scuro

Awesome job once again, you are a fishing machine!

Looks like a real blast!

I loved the expression on Brenda's face on the last two pics. She got bit by the bug.

This is my fav steelhead shot ever! Nice job.

I was actually searching for the yearly Kesagami report when I stumbled upon this gem. You are still one of the few who can immerse me into a report and leave me in a better state coming out the other side. Nicely done once again, my friend. Pics are first class too!

I have a nice picture of her with a large pike but I thought I'd show a new pic of my lovely yellow marshmallow. She likes to fish and she likes to shop to fish. Notice the new flower print boots...she enjoyed buying flats boots recently too. But when it comes right down to it if we are there to fish, and there is action...I couldn't ask for a better fishing partner.

I know your heading south soon so I'm doing a favor for you. Just stare at this pic for the next month anytime you start scratching the walls.

There was a teacher named Patti Hamburger and a dutch doode name Dick Wanker. Thats not how his last name was spelt but pronounced.

You guys do it in style.

Figure your weight, cold weather paddling gear, tackle, beer and go from there.

Kayakers drink beer? I thought they drank health food blended smoothies.

SUPERB! You sure know how to live large!

At 46 you better live large.

Do not go gentle into that good night,

Old age should burn and rave at close of day;

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

That Yellow Jack lived another day...simply happy to catch fish.

It dawned on me after a few days in Cuba that much is the same here as it is in Northern Ontario. For one you have the untammed bush with mostly low lying scrub.

Secondly, you have the human landscape of fallen ideals...

...and broken dreams weathered by time and the elements.

Thirdly, you have that rustic untouched beauty that looks the same now as it probably did 10 thousand years ago.

...and finally if that wasn't enough to convince me of the parallels to Northern Ontario, nature has a way of dominating everything on the island also. Go fishing for a few hours and look what I came back to! As in the north I “gunned” my way out of this hazard.

Cuba, land of Fidel, rum, cigars, and “Hemmingway fishing”. There would be no being strapped to a chair and fighting a giant beast for me. Been there done that. Instead, it was a week of looking for bonefish, finding the predators, and fishing with a local. I had been to the island twice previously and as before it was 100% DIY fishing. The first trip taught me how to saltwater fish, the second how to spot BF, and hopefully this trip ...how to catch one.

It all started out grim...very grim. A guy who had fished the island before, headed down one week before me. He left me a letter at the front desk of my hotel. I read it that first night. It opened with: “NO FISH”, Excuse my language but, “F*#% am I let down”. I fished four days and saw zero bones, zero permit and one small Cuda. The night we arrived was unseasonably windy and cool.

Out I went anyways the next morning. Things went from bad to worse.

I went to my favorite spot which is sheltered from most wind and immediately saw three fish cruising... Cudas? Quickly I tied on a fly and headed out on the flat and within a minute I saw two bones approaching. My first cast is good enough, the Bone takes the fly and as simply as that I’ve got my first Bone.

I get several other shots at other bones that day but don’t hook up again.

It’s a new moon and the current is strong. I hit my second favorite spot where I caught a huge Cuda previously. 5 casts later I hook up with an old friend, wham the line is tight and fish on! There is no way that I am turning this Cuda's head so I keep my rod tip high and watch the leader move steadily up current. Then she breeches, all gorgeous 3 ft of her, and she shakes the hook. In a few short hours I have met both my goals for the trip, I have caught that elusive bone fish and hook into a good Cuda. Later that day I spot permit, a blowfish, and a shark..all for the first time. I come off the flat on a high that day.

Day two brings me back to the same spot. You have to wade out to your chest to do it and most DIY anglers probably have never even thought of attempting it because it looks like you have to swim to get there. A boat from the Casa Batida Fishing Club comes up and tells me that the waters are restricted. My understanding was that the exclusive fishing rights were only for the nature reserve to the north. He wants to know how I got on the flat and if locals helped. I don’t leave but my day is ruined. Needles to say I don’t want to be brought into a Cuban police station. I am very down at the end of the day. It took me two trips to find this spot. Now I dare not risk going back anywhere near this place.

I'm obsessive when it comes to major fishing trips. It came in handy this trip because a plan “B” was already in place. I adopt the 1/2 hour rule which is to move off of a spot if opportunity doesn’t knock in half an hour. I go to the flats that are most frequently fished by other DIY’ers. Nothing on flat one and two.

I go to deep cut channel.

I pull out some gulp and have fish fighting over the offering. Pound for pound this fish is like a Smallie on steroids. What fish is this?

I come back the next day. Only needle fish are biting now.

A local shows up, he has a 80's Shimano baitrunner and a broken off humongous Shakespeare rod. He shares some live bait and I quickly rig up as he does. I have to strip off my Swish hooks off of my other lures and I offer him some. I hook into what must be a good sized Cuda. The line goes limp. Nothing for the rest of the afternoon. I return again the next day but nothings happening...time to move on.

