Mexican Fishing Expeditions Spanish Pronto invites you to explore the Pacific coast of Oaxaca State, Puerto Vallarta and the Gulf of Mexico Six day expeditions cost $1100.00, plus airfare. Group size is limited to five or six. Compare Spanish Pronto's prices to Pesca Panama's 6 day rate of $3600.00 per person - http://www.pescapanama.com/reservations.html In addition to constant accompaniment, bilingual guidance and hands-on facilitation, Spanish Pronto covers all ground costs - convivial lodging, ground transportation, fishing vessels, bait (and limited tackle) plus three wonderful meals daily. If you choose to participate in activities other than daily fishing, there are many opportunities to explore land and sea. Spanish Pronto's expeditions are intended for avid anglers who are also interested in experiencing Mexican culture "from the inside out." Your guide, Alan Archibald, is a former UNC Spanish instructor who has lived in Mexico, Nicaragua and Colombia. Alan aspires to insure good times on ship and shore. These expeditions are not glitzy, ultra-high-tech affairs, aimed at duplicating American life in Mexico. Rather, they are designed to impart lasting appreciation of the Mexican people, Mexican culture and the remarkable beauty of Mexico's coast. *** Isla Mujeres, Yucatan Peninsula Gulf of Mexico Fishing Spanish Pronto offers fishing adventures in the Gulf of Mexico along the northeastern coast of Mexico's Yucatan peninsula. Isla Mujeres serves as home port for expeditions to the Gulf of Mexico. Enjoy scuba and snorkeling along vibrant coral reef. Full and half day trips with professional equipment. Coastal or deep sea fishing is available. Waters teem with bluefin tuna, white marlin, sailfish, mackerel and grouper. Even first-time fishermen hook barracuda. Experienced anglers often land marlin, sailfish or dorado (mahi mahi). FISHING CALENDAR March-October: blue marlin, white marlin, sailfish (catch & release), wahoo, kingfish, bottomfish, grouper, snapper, dorado (mahi-mahi/dolphin) November-February: grouper, snapper and barracuda Take a look at the four reefs between Cancun and Isla Mujeres, where you can see depths of 40 feet. Take in Isla Mujeres' famed El Garrafon National Park and its shallow coral reef. In the "Cave of the Sleeping Sharks" divers can pet snoozing sharks. Six day Isla Mujeres expeditions cost $1100.00 For more information, please contact alanarchibald@mindspring.com *** Puerto Vallarta Fishing Expeditions Anglers in pursuit of fishing grounds that have catered to salt water fishermen for decades, will thrill to the possibilities of Puerto Vallarta, where --- in addition to world-class sailfishing and a host of shore amenities --- humpback whales may be viewed in wintertime breeding habitat from mid-November through mid-March. FISHING CALENDAR Big Game Fishing in the Gulf of California: October - February Day trips to the point or off the islands, these areas offer the best fishing for sailfish, dorado (mahimahi), marlin, wahoo and other various species. Summer Fishing: June - September Best months for tuna, also good for dorado (mahi mahi/dolphin) and sailfishing. Marlin Fishing: September - November Small Game Fishing: January - May Half day trips, fishing inside the bay, yellowtail, tuna, roosterfish, mackerel, redsnapper, bonita, amberjack and seabass. Whale Watching: November - March Enjoy the thrill of watching majestic humpback whales. Six day Puerto Vallarta expeditions cost $1100.00 For more information, please contact alanarchibald@mindspring.com *** Puerto Escondido Oaxaca, Mexico Puerto Escondido is located on Oaxaca's spectacular Pacific Coast. It is home to the third best surfing beach in the world. Enjoy deep sea fishing aboard pangas - simple, small craft that rely on the skipper's knowledge and your angling skill. Bilingual guide, Alan Archibald, makes commodious arrangements from start to finish and accompanies you throughout your journey. $1100.00 covers six days of sea-breeze lodging, great Mexican food, boat, crew, bait, ground transportation and entrance fees. These extraordinarily rich waters are home to over 300 species of fish. Sport fishermen catch dozens of varieties, among them large tuna, huachinango (snapper,) mero (sea bass) and snook.This stretch of coast is renowned for marlin and lies in the middle of sailfish range. (The Pacific sailfish grows twice as big as its Atlantic counterpart - 260 versus 130 pounds.) The Oaxacan coast hosts small-scale commercial fishing to supply nearby cities with fresh seafood. Individual Oaxacans seldom fish these waters since sportsfishing plays a negligible role in local culture. As a result, there is little fishing pressure along this stretch of coast. Using the International Airport at Huatulco for arrival and departure, Spanish Pronto's fishing expeditions are mounted from Puerto Angel and Puerto Escondido. You may fish daily, or not at all. Puerto Escondido's beaches, coves and coastal jungle are ripe for exploration. Trek into Puerto Escondido's hinterland and experience indigenous life nearly unchanged since the Spanish conquista. Visit Puerto Escondido once, and you'll be back. For more information, please contact alanarchibald@mindspring.com *** Icthyology Websites American Museum of Natural History Department of Icthyology: http://research.amnh.org/ichthyology/ FishBase (encyclopedic information accessible by scientific or common name): http://filaman.uni-kiel.de/search.cfm (Also accessible at http://www.fishbase.org/ although this server is notoriously slow.) Icthyology Web Resources (University of Alberta, Canada): http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/jackson.hp/IWR/index.php Icthyology Resources (University of Kansas): http://www.keil.ukans.edu/cgi-bin/hl?fish Icthyology Department (Harvard): http://www.mcz.harvard.edu/Departments/Fish/ Icthyology at the Florida Museum of Natural History: http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/ California Academy of Sciences - Icthyology: http://www.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/ Monterey Bay Aquarium: http://www.mbayaq.org/ Fish FAQs (Fun questions and answers): http://www.nefsc.nmfs.gov/faq/index.html Short movies of different species of fish: http://www.umich.edu/~bio440/lecture3movies.html Travel Insurance Travelers are encouraged to purchase travel insurance. American Express offers "Travel Medical Protection" for $59.00 per year. Contact 1-800-297-2900. Spanish Pronto's travel agency - "Exito Travel" - recommends: www.travelex-insurance.com. Travelex can also be contacted at 1-800-228-9792. When last consulted, Travelex offered an insurance plan for $82.00 per adult. Traveller's Health The Center for Disease Control: http://www.cdc.gov (Click on "Travel Health," and again on "Immunizations.") The World Health Organization: http://www.who.int/ith The International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers: http://www.iamat.org The International Society of Travel Medicine: www.istm.org World Clinic: www.worldclinic.com LatinMed (a superb Spanish language website dedicated to all branches of Medicine, not just traveler's medicine.) http://www.latinmed.com/default.asp To learn Spanish - or to deepen your knowledge of Latin-American history and culture - please explore http://www.sipuebla.com/contents23.htm For more information, please contact alanarchibald@mindspring.com |
