Fishing Report #10
March 30 – April 06, 2025
A Farewell from the Helm,
Greetings to all our loyal readers of the ESB Lodge Weekly Fishing Report. This issue, number ten, marks my final report before I hand the reins back to Martín, who will return to his rightful spot behind the pen.
I’ve tried to capture and share the stories and the magic that happen on the flats each week, blending what I gather from our anglers and our guides. Some guests are more expressive than others, but in every case, the stories are real and rooted in passion.
WEEK IN REVIEW
This week we had the absolute pleasure of hosting six returning friends of the Lodge—guests who feel more like family. The kind of week you never want to end. From the moment they arrived, it was clear they were thrilled to be back “home,” savoring each meal prepared by our outstanding culinary team and marveling at the improvements around the lodge. Happy anglers, happy life.
Monday greeted us with clear skies and an east-southeast breeze around 15 mph. Spirits were high, laughter filled the air, and the first boat bets of the week were already being placed. (Because obviously, chasing permit isn’t thrilling enough on its own!)
As the morning progressed, the results began to appear. Jim was drifting near Casitas when his guide spotted a school of 15–20 permit. The wind made things tricky, but his guide worked hard to get him in position—wind at his back and slightly off the left shoulder. Jim hadn’t yet seen the fish, but when the moment came, the guide gave a crisp callout: “50 feet, 9 o’clock.” Jim delivered the cast beautifully, landing his spawning shrimp fly right in the heart of the school. The group split, regrouped, and one permit crushed the fly.
Jim stayed cool. A clean strip set, a strong initial run (didn’t quite make it to the backing, but it was close), and twenty minutes later, his guide tailed the fish for the hero shot. The boat erupted with joy. Well done, Jim!
But it wasn’t just Jim—Don also landed a beautiful permit. Steve got one, too. And Mike? He bagged two, both on a white crab pattern. What a day!
Tuesday brought similar weather to the day before—clear skies, steady wind, and high hopes. After the permit success on Monday, the group doubled down. Everyone went all in on permit. Risky business. Permit fishing is always a coin toss between glory and skunk.
With the southeast winds picking up, no one dared cross the bay. Instead, all boats focused on the more sheltered eastern shoreline, from Cementerio Hernández to Tabasqueños—a zone that’s been producing consistently in recent weeks. Wind in the 20 mph range presents casting challenges, but it also pushes permit schools closer to shore. Choppy surface conditions make it harder for fish to see us, allowing guides to get closer. But schools move fast, and casts have to be lightning-quick. Lines need to be stripped out and checked for tangles—no room for error.
Everyone had shots—some follows, some eats, some heartbreaks. But the undisputed heroes of the day were Tony and Webster. Drifting just outside Tabasqueños, they each landed two gorgeous permit using the same white crab pattern. They’d rigged two rods: one with a spawning shrimp, the other with the white crab. After the first eat, the crab rod stayed in hand the rest of the day. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Big congrats, guys!
Wednesday dawned windy—real windy—and it stayed that way all day. Some anglers took refuge in the mangroves, where the bonefish didn’t take long to show. Once the casting arms were warm, they turned their sights back to permit. There were a few fleeting chances, but no solid connections. That’s permit fishing. Mañana, amigos!
Thursday felt like nature had a bone to pick. Winds howled from the east at over 30 mph—a day when expectations typically drop. But our guests brought grit, and when you put in the effort, opportunities still show up.
Everyone got into bonefish. Jim landed a solid tarpon—and another one jumped right into the boat! I guess that fish knew Jim was going to catch him anyway and decided to save everyone the trouble.
Don had two permit eats but couldn’t seal the deal. Still, he found plenty of action with barracudas. Using a Clouser Minnow tied on a jig hook, he landed three, including one acrobatic beast that launched itself 5 or 6 feet out of the water on the first jump, then kept going until it finally surrendered. Pure fireworks.
Friday was another battle against the wind, blowing hard all day at 32 mph. My soldiers were feeling it—fatigue was setting in, and a couple of them called it early. Still, good numbers of bones were found across all boats. Don and his guide were on fire, landing a couple dozen and laughing their way through the flats as they waited for better permit conditions.
