San Felipe Fly Fishing for Tarpon Bill Cooper for 5-19

I stepped off of the plane in Merida, Mexico into 93-degree temperatures. The memories of ice and snow in Missouri melted away. I would be enjoying big city cuisine prior to heading to the tarpon rich waters of San Felipe and then to the jungles of southern Campeche State to hunt ocellated turkeys. I’m the guest of Jordi Gene, the owner of TanKab Outfitters. Jordi is passionate about the outdoors and a key figure in the outdoor industry in Mexico. We began planning my expedition while Jordi was a guest in the CnR Outfitters deer hunting camp, for which I worked in the fall of 2018. Jordi’s plans for the Yucatan sounded to good to be true. Upon my arrival in Merida, Jordi picked me up and delivered me to Casa De Camposampiero Hotel Boutique, near his home. The entire several block area once served as a working hacienda complex with many small homes and parcels of land. The charming area has now been swallowed up by a growing Merida, but retains its quiet neighborhood and peaceful surroundings. The comforts of Casa De Campsampiero lulled me into a tranquil sleep, while the cooing of pigeons and doves woke me early the next morning. I stepped out the door of my room onto a veranda, next to the pool. Morning doves drank at the pool. Within minutes coffee was served, followed by a delightfully delicious breakfast. Jordi and I spent the following day working at his office on a proposal for mangrove restoration and outdoor education for children. We paused often to talk about past hunts we had shared and those we were soon to enjoy. The following day Jordi’s driver transported me two hours to San Felipe, on the tip of the Yucatan coast, not far from where the Gulf of Mexico collides with the Caribbean. San Felipe is a small fishing village, well off the beaten path. Most residents are dependent on the sea for their living, working steadily with commercial nets ad pangas. San Felipe Fly Fishing guides Fito Avila and Pedro Figueroa met me at the BandB San Felipe. Dedicated fly fisherman, the talented pair of guides chattered rapidly, explaining to me the tremendous tarpon fly fishery which existed at San Felipe. After a late dinner at a local cafe, Fito and I agreed that we would pick me up at the motel at 6 a.m. the next morning. The morning came early, but I was up and ready to go. Excited is an understatement of my demeanor. A nervous energy pervaded our morning meeting. Fito tales in broken English, a bit concerned about me understanding him. We shared coffee and fruit before meeting up with Pedro at the marina, a mere 100 yards away. Pedro is a big fellow with a grin and handshake to match. We laughed and joked as we loaded the panga with our fly fishing gear, my camera gear, and a cooler with drinks for our morning expedition. I dreamed of my first hook up with a San Felipe tarpon as the small motor chugged to smoky life and slowly pushed the boat form the crowd of colorful pangas, which lined the docks, and into open water. Wind on the face felt so good in the 90 degree temperatures. Within in view of the village, Pedro shut the motor down and picked up a mangrove pole from the bottom of the boat. Shoreline mangroves stretched as far as the eye could see. We rounded a point and Pedro turned the long panga to enter a small freshwater river entering the ocean. I immediately spotted tarpon rolling under the beaches of mangroves overhanging the water less than 50 yards away. With the stealth of the jaguar, Pedro silently poled the panga towards the unsuspecting fish, as Fito readied his fly rod and tensed for action. Fito glanced at me with a nervous grin and began stripping line. I swallowed hard, trying to keep my cool and maintain a steady camera while Fito made his first false casts. The fly landed perfectly. Several baby tarpon swirled, but none ate the fly. A tarpon swirled 25-yards out. Like a cat hunkering to pounce on mouse, Fito lowered his profile and delivered a perfect cast, just fee ion front of the cruising tarpon. Strip, strip. The water exploded as the tarpon hit warp speed and inhaled the fly while simultaneously going airborne. Fito broke into what I later dubbed the tarpon two step. The 12-pound tarpon few towards the sky once again, and raced toward Fito at break neck speed as soon as it gained the water. Fito could not gain line quick enough to catch up. The fly fell from the tarpon’s bony mouth, a common occurrence when fly fishing for tarpon. Deflated Fito caught his breath, while Pedro poled around the bend and up the river. As my sight line cleared the overhanging mangroves, rolling tarpon dimpled the waters surface just ahead. A few cast later, Fito hooked up again and water splashed to the skies as the tarpon struggled gin freedom. In two mornings with San Felipe Fly Fishing, I caught and saw hundreds of tarpon, far more than I’ve seen on all of my previous expeditions elsewhere combined. To book a trip with San Felipe Fly Fishing, Google TanKab Outfitters.