Conditions for the the first two weeks were pleasant, with calm seas and sunny skies. This, combined with favorable tides first thing in the morning made it easier for spotting bonefish and permits on the flats.
We were joined by high school teacher Jeff Tonac for a day fishing at our lodge. Although lots of fish were spotted, unfortunately none took the fly, and he struck out.
Our next guests were Stella and Ben Khan, all the way from London, England, who dropped by to take a look at the place. They were soon out fishing, and Ben was thrilled to land his first permit!
Stella jumped into our new Hobie sea kayak (which is powered by peddling instead of conventional paddles) and had a blast exploring, while her husband battled on the fishing flats. At the end of the day, they both had smiles on their faces.
Our next visitors were Eric Lider and his son Lars. They were with us on a windy and overcast day. They saw lots of bonefish, but the casting was difficult for them because of the wind. A large tarpon was landed, however. The next day, another father-and-son team landed their first permit in sunny, calm, perfect conditions. The son, 15, had never been saltwater fly fishing before, and so they were both very happy with their day.
On Dec. 27, a cold front arrived at Mango Creek, bringing with it more difficult fishing conditions. Day fishermen Kent LeMonte and his son Travis decided to give it a try anyway. Bones were spotted, but none landed. Undeterred, Kent returned for 2 days with his family (6 all together). He liked the place so much he wanted his family to see the lodge. He figured that there was so much to do here it would be a good spot to bring the troop while he fished. We are looking forward to seeing the LeMontes back here soon!
That cold front that hit us toward the last week in December had a negative effect on our fishing only for about 2 days.
Tony Hughey and his wife, Lauren Kerr, from Washington DC, arrived on Dec. 23 for a 1-week visit. Tony arrived with enthusiasm. We are sure he didn't even get his bags unpacked before he was off to the flats with his guide, Kessel.
An hour later he returned, excitedly reporting "There were so many bones on the flats you could practically walk on them." The next day, he caught one bone before breakfast and another two that afternoon.
Tony was excellent at casting and continued to catch fish every day he went fishing. He did, however, take time off to spend with his lovely wife, Lauren. That included snorkeling with our guide Randy and kayaking.
All in all, we considered the month of December a success. We also added a 32-foot Albermale Sport fishing boat to our fleet. This could add a whole new dimension to our fishing fun here at Mango Creek! Stay tuned!