Mike and Steve had a shorter day, but still a productive one. A standout moment was a ~20-pound barracuda that slammed a sardine imitation with violent authority. Tony and Webster drifted one of the few protected spots—the red buoy—when their guide spotted a happy pair of permit. He fought the wind to get them into position, and soon Webster had a clean shot: downwind, out of the glare, 50 feet.
His first cast was a bit short, but the second was perfect. The white Casa Blanca crab touched down, sank briefly, and a few long, slow strips later—boom. Strip set. Long run. Epic fight. When the fish was ready, the guide jumped in, tailed the permit, and sealed the moment with a photo. Wind? What wind?
Back at the lodge, we celebrated with cold margaritas and a revamped version of our famous ESB Family-style chicken dinner, courtesy of our phenomenal kitchen crew. Hard-earned feast.
Saturday, the final day of the week, was nearly a carbon copy of Friday. Relentless wind, clouds rolling in and out, and conditions that would’ve scared off lesser anglers. But not this crew. Everyone stood tall and kept swinging. Most guests were content wrapping up with some fun bonefish and a couple of barracuda encounters. But not Tony. Tony wanted more—and his guide was all in with him, pushing hard against the elements.
Then, it happened. The guide spotted a single permit—a true prize. Everyone in the know understands what that means: singles are usually big, wise, and cagey. But the guide handled it masterfully, positioning Tony for a perfect shot. Wind at his back, just slightly crossed left to right. Ideal setup. But the fish was far, holding at about 70 feet and maybe 3 or 4 feet deep.
Tony saw his chance and didn’t flinch. He delivered a laser-accurate cast, placing the white crab pattern just a few feet in front of the fish’s nose… and waited. Eat. Clean strip set.
Line peeled off the reel, screaming into the backing—again and again. The fight lasted 35 long, intense minutes. But when that beast, well over 25 pounds, finally came to hand, there was no mistaking it—Tony had just landed a fish of a lifetime. Quick photo. Careful release. And then: yelling, high-fives, pure joy.
Well done, Tony. What a way to close out the week.
That night, our kitchen crew delivered once again—an exquisite lobster and guajillo grouper dinner that could hold its own against any Michelin-starred meal. The dining room echoed with toasts, laughter, heartfelt goodbyes, and promises to return. Because once you’ve tasted the magic of ESB, it stays with you.
WEATHER/TIDES
The first couple of days gave us the best weather of the week — mostly sunny skies, light winds, and air temps ranging from 79°F to 84°F. Later in the week, things got a little more complicated. Winds picked up, scattered showers passed through, and cloud cover came and went with no clear pattern. We experienced morning low tides transitioning to a solid incoming, with high tide peaking around 2 PM. Winds started from the southeast and stayed fairly steady in that direction throughout the week.
FLIES
Permit were once again fooled by a familiar lineup: our trusty ESB crabs and shrimp. Productive color combos included tan, white, and mottled tan — some with yellow eyes, some without — all tied on #2 and #4 hooks. Sharp-eyed readers of this weekly report might notice a trend here… permit like what they like!
Tarpon and snook favored a mix of small black death variations, cockroaches, EP baitfish, and toads. No single color pattern stole the show — their preferences seemed to shift day by day.
Bonefish, as always, responded well to small shrimp imitations. The main consideration is weight: bead chain eyes for skinny water and dumbbells for anything deeper.
As we wrap up Fishing Report #10, my final one before handing the reins back to Martín, I want to take a moment to thank everyone who’s been reading along. It’s been an honor to run this incredible operation tucked deep in a remote corner of the Yucatán—a place still wild, raw, and pristine. I’ve tried to do justice to the stories that unfold here each week, stories born from the anglers and guides who give their all in this beautiful, humbling fishery.
To Chiara and Dane: thank you for entrusting me with something so special. You’ve built an extraordinary team—dedicated, professional, passionate—and given them the tools to shine. The guides? Simply the best in the region. The gear? Top-notch. The operation? World-class.
From next week on, you’ll be back in the talented hands of Martín—a real writer, and a passionate storyteller who knows this place inside and out.
To all our visiting anglers and loyal readers: thank you. I’m going to miss you. But I know we’ll see each other again—whether here in the heart of the Yucatán, or somewhere else with a fly rod in hand and fish in our sights.
Until then, tight lines and big eats.
Warmest regards,
J.P. and the entire ESB family
800-669-3474 | 530-222-3555 | travel@theflyshop.com | ESB Lodge
