Fishing Report: July 2008

July marked the end of the busy season here on Roatan, and Mango Creek Lodge saw it out with a great group of anglers.

We finished the month with a full house and a camera crew! Cindy Garrison from ESPN and her team visited for a week as they filmed footage for a number of potential new projects. Cindy spent time with our managers discussing Mango Creek’s environmental and conservation initiatives before hitting the water to scout the flats. She met with success and caught a few bonefish—and her camera crew, of course, caught it all on film. Look for updates about Mango Creek and Cindy’s new projects coming soon.

Mike Krentzman and Cindy Garrison

While Cindy was busy filming, Gord and Cathy Joyce were enjoying their third trip to Mango Creek. This great couple has become like family to the lodge and even brought along photos from their past trips to share with our guides and staff. Gord and Cathy caught a number of fish on their days on the flats and also snuck in some spinning.

Also during this time, William and Will Joyce, a father a son, were doing their own exploring. While William fished, Will photographed the amazing sea life around the reef and got some terrific footage of his own. William did OK himself and caught several bonefish, a permit, and a couple of toothy needlefish.

William Talley and a bonefish

Next up were Bill and Sue Martin, who joined us the following week. Bill split his stay between time exploring with Sue and time on the water, where he really lit it up. He warmed up Day 1 with one good-sized bonefish and then followed that up on Day 2 by getting seven of them! On Day 3, Bill caught three bonefish on his morning trip and then met up with Sue for a picnic and snorkel on the secluded Pigeon Keys. Afterward, he was back on the flats with a pink crab pattern, which helped him bring in two permit! He was all smiles the rest of the week and said it was his best fishing day ever.

Bill Martin and one of his two permit

Fishing Report: July 15-Aug. 15, 2007

This week has been a special one at Mango Creek Lodge. Be it the right winds, right tides, or simply hungry fish, the fishing has been exceptional for permit on the fly.

We first turn to Steve Calaway, who finished up his month in Honduras by coming back to Mango Creek to spend the week chasing permit. Day after day, he was spotting and casting to giant schools but simply could not get one to take. Yet Steve was not to be dissuaded. He was constantly adjusting his tactics and retooling his trout-fishing instincts to fit the requirements of a saltwater assassin. And with the right combination of skill and a bit of luck, Steve made his time down here truly count. Here's Steve's recounting in his own words:

We stalked a couple of schools of big permit and got a few chases but no bites. Almost dark, time to go in, but we checked out one more spot on the boat ride home, one last chance as the sun threatened to disappear, leaving us to navigate the reef and mangrove system in the dark.

"Perfect cast," whispered Tie-Tie on my last cast of the sunset. I threw 70 feet of line, dropping the white crab pattern 7 feet in front of a pair. The giant tails moved towards the crab, then it happened, she ate. Tug, Tug, wham, my line screamed out to the sea and I was hooked up--it wasn't a dream. 20 years of fishing trout doesn't compare to this beast of the sea. Tie-Tie and I followed her, by boat, as she led us out to sea. Day turned to dusk and the fish pulled on, sometimes giving, mostly taking. Eternal moments in time. She started giving more, and I took until we were one, together under a tropical sky. Laughing, high-fives, hug, yell, "Oh my God," thank you, . . . thank you.

Steve caught this magnificent fish on a size 16 White Turneffe Crab pattern after literally casting everything else he had in his box at permit that week. He also caught the fish after Tie-Tie recommended making the leader a bit longer and using 12-lb tippet instead of 15-lb.

After getting back to the lodge, Steve was so excited he could barely sit still. He just kept repeating, "In 20 years of fishing, man, that was the best fish I've ever caught."

Not to be outdone, our guide, Perry, set off the following morning with Carlo Gobetti. Carlo was over from Italy and spent a few days of his trip to Roatan dayfishing with us. In similar fashion, Carlo made the right cast at the right time, and luck graced yet another fisherman with a nice permit--the second one to be landed in 24 hours.

Congratulations to both fisherman on two great fish.

