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If you didn’t know already, the Spanish word for permit is “palometa.” And the Palometa Club touts itself as the number one permit lodge in the world. While there will always be debates in fishing, you can’t argue with the results: Since opening eight years ago, Palometa Club guests have landed over 1000 permit. So yeah, it’s good.
This place is great. It’s like a hardcore fishing lodge with high-end amenities. Designed from the ground up to accommodate fishing guests, it strikes a great balance between being laid back and classy. All rooms feature a private bath and two comfortable double beds.
Owners, Dick and Kaye Cameron are very influential in all the operations at the Palometa Club. And it shows. Above all, they know that the most important thing to a fishing lodge is having great guides. These guys are, unquestionably, the best around when it comes to catching permit.
Valid passport. No Visa required.
Up to 18 anglers per week
Ascension Bay, Punta Allen, Mexico.
Fly to Cancun, Mexico. Transfer to lodge by van.
Permit, Tarpon and Bonefish.
Year-Round
What does it cost?
2020-2021 Rates
DOUBLE OCCUPANCY (2 PER BOAT / 2 PER ROOM)
7 Nights/6 Days Fishing = $4,350.00
6 Nights/5 Days Fishing = $3,850.00
5 Nights/4 Days Fishing = $3,350.00
4 Nights/3 Days Fishing = $2,850.00
SINGLE OCCUPANCY (1 PER BOAT / 1 PER ROOM)
7 Nights/6 Days Fishing = $6,750.00
6 Nights/5 Days Fishing = $5,875.00
5 Nights/4 Days Fishing = $5,000.00
4 Nights/3 Days Fishing = $4,125.00
Tidehead services are always free. Always. Our prices are the same prices as booking directly with the lodge. You never pay more.
All rates are priced on a 7 night/6 day lodging & fishing package. Shorter stays are available.
All prices listed are per person. Other combinations may be available. Please contact us for details.
Let Tidehead Handle Your Travel Arrangements
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Punta Allen is a quiet, peaceful lobster fishing village located at what is pretty much the “end of the road.” As a result, the Palometa Club has easy access to the legendary waters of Ascension Bay and the 1.3 million-acre Sian Kaan Biosphere Reserve. Many call it the church of permit fishing. And they aren’t wrong.
The Palometa Club guides are exceptional and a prime reason why the lodge can claim to be the “number one permit lodge in the world.”
It’s not good business for us to compare guide staff. There are great guides at every lodge we represent. But we will say this: What makes the Palometa Club special is that all the guides are great. In fact, the owners go to great lengths to make sure that there isn’t a weak link among the guide staff.
These guys are professional fishing guides through and through. They pridefully run their own boats, are serious fly tiers, great casters, calm instructors and are on the water 300+ days a year.
As is the case across Mexico, the guides run 23-foot Pangas with modern outboards.
The Palometa Club is located on Ascension Bay. So, yes, there are other flats species available, especially bonefish. But we don’t recommend you go here seeking diversity. The entire operation has been built around chasing permit. So go get one, already!
Bonefish
Year-round.
Bonefish in Mexico are usually pretty eager to take both traditional shrimp-imitating patterns as well as some of the newer ties, like EP’s Ascension Bay Mantis. Both work. If you tie, it’s hard to go wrong with rubber legs and tan bodies. It’s always a good idea to have a variety of eye weights from bead chain (shallow water) to lead eyes (deeper water).
Permit
Year-round, peak season is February-May.
The waters of Mexico hold large numbers of permit from big, cruising singles to schools of smaller fish. Mexico is the perfect place to hook into your first permit or to continue adding to your personal score card. Crab patterns are the name of the game, so having a good variety is essential for success.
Tarpon
Year-round for juvenile tarpon. Peak season April-June for migratory tarpon.
Generally, tarpon flies for Mexico don’t need to be extremely large. 3-4 inches is plenty. The best flies incorporate materials that create subtle movement. A selection of various colors is important. Tarpon are much more opportunistic than selective feeders. So presentation reigns supreme.
The Palometa Club isn’t a big operation. And that’s what many people love about it. There are six bedrooms (3 upstairs and 3 downstairs) all with two double beds, a private bath, air conditioning and plenty of room to store gear. Unless you’re remarkably particular, we doubt you’ll want for anything.
Aside from those amenities described above, the Palometa Club also offers:
The Palometa Club is very clean and comfortable. There’s a very good reason why so many anglers return year after year.
The day begins at sunrise with mugs of rich Mexican coffee followed by a traditional hot breakfast of cereal, eggs, bacon, ham, juices, toast and pastries.
Hearty box lunches are prepared for the fishing boats and typically include sandwiches, fruits, desserts, ice water, cold beer and other beverages. Lunches are taken on the water or under the shade of palms and mangroves during a mid-day break.
After the day’s fishing, it’s cocktail time at the outdoor beach.
Dinner is served family-style featuring delicious local Caribbean and Mexican dishes like moja de ajo, pollo con mole, and chili rellenos, followed by local desserts.
Flights arrive/depart Cancun International Airport. From there, the Palometa Club provides van transportation to the Lodge. The drive takes approximately 3 to 3-1/2 hours.
It is best to arrange flights that arrive into Cancun in the morning or early afternoon (before 2:00) to allow for ground transportation time. Likewise, departing flights should be scheduled for the afternoon.
A valid passport is required to enter Mexico. Immigration and customs forms are given out on your flight prior to arrival.
After a week hunting the flats of Ascension Bay and enjoying late afternoon drinks at Kaye’s Bar, it’s always a little hard to go home.
