"STARTING IN THE SALT", published in Trout & Salmon

December 2005



Fishing a local put and take water recently with one of my young sons, an affable old angler stopped to ask how we were doing. We fell into chatting about various spots and it turned out that my new acquaintance had fished many of the far-flung spots I’ve been lucky enough to visit. We talked animatedly about the huge brown trout of New Zealand’s Ahuriri River and the leviathan salmon that swim the rivers of Northern Norway and Russia. However, when I asked whether my newfound friend had fished for bonefish or tarpon, he seemed to glaze over: ”I’ve never really fancied that saltwater lark, to be honest,” he muttered apologetically.

Well, with the greatest respect, he’s bonkers. A lovely guy, but just plain bonkers. And if you’ve “never really fancied that saltwater lark”, then you’re just plain bonkers too.

Don’t turn the page in disgust…allow me a brief chance to explain:

Saltwater fly-fishing is without any doubt the most exhilarating branch of our sport, and anyone who doesn’t experience it, just once at least, is missing out on some profoundly exciting fishing. Here’s seven reasons why:

The first reason is that most saltwater fishing is sight fishing: in most cases, you see the fish, you cast to the fish and you watch that same fish eat the fly. Pure hunting. “Aah,” I hear the doubters say – “but I get to do all those things with the trout in my local chalk stream.” Well that may be, but do those trout weigh fifty pounds and up? Do they jump eight feet in the air, run off a hundred yards of backing in a heartbeat and do their best to pull you into the water? Reason number two: that same fish that you have just witnessed eating your fly is usually bigger and – reason number three – spectacularly stronger than most of your freshwater quarry. And that includes salmon, which as we all know, gain all their celebrated violence and rage in the salt anyway. I’ve been lucky enough to catch some very big, fresh salmon, and they are fabulous creatures, but most of the brutes you’re likely to encounter in salt water – pound for pound – would tow them backwards every time. And these same brutes aren’t the products of hatcheries or ranching programs or stock ponds, as so many of our freshwater targets now are – reason number four: you’ll be fishing for wild things - in every sense.

Add in reason number five, the long, glorious days in the sun, free of all things neoprene, and reason number six, the icy cocktails, to be sipped as the not-so-tall tales proliferate & the tropical sun slides into the warm ocean, and I can just about rest my case…oh, I almost forgot – reason number seven: really great saltwater fishing can be had at a fraction of the price of similarly world-class salmon fishing or helicopter-born trophy trout trips.

Don’t get me wrong – I love to fish for trout, salmon and just about anything else that swims, but for real extreme mayhem, you really want to be in the salt…

So, how to get started?

Well, first, choose your target.

One fish stands head and shoulders above all others as the purveyor of the most thrills and spills to be had with a saltwater fly-rod rod – a fish that grows large, can be freely caught by using classic sight-fishing techniques – as apposed to the rather artificial “tease & switch” tactics employed for sailfish - and, once hooked, puts on an acrobatic display that would put a salmon – and just about anything else - to absolute shame: I’m talking about a fish that the Americans exalt as the “silver king”. Megalops atlanticus – or the Tarpon, to you and me - is simply the best “value” fish in the sea. There are heaps of other brutes that will tick some of the boxes listed above – the Giant Trevally of the Pacific & Indian Oceans, for instance, are formidable adversaries, but they DON’T jump and they DO bust your gear up on bottom structure with frustrating and expensive regularity. Tarpon, for reasons best known to themselves seem to prefer to attempt to shed the hook in mid-air, rarely seeking sanctuary down deep. This equates to maximum thrills and spills – more ‘bang for your buck!’ as the Americans say. Hooking a tarpon of even moderate size is a little like hooking a flying train, and, believe me, you won’t forget it in a hurry.

If the tarpon can be seen as the saltwater equivalent of the river angler’s Atlantic salmon – mad, bad and dangerous to tangle with – then the bonefish will appeal to the trout angler. These beautiful silver ghosts are a perfect antidote to the “crash, bang, wallop” mayhem that tarpon can provide. Stalking them on a white sand flat, casting delicate little shrimp patterns and watching them pounce is a magical experience, even before your strip-strike has them bolting off across the shallows, ripping off absurd amounts of backing in the blink of an eye.

And if you really like a challenge, seek out the permit – the holy grail of the flats. With a few tarpon and bonefish under your belt, you’ll be swaggering around, thinking you’ve got the whole thing nailed down, when one of these big sickle-tailed beauties will come and put you right back in your place. Impossibly and heart-breakingly fickle, this fish is quite possibly the hardest fish to fool with a fly rod – and catching one means cigars all round and a riotous, mojito-fuelled party!

