JDR – Perola Live Aboard

THE FISHING

Even though the Las Salinas and San Lazaro areas of the park are right beside each other, there are some big differences between the two areas that are important to understand. The main one is that the water is generally deeper than that found next door in Salinas. On average, about a 1-2 feet deeper. There is also a lot more open water between the hundreds if not thousands of islands that dot the area. With engines being utilized in this section of the park, it allows anglers to fish an enormous area that has not really been sport fished on any level.

The San Lazaro bonefishing is truly superb and there are not many places where it is consistently better. Depending on the location you are fishing that day, the water will range for 1-3 feet deep. The water is crystal clear at San Lazaro, which means that it’s not difficult to see cruising fish from a long way off.

Mangrove islands, estuaries, shallow bays, and sand bars are the common structure in this part of the park. Further out towards the open water, islands covered with Australian Pine offer some good protection when fishing these more out-laying areas. The wading at San Lazaro is excellent and it’s generally either hard-packed sand or a coral-based flat rock that also offers excellent footing. On my last trip to fish San Lazaro, on my last day, I got out of the skiff at 8:30 am in the morning and did not get back in the boat until 3:00 pm. While not everyone wants to wade for 6+ hours, it’s nice to know that you can if you want to.

The average size of the bonefish is 2-4 pounds, with considerably bigger fish seen and cast to daily. The largest bonefish landed in San Lazaro since it opened in the Spring of 2013 is 12 pounds. With this part of the park being protected until only recently, the mutton snapper fishery here is nothing short of incredible. For those who enjoy landing this hard fighting fish on the fly, there is no better place that I have ever seen.

The way the fishing program is broken down during the week, each angler will share a skiff with another angler for three days. Each angler will also get their own guide and skiff for 3 days.

BOATS AND EQUIPMENT

The skiffs used when two anglers are fishing together with a guide are Dolphin skiffs powered by 60 horsepower 4 stroke engines. When anglers are fishing on their own with a guide, the skiffs are customized fiberglass flats skiffs designed for one angler and guide and powered by 30 horse powered engines.

The casting platform at the front of the boat is of a decent size and while fishing from these skiffs takes a little while to get used to, the boats are ideal for the environment that they fish in. Drawing virtually nothing, the skiffs can access unbelievably skinny water. There are also two traditional flats skiffs utilized at San Lazaro, which carry two anglers and a guide. These flats skiffs are powered by 75 horsepower two-stroke Yamaha engines. The boats on the river are John Boats with 25 horse powered engines. No rental gear available from this location.

GETTING THERE

To reach the Perola live aboard, guests with be transferred from their hotel in Havava down to the Bay of Pigs (roughly a 3 hour drive), where guests will board the yacht and then steam to the mooring in San Lazaro for the week.

Slipstream Angling is a full service travel company and can handle international airfare, Cuban Visa applications, as well as a host of other services relating to your trip. Please contact us directly at 1 866 644-7703 if you’d like assistance.

RATES FOR 2025

October 4 to December 6

$30,000 USD

Please note that you must book out the entire boat to secure a booking