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The president speaks about diplomatic relations, travel restrictions and establishing trade...

 

All I can think about is new flats fishing opportunities!

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I was on the Island of Crete ... in the Mediterranean. If Cuba is anything like, there won't be much fishing to be had. The local fish consumption rates decimate any fish populations close to shore.

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Back when I was tying flies commercially, one of my customers, a guide in Key West, took a trip to Cuba to check out the fishing. His ancestry was Cuban & he spoke the language. He reported basically what Mike is saying, that the locals catch & consume everything they can get. There was not much in the way of sport fishing going on. He said there was some fly fishing opportunities, but they were very limited at that time. He also told me there was a lot of corruption with various authorities & there was some pirating going on too, so being there was not without it's dangers.

 

He told a story about being approached & detained by Cuban military, even though they had the proper paperwork that allowed them to be there. He said they were approached by another boat with several unsavory types on board at one point, and believe it was their intention to board them. Fortunately they were able to out run them.

He said he believes that's why the military may have stopped them, as there may have been a connection between the local military & those pirates. I guess they do whatever they can to survive & prosper, even if it's not moral or legal.

 

Perhaps there may be a time in the near future that political relations & economic relations will be better between the two countries, but I wouldn't put much stock in Cuba being a mecca for fly anglers.

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I have absolutely no personal experience to refute any of the above but I am guilty of watching too much TV sometimes. Sportfishing on the Fly, a Canadian show on the World Fishing Network has at least one or two episodes per year from Cuba. I think they probably go to the same resort (I don't remember the name) each time but by the looks of things they do very well on the usual suspects-bonefish, tarpon, and permit.

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Mud, I've seen some of those shows as well. The places that Jeff, the guide was checking out were not resort areas, but out of the way places that at that point in time were not known travel destinations for fly anglers or anyone else that I'm aware of. I believe that was part of why he was there & I recall he said there was some interest from some US fly fishing companies in his findings, but don't know to what extent. I remember him telling me they found fish in some places, but nothing that might have been resort worthy.

 

I would guess there are some "privileged" folks even in Cuba, so there could very well be places to fly fish with good success if a person has the means to afford it.

 

On another site I frequent, not one that's fly fishing exclusive, there has been a recent comment about possible bass fishing in Cuba, and the possibility of monster bass being there. Again, perhaps for those who can afford it there may be. dry.png

 

It will be interesting to see what develops as better relations are established. smile.png

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I've heard about the high consumption rate of fish there, but I figured it was worse in the lakes. Jimmy Houston fished Cuba a while back..caught his largest bass there ever..maybe 13#? But reports of 17#+ fish float around. Since the locals arent advocates of C&R, those fish may be limited. But with year round warm weather, the growth rates may be pretty impressive.

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I know of a place near Cuba that has many miles of coastline and lots of great fishing... even in the winter. It's called Florida!

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I know of a place near Cuba that has many miles of coastline and lots of great fishing... even in the winter. It's called Florida!

You got that right. I do love fishing in Florida. Not many places I can go to and catch 20 different species in that many casts. Plus they have Cubans there!

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I was stationed at Guantanamo Bay for 3 years, we never had trouble catching fish.

Just wondering, how long ago? You're 5 years younger than me, and it's been 20 years since I was in the military.

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Sept. '84 - Oct. '87 Mike. I got out in '90. I guess fishing conditions could have changed since then. :D

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Either that or the waters off Guantanemo were the only ones where the Cubans couldn't access for their food.

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That's a pretty good promotion ... but it's not "really" Cuba. Kind of like saying you're going to fish Miami, and then fishing out in the Keys !!!

 

 

Could be good fishing all around Cuba. Like I said, I am just basing my opinion on another low economy Island, Crete.

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I believe that I will stay in this country to fish. Thank you very much.......I have little desire to be jailed and held for ransom which the U.S. Gov. will not pay and rightfully so. If you are willing to take the risk don't expect the tax payer to bail you out.

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