Given the complex nature of Cuba's history and government, there are some real factors to consider before you start packing your gear. First and foremost, you need to bring everything you need for this trip--there is not a fly shop to swing by in Havana on the way to the dock. This includes your rod and reel setups, fly lines, apparel, flies, terminal tackle, and any miscellaneous items.

In this first episode of a two-part series on Cuba, host Jim Klug sits down with Yellow Dog Flyfishing’s Cuba Program Director – Kristen Tripp – to talk about what’s involved in traveling to the country, and the logistical and legal challenges that still have to be navigated, the current state of affairs in Cuba, and the reality of what’s happening on the ground today.

In this second Cuba episode, we focus on the actual fishing details for Cuba, discussing individual fishing destinations and location options throughout the country, the best time of the year to fish Cuba, the primary species available, the differences between live-aboard operations and land-based programs, and of course lots of talk about gear, equipment and flies for Cuba.

The vast amount of pure tidal flats and the many archipelagos that surround the country have created a saltwater fly-fishing heaven that seems to have been masterfully designed for bonefishing.