Fly Fishing for Tarpon: Isla del Sabalo

A nice 35 pounder!

Welcome to Isla del Sabalo where fly fishing for tarpon is the only thing we do! This amazing destination is located in a very remote region of the Yucatan. The fishery in this region offers incredible opportunities for baby Tarpon and Snook. There is immense diversity in this environment – from vast gin-clear turtlegrass flats to mangrove lined channels and lagoons. Baby Tarpon range in size from 5 to 30+ pounds… an incredible sportfish on an 8/9 weight rod. The full service lodge provides comfortable accommodations, a friendly staff, and bountiful meals, all in a wonderful beach front atmosphere. Isla del Sabalo is a must-fish for anglers looking for a remote, unspoiled fishing experience. Fly fishing for tarpon can be a daunting task and there is no better place to start then here.

The trip starts with your arrival in Merida a nice colonial city in this area of the Yucatan. You will make your way through the airport and find our driver holding a sign with your name. From there it is about a 1-1/2 hour drive on smooth roads through flat terrain. Every so often you will slow down for a small village.

You will be driving to the little remote site on the western edge of the Yucatan Peninsula North of Campeche. Our small modern lodeg will be your home for the best aby tarpon fishing available. You will get meals there daily and depart for the days fishing directly from the lodge. The lodge is not fancy, just clean comfortable rooms.

Fly Fishing for Tarpon – The Lodge

A view from the beach of Tarpon Island

The accommodations at Tarpon Island Lodge are comfortable, bright, and well appointed. With the ocean at its doorstep, the sea breeze and beautiful scenery refreshes the spirit after a long day of fighting Tarpon. Meals are prepared at the dining palapa and served in an open air setting. Breakfast includes items such as fresh fruit, eggs, toast, and coffee/juice. Lunches consist of sandwiches, fruit, snacks, and sodas/water.

Dinner meals are served at the palapa each evening. Entrees may include chicken, pork, or the catch-of-the-day – fish, shrimp, or even lobster! Enjoy the tasty food and the charming atmosphere of Isla Arena while you dine!

Additionally, the lodge can accommodate most dietary restrictions. Let the staff know and they will prepare an appetizing alternative that is often looked over with envy by your fellow dinner guests.
All drinking water and ice is bottled/made from purified water. All non-alcoholic beverages (soda, juice, water) are included in your lodge package. Alcoholic beverages are available, but not included (charged to the guest tab.

More about the Lodge

A typical bedroom found at IDS

Each guest rooms equipped with air-conditioning, fans, 2 double beds, and a full private bathroom with shower. Rooms are bright with a nice ocean view. There is a housekeeping service that cleans the room and replaces linens, towels, bottled drinking water, cups, and bar soap each day.

In addition to world-class fishing, the hallmark of Tarpon Island Lodge is their warm hospitality and top-level service. The staff members at Tarpon Island Lodge are some of the most friendly and hardworking people you will ever meet. They are sincerely committed to making your stay comfortable and enjoyable. The lodge and food are not fancy, just simple, clean and basic. There is not a honeymoon suite within 200 miles!

Lodge Photos

Fly Fishing for Tarpon: The Fishing

A hidden lagoon near ISD

The fly fishing for tarpon in this area is quite varied. There are open water flats with larger tarpon cruising around, Mangrove lined creeks and lagoons with mid sized tarpon cruising under the branches of the overhanging mangroves, inland lakes and lagoons . This is a nursery for fish between 2 and 50 pounds. Late spring and summer brings a few larger fish into the mix as well. Snook are also in the mangrove areas and you will target these fish whenever we see them.

Tarpon are most active early in the morning saw we are usually off by dawn to the flats the guides have chosen to visit that the day. The area that has tarpon is quite large extending through the entire Rio Lagartos preserve. A good day of tarpon fishing means you might jump 20 fish – we have recorded a boat that jumped 50 fish in a day. Many tarpon are lost on one of the first few jumps so the percentage you actually get to the boat is low. 10-20% is the number that actually get all the way to the boat.