One final note: Thankfully, we were hardly touched by vicious Hurricane Dean, which passed about 100 miles north of us early in the morning on Aug. 21. Despite the 160-mph sustained winds and torrential rain near the center of the Category 5 storm, we were hardly shaken down here on Roatan. In fact, we saw little more than gusty winds and above-average tides. Looks like our lucky streak continues!

Fishing Report: April 15-May 15, 2007

May fishing at Mango Creek Lodge has meant one thing: big bonefish. In the past month, with less pressure on our flats and more trips to the island of Guanaja, fisherman have been landing some impressive bones. As with anywhere, fly selection and presentation are paramount at Mango Creek. But recent success has shown that the senses of these larger fish are even more acute than the typical bonefish and require slightly different tactics.

First, a lighter-weight rod and line allow for a softer presentation of the fly. In instances in which a bonefisherman might normally opt for an 8-wt. set-up, gearing down even to a 7-wt. might make a difference (as long as the distance and accuracy of your casts don't suffer too much). Also, unweighted flies in the size 10-12 range make casting to a school of tailing bonefish even less conspicuous. So, with many days of calm water and spooky fish ahead of us this summer, thinking small might be one key to catching big fish. As one past guest put it, "It's saltwater spring creek fishing."

Here's a run-down of our recent guests:

Guests Andy Klein and Bob Pearson both hooked up to a number of nice-sized bones during their week stay at the lodge in early May. Andy had been to Roatan before on a diving vacation but had come this time to check out the flats with his old college roommate, Bob. The two of them had nice weather and plenty of shots at bones and permit. In the end, after 6 days of fishing and plenty of sightings, the permit wouldn't cooperate. However, their guide, Kessel, worked hard to get them onto some great bonefish.


These guys caught most of their fish on a small, brown bonefish bitter pattern--a Mango Creek staple. Our guides use this pattern often, both in brown and olive colors. They also found that a sturdy weed-guard was vital to keep the fly from catching the bottom of the shallower flats. As a quick solution, a short piece of monofilament can be tied and then glued to the head of the fly. This is possible with a variety of typical saltwater flies, making them more practical in shallow flats.

The week before, our guests included John and Margi Pearson, along with Margi's parents, Tom and Becky. After spending a few days on the flats near the lodge, they decided it would be worthwhile to make the trip over to Guanaja for a night. Leaving early Wednesday morning with our guides Tie-Tie and Kessel, the foursome spent 2 days wandering the sandy flats surrounding Guanaja and catching some huge bonefish. All four anglers had a wonderful time and said that the adventure to Guanaja really enriched their experience here. Undoubtedly, the chance to cast to bonefish this size in rarely fished water is a treat. But to be able to do it in such a gorgeous environment with the tall island of Guanaja in the background is what truly makes it special.



As far as other new fishing developments go at Mango Creek Lodge, everyone is excited about the unique possibilities offered by our Hobie kayaks. A few of our guides and management staff have had the chance to take these sleek crafts out for some exploratory runs. And after spending hours navigating the mangrove mazes on the far eastern end of the island, all agree that there is an enormous potential for some great fishing. Paddling the shallow mangrove ponds, well-hidden in the interior of the island, we spotted five or six large bonefish and a number of nice-sized snook. Our guides said that much of this water is unreachable in a skiff because the mangrove channels are too narrow and unwadeable because the bottom is far too soft. But in a kayak, we were able to get into these secluded areas quickly and quietly.

What has really been impressive is the stability and maneuverability of these kayaks. While moving along the slim canals, our guides were standing up in their boats and poling them along as they spotted fish. We've also found that the kayaks are more than stable enough to make a good, long cast with a fly rod without worrying about tipping over.