There’s a kaleidoscope of other saltwater fly-rod fish awaiting your attention – cartwheeling sailfish, turbo-charged longtail tuna, the dementedly powerful milkfish…the list is endless. A party of eleven anglers, including myself, once managed over fifty arm-wrenching species in just ten days from the hugely prolific waters of Northern Australia – this in spite of the fact that a large proportion of the fish we caught were demolished by sharks. Everything from flounder to marlin will and have eaten a fly, but the triumvirate of bonefish, tarpon and permit are the “big three” that represent the staple angling diet of most warm-water fly anglers. Look no further for your introduction to saltwater fly-fishing.

So, where to find them?

Well, most of the Caribbean offers fishing for some or all of these fish: the Bahamas, Florida, Mexico, Belize and Venezuela all offer great fly-fishing, but, to my mind, one destination stands above all others as a location for novice saltwater fly-fishers: Cuba. There’s a very simple reason for this: NO AMERICANS!

This statement may smack of xenophobia, but it’s actually just a pragmatic take on the situation. The plain fact is that at least 95% of saltwater fly anglers are American. These anglers tend to be fairly affluent, and many fish regularly all over the world. Many are of an excellent standard, as they get to practice their art regularly in their home waters, which range from California to Florida to Maine. As a result they undoubtedly “maximise” the pressure on the waters they fish, and subsequently, many fisheries have suffered due to the intense pressure exerted upon them. However, because of the ongoing spat between Fidel Castro and the Whitehouse, Cuba remains one of the few destinations that US anglers are unable to visit. Like the rest of us, Castro isn’t getting any younger, and the word is that the Americans may get their big boots in the door when he finally shuffles off his mortal coil. But I for one hope that Fidel goes easy on the cigars and always looks both ways when crossing the road. While he’s still there, the Americans won’t be - and the under-exploited fishing will remain fantastic!

Nowhere in Cuba – and perhaps the world - is the fishing better than in the Jardinas de la Reinas – a huge marine park with an area of flats roughly the size of the Florida Keys that sees a maximum of around twenty anglers per week, and virtually no commercial fishing.

This huge reserve offers the “big three” species mentioned above in abundance: heaps of good-sized bonefish to cut your teeth on, enough large permit to keep the most experienced rods happy (or humble), and the undoubted jewel in the crown, the tarpon. The tarpon fishery in the Jardinas de la Reinas Marine Park, whilst not offering the monsters available elsewhere, has probably the best fishing anywhere for these spectacular, high-flying fish. Nowhere else are there such huge hordes of obligingly naive fish in the 40 – 100 pound class, finning through crystal-clear water and offering plenty of shots all day long during the peak months of April, May and June.

Is it difficult fishing?

If you can catch trout at your local put and take fishery, then you can catch bonefish and, in Cuba at least, tarpon. I’ve seen absolute novice anglers hook fifty-pound tarpon, and while it’s not a pretty sight, and doesn’t always last very long, it demonstrates how easy this fishing can be.

Having said that, why not give yourself a chance of really appreciating the fishing? I won’t be the first person to recommend casting lessons as your first and most important investment prior to your trip, but even the old hands can really benefit from some brushing up before they go – assuming they don’t allow pride to get in the way. The ability to double-haul efficiently will speed up your delivery and maximise your enjoyment as a result. Two hours with a good instructor will have most people, even beginners, competent enough to really get the most out of this wonderful fishing.

How else can you give yourself the edge?

Speak the language! In Cuba, the ability to speak even a little ‘pigeon-Spanish’ will not only allow you to plan the next fish’s downfall more easily with your guide, it will also allow for a whole lot more essential banter and a fuller appreciation of the culture you are experiencing.

Is the kit expensive?

It needn’t be.

There’s no doubt that you can expend a lot of money on gear. Many anglers possess a single-handed 7/8/9 weight that will suffice for bonefish, but the tarpon and permit will demand something beefier - 10 & 12 weights respectively – rods that don’t feature in the armoury of many freshwater fly anglers. Then there’s the reels: these are important – whilst the sight and sound of line fizzing furiously off of a violently spinning reel is one of the most exhilarating experiences in saltwater fly-fishing, a subsequent over-run and violent crunch as the leader – or rod – capitulates, is one of the least. Unlike a lot of freshwater reels, the expensive saltwater models are more than just shiny ‘toys for the boys (and girls)’ – they really are necessary. Add on specialist ‘tropical’ fly-lines, wading boots and so on, and suddenly its all starting to get expensive…If you’re struggling to justify the cost, there are two ways to negotiate this issue. The first is to buy cheap kit. Don’t. When it buckles or pops or snaps in two, it’ll ruin your adventure in double quick time. Instead choose option two – hire the most expensive items of your kit from one of the tackle outlets – like Sportfish in Reading - that offer this service. Buddy up with a mate and hire a spare or two, while you’re at it. Whilst you’ll want a bonefish rod each for wading the flats, most of the tarpon & permit fishing is done from the skiffs, and you’ll normally take turns, so one rod between two will suffice in a pinch – although when the tarpon are really fired up in Cuba I’ve often been involved in some double hook-up craziness that obviously requires a rod each!
( Note image of two tarpon in one small skiff!)


