Isla Mujeres on the Conatngo

[OffTheHookB&T]

Isla Mujeres, where to start . . . . the people, the food, the scenery, the FISHING!!??!!??!!

The place is amazing!

Mary and I flew out of Newark on Thursday 8:00 am (Jan29th) morning and landed in Cancun, Mexico. Met up with our friends Jim and Sandy McCarthy and grabbed a cab to the docks. Well, we walk through the marina and what do we see the Conatango, a 53' Jarrett Bay waiting for us at the dock! Capt. Keith Greenburg and mate Reuben Pena figured why waste time getting a ferry, when they could pick us up and we could get right to business. So we load up the boat, leave Cancun, and head straight out to the fishing grounds!!! Why waste time right???

I'm no Capt Josh, so I won't embarass myself with trying to spin some poetry, all I can say is the place is absolutely beautiful, and pictures don't do it justice! The water isn't turqoise its some better color (But I'll get some pictures up anyway)

Fishing started around 1:30pm on Thursday, fished out front I think between 8-10 miles. The action started right away, and the sails we're in the spread. For those that don't know Jim, Sandy and Keith are the Covert Mission Team, the same team that caught over 100 whites off Cape May and Sandy is Cape May Marlin and Tuna Clubs Angler of the Year! So, obviously they are a well oiled machine and throw in a world class mate like Reuben Pena, and you're talking the big leagues! So for the first hour I just tried not to screw up Well, they coached Mary and I along and soon we started getting in the groove.
First half day (3 hours)= 7 sails
Thursday night we went to Jax for some food and drinks. Great fish Tacos' and fun place. If your in town check it out http://www.jaxsportfishing.com/bar.asp

Friday, as soon as we woke we headed out. After, a short run north (lines in about 7:40), I heard Capt Keith start laughing as he dropped back on the throttles. As we set out the spread we saw why he was happy. Sails cutting the surface and birds up top, and free jumpers (everywhere, all day long)! This is what fishing ISLA is all about! I won't pretend to know the order we caught the fish, becuase the day is a blur! We had doubles, triples, quads, heck we even had 5 hooked up once but we lost the last one(guess who) At one point, in the course of the day, Sandy and Mary asked what time it was and I said 10 am and everyone looked at me like I was crazy! All in all we released 27 sails After a crazy day we hit, Angelos/Cuba Libre, where I had the best Cuban Sandwich I've ever had! A bunch of Havana Club Rums and back to the bunks.

Saturday, was blowing like crazy (rum front ), so we explored the island. The crazy thing about Isla, is that most people travel by golf cart or scooter, most of the cars are taxis. Stopped by a friends house on the south end, all I can say is I am jealous! The girls shopped for a while ($$!!!$$!!!) and we ended our day having dinner @ Bamboos, also another great place to check out.

Sunday, the weather was a little better but since it was our last chance, we fished! Now, it was rough ride out! But the Contango ate the sea up like it was nothing, oh yeah at 30kts! Easily the best ride I've ever been on. We searched for awhile, but the cutters just were'nt there, we finally found some fish. The tally 8 fish. Back at the dock we met up with Tom Byrne (Insure), Jim Byrne, Jonas and Bob (from Badger), they we're fishing the Contango on Monday-Thursday. We grabbed dinner with them at Rolandi's in town, (more great food) and watched the Super Bowl.

Monday morning we headed home

Hopefully we'll get a great report from Tom when his trip is over. Good Luck!

[Russell A. Jost]

Hey Chuck and Mary, sounds like one for the memory books. Great company, great crew, great boat= a great time!

[JUST RELEASED 34]

Nice trip......I cant wait to get there on feb 19.....cant wait to see the pics!!!

[LadyAngler]

Gotta warn everyone that unfortunately Sandy and I didn't get to take as many pics as we normally do since . . . oops, we were busy fishing!!! Capt. Keith, at one point, said to us we have to have a designated photographer and we said in unison, "NOT ME"!! What pics we did get are still going to help us remember what turned out to be an unbelievable fishing experience . . . 42 Sailfish releases in 2 1/2 days!!!! Not to mention the "I lost count" of free jumping Sailfish we saw on Friday!!!

[LadyAngler]

Our Ferry ride leaving Cancun to the fishing grounds, we had just gotten off the plane about an hour earlier.


I think Jimmy waiting patiently to get baits back in the water after this release. You'll see Reuben releasing to his right and the sailfish in the water next the boat.


Chuck's first Sailfish release.

[mkelly]

Your killing me. I leave friday for Isla. I cant wait. Great trip report. The bad thing about Isla is going home.

[whowantstoknow]

sounds like a great trip.....im jealous

[covertmission]

It was really a great trip, the weather was perfect, fish were biting and we were not at work. Thursday and Friday were 2 of the flatest days I ever remeber fishing in Isla. Great time with great friends. I am not happy to be back here in PA watching it snow.

[LadyAngler]

Just some morning shots from the dock. I was just amazed at how beautiful a morning it was considering what we left in NJ just the day before.





The Sea Mistress



Reuben Pena, I can't say enough about this guy!!! I don't think he sleeps, he's always working!!!! He had us laughing so much and he's also a great coach!






Time for their shot of diet coke in the morning. Who needs coffee!




Classic Capt. Keith!!!!!

[whowantstoknow]

It was really a great trip, the weather was perfect, fish were biting and we were not at work. Thursday and Friday were 2 of the flatest days I ever remeber fishing in Isla. Great time with great friends. I am not happy to be back here in PA watching it snow.

oh please...BOO HOOO!!!!!!!! Me and Jimmy have been freezing.....oh thats right he was in Miami!!! IVE BEEN FREEZING MY BUTT OFF!!!!!

Glad you guys had a blast! sounds like an awesome time!