Finally, our expeditions in the kayaks also led us to discovering another great fishing opportunity. On the island of Morat, which sits just beyond the eastern most tip of Roatan, there is a large tidal pond that is rumored to be a good snook fishery. In the past, it has been tough to make any decent cast to these fish. Just like the mangroves, there was no way to get a skiff into the pond, and the bottom was not nearly hard enough to wade. Yet again, we hoped that the kayaks would prove to be invaluable in reaching this area. But to our surprise, despite what many of the locals had told us, the pond was nearly dried up when we arrived. To make matters worse, the bodies of dead snook lie along the cracked edges of the water. Our Mango Creek guides told us that the pond had never been so low and were concerned that the remainder of the dry season would leave the pond completely emptied. Not wanting to lose such a promising spot, a crew was immediately sent up from the lodge to clear out the blocked connection with the ocean. Within 2 hours, the pond that had been almost completely empty was again filling with water. Hopefully, our efforts will be able to save the fish population of the Morat pond and provide us with another interesting place to explore.

Fishing Report: March 15-April 15, 2007

As far as the fishing goes at Mango Creek Lodge, it seems that March showers have brought April flowers. The weather has taken a welcome turn for the better, and more and more schools of permit are being spotted, cast to, and caught by our fishermen. In addition, the challenging, good-sized bonefish on the flats are consistently rewarding to catch. Unlike other areas of the Caribbean, a bonefish at Mango Creek Lodge is not a given; these fish are bigger, spookier, and more discerning. But many of those who have been patient and diligent have been rewarded by hooking bonefish in the 7-lbs.+ range. Here's a recap of the latest action.

The end of March saw the arrival of four guests from Sweden eager to chase down fish on our exotic island. And although the Scandinavians were dealing with the tail end of our ugly March weather, fisherman Jonas Andersson and his guide, Kessel, landed an enormous permit. It was estimated to be between 25 and 27 lbs., and it had been found cruising along a deep water edge. Interestingly enough, this monster was hooked not on a typical crab pattern, but instead on a 10-wt. rod rigged with a shock leader and a tarpon fly! Still, even with a heavy outfit like that, the fish took more than 25 minutes to land and put up a staggering and exhausting fight.


Also in March, we were visited by a lone Englishman, Alexander Kennedy, who stayed just long enough to get a taste of what Mango Creek has to offer. In a couple of days of clear skies and light winds, Alexander caught a number of good-sized bonefish with the aid of his guide, Miguel.


Regularly, bonefish have been spotted in great numbers. In fact, fisherman have been returning to the lodge in disbelief of the enormity of the schools of fish they were able to stalk and cast to. Yet many of these anglers have also been dumbfounded by their pickiness. Generally, small (size 10-8 hooks with some as tiny as a size 12) patterns that match the bottom are allowing for a quiet presentation and a better chance of a hook up. Also, it must be stressed that because most of our local flats are turtle grass and coral, a sturdy weed guard can be the key to ensuring you don't spend the day snagging the bottom.

On Easter Sunday, a couple from Colorado managed to sneak away from their last week of skiing to get some time in on the water. Be it for the long winter or the pina coladas, both said it took a couple of days to "get the kinks out." But once they did, guests Sammy and Weatherly made the most of their tropical holiday with their guide, Kessel. Several bones were caught, both in the deeper areas along the north end of Barbaret Island and on the flats around Helene. Most importantly, Sammy struck gold halfway through their trip when he managed to land his first permit. With the trophy fish behind him, he and Weatherly were able to kick back and enjoy the gorgeous scenery as they fished out the rest of the week, finding time for a little snorkeling as well as a siesta here and there.

Without a doubt, the fishing only continues to improve as the peak of the busy season is already behind us. With a little more spare time on our hands, everyone is anxious to explore new areas beyond our well-known haunts to expand the lodge's repertoire of flats. Also, pioneering excursions by kayak are taking place as we speak into the mangrove canals that run like veins through the eastern quarter of the island.

Fishing Report: February 2007

Windy conditions in the last few days have made things more challenging for some of our fisherman out on the flats as the fish have been hard to spot and access to some areas has been limited. Despite these blustery conditions, there has still been much success. In fact, in the last couple of weeks, guest Perry Herst Jr. and his guide, Perry, were able to catch a pair of good-sized tarpon in the wind shelter of the mangrove canals, and earlier in the month, guest Phil Clough landed a great-looking tarpon in a steady rain.

