Big Game Lures

Big Game Fishing Tips & High Quality Lures

Upon arriving on the Boca Paila Fishing Lodge beyond the long row of beachfront Tulum Hotels promptly at 7:30 am, we observed the place was already jumping.  Visitors were  polishing off breakfast and the guides had been getting the last of their equipment inside the boats while being proficiently directed by  Chico, the general manager and the principle host of the property.  Undoubtedly this was not the opening time these guys had done  this, in fact Boca Paila has been present since the late 1960s.  To say these guys are pioneers of fishing in this area is  a real understatement, they were the only game in town back then and it had been a two hour drive from Tulum, not 20 to 30 minutes as  it is now.

We came on behalf of the fishing and they were ready in favor of us.  Following momentary introductions with Chico, he informed us that our boat and  guide Alfonso were by now waiting on the dock on behalf of us.  A quick examination of our tackle and off we went.  Chico made sure we  also had a few of the best flies and jigs for the locale and season before we departed and handed those to our guide Alfonso  after he personally escorted us to the boat.

Once on the water, Alfonso didnt squander much time and we took off across the glass lagoon in search of our opening fish of the  day.  There was a momentary stop on a slice in the lagoon, where it meets the sea, and Alfonso said we needed to stop on behalf of  something there.  Without giving freely many of the secrets of the region, the stop proved to become rather advantageous in the course of the day.

After the “stop” where the lagoon meets sea, we made our approach to the opening of many of what I assume are Alfonsos favorite  spots inside this magical lagoon.  There awaited at least 30 miles of nearly unaffected and protected wetlands and  interrelated natural waterways.

Alfonso killed the engine as we came across the first spot and he began poling us over the black rooted mangrove shores as  he surveyed the water with his expert vision.  Inside 10 minutes he saw first bone fish and we were directed to “11 ‘o  clock about 30 feet out,” and then a swift call to “strip it, strip it, strip it!” We followed our guides instruction and  bingo, my Dad had our opening fish on. Inside two minutes, another respectable sized bone fish was caught and released by me.  This  was gonna be entertainment!

Further along the shore, Alfonso continued to assess the waters from his 3 foot platform for the next catch.  This occasion it  was Permit and I had one on the line.  If you have not caught a Permit fish on a fly rod or even light tackle, its hard  to explain the amount of excitement it sincerely is.  It was run of the mill size on behalf of the area, about 10 pounds however it fought for 15 minutes  before relenting and following a quick photo it was released.  What a blast and what a beautiful fish!

a variety more Bone Fish and a mixed bag of Jack, Mud Snapper and Porgy and off we went to the next spot.  I thought to myself,  if all of the spots are like that, one of my arms may not make it the day.  We had some issues with the line on my rod and had  to return to the lodge for line which procured Alfonso no time to get back up and running.

Following about an hour of poling down inside the briny waters in the vicinity of our first prize pool we had caught a few more of the  undesired Snappers, Jack and Porgy so we decided to maneuver along once more.  I should mention that there is rarely a dull instant  on the lagoon.  Even when you arent catching fish, theres an awful lot to see.  In the course of the day we in all probability saw 12 rays of  varied species and witnessed a number of instances of Mullet boiling, bursting and leaping from the water to escape from the  striking Barracuda with countless birds of countless species and colors.  We also saw a nesting pair of Sea Eagles  (Osprey).

We crossed the lagoon at high speed the afternoon fishing before gliding in, engine off and back into the poling for  Alfredo.  I ought to point out that Boca Paila Fishing Lodge has an extremely talented fisherman and guide in Alfons.  I didnt  catch sight of a tenth of what he spotted for us, however he was sitting up 3 feet higher than us, but he was amazing.

Just prior to lunch I got into my second Permit and this one was closer to 15 pounds and he wanted to run.  The Permit are  relatively common inside the Tulum, Boca Paila locale of the lagoon so I shouldnt have been overly bowled over to see Alfonso making lunch  while I fought this fish.  What did surprise me was that when I said “I think he’s coming in, get the net”, Alfonso didnt  jump.  The fish gave me my answer when he took off on an additional long run and I caught a wry smile from Alfonso and went back  to my fish.  another 10 minutes and I did finally land that one, and yes, Alfonso had the net prepared this time.

After lunch, which was fantastic by the way, a ham sandwich, chips and a beer. Following being in the sun for 4-5 hours, it was one  of the very best lunches I have had in a while and Alfonso showed us the Mexican method of adding some hot sauce to the  sandwiches… it was excellent.  We moved closer to shore and again began to stalk the next catch, it had been hot and the fishing  seemed to slow a little in the afternoon heat, but Alfonso was unyielding and when he caught me sitting on the bow he demanded  that I stand up. “You can’t catch fish sitting down…stand up and get!”  I was up in an instant and was slightly  embarrassed but that ended quickly after I hooked into an additional Permit, this one was somewhat smaller, probably 8 pounds but  the battle lasted 10 minutes and the thrill was definitely not gone.

We stalked a number more small groups of Bone Fish and Permit pairs, landing a couple more average sized Bone Fish before  moving on once again.  This occasion, as we arrived at the new spot, Alfonso informed us that this was a sizable channel and one  of the deeper parts of the lagoon.  Still only 12 to fifteen feet deep but we changed up the tackle and went to a large jig with  a significant leader.  I am guessing about 20 to 25 pound test.

This is where things got very attention-grabbing.  We must have hit that channel as a school of baitfish were passing through or  had just passed since it was a feeding frenzy!   The first casts for both my father and I produced two large Snook within the  20 pound range, pretty good fights for both, but pound for pound I believe the Permit is hard to beat.   Anyway, as things  got peculiar, and cast after cast fashioned larger and larger Snook, I started thinking about the elusive“Super Slam”; Bone  Fish, Permit, Snook and Tarpon.  I would have been thrilled to have such a great day and fall short but then as if on queue  an additional big strike and from the water it arrived, the Tarpon ran past the boat at full speed then made a run back by means of  an additional spectacular jump.  While it was comparatively small for Tarpon at about 10 pounds, it had been the icing on an ideal day  of fishing.

We stayed at the channel for 20 minutes or so and I was so exhausted and wholly pleased that I handed my rod to  Alfonso and watched him catch a few more Snook while my Dad did similarly and brought in a few more Bone Fish for  measure.

All in all, I must say that this was the very best day of fishing EVER.  Between the company, the Boca Paila Fishing Lodge services and the brilliant number of fish we caught, this one will likely be tough to beat.  I want to again personally thank  the staff at Boca Paila for this glorious experience we will both always remember!