hanabanilla reservoir — escambray
Mountain reservoir in the Escambray, Villa Clara, with black bass, known in Cuba as trucha, fished from a boat with tag and release.
Hanabanilla is a reservoir lake in the Guamuhaya massif, the Escambray, in Manicaragua municipality, at about 365 m altitude. The dam was completed in the early 1960s and feeds Cuba's largest hydroelectric plant; the lake, 13 to 15 km², covered the old Siguanea valley and has arms between forested hills. The sport fish is black bass, called trucha in Cuba. Fishing is from a boat, with surface and mid-water lures along the shores, rocky points and submerged timber, and with a soft-plastic lure on the bottom. On the south shore is the Hanabanilla Protected Natural Landscape, with trails, birdwatching and boat trips.
best season
Fishing all year. From November to April the water stays cooler and the black bass tends to be more active; in summer, early morning and late afternoon are best.
Local rules: The Hanabanilla is among the reservoirs declared for sport and recreational fishing (MINAL Resolution 20/2020). On reservoirs, recreational fishing requires a license from the Oficina Nacional de Inspección Estatal, whether from a boat or from the shore (Resolution 18/2020, art. 23). The freshwater bag limit is up to 15 kg per day (Resolution 21/2020), and only rod, line and hook are allowed. At the hotel, trucha fishing is tag and release. The reservoir generates power: stay away from the dam and the water intake. Confirm local rules.
- getting there
- From Santa Clara, via Manicaragua, to the village of Salto del Hanabanilla at the north dam. On the lake, travel is by boat between the north dam and the south one at Jibacoa.
- facilities
- Hotel Hanabanilla, on the lakeshore, with 125 rooms and a restaurant. Boat trips leave from there, including to the Río Negro restaurant, and trucha fishing.
- country
- Villa Clara, Cuba
tip
Reservoir black bass like structure: work the points, submerged timber and creek mouths. On bright sunny days, drop the lure to the edge of the river's old channel.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
what you can catch here
before you fish in Cuba
The recreational fishing license is issued by the provincial offices of the National Office of State Inspection of MINAL, within 72 hours. It can be processed by tourism companies, which is the normal route for visitors: the fishing operator handles the license. Basis: Fishing Law 129/2019, Decree 1/2019 and MINAL Resolution 18/2020 (Official Gazette No. 11, February 7, 2020).
- Recreational fishing only allows rod, baitcasting or spinning reel, line and hook; cast net only at sea and only for bait. Nets, longlines, traps and explosives are prohibited (Decree 1/2019, art. 15).
- Tourist fishing with trolling or fly in protected areas (where the management plan allows it) is always catch and release, and this is written on the license (Resolution 18/2020, art. 35).
- Recreational catch may not be sold. At sea, the limit is up to 15 kg per outing in areas of major fishing interest (30 kg elsewhere) and up to 3 fish over 15 kg per angler (Resolution 21/2020).
The rules and closed seasons in the rest of the app are Brazilian. Outside Brazil, the regulations of the country and province apply: confirm with the official agency.
sources and references
Access, facilities and season information changes: check with the lodge, a local guide or the city hall before you travel.
- official Gaceta Oficial de la República de Cuba — Ordinaria nº 11 de 2020 (Lei de Pesca 129/2019, Decreto 1/2019 e Resoluções 18 a 21/2020 do MINAL)Res. 20/2020: Hanabanilla (Manicaragua) on the list of reservoirs for sport and recreational fishing; Res. 18/2020, art. 23 (reservoir license); Res. 21/2020, item three (15 kg per day in freshwater); Res. 19/2020 calls Micropterus salmoides trucha
- official CNAP — Paisaje Natural Protegido HanabanillaLand area of 1,735 ha bordering the reservoir; administered by ENPFF; water access from the north (Salto del Hanabanilla) and south (Jibacoa) dams; the reservoir is at 365 m
- technical EcuRed — Embalse HanabanillaCompleted 1962; 286 million m³ and 13 km²; 43 MW hydroelectric plant; Hotel Hanabanilla with 125 rooms; trucha fishing with tag and release