Fly selection has been the real key recently. A more discerning population of bonefish has required fly patterns that differ from the standard fare. According to the guides, the smaller-sized olive or dark brown bonefish bitters (with weed guard) have been producing good results in the shallow flats around the lodge. And, after experimenting with a number of patterns, Herlé Hamon was able to land a nice-sized Permit on a Merkin crab imitation with his guide, Tie-Tie.

For many of the fisherman, their stay at Mango Creek gave them shots at other species of fish as well. Both Perry Herst Jr. and Jeff Wiese brought in 3-foot-plus barracudas that not only gave the fisherman a good fight but also provided dinner for the families of the guides as well.

Finally, cheers to Swiss guest Neil Harrison, who took advantage of our Hobie kayak and set off to do some fishing on his own. Neil loved the sleekness and stealth of the kayaks, and the pedal system allowed him to keep his hands free to troll and cast while still driving the kayak. Plus, he said paddling around all day was "a blast" in and of itself. Hopefully, the arrival of five more kayaks within the next week or two should allow more anglers the chance to venture off on their own and enjoy not only the fishing but also the scenery of the island.

With the spring months just around the corner, the wind should begin to settle, and we’re looking forward to calm, sunny days full of action on the water.

Fishing Report

Weather conditions were variable during the months of June and July. The first half of June was calmer with easterly breezes between 5 and 10 mph. Later in the month until now, the wind has increased in strength but has been steady. This whole period, we’ve had regular passing thunder showers occurring at night, which has been great for keeping the water cool. As a result, the fish are staying on the flats for longer at low tide and are more active. The large schools of bonefish and permit are still seen every day.

Early in June, angler Trent Shepherd and his wife had some good bonefish catches and were amazed at the wonderful sight of large numbers of tailing permit on the flats. He wrote:

Sunday, June 11, 2006 11:17 am
Subject: Thanks for a great trip!

We’re back home and still glowing from such a great trip to Honduras. Thanks ... for the best fishing trip we have been on to date. Both my wife and I landed our first bonefish (and several more after that), had a chance at some permit, and even some tarpon. Can't wait to go back to Roatan and the Mango Creek Lodge - the hosts were so friendly, the service great, and the fish aplenty.

Cheers, Trent

Angler, Al Winzerling landed good size bonefish each day, as well as 2 permit in one day. He said:

... Thanks again to you and your staff for a great trip. ... Fish, fish, and more. There are so many Bonefish and Permit on the flats, there is hardly a break during a day of fishing. Most of these fish were spotted by Perry, my guide. Long before we spotted the tailing Bones or Permit's dorsal fins, Perry picked out the "nervous water" way out there. Not to mention the rolling Tarpon in the Mangroves.

Variations of shrimp or crab were the fly to use.

Flats fishing for these amazing fish will tax the stalking, presentation, and landing skills of the best fly fisherman.

Al Winzerling
Durango, Colorado
(Trip dates June 3-11, 2006)

Paul and Bryan Shepard had good catches every day. They caught at least 6-8 bonefish on the flats daily, plus another 3–6 in deeper water, between tides. All were between 4 and 6 lbs. They each landed a permit (10 lbs and 5 lbs). Of course, there were jacks and snappers caught along the way, too.

Mike Holeman, too, was very happy with his bonefish catches, saying they were the biggest he has caught to date. He also commented on the large numbers of fish on the flats. He praised the guide on correcting his mistakes with helpful advice and instruction, leading him to bring in all the fish he hooked.

The weather is warming up, but we’re staying cooler than all the places suffering heat waves to the north! Come to Roatan and cool down!

Tight lines!
Mango Creek Lodge

Guest Review

My son, Bryan, and I spent the first week of July at the Mango Creek Lodge for a fly fishing vacation. The folks at the lodge could not have been more pleasant or accommodating. The food was great! Most importantly to us was that the fishing was great also. We caught many bones during the week.

