In Ascencion Bay there are hundreds of square miles of crystal clear flats where it’s common to see bonefish, permit, tarpon, snook and jacks or barracuda in the same day, all year round! Sight fishing for bonefish in skinny water, wading over a white sand bottom, look for permit in shallow flats just two or three feet deep or fish from the boat in a mangroove lagoon where tarpon are rolling. You will find the consistency of bonefishing, the exitement of fishing for tarpon, the thrilling challenge of fishing for permit, the nice surprice of jack crevalle or fishing for snook and the fierce strike of “cudas” on a clear flat. Fishing for permit in the so-called “permit Mekka” of the Caribbean is the ultimate dream of the avid saltwater angler.

Read more on Ascension Bay fishing in the US fishing magazine “Saltwater Sportsman”, in American Angler.

We can go south and be in Ascension Bay in 15 minutes, or if the wind blows too hard, we can go north to Boca Paila and find flats surrounded by mangroves that help to protect. Both places are well known for its bonefish, permit, tarpon or snook and barracuda abundance. Wind protection is one of the great advantages of this area. Unlike Bahamas , here we can fish for bonefish 365 days of the year. Of course in Tulum and all the Yucatan Peninsula we get very windy days, from South East, East and North, but we can always find protected flats or lagoons where we can see and cast at bonefish, permit, tarpon, snook, jacks, barracudas, Spanish mackerels, and other species. You certainly have to bring tackle for all these species and at least 3 rods to be ready anytime. After reservation we will send you complete tackle list.

Pesca Maya is operating all year round. Peak season goes from March to June. Below is a description of the seasons. You choose what’s your best time:

Watch videos about fishing with Pesca Maya Video Gallery

Check more information on fishing for bonefish, fishing for tarpon, fishing for snook and fishing for permit

Our boats are local made, fiber glass “pangas”, with a Yamaha 40 HP outboard motor. Boats are well suited for fly-fishing, With a spacious and clean platform. They are comfortable to cross Ascension Bay, even in the rough days and with only 6 inches in the water we can get into any flat. They do such a good job that we have even exported 4 of them to the United States.

All boats are equipped with with VHF radios and safety equipment.
Light Tackle Fishing in Ascension Bay

Check our list of rods, lines, jigs, lures and plastics, tackle recommendations on light tackle

Fly Fishing Tackle for Ascension BayCheck out our recommendation on rods, lines, flies etc., tackle recommendations for fly fishing
Tarpon Fishing in Ascension BayCheck our recommendations and info on tarpon

Two guides per boat

At Pesca Maya we use a head guide and a young apprentice. Both have very good eyes. This formula helps very much when wading, each angler has a guide, when learning to cast or to see the fish, one guide poles and the other is with the angler at the casting platform, when positioning the boat and when you don’t want to wade all the way back to pick up the boat. Many of our customers appreciate it very much. I hope you will too. This program does not apply to summer time or with special discount rates. More pictures in our gallery.

You and your guide are a team!

It amazes me how many people get on a boat with a guide, who they might be fishing with for a week, without any formal introduction. Take the initiative and get to know your guide. Establish a rapport. Remember his name. Let them know what you want to fish for, how you want to fish, your abilities and fishing experience as well as what really trips your trigger when it comes to fishing. Let the guide check your equipment, knots, leaders, tippet material, flies, rod and reel, etc. Don’t be shy. Before you even leave the dock, go through the following exercise with your guide.

1. Get on the casting platform, with rod in hand and review the basic “clock.” 12 o’clock being the bow of the boat 6 O’clock being the stern, 9 O’clock is directly to port, while 3 O’clock is directly to starboard. It’s imperative that you both have this straight. More than likely, your guide will call out fish in the following manner, “Tarpon at three o’clock, 60 feet, moving right to left.”
2. Still on the casting platform, strip out some Fly line and throw a short cast as the guide watches. Next, throw a medium cast. Lastly, throw a long cast. The guide now knows your casting abilities.
3. If you have a problem seeing fish, let the guide know before you start fishing. Anything that you can relay to your guide concerning your abilities, your wants and needs, your dislikes and so on will make his job much easier and your fishing day more enjoyable.
4. If your guide spots a fish and you do not see it, DO NOT cast until you see that fish. Point your rod out in front of you as if a pointer on a chalk board and have your guide direct your rod to where he sees the fish. Your guide might say, “3 o-clock , more right, keep going, keep going STOP!” this is where you should concentrate your vision and again DO NOT cast until you see the fish.
5. Follow your guides instructions. Guys, I have found that the ladies, when learning how to Fly cast or fish, are the quickest learners… Why? Because they listen to the guide. LISTEN… If he says strip, STRIP!, stop, STOP!, set the hook SET IT! You’ll see that by listening to your guide your success rate will increase substantially.

“Yards vs. Meters”: Make sure that you and your guide are talking the same language.

You may be thinking feet and yards and he may be thinking meters. One meter (39.37 inches) is very close to one yard.