We just recently returned from hosting a group to the Palometa Club in Punta Allen, Mexico where we enjoyed a week of adventure exploring the flats of Ascension Bay. Renowned for its diverse and robust fishery and located within the Sian Ka’an Bisophere protected reserve, our trip to the Palometa Club left us with a heap a new memories and friendships only good times on the water can bring.
Trip Prep
A few rods are in order to fish the Yucutan. And, A LOT of flies! Palometa Club is a Grand Slam destination. The big three; bonefish, permit and tarpon are front and center in the fishery, but there are also snook, jacks and barracuda. Prepping for this trip was a super fun endeavor. The folks joining me hadn’t fished this part of Mexico before so to make the trip easier for everyone we supplied all the flies, terminal gear and extra rods. With a bonefish, permit, tarpon and cuda’ rod in each boat we were ready for anything that swam by!
Essential Gear
Tapered leaders to 10 & 16lb
Flourocarbon spools in 50, 40, 30, 25, 20, 16, 12 & 10lb
25-40lb wirebite
Flies
Nippers, pliers, easy on flats shoes or boots
Bag for in the boat and while wading
Lots of Flies!
Bonefish - 9’8wt with floating saltwater line, tapered 10ft leader to 10lb
Permit - 9’ 9wt with floating saltwater line, tapered 15ft leader to 15lb
Tarpon // Snook - 9’ 9wt with floating saltwater line, 6-8ft of straight 40lb
Barracuda - 9’ 9 or 10wt with floating saltwater line, 7ft leader tapered to 30lb, swivle, 10” knotable wire
Getting there
Mexico, the Myan Riviera, and the Palometa Club in general is a super easy trip to embark on. I have arranged my travel in a few different ways before, and it really depends on how much time you have on the beginning and end of the trip.
Coming from the west coast, flights were a little hard find that got us to our final destination on the same day as departure. You could jump on a red eye, arrive in Cancun airport early in the morning and get to the lodge that afternoon. Or as I did, go the more relaxed route, fly the day before for an afternoon Cancun arrival, grab a hotel room, and be ready for the morning shuttle to the lodge the day after you fly into Canun. Our group did both.
I arranged for everyone to meet at the Airport Marriot Hotel which offers a complimentary airport shuttle so we could have some coffee and breakfast before Manny, the Palometa Clubs shuttle provider picked us up and began that land transport leg of the trip. The shuttle from Cancun to TPC is a two-leg affair. As the lodge is far down the Sian Ka’an Biosphere and the road is terrible at the end, guides picked us up at the Boca Paila bridge and shuttled us the remaining distance via Lancha (boat).
Into the BioSphere
The 45 minute boat ride melted away quickly as we made out way south through a series of channels and lagoons to Punta Allen and our base, the Palometa Club. Part of our motivation to visit “TPC” this season was to spend a few days with our friend Francois Botha in his new management position at the Club. We met Franbo when he was a guide for the Aniak River Lodge and figured it would be a blast to fish with him again. Fanbo’s wife, Dasha joins him as co-manager at the lodge and they are a super fun duo to spend time with and added to our delightful experience there.
The Palometa Club
At its heart TPC is a hard core fisherman’s lodge with the best guides in Ascension Bay, a comfortable renovated accomodation, excellent local cuisine and inviting hospitality. The lodge overlooks the mesoamerican reef, the second longest in the world while the swaying coconut palms and open bar draw you outside into the entertaining area and warm Caribbean air.
We were greeted at the lodge with Franbo’s first ever Margaritas and after settling into our rooms tasty appetizers were brought out to the bar. We swapped fishing stories and chatted about our travel and saltwater fishing while we waited for dinner and our upcoming orientation to be presented by “Gerry.” He’s the man in Punta Allen - a 25 year guide, head TPC guide, manager of one of the cooperativos, mayor of Punta Allen, and a few other titles aside.
The Accomodation
Excited for fishing after a long travel day, the renovations at TPC really showed. Inside the air conditioned lodge there are four spacious double occupancy rooms with ensuite renovated bathrooms. Two units are down stairs and three are up. A comfortable sitting room is off of the main dinning area and kitchen but the space blends indoor and outdoor areas nicely. Comfortable beds and linens made sleep easy. Each room has a mini split that blows cold air what ever the outside temps and the showers have plenty of hot water. Electricity is 100% of the time. There is Fast Wifi. The things we take for granted in the states but are hard to get reliably in such a remote place the TPC nails on all fronts!
Ready to hit the Water!
After a delicious breakfast each morning and a great nights sleep we were ready to hit the flats! The guides met us out front at 8am each morning. There are two guides per boat, a lead and apprentice, which makes for a 1:1 ratio on the water and a welcome extra set of eyes to spot fish. The boats are comfortable 23ft super pangas, locally called Lanchas. These stable boats are great to fish out of, cut thru the oceans chop beautifully and the expert guides can pole them thru some really skinny flats.
Our first day had a cold front flow through, and the ocean out front was a little rough, so we walked a few minutes to the back lagoon to the boats to start our day. On other days, the guides were able to pick us up and or drop us off right at the beach in front.
Fishing Ascension Bay
The mix of habitats, flats, mangrove edges and islands here is simply astounding. We spent our first couple of days fishing the northern end of the bay and lagoons near Boca Paila for bonefish and snook. We all found wiling bonefish, hooked a few tarpon and jacks and even saw a few Permit. As the conditions changed, we roamed far and wide, north south, east and west.
Like all flats destinations, all of the fishing was done to sighted fish in water ranging from 6” to 8ft. It came as no surprise when it was the guides who were most adept at seeing fish first. When an opportunity presented itself, the guides worked in tandem, communicating with each other to line up the shot. Often times, the apprentice guide would set out on foot with the angler at bat while the boat and head guide on the platform stayed back, keeping an eye on the fish. All the fish of the flats are keenly aware of overhead threats and whenever possible getting into the water reduces your presence and also allowed closer shots and easier casts.
Exploring Punta Allen
The village of Punta Allen is delightfully small and quaint. Most of the village is tied to fishing in some way shape or form, either through guiding with the various lodges, or the lobster season. There are a few restaurants, a soccer pitch, and the big highlight and must see is the giant permit in the center of town.
The Food
Full days of fishing left us hungry and the the cuisine at TPC did not disappoint. Skillfully prepared and authentic, no one was left wanting. Ceviche, fish, shrimp, lobster, pork and chicken was all on the menu, and their habanero salsas were outstanding!
More Fishing
By the end of the week, the cold front had passed and we had more shots on the flats, particularly for bones but also more permit began to show. I vividly remember some big singles out on the ocean side that practically glowed yellow in the sun. Good presentations got snaked by ladyfish and bones but these were exciting encounters non the less. Each day we had a few shots per boat, but the last couple days presented some memorable chances with schools, doubles and happy fish. No one was able to seal the deal this time but the fish were there in ample numbers. We also enjoyed casting at a few Barracuda on the flats which led to some exciting follows and blow ups.
Coming Home
Like most good fishing trips, this one came and went all too fast. We left the Palometa Club, Franbo and Dasha, Punta Allen and Ascension Bay as familiar friends. The back end logistics of the trip were as simple as the front end. After a warm breakfast and hugs all around we hopped into Christian and Luis’ boats one last time for the boat ride up to the Boca Paila bridge where Manny was waiting to get us to the airport. Ned and Bill were headed home, but Steve was off to do some sightseeing and I was carrying on with another fellow to fish another week elsewhere (trip report coming soon!)
We can’t thank the Palometa Club enough for making our trip so smooth and unforgettable. We are looking forward to another visit soon!