Bryan's favorite pattern was the Agent Orange and mine was a bitters. Lightly weighted or no weighted flies were the choice.

We each were able to catch a permit during the week. Bryan caught his on his first day of saltwater fly-fishing. Perry estimated Bryan's at about 10 lbs and mine at about 5 lbs. I can't say enough good things about our guide, Perry. He would meet us at 6 a.m., and we would wade fish until around 9:30 and then come back to the lodge for breakfast and to collect packed lunches and then off again to fish from the boat until the tides were right again for wading.

We would usually return to the lodge around 6:30 to 7:00 p.m., where drinks were served and then a delicious dinner. Our last day, we fished for 14 hours with Perry. I have never been to a lodge before where the guides would spend a 12+ hour day with you. At other lodges I have been to, the guides would always have you back at the lodge by 4:30. Since I caught my permit at about 5:30 in the evening on the flats, I would not have had that opportunity at any other lodge. We greatly appreciated Perry's skill and his dedication to our having a great time and catching a lot of fish.

Overall, we had a great fishing week and look forward to returning.

Paul Sheppard

Fishing Report

The fishing has been consistent on the flats during March, April and May, with everyone catching bonefish (2 – 5 lbs) and even a few permit and baby tarpon.

Two anglers, Darrell and his father Donnie, managed to catch a pair of permit ... one after the other (5lbs and 6lbs, both on Turneffe crabs). Their photo shows them side-by-side, each with a permit in hand, and grins from ear to ear! They tell a great story of how guide, Perry, worked this trick.

Buzz was here last week, and apart from bonefish he had a "mini grand slam." The permit was a tiny baby the same size as his hand, and the tarpon was about 5 lbs. Brooke, also here last week, had a nice permit, about 10 lbs. The really big permit (20-30lbs) are still visiting the flats, but lately no one has landed one on a fly. They have been breaking off and getting away after a good fight. However, June, a tiny lady from Manhattan caught a permit of 23 lbs on a spinning rod. The fish looked almost as big as her! Jacks, snappers and barracudas have been caught regularly too.


The weather has been consistent, though temperatures are rising (77 F-89 F), and we are getting some fairly strong breezes (from NE, 10-15 mph with gusts up to 25 mph).
There are still plenty of bonefish and permit visiting the flats when it’s windy, and a bonus is that they are less spooky than they are in flat calm water. It’s worth practicing casting in the wind.

Tight lines,
Mango Creek Lodge

Guest Fishing Report

This past week saw good fishing on the flats around Roatan and Guanaja, Honduras. Weather was good with light winds and for the most part sunny skies and temperature in the eighties. There were a few cloudy afternoons and the occasional light shower.

There were a few bonefish to be found on the home flat Monday afternoon. This flat holds a solid population of bonefish but not too many permit. The occasional triggerfish can be found cruising and tailing on top of the reef. Cloudy conditions combined with chop from a northeast wind and the high tide made it tough to spot fish unless they were deliberately tailing. More fish were spooked than caught.

Tuesday morning the wind continued and this helped push more water on to the flat near Helene. The deeper water meant prime conditions for permit! Before we even landed the boat on the flat, we saw black tails glistening in the morning sun. There were permit everywhere! Larger schools of smaller fish (8-10 lbs), schools of 2-3 fish, and larger singles covered the flat. We had many shots but only managed to hook one fish that promptly screamed off the flat, wrapped the leader around a coral head and shredded it. Best flies were Turneffe crabs in cream and olive, size #6
and lightly weighted.

Tarpon fishing was also good around the docks of Helene. Angler Don Wilkerson jumped three, landing one of about 20-25 lbs on an orange grizzly Cockroach. Capt. Ted Lund also landed one tarpon of 6-8 lbs on the flats of Barbaret. We also found agreeable mudding bones in the same area. We had shots at some smaller snook on one of the beaches of Barbaret as well.

