Words are taken from our 2025 Guide to Cuba
Click here to read it

Prepare for the Challenge

Be ready for what saltwater flats fishing will deliver.  Flats fishing offers layers and layers of challenges.  These layers make the sport exciting and rewarding if one is properly prepared for them.  Here are just a few challenges: visually seeing fish, casting longer distances, casting precisely, handling casting with wind, line management, keeping focus, delivering the fly accurately and quickly at times, clearing fly lines, pulling on strong fish, and landing fish quickly. Becoming self sufficient with knots will also go a long way so your guide can concentrate on keeping his eyes out on the water scanning for the next shot.

Learn and Practice that Double Haul

The quote to memorize for the flats is “It all STARTS with a good cast.”  The best guides can get great opportunities for the angler, but they can’t make the cast too.  The angler must be able to deliver the fly.  Learn to double haul. Period.  This is the best investment in an angler’s arsenal.  Take lessons from a quality instructor if it warrants.  Paybacks on this investment will be massive.

Get Accurate and Quick

Being able to deliver the fly in front of the fish quickly is the next layer because fish on the flats are constantly moving.  A Permit cannot eat what it doesn’t see.  Getting the fly in front of the target is imperative.  Anglers need to learn to cast with accuracy as well as quickness.  Shots can be fleeting.  Anglers need to take full advantage of available shots.  Casting precisely and quickly will give them more opportunities which should lead to more fish being hooked. Try to minimize the amount of false casts as flats fish are very spooky.

Set Realistic Expectations

“Rome wasn’t built in a day or a week of guided fishing”
Should a golfer who spends 5 days a year golfing expect to shoot Par when golfing Augusta?  Choosing to fly fish the flats is choosing to accept the challenge.  No one is born a flats angler.  It takes practice and repetition.  Layers and layers of the sport need to be unpeeled to truly excel. Muscle memory needs to be developed to double haul quickly and accurately.  This is the beauty of this sport.  Keep expectations set for realistic returns.

Relax and Enjoy the Moment

Fly fishing the flats is a fantastic activity, full of triumphs and heartache.  Don’t turn it into work.  Work can be stressful.  Sight fishing on the flats should be a blast.  Enjoy the beauty and the pristine surroundings. Focus on having fun while conquering the many challenges each opportunity presents.