On the open flats your guide will pole and search for rolling tarpon ( which is about all you see when the light is low or as the sun gets higher you will be able to sight the fish in the clear water even if they are not rolling. Getting a tarpon to eat a fly is sometimes the easiest thing in the world of fly fishing or the most frustrating. Long follows are possible ending up in a refusal or a take 5 feet from the boat. Sometimes the tarpon attack as soon as they see movement, sometimes they spook just because the fly moves funny ( I don’t really know what funny is to a tarpon). Long casts are helpful out here in the open as it will increase your circle of effectiveness.

Read More About the Fishing

A tarpon flat near Isla del Sabalo

In the mangrove areas accuracy can be more important, slinging it under some branches or hitting the pocket between the overhanging mangroves is a more important skill than casting 100 feet. In many area the water is clear and in others it is stained to the color of tea. Still most fish are sighted first. Often the fish will be clear of the mangrove but more often they will cruise just under the overhanging branches. A hook up in there is usually followed by a leap over the branches and off the hook, but what a blast. Once in a while we get lucky and the tarpon blasts out into the open, you just never know!

There are some smaller creeks and inland lakes that have lots of small fish in the 2-5 pound range. These are very aggressive fish and blind casting is most effective. It doesn’t matter how big or small a tarpon is – they all jump once they are hooked. It is the best fighting game fish I know of. Add to that the fact that you can sight fish and hunt for these fish in shallow water and it is hard to argue that there is any better game fish on the planet.

I hope you get to experience this unique fishery while it is still undiscovered.

Fishing Photo Gallery

Tackle & Gear

Here is a list of the basics you will need for your trip. Many of our destinations are pretty remote with no chance to buy things on site.

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Fly List

Presentation seems to be much more important than fly selection when fly fishing for tarpon.
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Packing List

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Want to visit more than one destination?

Take a tarpon tour of the Yucatan. Visit 2 Yucatan Lodges in one trip Note: it will require an extra non-fishing day mid trip to transfer by van to the next destination. You can combine Isla Blanca, Rio Lagartos, Isla del Sabalo and Campeche tarpon trips! My favorite combination is Rio Lagartos and Isla del Sabalo, or Isla del Sabalo and Campeche.
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Preferred arrival and departure days are Saturday and Wednesday

Please take a look at the  photo and video galleries related to fly fishing for tarpon here at Isla del Sabalo.

Fishing Photo Gallery

Lodge Photo Gallery

Scenic Photo Gallery

Video Gallery

Fly Fishing for Tarpon – Activites

Here come some tarpon!

If you don’t like fly fishing for tarpon then destination is not going to be for you. You could make some Mayan ruin tour happen, you could do some birding or other eco tours but the truth is there is nothing organized for these activities.

This is not a beachy location!

So please be forewarned and speak to me if you are considering bringing a non-fishing friend along on this trip.

Fly Fishing for Tarpon: Travel Tips/h2>

How To Get to Isla del Sabalo Lodge
From your location, you will need to fly to Merida International Airport (MID). Depending on flight arrival schedules, some travelers may have to fly in a day early and overnight in Merida. This destination is very remote and, therefore, has strict arrival and departure requirements.

From Merida, you will be driven 1.5 hours west in the lodge shuttle – a comfortable, air-conditioned extended van. The ride is very comfortable, as all roads traveled are paved and well maintained. During the drive, you will venture through the beautiful Yucatan countryside and some very unique traditional Mexican towns.

Required Travel Documents
• A current U.S. passport is required for all United States citizens entering Mexico. It is highly recommended that U.S. citizens present a passport that is valid for at least six months after the last day of the trip. If your passport expires before then, please renew it prior to departing on your trip.
• If you hold citizenship in a country other than the United States, please check with your national consulate / passport center for citizenship documents required for travel to Mexico.