Fishing Report: Jan. 10-17, 2008

Guest David Stocker was amazed upon his arrival to find that he was the only guest for his week with Mango Creek Lodge. This advantageous situation meant he was the only fisherman out on the flats each day and he had his pick of sites.

With a strong background of angling for red fish on the Texas coast, David was excited to try his luck hooking up a bonefish. He worked hard throughout the week with guide Tie-Tie to learn the new techniques required for spotting and catching bones. After a number of break-offs and several missed opportunities, David succeeded by catching two in one day. He was thrilled by the power of these deceivingly small fish and eager to return to catch even more.

Fishing Report: November 2008

Over the week of Thanksgiving, Mango Creek Lodge welcomed the arrival of a large group from Alberta, Canada. These guys were excited for some action and ready to hit the flats.

The weather, however, had other plans. Although the typical rains of this time of year were held at bay, low water temperatures kept the fish slightly lethargic. Undeterred, this great group of experienced fly fishers forged on. Over the course of the week, they brought in a number of bonefish, tarpon, blue runners, needlefish, grouper, and snook. The lone permit that was hooked up broke off, to everyone’s disappointment.

Toward the end of the week, the temperatures began creeping back to normal levels, and the water warmed. As the rest of the group departed for home, Bob Shaunessy, who stayed an additional 2 days, found the conditions on the flats much improved and took advantage of this positive change to significantly improve his tally for the week.

On a final note, Mango Creek extends special congratulations to Vincent Ircandia, who achieved his first saltwater catch on his second day of fishing by hooking up a tarpon. Congratulations, Vincent!

Fishing Report: August-September 2008

August and September were typically lazy summer months here on Roatan. As the temperatures warmed up, the breezes died down. August started with typical winds in the 13-15 mile-per-hour range, but by early September, they had diminished to less than 8 miles per hour most days. These conditions were great for casting and spotting fish! However, September also brought the challenge of high tides, which is the norm for this month on Roatan.

Chuck and Rod Hornor came to Mango Creek Lodge for a week but ended up staying two because of Hurricane Ike’s march through Houston. With their flights cancelled, the brothers decided to tough it out another week on the Roatan flats. And it was a good thing they did. Both brothers enjoyed consistent catches of bonefish their first week—-even with Rod taking two afternoons off to see the fish from the other side while scuba diving. They also took advantage of the flat seas to take a day trip to test Guanaja’s waters. They reliably reported several bonefish each day. They also saw good numbers of permit. In fact, both said they had their best chances ever that week, but neither could get one to take. The second week, the fishing cooled off some as the temperatures rose. However, Chuck finally hit gold and got his elusive permit.

Chuck was just here in March and is already planning another trip for the spring.