The locals fish this spot hard with spear guns.

I’ve got to resort to exploring. This is slow tedious work of looking for access points that are not impeded by to much scrub. Along the way I see many beautiful things.

A small channel.

A starfish

I don't know what it is but it sure looks purdy.

What can only be described as a southern kingfisher.

Watch out for those stingrays...they like to bury themselves in the sand. One quick move and you'll have a spike stuck in your leg.

After two days of searching I find what I am looking for. The next day I come back and there is virtually no wind. Lots of life....minnows, crabs, birds, stingrays. I hold on my spot and then they come. 2, 3 bones ....10 swimming close to my feet...crap ...it blows my mind. The water is so still that any movement I make spooks them and they all dash off. I wait and try to see them before they see me. The school comes back and finally I hook one. Off she goes and ding the line hits a mangrove root and she is gone. I hook into another with the same result. The school is very restless now and moves away. I come back the next day, the wind has changed, my fish are gone.

On my final day I take out my wife. She likes to fish but the resort is too much of a temptation for her.

I spot fish but she can't see them even when they are pointed out to her. We give er up after 2 hours. She likes Kesagami better. There is always some action going on in those waters. I drive her back and head back to the channel for one last attempt at a big fish. I chuck my fav lure. A few days ago I saw what can only be described as a Dr. Seuss fish (a shaped like a ham roast on the bone except with big lips to boot) It's been six days and I still haven't brought a Cuda to hand or something to really bend the rod. Nothing after an hour of fishing. DOH...I removed the swish hook for the local. It's been a blessed experience...I've had my mental slate wiped clean...time to go back and catch the plane.

I know of several cottages...the cheapest one and a nice one with a private beach is near the ferry terminal. It is very quiet and beautiful there and you can walk out on the sand flats during low tide and find sand dollars. Singing sands beach is a little more then an hour away, it's a beautiful beach...probably the nicest beach on the island. This isn't the place if you want to be in the main tourist location and tourist beach.

Arizona, it's all desert...no?

Thanks for sharing.

Major piece of advice here...determine the tide...http://tbone.biol.sc.edu/tide/index.html. The ocean facing beaches will be sandy...the shore facing shore will have more flats and structure to fish. Scout for structure during low tide. You can fish a beach but look for the break in the shoreline. For many fish the best time is as the tide is going out...the first few hours. Where there is structure and water moving out...there are predators. Make sure you use leaders, silver and white work best, forget black. Work everything fast...even surface lures.

I simply loved the staff. We actually didn't talk to Dave much but whenever we asked something he helped us out with a friendly smile. All the staff were like that, Sweetpea was about as friendly as you can get. Nice seeing the pictures of the staff again. Yup, Dave totally saved our donkey. Out 10 k down the lake and we haven't seen a soul all day. The motor is dead and I mean useless and we are being blown/rocked against the scrub shore with 1 ft waves. It's 10 degrees..windy and there is drizzle...and me still hungover. I'm doing a calculation of the soonest they get us by....9pm...perhaps they would not come down so far because who in their right mind would go so far on such a crappy day...and then Dave comes around a point and we are waving everything like frantic lunatics...and rescue.

We are thinking of going back this summer. It certainly is a trip that me and my wife will never forget. Karma dictates that Dave will guide us on our first day back.

Cuba in a week!

Thanks for sharing...I enjoyed the report.

Thanks for sharing....I want one of those Whitefish...and the laker

Chug bugs! white buckstails and black and silver Xraps!

First time down I would focus on the easiest fish to catch which will be Cuda. Bucktails with a good hook!! White or silver with party colours mixed in. Silver works great. If it is not a good solid hook on the bucktail forget it, even small fish will bend out your hooks. Chug bugs ehhh...gotta try it. Poppers worked for me and a Zara spook! Don't forget leaders...down south is a place where you want floro or good titanium because the fish will kink cheaper leaders to crap in short order.

1/4 ounce 1/2 ounce jigheads with deer hair. Colours white yellow bright pink or chartrusse. Get some swedish pimples in straight silver. Get nothing with a with a hook that you can't replace or that is a solid hook. On the ocean look for channels where water has to pass through. Draining water creates a fair bit of current...any sort of current no matter what the time of day. Burn those lures by current and you should catch fish. Cudas...Get some poppers for slack water areas. You will also need leaders...for toothy critters. Actually bring all your crap stuff. Many locals like to fish and have little.

Nope . Do I still need flies? Whadaya think?

I went to Wilson's and indeed the store is open. A very nice store with good selection although prices are a tad on the high side. I wasn't going to get a bargain so I was very happy with the service and the flies I picked up.