Any last minute advice?

[dpricenator]

So if anyone has some last minute advice, I am all ears. Besides, no way I am getting anything done at work today.

I'm leaving for Playa Del Carmen, tonight at midnight, and will be doing some fishing in the mornings before the kids wake up, and maybe in the evening as well. Our Hotel is north of town, and seems to have a good mix of bottom structure and sandy bottom for the1/4 mile on either side. Planning on just fishing from the sand. Big casts, with big lures is the plan for now. I know I have to be at least 200 meters from swimmers, and will most likely get told I can't fish in front of the hotel. I figure ask forgiveness opposed to permission and always carry a couple 20's the grease the wheels.

I was thinking the main target are Crevalle Jack for the AM Sessions. But Cuda hit the top water lures too, and so do Dorado. And both of those should be active this time of year. What else is out there? I know the Cubrela Snapper, and the rays run at night.

I have a 10 foot Okuma Nomad 4 piece travel rod, paired with a Penn Battle 2 6000, 50 lb braid with 40 lb mono leader. I went up from 30 to 40 on the leader because I managed to snap my line. twice, when I was practicing casting. I have now sent a brand new $9 Candy Bar Spoon and a big $20 Shimano Wax Wing to the bottom of the ocean. I have enough lures so I can still fish if it happens again, but hopefully the 40 lb will limit the line breakage. I am bringing 3 big poppers, 2 big Candybars(2 and 3oz), and a couple harbaits like a colt sniper, SP Minnow and big Waxwing. I do also have a smaller rig and a bunch of 3 inch swim baits, some Kastmaster Knockoffs in 20, 30 and 40 gram sizes, and a couple Krocodiles. I thought maybe there might be some smaller fish that could be caught and used for bait on a bottom rig, in the evening.


Also, I don't mind catch and eat or catch and release, but what would be considered table fare? I know the Jack are edible but not considered good. The Snapper are yummy, but what else? And do you think if I dropped the fish off at restaurant or taco stand they would prep and cook it for us? I might be getting ahead of my self there, but I don't want to release a fish that could be prepped for an awesome dinner.

Anyhow, if you have any tips, words of wisdom, etc, or if you stayed in a Holiday Inn Express last night, please post em up.

Wish me luck and hopefully I'll have some pictures in a week or so.

I'm trying to upload a satellite view, but if you search Grand Luxxe Riviera Maya on google maps you will see the 4 triangular buildings where we are. I like that little point just to the south of the hotel. Look like 270* of fishing from there.

or even better this link works.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Gr...!4d-86.9519403

[Hunters Pa]

I have no intel on where you are going. But, maybe ask at the kitchen before you go if they will prep your catch. They also may be a good source of local info

[dpricenator]

Good call, thanks.

[Mr. NiceGuy]

I have been an adventure traveler for most of my life. I have been to 130 countries. I've never been in the military but I've been evacuated from political upheavals in Iran (unmarked special forces, revolution in March,1979) and Cambodia (Royal Thai Commandos, Phenom Penh riots in January 2003). I was in a coma for 2 weeks in India from an undiagnosed tropical fever that hit hard and wiped me out. I think it was malaria. I have been robbed more times than I can remember, including passports and all money, and prevailed over numerous other robbery attempts. I was once drugged at a resort pool in Mexico in the afternoon. It knocked me out until the next day. I was in jail in Mexico long enough for the people who arrested us to feel convinced they had all our money (myself and two guests from Norway who I was hosting.) At the airport near Cabo, the military guy in charge threatened to confiscate my Cessna 172 in no uncertain terms if I didn't pay him a substantial "parking fee."


Off the top of my head, here are some things that come to mind for the part of Yucatan you will be exploring:


Mosquito & bug spray, good quality condoms if you're single and available, money spread around in different hiding places ....

Emergency contact information for the nearest US consulate or other people and organizations in Yucatan who can help you in an emergency.

It's a good idea to scan or photograph all your documents, credit cards, credit card cancellation phone number, ID, personal information, copies of prescriptions or medications, eyeglass prescription, etc., and store it online so it can be retrieved if you lose it during your travels. Even in an email to yourself will work. Make a second set of copies to carry with you in a different location from the originals.

It's a good idea now to use RFID wallets & neck pouches and faraday cages to prevent remote skimming of your passport and credit card information. Keep your money in your front pocket, not back pocket. Keep a small amount of money in a junk decoy wallet that can be given up in a confrontation. Keep some easy-access bribe money in another pocket, separated from your main stash.

Here's a cheap and inconspicuous faraday cage that I use for my iphone and other things I want to block:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

If you are carrying a tablet, this one is bigger:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077GTPZYD...v_ov_lig_dp_it


CLOTHES AND TRAVEL GEAR for the tropics - things that keep you cool, covered from sun and mosquitos, things that rinse and dry instantly, a hat to protect your eyes, good quality UV block.


If you wear eyeglasses, take an old pair as backup.


Dress to look as humble and inconspicuous as possible.


A-1 Travel often has a rack of travel clothes on sale that are good for where you are going.

PacSafe www.pacsafe.com is one of my favorite sources for durable travel gear.


HEALTH & TRAVEL VACCINATIONS:

Basic: measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine, varicella (chickenpox) vaccine, polio vaccine, and your yearly flu shot.

For 3rd world countries, tropical areas, and where you are going: hepatitis A, typhoid, hepatitis B, malaria. Start taking your malaria pills about a week before you leave, and continue them for a week after you return.
Read about about food- and water-borne diseases. Read about zika, dengue fever and chikungunya virus. There are no vaccines for these, but you can take measures to avoid mosquitoes.

Lonely Planet Health planning for Yucatan Peninsula:
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/mexico/...d097354/361679


READ RECENT TRAVEL WARNINGS and narco news:
https://travel.state.gov/content/tra...-advisory.html
http://www.borderlandbeat.com/


OTHER READING:
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/mexico/yucatan-peninsula
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/belize


10-DAY WEATHER FORECAST:
https://weather.com/weather/tenday/l...+MXQR0138:1:MX


Take lots of pictures to share with us when you come back.


Have fun! Travel safe!

[dpricenator]

Right on! I have a ton of that handled, and some it's too late for. The scanning of all the docs and credit card cancelation, prescriptions etc is GOLD. I'll be doing that this afternoon.

Thank you for taking the time to post that. I'll be saving those links for next time.

[Mr. NiceGuy]

Can you find good cigars there?

[dpricenator]

Originally Posted by Mr. NiceGuy

Can you find good cigars there?

I can, Yes. There is a LCDH (La Casa del Habana) location in Playa del Carmen. I didn't go, as I brought a few of my own. The resort had a selection, but I am leery of almost all "Cuban Cigars" that are sold in Mexico, unless they are sold in an LCDH Location. The resort sticks did look legit though. All the bands, boxes, etc seemed right.

I did not get to fish as much as I hoped. Would have been more if I had not left my fishing poles in the car when we got dropped off at LAX. I bought a cheapo 9 ft combo at Wal-Mart and put my reel on it. Caught 1 Crevalle Jack that could not have been more than 8 lbs, but it fought like a 20 lb YT. He hit a bone white Cotton Cordel Popper, about 3 seconds after it hit the water. I has tossed a coule other poppers with no luck, and was about to switch to the krocs or kastmasters, when he hit. Figured I caught the fish I came for and went to get 2 for 1 Pina Coladas for breakfast. Next time I travel further than LAX, the kids are staying home.