2010 News Magazine
Destination Cuba
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Most everybody in the world, except Cuban-born-non-Cuban citizens, and everybody under United States jurisdiction, can travel to and from Cuba freely. You can get in trouble for this trip but hundreds of American do it every year. Someone told me recently that it is easier for a Little League player or high school student to go to Cuba than a registered voter If you are a journalist, government official, have relatives in Cuba, are a full-time professional (including doctors, dental hygienists, environmentalists and actors) going to conferences or doing research you can probably go to Cuba, under a "General License" -- no red tape. For everyone else its a back door entry from numerous departure points outside the US.
It's easy to arrange such a trip but one needs to take precautions to avoid an unpleasant experience with Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) which administers the embargo of trade with Cuba. As far as Cuba is concerned you are welcome to enter freely and to pursue all tourist opportunities.
A long time friend recently made this trip and we had a chance to discuss his experience over breakfast.
FRA: Ok, I know you're going to tell me that you had a fantastic time but what was the downside?
FISHERMAN: The travel logistics are cumbersome and time consuming. There is no way you can make the flight connections for one day travel meaning you've got a stay-over on both ends (two extra days). Being in a position to pursue a plan B is pretty much out of the question (what we are talking about is the opportunity to change plans on the fly due to weather, unique opportunities, health problems, etc). This is largely due in part to available resources (people, fuel, boats, etc). Accommodations were great but the food was just "ok". Again this has to do with resources.
FRA: Give us the up side
FISHERMAN:
Friendly people
Beautiful country
Hard working and accomplished guides - 8:00 to 4:00 would be a typical day with one angler and one guide in each boat
Great bonefishing on endless flats, with opportunities for Tarpon, Permit, Jacks, and Barracuda in various areas.
FRA: How were you geared up?
FISHERMAN: I had 8, 9, and 10 weight rods with accompanying reels and lines. I never really used the 9-weight. I had a lot of pretty standard fly patterns. The fish were not picky.
FRA: What was the program set up by the outfitter?
FISHERMAN: First of all we were located SW of Havana on the Golfo de Batabano in an area set aside as a nature preserve. In the words of the outfitter…."At just under half a million hectares, the Zapata Peninsula is by far the largest swampland in the Caribbean. It's located in the Matanzas District of Cuba, and takes up almost a third of the district. This enormous mangrove estuary encompasses the entire peninsula and is home to millions of birds, mammals and reptiles. It's sparsely populated when compared with the rest of Cuba and has been declared a Biosphere Reserve by the Cuban Government." Half of this area was open to a limited number of fishermen and the rest is set aside as a study area and nursery. No motors (in most areas) and fly fishing only.
Everyone was assigned a guide for the week. We fished the flats for bonefish for 4 days, went out to the ocean flats (12 miles out) called Bocas - outer islands that hold tarpon, cubera snapper and snook in crystal clear water for one for a day, and fished a river estuary for juvenile tarpon on the final day.
There was plenty of action each day. My best bonefish was probably 8 pounds but I saw many over 10. The Tarpon weren't huge but there were plenty of 10 to 40 pound fish. Wonderful fishing for big Jacks. We never had a good shot a Permit but they were around.
Cuba is a great spot for beginning saltwater fly fishermen. There a lots of "schoolies" which afford plenty of action for the beginner.
FRA: How would you have changed things for the better?
FISHERMAN: I'd spend more time in Havana. One day was way too short for this great city. I would have liked to do a lot more ocean flats fishing which was the absolute highlight of the trip.
FRA: What advice do you have for someone who wants to make this trip?
FISHERMAN: Work with an outfitter that will have someone at the airports to help you through the customs hassle - this saved me hours of frustration. Cuban officials are used to accommodating traveling Americans. Contrary to popular belief, bribes are not required.
I would tip the guides $20 to $30 a day which is greatly appreciated and exceeds wages for a month (keep in mind everyone in Cuba gets paid the same). The guides have very little equipment and a small gift of appreciation can be a wonderful expression of thanks. I gave my guide an old pair of fishing pliers which had a few rust spots - the next day they looked like new!
GETTING THERE
