Saltwater FISHING
Mexico » Yucatán Peninsula
Chetumal Bay
Rates from USD 3950
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Chetumal is located on the east coast of the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico in the northwest corner of Chetumal Bay. The waters are incredibly diverse and have all of the Grand Slam species available offering year-round opportunities for bonefish, tarpon, permit, and snook.
Trip Overview
Chetumal is located on the east coast of the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico in the northwest corner of Chetumal Bay with incredibly diverse waters it has all of the Grand Slam species available offering year-round opportunities for bonefish, tarpon, permit, and snook. Packages can be arranged at the beautiful Villa Marcela Calderitas, a villa in the middle of nature, framed by the waters of Chetumal Bay, the Lodge are located at km 4.5 of the Calderitas - Oxtankah Archaeological Zone highway in Quintana Roo, Mexico.
Package
Chetumal Bay is an extensive water body encompassing approximately 1,615 miles. It is surrounded by distinctive tropical flora and fauna, mangroves, and amazing natural zones with tall trees and regional vegetation. Chetumal Bay is typically associated by anglers with the waters of Xcalak and Ambergris Caye in Belize – these fisheries have been fished for decades by fly anglers. The waters near Chetumal City have been left alone and relatively untouched by fly anglers. The new operator team has spent years exploring and mapping out this fishery and has discovered a multitude of flats and mangrove systems that provide amazing opportunities for fly anglers! There are good numbers of bonefish, permit, baby tarpon, and snook. They see large migratory tarpon during the summer and also have a population of large resident tarpon that can be targeted year round!
Breakfast is served at 7:00 AM before meeting with your guide team at 7:30 AM. From there, you’ll head to the dock located at Villa Marcela. The fishing day is around 8 hours depending on the fishing plan established by your guide and you will typically be back at the dock between 3 and 4PM.
Each boat is set up with a cooler with ice, lunch, and non-alcoholic beverages. Generally lunch consists of ham, chicken, or tuna sandwiches and some snacks. If you do want some beers for the boat, make sure to coordinate with the lodge manager or with the operator. If you are allergic to any kind of food, please let now in advance.
Accommodation
Villa Marcela Calderitas has 4 spectacular oceanfront suites with king-size beds and a separate unit with 2 bedrooms, living room and full kitchens. Each room features air conditioning, Wi-Fi, minibar, private bathroom, coffee maker and balcony with bay view. After a long day of fishing in the sun, enjoy a swim in the pool or the ocean breeze under one of the many palapas.
Tackle and Flies
We suggest bringing one #8 Wt rod for bonefish and one #9 Wt or #10 Wt for permit, baby tarpon and snook. High-performance reels with a good brake system are required, capable of holding 200 - 250 yards of backing. Weight forward floating fly lines; an Intermediate line is recommended for baby tarpon.
For bonefish and permit, use 9 or 10-foot knotless leaders, 10 to 12-pound test.
Bonefish fly selection should include Crazy Charlie, Gotcha or any shrimp-like pattern on hooks 8 or 6 in tan, pink and white with flashabou. For permit: Brown Special, Fuzzy Crab, Rag Head Crab, Mc Crab on hooks sizes 6 or 4, in tan with white legs, brown and sand. Both for bones and permit the flies shouldn´t be too weighted.
For baby tarpon and snook we recommend leaders with 60 pound hard shock tippet. Flies should be tied on hooks sizes #2/0 and #3/0 TOAD styles, deceivers or seaducers in brown and orange, brown and yellow, orange and yellow, black with red, black with purple.
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VIDEOS
CHETUMAL BAY
Flyfishing for Tarpon and more from Chetumal Bay
Rates
2025/2026 U$S 3,950
~ Double Occupancy (2 Per Boat / 2 Per Room) ~
Rates include:
Transportation to and from hotel Villa Marcela.
7 night accommodation.
6 fishing days with guide and boat.
Full breakfast and dinner included in Villa Marcela.
Lunch while fishing with non-alcoholic beverages.
Fishing license.
Rates do not include:
International flights.
Gratuities for guides, hotel staff, and drivers.
Fishing equipment and flies.
Alcoholic beverages.
Laundry service, taxis, tours, or additional activities.
Testimonials
Mexico’s Chetumal Bay has the best saltwater fly fishing you’ve never heard of. Here’s why it’s a hidden gem
Still largely unknown to the fly-fishing world, Chetumal offers world-class action away from the crowds—and at a value price.
The rhythmic slap of waves against the panga’s hull falls silent as our guide, Carlos Godoy, cuts the motor and begins to pole the boat, watching intently for the flash or tail of a bonefish, tarpon or permit. So begins another morning in one of sport fishing’s best-kept secrets—a remote corner of Mexico’s Caribbean coast, where the crystalline waters of Chetumal Bay meet the lush mangrove jungles of Quintana Roo.
Unlike the much busier saltwater flats of Ascension Bay to the north, Chetumal Bay offers anglers the pursuit of bonefish, tarpon, permit and snook in relative solitude. Here, where Mexico meets Belize, the ancient Maya once plied these waters in dugout canoes. Today, modern-day adventurers armed with fly rods discover a saltwater paradise that rivals any destination in the Caribbean basin. It also offers a few advantages you won’t find at better-known fishing destinations…
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