Cozumel

[JayB]

So we get to Cozumel. I get off the boat and hail a taxi and tell him what beach I want to go to. The cabbie says, "If your going fishing, let me take you to a good spot." I asked, "What kind of fish?"

He said, "Bonefish." He had me at "hello."

I took the chance and asked him to stop some place I could get some shrimp. (The only way I've ever caught one.) He looked in my tackle box and spied a 1/4 ounce DOA. He said just use that.

He dropped me off and said he'd be back in 2 hours. I waded in and started casting. It looked barren. Then, out of nowhere, a school of bones came up. One cast to the lead fish and he smacked the shrimp like it was the real deal. A few minutes later (it seemed like forever) bone caught. I repeated the process one more time. Then as quickly as they were on the flat they had moved on.

I also got two jack and I think I lost a baracuda. Not too bad for a two hour trip.

I wish I had taken my camera. It might have been one time I would have broken my own code and taken a flying bonefish picture or tw0.

Bouyed by my success. When the cabbie came back I asked about small poons. He said the only ones he knew had to accessed by boat. Ah well!

The cost $12 in cab fair and an $8 tip.

Far less than a guide. Sometimes it is better to be lucky than good. For the most part though, if I had the time I'd hire the guide.

Jay

[Todd]

Yeah, sure, two bonefish in two hours on a plastic shrimp, if I had only brought my camera with me......

[BearsFan]

In my dream today I was in Bermuda. I landed a 300 lb blue marlin on fly.

[JayB]

Jealousy is such an ugly emotion.

[mudfish]

You da Man JB!! I wonder how big the Reds are down there?

[BearsFan]

I have not seen a bonefish in 7 months. I am extremely jealous.

[JayB]

I have not seen a bonefish in 7 months. I am extremely jealous.

Those were only my 2nd and 3rd bonefish. It had been 1 1/2 years since my first one.

They weren't all that big. Maybe 3 or 4 pounds. But bones none the less. I sure wish they plied Tampa waters.

J

[BearsFan]

My neighbor caught one in a cast net in a Tierra Verde canal about 12 years ago.

[plagsage]

So we get to Cozumel. I get off the boat Jay

JayB, is this a cruise "boat"?

I might be going on a cruise there again, and would like to do the same. If it is a cruise, how do the cruise lines feel about all of those "dangerous" fishing hooks? They always confiscate my dive knife when I go. What general direction did this driver take you?

[JayB]

Yeah. I like to call them boats because it irritates certain people. It is like calling a line, rope.


I've done it twice now and had no problems. I packed my dive booties and tackle box (one small plano) in a dry bag. I even had my gerbers in the bag. I put a tag on it and it showed up at my state room just fine.

I carried my rod and reel on. It wasn't difficult, except for all the "going fishing?" and "do you have enough line to cast from the ship". Or they ask if you caught anything and when you puff out your chest and say, "two bonefish." They ask if you can eat them. Sigh.

I did see one or two guys looking at me with that, "damn, I wish I had done that." look.

I would recommend hiring a guide though. I was lucky in getting a cabbie that new what I was trying to do. And even luckier to actually land a bone with no experienced help.

There are two good guide services in Cozumel. I used Gabriel Medina the first time I was in Cozumel. He runs a guide service and his guides are quite good. They speak English and are very accommodating. Plus he brings Sol beer. You'll never drink Corona again. His prices are very reasonable.

Let me know if you are interested. When I'm home, I will email his website and the website of the other guide.

I would definitely take my own gear. What I used on the trip with him was not first rate. It wasn't even second rate.

J

[plagsage]

Yeah. I like to call them boats because it irritates certain people. It is like calling a line, rope.


I've done it twice now and had no problems. I packed my dive booties and tackle box (one small plano) in a dry bag. I even had my gerbers in the bag. I put a tag on it and it showed up at my state room just fine.

I carried my rod and reel on. It wasn't difficult, except for all the "going fishing?" and "do you have enough line to cast from the ship". Or they ask if you caught anything and when you puff out your chest and say, "two bonefish." They ask if you can eat them. Sigh.

I did see one or two guys looking at me with that, "damn, I wish I had done that." look.

I would recommend hiring a guide though. I was lucky in getting a cabbie that new what I was trying to do. And even luckier to actually land a bone with no experienced help.

There are two good guide services in Cozumel. I used Gabriel Medina the first time I was in Cozumel. He runs a guide service and his guides are quite good. They speak English and are very accommodating. Plus he brings Sol beer. You'll never drink Corona again. His prices are very reasonable.

Let me know if you are interested. When I'm home, I will email his website and the website of the other guide.

I would definitely take my own gear. What I used on the trip with him was not first rate. It wasn't even second rate.

J

Please post the site address when you can, no rush, my trip is up in the air currently. I may need to request Dos Equis, bot Sol will do .
Which cruise boat company did you use?

[JayB]

We used Gabriel Medina all of his guides are local and know the waters quite well. Their English is good and they are polite. Our guide was funny and when John or I screwed up. He was quick with encouragement and humorous comment.

Be prepared to go "native." They march to their own beat. We had to make several stops for various items before we ever got to the launch. Both John and I enjoyed it.

Bring your own gear for this trip. His is sub sub-par.

I highly recommend him. I think John would agree.

http://www.cozumelmycozumel.com/Pages/C ... ishing.htm


This guy I know nothing about. I did email him about land based fishing and he gave me two or three beaches to try. I didn't use them, but he was still helpful.

http://www.fishingcozumel.net/fly-fishing.htm

Jay

[JayB]

Which cruise boat company did you use?

A lot depends on your cruising experience and what you want to do. Tampa has trips ranging from 4 to 14 days.

We used Royal Caribbean, Grandeur of the Seas, this time and it was 4 day trip. This is a so-so cruise with bad port arrival times as far as I was concerned. Two ports of call, Key West and Cozumel.

I wouldn't recommend them unless it was a perfect match to your schedule.

I never thought I'd say it, but the Inspiration is a nice cruise. It's a little rowdier than some. But the food and service were much better than I expected. The 4 day to Cozumel gives a good bang for the buck.

Holland America is always a good bet. As far as quality probably the best of the three.

Keep in mind cruising is as a much a personal choice as anything else. I want good service and food. Other people want lots of shipboard activities.

I have had two truly memorable cruises. I took my family and 4 friends to Cozumel on the Inspiration. It was wild! Two Christmases ago we did the Queen Mary II to the Virgin Islands. Great ports, terrific food, service that was beyond reasonable expectations. We went steerage and were still treated like Royalty.

Jay

[plagsage]

Thanks JayB
I have cruised both the Carnival Inspiration and the RC Granduer of the seas. My wife got sick (norisvirus) on RC and we were confined to quarters, so it is a hard sell to get my wife back on RC, or any cruise for that matter. However, my son really wants to go on another cruise, and he has has a lot of influence over his Mom .
The 3-4 day from Carnival is the most likely.
Anyway thanks for the info.

[Rooster]

Dos Equis, bot Sol will do .

Dos Equis!! First beer I ever drank legally, Cancun Mexico on my 18th b-day 8)