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Home » Pleasurable Vignettes
Tarpon, Mayan Ruins and Baseball…
A Trip to Campeche, Mexico
By Steve and Theresa Morgan
My wife and I recently returned from an interesting and rewarding fishing trip to Campeche, Mexico. The trip was hosted by Tarpon Town, based in Campeche and owned by Raul Castenada, and booked through Scott Heywood of Angling Destinations.
Campeche is a historic coastal city with buildings dating back to the 16th Century. The city is listed as a World Heritage Site per the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), with very interesting buildings and sites within the city to explore. It is located on the western side of the Yucatan Peninsula in an area with extensive grass flats and mangrove shorelines, including creeks and backwaters holding significant numbers of baby tarpon.
The Fishing…
The average fish we caught along the shoreline and the backwater were anywhere from 5 to 10 pounds, while larger fish were feeding on the outer flats. In my estimation, the fish on the outer flats ranged from 10 to 40 pounds. The largest tarpon we landed was 24 pounds on an outside flat using a red and white seaducer tied on a 3/0 hook. The water clarity made for great sight fishing when the wind cooperated.
Raul has four panga-style skiffs with newer Yamaha motors that are set up well for fly fishing. The boats are dry and comfortable and navigate amazingly shallow water for their size (23 feet). The coolers were well stocked each day with water, soft drinks and cervezas. Sandwiches were prepared fresh each day as well as various snacks.
During our four days of fishing we jumped approximately 60 fish and landed about 10. Most fish were in the five- to 10-pound range and were great fun to catch on an eight-weight rod. We also took several snook from three to seven pounds.
The wind was a factor on the outer flats, but a shooting head setup worked well on these fish and made dealing with the wind much easier. Guides Juan and Fernando were exceptionally good at locating fish and had great eyes for spotting cruising fish. Their communication skills were good enough to quickly get you focused on the fish - a difficult task considering the windy conditions during two of our four days. In summary, they were very good at spotting fish and putting you in the right position to catch them. The rest was up to you.
The Mayan Ruins…
The ruins at the Mayan city of Edzna are less than an hour from the city of Campeche and offer a great day trip in addition to the fishing. This site was discovered around 1906 and excavations are still taking place. The ruins are spectacular, and we could not recommend this excursion more highly. Raul can assist one with setting up a tour of this site, as well as other tours.
The Baseball…
Another highlight of our trip was to attend three "Piratas de Campeche" (Pirates) professional baseball games. The Piratas are part of the Mexican League with several ex-major league players competing. The baseball is very good - equivalent to triple-A baseball in the United States. The modern stadium is on the northern edge of town and tickets are reasonably priced with good seats available.
The fans are more enthusiastic about their baseball than most other fans I have seen in any sport. I have been to major league baseball games in the United States, including one World Series game. These do not compare to the rhythm and spirit we enjoyed at the Campeche stadium. Families gathered to cheer, hoot and holler. The noise from the crowd, the festive music and some occasional cannon fire make these games an opportunity that should not be missed by anyone fortunate enough to be in the city on game day.
Getting There…
We flew from our home in Florida to Atlanta and then took a direct flight from Atlanta to Merida, Mexico (about a 2½ hours). Raul arranges a shuttle from Merida to Campeche (approximately two hours) in an air-conditioned van, to the hotel. The hotel we stayed in as part of the package was the Hotel Plaza Campeche, which had very comfortable accommodations, a good restaurant and a refreshing pool. The hotel is in the central part of the city, which made good access for walking tours of the city. Raul meets you upon your arrival from Merida and discusses the upcoming fishing. Raul is a very accommodating host. Each morning he met us for breakfast and then transported us from the hotel to the waiting guides for our day's fishing.
A Word about Tarpon Town…
Tarpon fishing in Campeche has been discovered in recent years and naturally, several outfitters have emerged on the scene. There were many anglers staying at our hotel who opted to fish with other companies. In the evening, we all gathered to compare fish stories. My wife and I walked away from those gatherings feeling glad that we had chosen Tarpon Town. We simply had nothing to complain about and enjoyed a great experience in every respect.
For this we credit Raul and his professional guides. Raul and his lovely wife were personally involved in our Campeche experience. They invited us to the baseball games as their guests and recommended the visit to the ruins. Tarpon Town guides, at the end of each fishing day, cleaned and securely stored our gear so we had little to do except arrive at the dock on the following day ready to fish.
Summary…
We booked this trip to get my wife her first tarpon on fly. This is a place where you have shots at great numbers of tarpon. Rauls' operation is very well run; his guides are competent and experienced. Great fishing, accommodations and food are the norm. This is a great spot to go tarpon fishing and enjoy other memorable activities. We could not recommend this trip more highly. If you decide to take this trip, do yourself a favor and leave a day open to see the Mayan ruins and try and catch a Piratas de Campeche baseball game. You won't regret it.
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