Fishing Report #4
February 16 – 23, 2025
Hello to all our loyal fishing report followers!
This week, the fourth of the 2025 season, we had the pleasure of welcoming back our friends from Northern California—almost all returning guests. A solid, well-bonded group, diverse in both age and perspectives, with a couple of newcomers carefully chosen by the “veteran” members. Time will tell if these new additions pass the ‘quality control’ imposed by the old guard.
Monday greeted us with the blessing of our bay, accompanied by a steady ENE wind at around 17 mph, shifting between cloudy and sunny. The activity was erratic—some had an action-packed day, like George and Pete, who landed bonefish, tarpon, snook, and barracuda, while others had a slower start. Jim and Lance took the gamble and went just after permit. Lance had solid opportunities, managing to entice two permit with a white crab imitation, but their takes were subtle. The guide saw them eat, but Lance didn’t feel the tension in his line—no hook set, no battle, no trophy.
Tuesday’s weather remained mostly unchanged, alternating between cloudy and sunny. The bonefish were quick to arrive, Pete hooked a nice snook, and a couple of tarpon absolutely destroyed black/purple EP flies. Jim had a barracuda violently shake his fly. But without a doubt, the highlight of the day belonged to Megan. She was here for her first saltwater fly fishing experience, accompanying her father, Dave Horn—a true legend in the sport. Imagine the pressure of having Dave behind you, yet the comfort of knowing you’re getting the best guidance possible.
They were in the ‘Casitas’ area when the sun dipped behind the clouds, and their guide spotted a school of eight permit. They were deep, moving towards a flat. Anticipating their movement, the guide maneuvered stealthily to position them perfectly—wind slightly from the left, sun behind them. They waited. And then waited some more. The fish followed the predicted course, and suddenly, they were in range. Megan’s first cast was short—a small adjustment, and the second was perfect. The permit competed for the false crab, and the fastest one took it with authority. A textbook hook set (thanks to her father’s coaching), an intense battle, and a triumphant landing. They lifted it just above the water for a quick photo and released it with care.
Her first-ever permit. With her father by her side. Could it get any better? Actually, yes—it did. Less than 30 minutes later, she landed another permit from the same school. Cheers and congratulations followed, culminating in Megan’s initiation ritual: a celebratory tequila shot back at the palapa.
Wednesday, according with the forecast, was the much-anticipated ‘day of days.’ No excuses for anyone—not the guides, not the anglers, and certainly not the generous bay. The energy in the van en route to the boats was electric. As always, I waited at the dock late in the afternoon, trying to read the anglers’ faces from a distance. Some hide their emotions well—Don and Erol, however, must be terrible poker players. From a mile away, it was obvious they’d had an unforgettable day.
Before the boat engine even shut off, Erol shouted: ‘Best day of my life!’ And so the story unfolded. They were in the ‘Tabasqueños’ area when their guide, with near-superhuman vision, spotted a permit—far, far away. In a calm, measured voice, he instructed them to get ready. Erol was up. He double-checked his shrimp imitation knot, adjusted his rod connections, pulled out some extra line—a ritual to boost his confidence—and waited for the guide’s orders. The push pole moved almost silently.
Now within striking distance, Erol’s heart pounded. The guide gave the signal. The cast was perfect, as if Erol had seen the fish himself. He let the fly sink, stripped confidently, focusing on the sensitivity in his fingers. The strike came almost simultaneously with the guide’s shout: ‘Set!’ A solid hook set. The fish took off, burning through all the line outside the reel. He kept calm, trusting his drag set. A long, patient battle followed—rod at a steady 45 degrees, giving nothing away. Thirty minutes later, he finally subdued the beast. A quick photo that didn’t do justice to this 20-pound powerhouse, and then, the triumphant release. An incredible moment of joy, teamwork, and gratitude.
But the day wasn’t done. It seemed Wednesday was permit day. Don landed one but lost a giant when his line tangled in the reel handle. Erol landed another. George hooked and landed a monster, and Pete added one to his tally. Plus, there were plenty of bonefish, some tarpon, snook, blue runners, and snapper. The bay put on a spectacular show.
