Cayo Romano

Lodging Details
For all Cayo Romano trips, anglers will be accommodated in a luxury beachfront hotel. This three-story hotel offers 60 rooms, a swimming pool, bar, lounge, a variety of restaurants (including Japanese and Mediterranean-themed restaurants), a bowling lane, a spa, a rum and cigar store, and a salon. The hotel is a five-minute walk literally across the street to meet your guide and skiffs each morning. The second-story infinity pool with views of the flats and nearby bar provides anglers with the perfect cool-down option after a long day on the water. 

Typical Length of Stay
The structured package is seven (7) nights / six (6) fishing days. A normal week includes six full days of fishing. Also offering fishing packages of four (4) nights / three (3) fishing days if desired, though you will wish you stayed all week! Please contact Yellow Dog for more details.

Non-Angling Activities and Options
This is a remote key off the northern coast of Cuba located in the mangrove and saltwater wilderness of the area surrounding the key of Cayo Cruz. Non-angling activities are limited to beach and resort activities. Overall this destination is best suited for anglers.

Internet / Communications
Wi-Fi is typically unpredictable at best in Cuba, though it is available at the hotel with the purchase of a Wi-Fi card. Check with your cell service provider to see if your U.S. cell phone will work in Cuba. Also, satellite phones are prohibited in Cuba and will be confiscated at the airport upon arrival.

How To Get There
The fisheries that are located in the Western half of Cuba (Cayo Largo, Isla de la Juventud, Zapata, Playa Larga/Las Salinas and Cannarreos) can all be best accessed with flights directly into Havana’s Jose Marti International Airport (HAV). There are many daily flights to Havana on US carriers such as American Airlines, Delta, Jet Blue and Southwest that can easily be booked to get to Havana. If you are traveling to Jardines de la Reina, Cayo Romano or Cayo Paredon, the best arrival city is Camaguey (CMW) which is served with daily flights from Miami (MIA) on American Airlines. There are a number of international flights that can be booked into Havana from international cities such as Milan, Madrid and Istanbul. Yellow Dog can help advise on the best days to travel to and from Havana based on the specific fishery that you are traveling to. We can also help with tour services and hotel arrangements for your trip.

Arrival and Departure Details / Times
For the grand majority of fisheries in Cuba, anglers typically fly into Havana’s Jose Marti International Airport (HAV) on a Friday, where they overnight in the city. The next day (Saturday), you will be met for your transfer to Port where you will board your mothership for the week. Once everyone is aboard, you will transfer to the fishery where you will moor for the night. Your guides will meet you the next morning with the skiffs for your first day of fishing. On the following Friday, you will bid your guides goodbye and the boat will head back to port to prepare for your Saturday morning disembarkation. You can either schedule a late departure flight (after 4 PM at the earliest!) out of Havana on this day, or we can arrange a final hotel night in Havana prior to your departing flights. Many visitors choose to add an extra day or two in the city to explore Havana and the surrounding areas either before or after your week aboard. Yellow Dog can help arrange for additional time in Cuba and associated logistics.

Documents Required
A valid passport is required for all visitors to Cuba and must be valid for at least six (6) months beyond the duration of your stay. Citizens of the United States must also have a Cuban entrance visa that can be secured when checking in for your direct flight to Cuba. You will be asked to sign an affidavit for your trip to Cuba and determine which OFAC category your trip qualifies for, and as an American traveler, you are obligated to maintain a record of your trip for five years – documentation is supplied to you by Yellow Dog.

Travel Arrangements
Yellow Dog provides airline reservations ad ticketing assistance through etcTravel Group, and a full-service airline logistics agent that can help book airline tickets, hotels, rental cars, and more. You can click here to request a quote or contact Yellow Dog for more information at 406-585-8667. etcTravel Group offers dedicated support services for all Yellow Dog clients. Service fees may apply when booking or researching tickets, and etcTravel will discuss this with you before sending quotes.