So have I left you with any excuses not to go?

The price?

Shop around and you can find excellent and relatively affordable saltwater fly-fishing - the best weeks at Jardinas de la Reinas, for instance, run at approximately one third the price of an equivalent prime-time week of top-notch Russian salmon fishing or premium New Zealand trophy trout fly-outs. And you’ll almost certainly catch more – and/or bigger – fish.

Can’t afford the time?

If your partner (& family) is happy to lose you for large parts of the day, you might just be able to tie some excellent saltwater fishing in with a great snorkelling/diving/sunbathing holiday for non-fishers: as well as the Caribbean, much of the Indian and Pacific Oceans are dotted with locations offering great family holidays with acres of fish-filled flats attached. The Seychelles, Tahiti and Australia are just a few examples, and in the Atlantic, the Bahamas and the new “Isla de la Juventud” fishery in Cuba spring instantly to mind. Would your non-fishing partner rather be reclining on a beach in the sun or batting off the mosquitoes by a salmon-river? Go on, ask them.

So, with humble apologies to the very friendly and likeable angler who inspired this article, I urge you to shake off those “bonkers” prejudices and have a go at the “saltwater fly-fishing lark”!!! You might just enjoy it…









Contacts:

Tackle:

Brian Fratel
Farlows
9 Pall Mall
London SW1Y 5NP
Phone: 0207 484 1000

E-mail: farlows-pallmall@farlows.co.uk



Brian has a huge wealth of saltwater fly-fishing experience and can advise on tackle and flies for most destinations.


Sportfish, Haywards Farm, Theale, Reading RG74AS
Tel 0118 930 3860 Fax: 0118 930 5860
Email: sportfish-reading@sportfish.co.uk www.sportfish.co.uk

Sportfish can rent saltwater kit and also boast some good, affordable tackle options as well as the premium brands.

Casting

There are a lot of casting instructors based up and down the UK – many advertise in Trout & Salmon. Ring around and find one that suits you and who can teach you to “double-haul” – mention that you’re intending to fish in saltwater.

Robin Elwes is excellent and can be reached at Farlows on 0207 484 1000

Eoin Fairgrieve, whilst best known for his excellent Spey-casting school, is also a great single-handed fly-fisherman and casting instructor, with lots of saltwater experience.

Contact him on:

t: 01573 226700
m: 0771 5977060
e: eoin@speycast.co.uk





Destinations:

There are a number of outfitters in the UK that can advise on saltwater destinations:


Aardvark McLeod
RBL House
Ordnance Road
Tidworth
Hampshire, SP9 7QD
Tel: +44 (0)1980 840590
www.aardvarkmcleod.com http://www.aardvarkmcleod.com/
Peter McLeod



FENTON ROBINSON Sporting Travel
TEL: +44 (0)20 7498 8273
FAX: +44 (0)20 7801 8708
alexfenton@fenton-robinson.com
www.fenton-robinson.com

Frontiers International Travel
The Tithe Barn
Barnsley Park
Cirencester, UK
GL7 5EG
Tel 01285 741 340
http://www.frontierstravel.com
Justin Staal

Pioneer Sport and Travel Ltd
Home Farm Offices
Colesbourne
Nr Cheltenham
Glos
GL53 9NP
Tel/Fax 01242 870151
www.pioneer-sport.co.uk
Freddie Elwes


Roxtons
25, High St.,
Hungerford
Berkshire RG17 0NF
01488 683 222
http://www.rbrww.com
Charlie White

Cuba’s Jardinas de la Reinas can be booked through a number of agents or direct:

Speak to Filippo Invernizzi:

Jardines de la Reina
Fishing & diving center - Cuba
Filippo Invernizzi
Corso Peschiera 249
10141 Torino, Italy
Web site: www.avalons.net // www.divingincuba.com
e-mail: filippo.invernizzi@avalons.net
tel: +39 335 8149111 // Fax +39 011 19792138

Matt Harris will be hosting a number of saltwater trips next year – contact him at mattharris@mattharris.com, or call on 07850 955 585.




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