Travel Information: COVID-19 Update

Fish

Quit wishin’…it’s time to go fishin’!

Yes, among the best Atlantic Sailfish action to be had. Anywhere. End of conversation. One last word…add to that fabulous Blue Marlin, White Marlin and monster Swordfish if you have the stamina to hand crank one of these up from the deep blue.

In the 1970’s Isla Mujeres was little more than a sandbar with some palm trees. Along came Houston sportfishing legend Stewart Campbell, and well, the rest is history. Campbell, with the help of then tourism minister Jose de Jesus Lima and his son Enrique, both avid fisherman, set about exploring the fishing opportunities around Isla. In a few short years Isla became the hot sportfishing destination of choice for big game sportfishing teams throughout the southern United States and Caribbean.

Without any private docks on the island, Enrique built the first dock and fuel station in the heart of downtown, which remains today the headquarters for the sportfishing fleet and home to our very own Keen M Sportfishing team.

If you’re travelling to Isla Mujeres by boat, we recommend you dock at Enrique Lima’s Marina, the main marina in town. The Guy Harvey Fishing Outfitter, Keen M and its sportfishing team is docked here. Battlewagons from all over the Gulf and Atlantic make their way to Isla, and this marina is home port for the fleet. The marina has fuel, and just as important, one of our favorite bar/restaurants in Isla, Ballyhoo’s, sits at the base of the dock.

Sustainable Fishing

At Guy Harvey Outpost, we’re committed to the principals of sustainable fishing techniques and conservation. We hope you are as well. All fisheries have some form of stress, often from commercial overfishing. We consider it important to be aware of these stresses and do what we can to help protect the vitality of our favorite fisheries.

Generally, you’ll find top-of-class anglers have adopted “catch and release” practices and widely use “circle hooks” when fishing for billfish. We do, and hope you will too.

Where local authorities have implemented regulations to control fishing activity, we at Guy Harvey Outpost take these fishing regulations seriously. It’s important to know and respect the local fishing regulations. At best, it’s good sportsmanship. At worst, being unfamiliar is a prescription for fines and penalties. Sadly, for some anglers fishing restrictions are for others to worry about.

Such attitudes quickly result in an unsustainable fishery. So we ask all our anglers to be good sportsmen and conservationists, and respect the regulations.

Before fishing in Mexican waters all anglers must have a valid Mexican Sport Fishing License. This license covers all types of fishing and is valid anywhere in Mexico. These licenses may be purchased a day, week, month or year. Aboard private boats in Mexican waters everyone must have a fishing license if there is any fishing gear, fish, or fish parts on board.

Licensed charter boat operators typically provide licenses for their guest anglers, but check before you go out on the boat.

Mexico’s National Aquaculture and Fishing Commission (CONAPESCA) regulates recreational fishing. For more information on the country’s sportfishing regulations and bag limits, click here.

IGFA Certified Captains

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IGFA Certified Captains are passionate fishing professionals who are dedicated to sustaining the future of angling. These individuals are respected by their peers and knowledgeable about their craft, and provide letters of recommendation and complete an open-book test on the IGFA rules as part of our approval process.

To learn more about IGFA Certified Captains, and search for these top-of-class captains in the Yucatan area, click here.

Fish with the Pros

quote

Most of the world is covered by water. A fisherman’s job is simple:
Pick out the best parts.
Charles Waterman

 

Fishing is our DNA. For us, a good bedtime read is the IGFA World Record Book, peppering our dreams with thoughts of our own world record.

There’s a lot of water around Isla Mujeres. If you’re not in Isla with your own battlewagon, we expect you’re planning to spend at least one day on the water, and below you’ll find some of our top-of-class captains and sportfishing operators.

During the height of the fishing season you’ll find many sportfishing charter boats relocated to Isla for the season. Many of them are great crews and operations, but all things being equal, we recommend your first choice be one of the top-of-class full time local captains.

isla-mujeres-fish-captain-anthony

Captain Mendillo traded in New England winters and canyon fishing over 20 years ago, moving to Isla Mujeres to fish year round in the tropics. Profiled extensively in Marlin Magazine and other sportfishing journals, Captain Anthony sets the bar for both angling professionalism as well as production.

isla-mujeres-fish-keen-m

Seriously, when the sailfish bit is hot he’ll limit the boat’s daily total to 50 releases! If you can find an opening in his calendar, you’ll be next aboard in a long line of world renowned anglers and the occasional celebrity. He is the IGFA’s international representative to the Yucatan Penninsula region.

isla-mujeres-fish-expedition-outfitter

Captain Mendillo and his Keen M International operation is an Expedition Outfitter member of Guy Harvey Outpost. Keen M operates 3 boats, all based at the main sportfishing dock in town, Enrique Lima’s Marina. Keen M boats are available for top-of-class sportfishing, and exciting whale shark or sailfish “Encounters” that attract underwater photographers and film crews from around the world to interact with these animals in their natural underwater environments.

 

Fishing Calendar
SPECIES Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Blue Marlin
White Marlin
Sailfish
Wahoo
Dolphin Fish
Kingfish
Blackfin Tuna
Grouper
Red Snapper

 

Bite
Off
Good
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Best

Guy Harvey Outpost Resort

Commitment to You During COVID-19. Read More

Guy Harvey Resort St. Augustine Beach’s Commitment to You During COVID-19

First of all, we want to thank our valued guests for their patience and understanding during this time. Our hotel is currently OPEN, but some of our amenities and services are limited or unavailable at this time.

We have also updated our cancellation policy to provide the most flexibility to our guests. Please follow the link below to see our full list of changes and updates.

For the most update information, please refer to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or your local health authority.