General Information
Located on the north shore of the eastern province of Camaguey, the Cayo Romano fishery is an enormous system of flats, lagoons, and pristine estuaries. Located on the eastern portion of the greater Jardines del Rey (Gardens of the King) fishery, commercial fishing within this designated area is strictly forbidden and rigorously enforced. The sportfish-only area is 366 square kilometers in size, meaning that on an average day, each skiff has over 50 square kilometers to itself. The fishing area is virtually untouched and represents one of the cleanest and most biologically diverse ecosystems in the Caribbean. This is one of the primary reasons we have chosen this destination. It is still more or less untouched and has only seen a handful of anglers for a few seasons. The fish are plentiful and aggressive. Cayo Romano is also privileged in having an extensive string of cays on its northern border which protects it from all but the most violent of weather patterns. 

The flats present an inviting combination of hard-packed white sand and a semi-firm mottled bottom that still provides good wading. And what a place this is for those who like to wade! It’s very similar to Los Roques, Venezuela in terms of the vast area that’s wadable; there are places here where you can wade for hours without heading back to the boat. Cayo Romano demonstrates all the characteristics of a recently-discovered, virgin fishing territory – large numbers of fish, good sizes, and their evident lack of exposure to flies and leaders. Add to this the natural beauty of the cays and water and you have a truly memorable place to fish.

The average bonefish weighs in at a healthy three to four pounds. During the course of a week, it is not unheard of for anglers to land a fish or two in the eight-pound-plus range. Tailing bonefish are common and guests can expect to see bonefish in singles and doubles, all the way up to schools of several hundred fish. What really sets this location apart from so many other fisheries is that guests can expect to encounter and get shots at good numbers of permit each day as well. There are very few places on earth where guests can fish for big bonefish each day and also get shots at tailing permit. This combination may occur in other locations, but not with the consistency seen at Cayo Romano. It is a rare day when you don’t encounter and get shots at permit. The permit will range in size from approximately eight to 30 pounds. The flats at Cayo Romano are a little deeper than those found in other regions of Cuba, which means bonefish and permit are found in excellent numbers throughout the year. Aside from the exceptional flats fishing, guests must remember that this new fishery is still very much in its infancy. Nonetheless, the fish are usually plentiful and aggressive. 

Two locations within the Cayo Romano area offer good tarpon fishing. Guides tend to save these areas for when an angler has already boated a permit and is looking for a Grand Slam. These fish will range from 30 to 90 pounds. Besides the fishing for permit, bonefish, and tarpon, you will also cast for other challenging species such as mutton snapper, snook, cubera snapper, jack crevalle, and barracuda.

Each morning, skiffs will depart from Cayo Romano to different zones and areas within the greater Cayo Romano / Cayo Cruz fisheries. From Cayo Paredon Grande in the north to Cayo Guanaja and Versailles in the south, countless islands, lagoons, and bays will keep anglers happy and on fish throughout the day. Much of the fishing takes place in the areas between the island and the mainland, in and around the massive island of Cayo Cruz. The average boat run to the fishing areas can range from 10 to 40 minutes in length. The run time depends on where your guide wants to take you that day and your requests. With more than 50 square kilometers of fishing area available per boat, the options are just about limitless. There are so many great aspects to this fishery that it can be a sensory overload sometimes.

Boats and Equipment 
The fishing boats used by Avalon are Dolphin Super Skiffs outfitted with Yamaha 60 or 70 HP motors. Radios and life jackets are carried aboard every skiff. As is the case with most areas in Cuba, be prepared to bring all your rods, reels, and lines with you! Flies, leaders, tippet, all terminal tackle, and all accessories should also be packed, as very few items are available anywhere in Cuba. Yellow Dog will provide a complete pre-trip packing and equipment list for fishing Cuba.

Package Rates
Remember that Yellow Dog’s services are completely free! When you book a trip with Yellow Dog, you never pay more than when you book directly with the lodge or outfitter. 

