With our Fall destination travel trips to Cayo Romano wrapped up, we wanted to bring you some updates on how the recent trips went with a week by week update.

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Our first week down in Cayo Romano was a beautiful one that held a ton of great opportunities for both new and experienced anglers along with some great weather. You never know what the forecast will bring, but throughout a 6 days of fishing weather is bound to change. Some weather is better than no weather, and those changes in forecast seem to be the turning point in feeding windows while in the Caribbean.

Travel was smooth and efficient and by the time we arrived to the airport, our bus was ready to get us to the lodge. We made some small stops in the city to pick up some beverages, cigars, and other miscellaneous items. Although the forecast didn't look optimal, the conditions held great and there were some amazing feeding windows that were found by all anglers. Bonefish, Barracuda, and Tarpon were shots plentiful, along with encounters with plenty of other species of fish. From the resort to the flats, everything about this week met its expectations in the best way possible. 

With tons of options in saltwater species, we find that Cayo Romano offers some of the best Permit fishing in the world. During week one, a lot of the anglers were keen to get one to hand. Both expereinced anglers, and newer saltwater anglers got plenty of shots at permit throughout the week. By the end of the trip there were nemerous permit landed and brought to hand, and countless others that managed to find ways to get off and elude anglers.

It is not uncommon to get a handful of shots per day down here and without a doubt that increases your chase at finally getting one to Hand. There is nothing quite like these flats where you will find big schools of smaller permit, midsized fish in groups of three and four, and of course the big greedy solo fish that always seem to be larger than the rest. With the multitude of variety of fish here, your odds increase with every minute spent on the boat.

By far the coolest part about the flats in Cayo Romano is the opportunity to witness the symbiotic relationship between permits and stingrays. It is a location where these two species will interact together and allows you to take advantage of these fish that are using the large wingspan of the stingrays to flush out forage and food. Once you see that dark shadow on the horizon and those black tails that follow, you know it is GAME ON. Not only does it allow you to have more time to prepare for these encounters, but there is also an increased probability that if you land it on or around the stingray, the permit will feed with more confidence. There is nothing quite like a well-placed cast at these kinds of fish, and the ferocious attitudes and feeding behaviors that follow. One boat even mentioned that they had seen several permit following a Lemon Shark that were mimicking this same relationship that permit share with stingrays. Quite strange to find a fish that is high up on the food chain following the apex predators in the area. The only thing that could have blown our minds ever further would be to see them following a sea turtle and acting in the same manner.

Just as our first week of clients were arriving at the airport to head home, our plane landed along with years of anticipation.  Most of Week 2's clients were repeats that had booked the trip two years in advance.  The stoke was high with everyone, but especially palatable with our handful of saltwater first-timers.  After settling in nicely and enjoying a great family-style dinner the first evening, thoughts and excitement turned to the next 6 days of fishing.  An especially eager client took advantage of fishing that evening off the dock and hooked and landed his first tarpon...we took it as a good omen for the week and it proved to be just that!  

Our first couple of days offered weather that was almost TOO nice.  Barely a breath of wind made for scorching flats and plenty of sunscreen and water breaks.  However, our group of anglers were still able to put the hammer down those first days and plenty of large bonefish were brought to hand, as well as more than our share of permit shots.  We still had five more days of fishing, and you start to realize the importance of having six full days to fish.  Weather can always be an issue, so six days all but guarantees you have a least a couple "perfect" days.  Over the years of hosting, we've noticed that it takes a few days for anglers to really settle into the fishing program, remember the intricacies and dynamics of a proper double haul, and frankly put, just calm the nerves.  At some point in the first few days, you also realize how lucky you are to be standing in one of the most beautiful places on the planet, with white sand flats bigger than you could ever imagine.  The immensity of the fishery is second to none and the possibilities are endless.

On the morning of our fourth day, the group was buzzing and it felt particularly "fishy."  Today was permit day, and our group put in the work to make it happen.  By the end of day 4, we had 2 permit to the boat, a handful of tarpon, spectacular barracuda, jacks, snapper, and more quality bonefish than any of us could count.  As day five and six hit, so did the weather, but we still had phenomenal fishing and we made the most of our opportunities when conditions lined up.  

By the end of the week, we had blasted through our fly boxes, extra leaders and tippets were gone, thankful for high and low-light sunglasses, and sunscreen was running in short supply.  As we said goodbye to our guides and the lodge staff, you soon realize that all of these people are now one big family: clients, guides, and staff.  It's hard to say goodbye, and we noticed most of our group uttering the words, "See you next time..."  It's a special moment for us at the fly shop to see such a family dynamic manifest out of such an eclectic group.  Week 2 is in the books...let's do it again and See you next time!

Week 3 of our destination travel started off with a touch of weather from the hurricane nearby. Luckily after the first day, the flats started to settle in and more and more fish began to show.

The bonefishing was day to day, with some folks finding finicky fish and others finding happy greedy bones tailing. It seemed like each flat had a mind of its own, while other days, fish were happy and abundant on every flat. As the weather improved later in the week, so did the fish and their willingless to eat flies.

Permit were found throughout the week on rays or cruising flats hunting down their next meal. Victory and heartbreak were felt by more than a handful of folks while chasing the wariest of foe on the flats.

A good number of tarpon were found during the week. A few fish were found up on the flats while others came in deeper channels or blue holes. Clousers and smaller EP patterns seemed to be the ticket.

Overall the week was fantastic with fish found everyday even when conditions may not have been ideal. A combination of hardworking guides and enthusiastic fisherman made the week absolutely unforgettable.

We extend our sincerest gratitude to everyone who chose to embark on an adventure with us this year. Experiencing the wonder and excitement of fishing on the flats is truly unforgettable! From tailing bonefish and leaping tarpon to the thrill of line-screaming barracudas and the euphoria of catching permit, 2024 provided our clients with an extraordinary array of fishing experiences. Thank you for making this year's trips so memorable—we hope to see you all in 2025 for an unforgettable fly fishing adventure.

Click here for more information about our trips.

Book a trip in 2025 with a $500 deposit before Dec. 1st and save up to 15%