| Bring your favorite fly rod ... | Why Cozumel Belongs on Your Flats-Fishing Bucket List | | |
|
|
|
Lagoon Ghosts and Silver Kings: A Sportsman’s Guide to Fly-Fishing Cozumel | | Slip a skiff across Cozumel’s northern lagoons at first light and you’ll swear the water has no bottom. One moment it’s turquoise glass, the next it’s exploding with tailing bonefish or the black sickle of a permit fin. Unlike many Caribbean islands, these flats aren’t a migratory “hit-or-miss” proposition—most game-fish live here year-round, thanks to a maze of mangroves, turtle-grass and gin-clear sand pockets that never dries out or overheats. aquariusfishing.com
The Playing Field Monte Cristo, Paso Belem & Río de la Plata – Three lagoons 8–10 miles north of town form the heart of the fishery. Expect firm wading, ankle-to-knee depth, and endless shots at the “Big Three.” aquariusfishing.com
Fringe Reefs & Blue Holes – Step outside the mangroves and you’ll bump into deeper cuts that hold adult tarpon (60–100 lb) and jack crevalle when the tide swings. | | Target Species & Prime Windows | |
|
|
March – May; late-Oct Plenty all year, but spring tides congregate big schools. fishingbooker.com |
|
|
May – Aug peak; good again Oct – Nov. Look for singles riding stingrays on hard sand. cozumelflyfishing.net |
|
|
May – Sep, cresting in Jun-Jul. Roll in mangrove creeks at dawn; switch to black Whistlers at dusk. fishingbooker.com |
|
|
Mar – Aug. Post-spawn fish haunt mangrove points; poppers at high tide. fishingbooker.com |
|
|
|
Tackle & Fly Box | | Success requires the optium equipment but if your traveling lite no worries your local guide will provide the gear you need!
| | Tip: A windy December cold front can still produce a Grand-Slam day here—pack grinding optimism and a 10-wt. | | Rods – 8 wt for bonefish; 9 wt for permit; 10/11 wt with fighting butt for tarpon. Swap floating lines for an intermediate tip if nortes (north winds) dirty the water. fishingbooker.com | | Leaders – 10–12 lb fluorocarbon for bones; 16 lb for permit; 40–60 lb shock tippet on tarpon. | | Must-Have Patterns: Bonefish: Tan Gotchas, #6 Christmas Island SpecialsPermit: Spawning Shrimp, white/tan Raghead crabs (#2)
Tarpon/Snook: Black-purple EP baitfish 3-4", Chartreuse/white Deceiver
Wildcards: Gurglers for jack crevalle; small Clousers double as snapper candy
| | |
|
|
|
The Guide Advantage | | Cozumel’s flats guides grew up poling these waters and—under Mexican law—carry the mandatory sport-fishing license you’ll need. DIY wading is technically legal, but access roads are rough and the lagoons sprawl like a labyrinth. Expect skiffs (23–25 ft) with poling platforms, two anglers max, lunch, drinks and flies included (full-day ~US $450 for two). aquariusfishing.com |
|
|
|
Getting There & Around | | Cozumel International (CZM) welcomes nonstop flights from hubs such as Dallas, Houston, Miami, Atlanta and Denver via American, United, Delta and more—11 airlines in all, year-round. airport-cozumel.com Taxis run fixed fares, but savvy anglers rent a scooter or small car to chase evening street-taco spots after a day on the poling deck. |
|
|
|
Beyond the Rod | | Blow-Day Backup: Drift-snorkel Palancar Reef or dive the Santa Rosa Wall.
Family Buy-In: Mayan ruins at San Gervasio, downtown mercado shopping, or beach-club lounging keep non-anglers grinning.
Eco Note: Seasonal sargassum can litter east-side beaches but rarely reaches the protected lagoons—another perk of fishing inside.
|
|
|
|
Parting Cast | | Cozumel rewards the angler who can switch gears fast—one minute finesse-casting a #6 shrimp to spooky bones, the next hurling an 11-wt at a head-and-shoulders tarpon under a mangrove limb. Pack three rods, polarized glasses and extra crab flies, then let the island’s protected flats do the rest. With year-round action, strict catch-and-release rules, and guides who know every curl of the tide, Cozumel just might be the most user-friendly saltwater fly fishery in the Caribbean—no passport stamps required once you’re on the flats, just a good double-haul and a willingness to chase ghosts. While you're focused on landing the big one, let us handle your accommodations. Choose from two comfortable beachfront options—a 1-bedroom or 2-bedroom condo at Residencias Reef—or stay close to the action in our centrally located 2-bedroom downtown apartment. All offer the perfect base for your fishing adventure in Cozumel.
Tight loops, and may your backing knots hold.
|
|
|
|
Cozumello at Residencias Reef | | 1 & 2 Bedroom Beachfront Luxury Condominiums | | |
|
|
|
Built with CreativeMail | Get creative with free email marketing designed for | WordPress and WooCommerce! |
|
|
|
