xcalak — parque nacional arrecifes de xcalak
Village at the southern tip of Quintana Roo, almost on the Belize border. Flats of Chetumal Bay with bonefish, permit and tarpon, always catch and release.
Xcalak is a fishing village at the southern tip of the Caribbean coast of Quintana Roo, between the sea and Chetumal Bay, almost on the Belize border. Across from it lies the Parque Nacional Arrecifes de Xcalak, with its barrier reef and a shallow lagoon inside it. The most sought-after fly fishing is on the other side: guides cross the Bacalar Chico channel, between mangroves, and reach the flats of Chetumal Bay. There, anglers pursue bonefish, permit and tarpon, with snook, barracuda, jacks and snapper along the edges and in the channels. It is sight fishing, from a panga with a local guide, with fly or light spinning gear.
best season
Fishing all year. From March to June the weather is usually steadier; the nortes bring wind in fall and winter, and August to October is the period of greatest hurricane risk.
Local rules: Parque Nacional Arrecifes de Xcalak (Conanp; decree in the DOF of November 27, 2000 and management program in the DOF of October 8, 2004): sport fishing is allowed only as catch and release and in the sustainable-use zone for marine resources. The restricted-use zones, such as the Zaragoza Channel and the Río Huach lagoons, and the Bacalar Chico protection zone do not include sport fishing among the permitted activities. The service provider needs a fishing permit (now Conapesca), and each boat angler needs an individual permit. Pay the park fee. Confirm local rules.
- getting there
- From Chetumal, along Highway 307 to the Mahahual junction and then the road that runs down the coast to Xcalak. The reference airports are Chetumal and Cancún; the lodges offer transfers.
- facilities
- Fly-fishing lodges, local guides with pangas, small inns and simple restaurants. The village is small and shopping is limited.
- country
- Quintana Roo, Mexico
tip
Bring an 8-weight rod for bonefish and a stronger one for permit and tarpon, already rigged. Permit show up without warning, and there is no time to change gear.
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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 Mexico
Anyone fishing from a boat needs an individual recreational-sport fishing permit (permiso de pesca deportivo-recreativa), issued by Conapesca and obtained online through the e5cinco system, with fees paid per day, week, month, year or excursion. 2025 values reported by Conapesca: 1 day, MXN 204; 1 week, MXN 510; 1 month, MXN 766; 1 year, MXN 1,021; excursion, MXN 1,453 (adjusted every year). Fishing from land does not require a permit; spearfishing requires an individual permit (NOM-017-PESC-1994, amended in 2013).
- Marlin, sailfish, swordfish, sábalo/chiro, roosterfish and mahi-mahi (dorado de mar) are reserved for sport fishing within 50 nautical miles of the coastal baseline.
- Sea catch limit: up to 10 fish per angler per day, with a maximum of 5 of the same species. Billfish (marlins, sailfish and swordfish), sharks and giant sea bass (Stereolepis gigas): 1 per day. Sábalo, mahi-mahi, roosterfish and baya: 2 per day. In freshwater, 5 per day. Fish caught beyond the limit are released alive back to the sea.
- Fishing within 250 m of beaches with bathers and of commercial fishing boats or nets is prohibited. Sport-caught fish may not be sold, and billfish may not be filleted on board.
- In natural protected areas, sport fishing is only allowed under the terms of the decree and each area's management program (Conanp); many have closed zones and stretches for catch and release only.
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 DOF — Decreto que declara parque nacional a região Arrecifes de Xcalak (27/11/2000)17,949 ha off Xcalak, Othón P. Blanco municipality
- official DOF — Aviso e resumo do Programa de Manejo do Parque Nacional Arrecifes de Xcalak (08/10/2004)Rules 30, 33, 60 and 61: sport fishing only as catch and release, in the sustainable-use zone for marine resources; service providers with a permit
- market Costa de Cocos — Fly fishing day rates (Xcalak)Bonefish, permit, tarpon, snook, barracuda and jacks on the flats of Chetumal Bay, crossing through the Bacalar Chico channel; the day rate includes the park fee and fishing license