thursday 25th
We had the most experienced guides today being Manuel and Choo Choo. Some cloud and threatening rain at first but this cleared nicely by the time we reached the fishing grounds. David landed his first ever Tarpon on a fly weighing in at around 10lb. Several others were seen cruising. Then we moved around the Island were Manuel put me on a massive Bonefish. I cast my Cuban Shrimp four feet in front of his slow feeding path. He moved to the fly and made a confident take, followed by my two strip strikes setting the hook. After a long fight it came to the boat at 7lb. Manuel believed it should have been a 9lb fish due to its length but was a little under-weight for its length. Still, a magnificent specimen. After lunch we went for Permit and found a large shoal of tailing Permit in the bay with an average size of around 15lb and some going much larger. I cast a tan crab fly, the lined tightened and after setting the hook the large Permit made a brief strong run before parting the leader on what turned out to be a wind knot. A quick change of fly and increase in leader strength from 16lb to 20lb gave me another clean shot at a large oncoming shoal. The fly was perfectly presented and the line tightened at which point Manuel clarified that a 10lb Jack Crevalle had intercepted the fly in front of the Permit. There followed a 20 minute tug-of-war resulting in the AFTM 8 Helios rod exploding into six pieces leaving me with just the cork handle and reel left in my hand. With no other option I had to hand line the rest of the fight. By the time the fish was returned and a new rod tackled up the clouds had come over and the Permit shoal moved on. This episode also earned me the “Pink Bow Tie” for the second time. Thankfully Robin had lent me his Orvis Zero Gravity AFTM 8 rod just in case of a breakage which proved to be very valuable.



Friday 26th
Guides were William and Edwardo for the second time. David waded on the flats for Bonefish while I went for Permit with William. We found a tailing shoal of about 20 Permit and got out the boat to wade gently from 50 yards away. At 10:30 I landed a 6lb Permit on Manuel’s china man crab fly, being smaller than most of the shoal but still a good fish. I then got a Bonefish at 10:45 so we decided to go for the Grand Slam and picked up David who had caught a few Bones. We went to the brackish mangrove swamps and found a school of three Tarpon. The second one took the fly aggressively and weighed in at 10lb’s and completed the Grand Slam before 11.00. We spent the rest of the day trying to get a Snook to make it a Super Slam but none were found.



Saturday 27th
Guides for the day were Pablo and Marcus. Weather was magnificent with a mirror calm trip to the Bonefish flats where we found many large shoals of tailing Bones on the low tide. Everyone had endless fun taking Bone after Bone some up to 3lb. After lunch we decided to split up with David continuing to wade the flats for Bones while I chased Permit. Unfortunately the clouds came over putting an end to the splendid Bonefish sport and making it hard to spot Permit although we did see half a dozen and get a good shot at one which ignored my crab fly. During the afternoon I saw a large Barracuda and cast a Popper at the fish using Martin’s Greys spinning rod. It took the popper with a massive attack and a long fight ensued culminating with me landing the beast at 30lb. That evening I won the “Pink Bow Tie” for a third time for casting at a Bonefish which in fact turned out to be a crab moving sideways towards me from 30 yards.



Summary
Over the week the group managed three Grand Slams (Pete, Paul, and me) with a fourth closely missed by Steve whose 40lb Tarpon just held off taking. Individual fish of the week was Steve’s first ever Permit at 25lb. Several good Snook were taken by most anglers. Six Permit were landed in total (Pete 3, Steve 1, Paul 1 and me 1).
Endless species of various sizes were seen, many of which are not mentioned here as they were not landed. The trip back was much easier with the difficult road tackled at the start of the day and in the light. The journey was made fun by the admission that John had inadvertently been wearing his room-mates trousers all week, and commando style at that! David had wondered where his second pair went but all was revealed at Cancun Airport.

Overall a great week.

Mike Bilson