Please contact Yellow Dog for rates.

What’s Included:

• Reception at Camaguey Airport and transfer to oceanfront luxury hotel

• Seven (7) nights in Cayo Cruz Hotel in double occupancy room (Single room supplement fee of $350 for single occupancy room for the week)

• Six (6) full days of guided fishing (two people per skiff)

• All meals at the oceanfront luxury hotel, Cayo Cruz

• All taxes and GSTs

• All transfers to and from Cayo Cruz
  

What’s Not Included:

• International flights to Cuba (Yellow Dog can help arrange)

• Visa

• Meals, drinks, taxis, and any additional expenses while in Cuba

• Fishing tackle, equipment, flies, and all terminal tackle (Bring it all with you!)

• Gratuities for guides and staff 

• Other items of a personal nature

• Premium rum, cigars, or snacks purchased on site

• Conservation Fee ($300)

Avalon Cuban Fishing Centers and Live-Aboards (Cuba)
TERMS AND CONDITIONS – CANCELLATIONS
Receipt of deposit and/or final payment is acknowledgment that registrant has read and accepts the deposit, cancellation, refund and responsibility clauses for these packages. For trips outside of 90 days, a 50% deposit is required at the time of confirmation to hold all reservations and trip dates. For all Cuba trips less than 90 days out, FULL payment is required to secure reservations. Passport number, date of birth and full name (as printed in passport) are required to confirm any Cuba reservation. Payment for all Cuba trip must be made in US dollars. All trip cancellations must be received in writing, sent to Yellow Dog Flyfishing and cancellations will incur a $250.00 USD per person Yellow Dog handling fee, regardless of timing or reason. For cancellations outside of 180 days from start of trip, trip payments are refundable minus an $800 USD per person cancellation fee charged by operator and a $250.00 USD per person fee charged by Yellow Dog. Inside of 180 days from start of trip, deposits and/or final payments are non-refundable and no credits will be issued unless Avalon and/or Yellow Dog are able to resell the trip(s) (in which case there will also be an $800 USD per person cancellation fee charged by operator and a $250.00 USD per person fee charged by Yellow Dog.) No refunds will be issued for unused portions of packages. Because of the operator’s strict cancellation policies, we highly recommend the purchase of trip cancellation insurance. In no event will Avalon Outdoors be responsible for any cancellation of services or operations due to inclement weather, any event of force majeure, airline delays or flight cancellations, or any other reason beyond the control of the operator. Avalon Outdoors will not refund payments in the event of poor weather. If your flights are cancelled and connections are missed, Avalon is not responsible for alternative travel arrangements including flights, hotels, meals and any other expenses incurred. Please note that credit card payments cannot be accepted for any incidentals or expenses once in Cuba. Once again, Yellow Dog strongly recommends that anglers and guests purchase travel insurance these Cuban packages.

Payment Terms for All Yellow Dog Trip Bookings  
Unless otherwise noted on your invoice, for all trips less than 90 days out, full payment is required after receipt of the confirmation email to secure guides and reservations. For trips outside of 90 days, a 50% deposit is required upon receipt of confirmation email to confirm your reservations.   

Yellow Dog accepts on-line payments via a secure payment portal – a quick and easy way to complete your trip reservation. Please reach out to accounting@yellowdogflyfishing.com to gain access. 

Yellow Dog Flyfishing Standard Forms of Payment 

• Debit card (fee-free) and credit card (3% convenience fee) - to pay via card please utilize the customer payment portal. If you need assistance, reach out to 406-585-8667 ext. #3 

• Wires - please include name and/or invoice number for reference on your wire. Please reach out to accounting@yellowdogflyfishing.com for wiring instructions. (client is responsible for wiring fees) 

• Physical check - please include your invoice number in the memo. Mail checks to 213 S. Willson Ave. Bozeman, MT, 59715

If you have any questions about alternate payment methods, please contact Yellow Dog at (406) 585-8667 ext. #3. We are available Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM MT.