Wednesday we were off to Guanaja. The winds had calmed which made for a smooth ride over to the island. As we approached the first flat at the eastern side of the island, we were greeted by hundreds of waving bonefish tails! Bonefish populations on the flats of Guanaja are outstanding! The day's fishing produced a number of bones from 2-4 lbs. Best flies were Bonefish Bitters of any size or color. Our best shot at permit came mid morning, two 10-12lb fish were following the Turneffe crab before a Yellow Jack sped in front of them and mowed it down.

Thursday found us back on the flats near Helene looking for permit. We found a good school cruising the smaller flat east of Helene. A good cast in front of them sent them scrambling to find the fly but upon stripping the fly so the fish could see it, it hooked on some turtlegrass and the fish quickly lost interest. There were also some tailing bones in the same area. We moved to the larger flat, where we had good shots at schooling perms but no takers. There were a host of triggerfish, 3 foot lemon sharks, barracuda of all sizes and also 3 fully grown(3-4 ft) Rainbow Parrotfish on the flat as well. Look for permit working behind the triggerfish. The largest fish we saw that day (20 lbs) was following one of the larger triggers.

Friday was the day after the full moon. Winds were calm and the tide was not as high as it had been. We saw one school of fast cruising permit on the flats that wasn't very interested in eating. There were some larger bones tailing but the calm conditions made them tough to approach and cast to. The triggerfish and parrotfish had moved from the flat to on top of the reef in the fly line snagging coral. We also saw a few lemon sharks and a four foot cuda crashing bait. This day proved best for a few Port Royals and rum cocktails and stories about sea monsters and the elusive
Easter leprechaun.

Jason Balogh

Guest Review

My wife and I spent a week at Mango Creek Lodge on Roatan, Honduras, the week that straddled January and February. The trip was arranged for us by an outfitter. We were told to expect very pleasant accommodations and flexible guides who were willing to work very hard and very long. We were not disappointed.

We stayed in one of two cabanas built on stilts over the water, making it possible for a morning pick up or evening drop off literally at your doorstep. Two more of those structures were under construction during our stay. Another alternative would have been to stay in the lavishly decorated main lodge. The owners, Terry and Patrice, are fanciers of fine woodworking and woodcarving, and everywhere in the main lodge, in the casitas and in the restaurant are beautiful examples of these art forms. The grounds are equally impressive with 4 full time groundskeepers and could be highlighted in some sort of landscape digest.

The fishing is somewhat unique in that flats exist within only a few hundred yards of water that may be 300-400 feet deep. Though I would prefer not to admit this, in the spirit of full disclosure, I took off a morning of fly fishing to go trolling. The guide and I caught a wahoo that yielded 73 pounds of meat. Not my idea of sport, but the taste of fresh wahoo was more than worth the sacrifice. That afternoon, I caught a bonefish. I spent a total of 5 days fishing and landed at least 1 bonefish per day with the largest being about 4 pounds. Access to what was considered the best bonefish flats was denied by constant windy conditions. Of course, the morning we left was dead calm.

An email note on my computer indicated that the only other angler, a beginning fly fisherman, caught 23 bonefish this day. He, by the way, was the only other sport fisherman I saw on the flats all week. I had only one shot at a permit which rushed the fly but didn’t take, and hooked and lost one tarpon. I also caught and released at least 10 other reef species in relatively brief periods of fishing.

The flats are mostly covered with turtle grass, so weedless flies and knotless leaders were helpful. The two flies I used most were bonefish bitters and small Clouser’s deep minnows. My personal feeling is that fishing should improve as netting has recently been outlawed and as more is learned about this developing fishery.

Other activities include diving and snorkeling which we were told is exceptional. The owners have sailed extensively and offer the use of a small sailboat here along with instruction for beginners. Picnic lunches on small remote islands and my wife’s favorites – hard core loafing in a hammock, reading a good book and walking the grounds with an occasional trip to town for shopping are also possibilities.

The bottom line – Would I recommend Mango Creek? Absolutely, if they understood the niche that Mango Creek fills. It does not offer world class fishing for any one species. It does offer a good and diverse fishery along with multiple other activities in a beautiful setting with pleasant people.