Pesca Maya Lodge

THE FISHING

Pesca Maya Lodge is very well positioned at the northern edge of Ascencion Bay. The location allows many options for anglers, particularly when the weather is not cooperating. Situated on a long, narrow strip of barrier beach, the lodge is virtually surrounded by water. To the east lies the blue Caribbean and just off shore, the Palancar Barrier Reef which stretches from southern Belize to north of Cancun. To the west of the lodge lies the vast “El Rio” system of flats, channels and mangrove. 10 miles to the north is the famed inlet through the barrier beach known locally as the “Boca”. And 4 miles to the south lies the incomparable Ascension Bay. The entire area boasts some of the Caribbean’s best flats fishing for bonefish, permit, snook and juvenile tarpon. One of the best aspects to fishing Pesca May is the myriad of flats that are easily accessed from the lodge.

There are hundreds of square miles of flats in Ascencion Bay that range from hard packed white sand flats to sheltered mangrove lagoons and channels that stretch for miles. For those who love to wade, Pesca Maya’s traditional fishing area has vast sections that offer a good sturdy bottom structure and the guides encourage anglers to get out of the skiffs to fish. In each skiff there is a head guide as well as a young apprentice guide. Both have very good eye sight and this helps enormously when wading, with each angler having his own guide. This situation is also a big benefit as one of the guides will always double back to get the panga, while the guests continue fishing, thus eliminating a potentially long walk back to the boat.

The Pesca Maya fishing area has a huge population of bonefish that will range from 1 to 3 pounds in size. Bigger fish are regularly caught and a good day in this part of Ascencion will produce between 8-20 bonefish per day. The permit fishing is superb and there are not many places where it is better. Guests can expect to encounter permit that range between 5 and 30 pounds with the average fish coming in at about 10 pounds. Guests fishing from Pesca Maya will encounter permit on the flats as well as in channels and on deeper flats. The fish will be either tailing, cruising or laying up in 4-6 feet of water. The tarpon fishery at Pesca Maya is traditionally a juvenile fish environment, although much larger fish are seen and caught, particularly during the summer months. The vast network of mangrove lagoons and channels will hold fish between 10-40 pounds. In this same area, guests should be ready for snook up to 20 pounds. Because of the large numbers of bonefish in the area, there is a healthy number of big predatory barracuda that can be targeted. Jacks and a variety of snappers are also consistently available to anglers as well. Due to the abundance of species and the sheer number of fish that are in this part of Ascencion Bay, Pesca May is a very good place to come if you want to specifically shoot for a Grand Slam or Super Slam while on your trip. .

BOATS AND EQUIPMENT

The boats are 23 foot Mexican Super Pangas. The boats are perfectly designed for the type of conditions found in Ascencion Bay. The Pangas can get into some very shallow water while still retaining the ability to deal with the chop when crossing the lagoon. The skiffs are roomy and comfortable and have large, clear casting platforms. They are powered by Yamaha 4 stroke engines.

GETTING THERE

Guests will fly into the Cancun International Airport. Upon clearing customs, you will exit the customs area and walk to the arrival lobby which is outside. It’s a bit chaotic at times but the Pesca Maya representative will be there to meet you. He will escort you to the van for the drive down to the lodge. The drive to the Lodge will take about 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Due to the duration of the transfer, Pesca Maya schedules one transfer per day, usually departing Cancun around 1:30 PM. If you arrive early, you may have to wait for other guests to arrive before leaving the airport. If there are other arrivals later that day you will depart Cancun immediately. Keep in mind that guests arriving in Cancun after 2:00 pm, may be charged a special transfer surcharge, if the normally scheduled Pesca Maya transfer has already departed for the Lodge. If there are no other arrivals on your arrival day, Pesca Maya will schedule the transfer to your arrival time. The current special transfer surcharge is $200.00 USD per vehicle trip, divided by the number of late arriving guests. Once you arrive at the lodge, you will be warmly greeted by the lodge manager, who will get you settled in.

Slipstream is a full service travel company that can handle a variety of services relating to your trip. For assistance, please contact us directly at 1 866 644-7703.

RATES FOR 2024

7 nights 6 days fishing $4,962 USD DBL
6 nights 5 days fishing $4,690 USD DBL
5 nights 4 days fishing $3,972 USD DBL
4 nights 3 days fishing $3,164 USD DBL
3 nights 2 days fishing $2,401 USD DBL

7 nights 6 days fishing $8,948 USD SGL
6 nights 5 days fishing $8,402, USD SGL
5 nights 4 days fishing $7,039 USD SGL
4 nights 3 days fishing $5,676 USD SGL
3 nights 2 days fishing $3,836 USD SGL