This is not a striper question, but I know many people on this forum have wet a line in faraway places. I am going to Mexico for a week at the end of this month, and have scheduled a flats fishing trip to Cozumel. We will be targeting bonefish, permit, barracuda, and maybe baby tarpon as per the guide's web page. This will be spinning, not fly fishing.

The guide will obviously provide all the necessary gear, but I thought I would take along a few artificials to try if things were slow. Does anyone have any specific recommendations? Should I presume that anything imitating shrimp and small crabs would be a good bet? Should I try a Hab's needlefish???

Rexhammer, I would try some little white bucktail jigs, use some teaser rigs in white ,pink or, brown. This will kick some butt, also try some small metals. Those fish like shinny things also. :hihi:

Rex - if you are going to be flats fishing I can see little better to try during the day than a small Ledgerunner split tail weighted lengthwise along the hook. I forget the proper name for that method of weghting but it allows a much more horizontal presentation....

It's on Bob's site Ledgerunner.com

no weight :bgi:

4 1/2" ledgerunner split tails would be really good. They do a good baitfish and/or shrimp immitation. So they cover both bases. The clear w/ glitter in all colors has been good on flats up here for bass and in florida for reds, trout, etc.

I'd think it would be good on bones and tarpon. Like John said... weighted along the shank. Look at the daichi butt draggers for an example. Clammer is also right... I really use as little weight as possible, while still being able to cast effectively. You're going to be sight casting, so you'll need to be able to hit your spots. But the slower with less weight is deadly.

Other small jerkbaits like bass assassins... I use the ledgerunners and bass assassins primarily. I also got some trout on a DOA shrimp this year, incl. a nice one over 4lbs. Bonefish and tarpon supposedly love 'em.

Good luck...

dont mess around-

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jhtml?id=0030134318424a&navAction=jump&navCount=19&indexId=cat380004&podId=0030134&catalogCode=IF&parentId=cat380004&parentType=index&rid=&cmCat=MainCatcat20431&hasJS=true

Hey Eben,

I said bring along a "few artificials", not set myself up for life!!

Thanks for the info. I will try your suggestions. I was already figuring to bring small metals, but I will add some teasers.

use that as a basis. the flys are named, so you can seek out what you want to try. from what i have heard bones are really really smart, so flys are the best for fooling them.

This is not a striper question, but I know many people on this forum have wet a line in faraway places. I am going to Mexico for a week at the end of this month, and have scheduled a flats fishing trip to Cozumel. We will be targeting bonefish, permit, barracuda, and maybe baby tarpon as per the guide's web page. This will be spinning, not fly fishing.

The guide will obviously provide all the necessary gear, but I thought I would take along a few artificials to try if things were slow. Does anyone have any specific recommendations? Should I presume that anything imitating shrimp and small crabs would be a good bet? Should I try a Hab's needlefish???

Where are you staying in Cozumel? I stayed at Playa Del Mar next to the Golf Course and had a great time! Because you are fishing the exotic tropical waters, the water is gin clear and don’t get caught without the fluorocarbon leader!

I had some exceptional shore results with small jigs (rubber shads, grubs and bucktails). If you’re seeking those toothy critters like the long nose needlefish or barracudas, you need an assortment of tins like the kastmasters and crocodile (blue/silver). There are also tarpon and snook during the late hours at night (just look for lighted docks and piers ;-) … use small swimmers like the rapalas , sluggos or rubber shads.

In the event you are going to take a charter – Take your light tackle equipment (7' / 15 lbs. braid with fluro. leaders) Ask to fish the back coves where you will be able to connect to permits, bones, snook and tarpon all along the mangroves.

As for the offshore, we had some decent fish (small tunnies and the elusive billfish) …but that’s the usual hum-dum-no-thrill- throwing routine. If that’s your game, bring your own zucchini zonkers, green machines or cedars. Also, be on the look out for schools of mahi-mahi or little tunas (surface action).... simply have a spinning outfit ready with a popper, small diamond jig, bucktail or small rubber shads. ;)

Hope this helps.

Tight Lines,

“Crazy” Alberto
NonStopFisher@Optonline.net

Crazy,

We are staying for a week in Playa del Carmen at the Iberostar Lindo. There are ten people (five married couples) in our group celebrating the 50th birthdays of the guys this year.

We have booked an all day offshore charter for the guys. My understanding is that this is prime time for one of the marlin species, but we can also look for mahi mahi and maybe some bottom fishing.

I have booked a half day flats trip to Cozumel. My buddy and I will take an early ferry to the island.

I am also thinking of an inshore trip with my wife on a local "panga". I have read you can just negotiate a price with them on the beach.

I do not plan to bring any gear along with the exception of a few artificials as mentioned above, and possibly a couple of reels that I am comfortable with, spooled with 12-lb. test mono in case the guides' equipment is not that great. I wasn't planning on any do-it-yourself fishing per se, but maybe will see if I can rent a 7 or 8 foot rod and use my reels. I will bring some fluro leaders. Would 25-lb. test be OK?

I haven't fished that particular area, but if its like all of the other out-of-the-way places that I've fished, bring twice the equipment/lures that you think you'll need. The good stuff is simply unavailable at most of these places. Worse comes to worse you can give it to your guide for his tip. Most of them would die to get their hands on the higher end stuff.

I stayed in Playa del Carmen in May 04 with another couple, and had a great experience on one trip(flats) and a horrible offhore venture. The flats trip was over on Cozumel, after a nice ride on the ferry from the mainland. Sent the wife and friend shopping while me and my budy went fishing for 8 hours. He is an avid fly fisherman, while I prefer light line spinning. Our guide accomodated both of us, fishing the mangroves for nice action on medium sized snook, 1 nice 30 pound tarpon, and tons of small permit( which he said was rare for so many, we got around 20 or so) on small leadheads, spoons, and DOA shrimp plastics. We then stalked some tidal flats for a few nice bones for my bud, and I even managed to get one on a dead shrimp drifted back into a school with 15 pound flourocarbon and a tiny circle hook.

At night, we cast around the docks at our hotel for non stop action on small fish with the occasional monster showing and giving us a real adrenaline rush. We never did hook one of the big boys on the shadow deges just out of the lights, but next time I bring a stout setup. I was fine with my 7' light action and a 4500 spooled with 14 pound fireline and flouro leaders, and my friend brought his 8/9 reel on an 8 weight 2 piece rod I believe.

The offshore trip sucked, the boat was run down, the mates were clueless, and the lures and equipment had seen much better days. The only billfish we raised took one look at the rusty hooks and dissappeared ner to be seen again.... :kewl:

Good luck and have a great time!!

D.O.A. Shrimp in white and clear, small spoons in gold, top water plugs in the 3-4" range.

Have a great time.