Getting Ready

Welcome to your Fly Water Travel trip guide. We’re excited to help you prepare for your upcoming adventure! Inside, you’ll find everything you need: your to-do list, travel logistics, destination notes, and a curated tackle guide tailored to your trip.

To-Do List:

✓  Arrange flights to/from Cancún (CUN), Mexico

✓  Arrange hotel in Cancún at Marriott Courtyard Cancún Airport or Fairfield Inn & Suites Cancún Airport

✓  Complete your personal online guest registration form

✓  Provide Fly Water with your full name as it appears on your passport & body weight for the charter flight

Beh Kay Lodge Tackle Overview

We always travel with at least three to four set-ups for this trip. A 9ft 8-weight paired with a tropical bonefish floating line, a 9ft 9-weight paired with a tropical permit floating line, and 9ft 10-weight paired with a all-around or grand slam style floating line, and if there are migratory tarpon present (June-July), then a 9ft 11- or 12-weight paired with a tarpon floating line.

Beh Kay Lodge - Provided Equipment:

  • Rods/Reels/Lines: Included. As a Sage Experiences Outfitter, Beh Kay Lodge provides guests with first-class Sage rods, reels, and RIO lines curated specifically for their fishery.
  • Flies: Flies are not included. We suggest packing a thoughtful mix of shrimp, crab, and baitfish, to cover a variety of conditions and species.
  • Flats Shoes: Not included. This can include shoes, zip-style booties, or boots.

Beh Kay Lodge Bonefish Setup

This is the go-to setup for bonefish at Beh Kay Lodge. The 8-weight is the most versatile bonefish rod around the world and handles every type of bonefish fly with ease. It strikes the right balance between presentation and power, making it a dependable choice for most situations. With enough backbone to punch a fly through moderate winds without overpowering smaller shrimp imitations.

Beh Kay Lodge Permit Setup

This is the go-to setup for permit at Beh Kay Lodge. The 9-weight is the most versatile permit rod overall and handles many of the fishing situations. For anglers that want a rod to help when the wind picks up or prefers a bit more rod all-around, a 10-weight is another great option. Both rods help deliver the often-heavier weighted flies that most of the Yucatán fisheries employ. They also have the ability to deliver lighter shrimp patterns when the conditions call for it.

Beh Kay Lodge Tarpon/Snook/Barracuda Setup

This setup is a great all-around for juvenile tarpon, snook, and barracuda at Beh Kay Lodge. The 10-weight is great, as it will handle all these species and then will also be a great secondary or backup if you need it for permit as well. Being that this will be a rod that is utilized to target diverse species, you can rely on a few easy options for leaders too, that can be switched out quickly and easily.

Beh Kay Lodge Migratory Tarpon Setup

In the months of June and July, when the migratory tarpon season is in full swing, having a 11- or 12-weight is what you want to have on standby in the boat. Opportunities to get a fly in front of these fish may not come as often around Espiritu Santo Bay but the opportunities exist, nonetheless. If you enjoy chasing the silver king, make sure you are ready!

Beh Kay Lodge Flies

Top 5 Bonefish Flies

  • RIO’s Mantis Shrimp (Tan - Size 6) 
  • Christmas Island Special (Orange - Size 4-6) 
  • Spawning Shrimp (Tan - Size 4-6) 
  • RIO’s Shallow Hal (Pearl Orange - Size 8) 
  • Squimp (Tan - Size 6-8)

A wide range of patterns are effective in sizes 2-6. 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 colors are cream, and tan followed by pink, white, and brown.

Top 5 Permit Flies

  • Raghead Crab w/ Yellow Eyes (Tan, White - Size 2-4) 
  • RIO’s Diving Crab (Tan - Size 2) 
  • Floating Flotsam Crab (Tan - Size 4)
  • Peterson’s Spawning Shrimp (Tan - Size 2) 
  • Squimp (Size 2-4)

We recommend permit flies ranging from light to heavily weighted for different fishing scenarios. Floating crabs are also another great pattern to have in the box. Colors can be in the tan and white variety and in areas closer to the ocean, a mix of tan/white with orange or red highlights can be a solid choice. These floating crabs should be tied on hook sizes ranging from a size #2-1/0.

Top 5 Tarpon Flies

  • RIO’s Black Death (Size 1/0) 
  • Megalopsicle (Tan/Orange, Black/Purple - Size 1/0) 
  • RIO’s Dread Pirate (Rust/Olive, Tan, Yellow/Chartreuse - Size 1/0)
  • RIO’s King Slayer (Black/Purple, Coyote - Size 1) 
  • Tarpon Toads (Tan, Black & Purple/Size 1/0-1)

Most tarpon flies are a great crossover for snook. Snook flies should
imitate baitfish or shrimp. In the clearer water, however, snook really
prefer lighter white/red head, chartreuse/white or tan/white
combo-colored flies.

Barracuda & Jack Crevalle Flies

  • RIO’s Ka-Cuda (Size 2/0) 
  • EP Baitfish (Tan/White, Chartreuse/White - Size 1/0) 

Suggested Packing List

We understand packing for an adventure is not easy. On a trip like this it is very important to have everything you need and nothing you do not.