Included / Not Included: –
Included: Accommodations and meals at the lodge, guided fishing, round-trip charter flight from Cancun to lodge, licenses.
Not Included: Airfare to Cancun, pre-trip and post-trip accommodations and meals in Cancun, transfers in Cancun, alcoholic beverages, phone service, staff and guide gratuities, flies, departure taxes.
Travel Logistics:
Arrival Information: To get to Casa Blanca, you will need to make flight arrangements to Cancun, Mexico. From there, the lodge will provide an air-charter to fly you directly to the lodge.
Getting to the Lodge: If you arrive Cancun the day you are scheduled to arrive at the lodge you will be met by a lodge representative in the Arrival Lobby after clearing customs. The representative will arrange for you and your baggage to be transferred to the General Aviation Terminal by car. You will then board a plane and take a charter flight (approximately 50 minutes) directly to the Casa Blanca airstrip.
Departure Information: On your departure day you will take a charter back to Cancun after breakfast.
When making your flight arrangements you must plan to arrive in Cancun NO LATER than 2:00PM and schedule return flights no earlier than 11:00AM. Any flights that do not fall within this time period must be approved 30 days in advance and may result in an air charter surcharge.
Note: Any flight changes received by the lodge less than 72 hours prior to arrival may incur an extra charter fee. We strongly recommend flying into Cancun the day before and thus avoid the risk of having to purchase an extra charter flight.
Documentation Requirements:
You must have a valid US passport to enter Mexico. This will be used to obtain your Mexican Tourist Card. Keep your copy of the card with you during your stay. Expect to pay a departure tax of approximately $20 US when leaving Mexico, however, many times this tax is already included in your ticket so check with your ticket agent.
Currency:
The official currency of Mexico is the Peso. If you plan to spend time in Cancun we find it beneficial to exchange currency and pay in Peso’s. The lodge readily accepts US dollars, personal checks, and traveler’s checks for all your incidentals and gratuities.
Travel Cash:
Casa Blanca Lodge does not accept credit cards so you will need to pay for all your additional expenses in cash. Your major cash expenses will be gratuities which range from $240 - $300 for a week of fishing and alcoholic beverages. We recommend traveling with a minimum of $400 -$600. Note: The lodge DOES NOT accept credit cards.
Gratuities:
We recommend gratuities of $40 per boat per day for the guides and $15 per person per day for the lodge staff. Guide gratuities can be paid direct to your guide and the gratuities for the lodge staff should be to the lodge manager at the end of your stay.
Fishing Licenses:
Fishing licenses are included and the lodge will issue your license when you arrive.
Climate:
Temperatures typically range from the low 70’s to the mid 90’s. Isolated afternoon thunder-showers are a possibility year round. Wind can be factor while fishing and the sun is very strong.
Medical Facilities:
The closest medical facility is in Cancun, approximately 50 minutes by air from the lodge. Guests have the responsibility to disclose any special medical, physical, or dietary needs to the lodge ahead of time. In emergency situations a charter flight may be required to reach a medical facility. Guests may want to consider medical evacuation coverage. We recommend Global Rescue.
Power and Communications:
The lodge is outfitted with 110-volt outlets that accommodate all US appliances. There is a telephone at the lodge but it is used for emergencies only. If someone in the US needs to contact you in the case of emergency, they call the US office. A message will be relayed to the lodge by radio. Also, the Cancun office can make radio contact with the lodge. Faxes can also be sent to the Cancun office for two day delivery to Casa Blanca. Occasionally, quicker delivery is possible. There is also wireless internet in all the rooms at Casa Blanca but cell phones do not work. If you need frequent internet access, please bring your own computer or phone with internet capabilities. Note that internet service can go down at the lodge so if daily contact is essential please rent or bring a satellite phone.
Water:
Bottled water is available at the lodge. We do not recommend drinking water from the faucets.
Clothing:
Dress at the lodge is casual with shorts and sandals welcome. While warm tropical weather is the norm all anglers should bring along one warm layer as well as a good rain jacket. Full coverage quick dry clothing is a must on the water. The lodge sells a few flats shirts in their limited gift shop.
Laundry:
The lodge provides laundry services for a reasonable fee.
Beverages/Alcohol:
Beer and alcohol are not included. Please be prepared to pay your tab at the end of your stay.
Tackle/Equipment List:
Rods: For bonefish we recommend 9-91/2 ft fast action rods for 7 and 8 weight lines. For permit and tarpon 9-10 weights are ideal.
Reels: Any quality anodized, corrosion resistant, saltwater reel will work. Get the best reel you can afford such as Abels, Bauers, and the likes. Bonefish reels should have at least 125 yards of 20 or 30 pound backing and your permit/tarpon reel should have at least 200 yards of 30 pound backing.
Lines: Floating Mastery saltwater tapers and bonefish tapers in the appropriate weights.
Leaders/Tippet: Bonefish leaders should be 9-10 ft long in 1X-3X. Bring additional tippet material in the same diameters. Permit leaders should also be 9-10 ft long in 0X-2X. Tarpon leaders should be pre-made in either 15 or 20-pound class with shock tippets ranging from 60-100 lb test.
Flies:
Bonefish: A wide range of patterns are effective in sizes 4-8. Be sure to have un-weighted flies, moderate (bead chain eyes) weighted flies, and heavy flies with lead eyes to meet different conditions and water depths. The most popular patterns include, the Squimp in #4, Vervuka’s Mantis Shrimp, Peterson’s spawning Shrimp, tan Crazy Charlies, Christmas Island specials, baited breaths, bitters, gotchas in tan and pink, and Clouser Minnows in tan and chartreuse.
Permit: Light tan and cream color crab patterns are the top pick. Have them in #4-2. Popular patterns include the Casa Blanca rag head, McCrabs, Del Brown’s crab, and #2-2/0 Clouser minnows in tan and chartreuse.
Tarpon: Black patterns in #2/0-4/0 are the most popular patterns but cockroaches, Apte tarpon, sea bunnies, deceivers, and assorted poppers are also effective.
Snook: Bring several poppers along just in case.
Wading Gear & Boots: Wet wading with flats boots (Simms, Patagonia) is the norm. While fishing from the boat many choose to go barefoot or wear only socks, which offer protection from the sun. Quick dry shorts and especially quick dry pants are the everyday attire.