Thursday gifted us with a breathtaking Caribbean sunrise—one of those images impossible to forget. The planets aligned, the weather was perfect, and the result was an incredible day on the water. Plenty of bonefish, snook, tarpon, and multiple permit were landed. But the most emotional story belonged to Don. He had waited patiently while his buddy Erol landed an impressive permit.
They were searching in the sand flats around La Isla, four to five feet deep, when their guide spotted a ‘happy’ school of permit. Approaching stealthily, he positioned them perfectly—30 feet out. The first cast was dead-on. As the shrimp imitation sank, the permit took it, then made an unusual move toward the surface. It ran. Almost no need to set the hook—it just took off, burning into the backing. The drag felt loose, like it had no resistance. By the time Don adjusted it, the fish had already run beneath submerged branches. After a grueling 20-minute struggle, he miraculously managed to free it and continue the fight in open water. He finally landed and photographed the 20+ pound beast, surrounded by cheers and heartfelt congratulations. The clock read 4:26—it was time to return. On the ride back, Don, shaking his head, still couldn’t believe what had just happened.
Friday’s sunrise was picture-perfect. Almost no wind, just a light northern breeze. At this point in the week, exhaustion was setting in. Some anglers needed a couple of extra knocks on their doors to get moving. I had to step into one room after no response—what I found was straight out of a movie. Ice-cold air conditioning, a sheet draped over a motionless body. It looked like a morgue. Maybe the previous night’s celebrations had been a little too much.
A few bright morning hours were enough to produce a flurry of bonefish, some tarpon, and a couple of snook—including an outstanding 20-pounder that inhaled a green and white EP fly.
Saturday, the final day, surprised us with a brief morning rain shower, a light NE breeze, and a tired crew. Some straggled into breakfast, some warriors returned early. The bay, however, does not care about fatigue, rain, or wind—it continues to give. There were plenty of bonefish, a few tarpon, and a beautiful snook for Lance, the specialist. The best permit shot of the day went to George. A lone permit. And everyone knows what lone means: a monster. It took the crab imitation decisively, but George’s sharp vision betrayed him—he saw the fish eat, he saw how massive it was, and he tried to ensure the hook set. Too hard. The fly popped out of its mouth. And as expected, a wise old giant never returns for a second chance. A few curses followed, but like any true optimist, George quickly took solace in knowing he had fooled the fish into eating his fly.
And so, another phenomenal week at ESB comes to a close. Another one for the memory books—exceptional fishing, great company, and top-tier service, thanks to our dedicated team, both seen and unseen. We hold ourselves to the highest standard, knowing that our guests wait all year for this week. Thank you for reading, and we’ll meet by this means next week!
Weather/Tides: Temps ranged from 75-83°F, mostly sunny with some variable cloud cover and a few isolated showers, not in every location.
Flies That Worked:
Permit:
White/tan crab patterns (#2/0, #4/0) & spawning shrimp imitations. Go-to flies included:
Raghead Crab (tan & olive)
Squimp (tan w/ yellow eyes)
ESB Yellow Eyed Raghead Crab (white & tan)
Enrico Puglisi’s Spawning Shrimp (tan)
Tarpon/Snook:
Cockroach #4/0
Puglisi Peanut Butter (chartreuse/white, black/purple & gray/white) #2/0
Junk Yard Dog (orange/yellow/grizzly)#3/0
Tarpon Bunny (rusty orange & yellow)
Laid Up Tarpon #2/0
Bonefish:
Just about anything you tie on your leader
Barracuda & Jack:
Pearly Popper (blue/white) #2/0
In-Shore Popper (chartreuse, white, orange/yellow) #3/0
Lefty’s Deceiver (chartreuse, blue) 3/0
GT Brush Fly (tan, black) #6/0
Tight lines, J.P. (Juan Pablo Marchelletti) & The ESB Team
800-669-3474 | 530-222-3555 | travel@theflyshop.com | ESB Lodge
