Tarpon Club Isla Holbox

Tarpon and Permit

Isla Holbox is a small, remote island located in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo on the northernmost tip of the Yucatan Peninsula. Holbox Island is approximately twenty miles long, with vast inland flats and mangrove-lined lagoons—the perfect habitat for juvenile tarpon and snook.
• Warm water fly or spin fishing on the Yucatán Peninsula
• Holbox is pronounced holl-bosch.
• Daily guided tarpon fishing trips.
• Holbox's remote island beaches are listed among the world's ten best beaches.

Quick Facts - Isla Holbox

2026 Rates: $600 per boat/day for guided fishing for 1-2 anglers
Species: Tarpon, Snook, Barracuda, Permit, Cobia, Jack Crevalle, Sea Trout
Tarpon Size and Season:
• Baby/Juvenile: 5–40 lbs (year-round)
• Mangrove lagoons for baby tarpon (Oct-April)
• Migratory: 75–200 lbs, most abundant May–September
Methods: Fly or spin. Catch-and-release only.
Boats: 18–23 ft. panga-style flats boats, 50-HP motors; 1–2 anglers per boat
Guides: Headguide Sandflea (a legend), and his English-speaking guide team
Lodging: Lodging arranged separately—recommendations provided
Meals: Breakfast at hotel; Lunch on the boat included. Dinners are on your own.

See Rates & Dates

Tarpon Club Isla Holbox

Two Guides Holding Tarpon Over the Side of Boat

Holbox is renowned for its juvenile tarpon, typically 5-40 pounds, which are available year-round, and for larger migratory tarpon in the 75-200 pound class. From May through September, tarpon over 100 pounds are common, offering anglers the chance at truly memorable battles. These trophy fish are powerful enough to destroy most tackle, and hour-long fights are often the rule rather than the exception. All tarpon fishing is strictly catch-and-release. In addition to tarpon, Holbox also offers plentiful barracuda, snook, and occasional permit throughout the year, making it a prime saltwater flats fishery.

Sandflea with Large Permit

Holbox's Tarpon Club has guided anglers here since 1996. Sandflea, the head guide, is a legend. The island is ideal for anglers seeking world-class, clear, warm-water fishing. You'll target big tarpon, baby tarpon, snook, barracuda, cobia, sea trout, and even permit on occasion. Fly-fish from flats-style pangas. Present your Black Death fly to schools of giant tarpon in clear, shallow water, where each battle can last 45 minutes or more. Depending on afternoon water conditions, trips may move into the mangrove lagoons, where the guide will pole the boat in search of baby tarpon and snook.

Young Angler and Sandflea with Baby Tarpon

Young Angler and Sandflea Baby Tarpon Fishing

Season: Holbox offers a year-round tarpon fishery, with peak season from May through September when big migrating tarpon join the resident baby and juvenile population. During summer, most fishing is offshore for these powerful giants as they migrate along the island. From October to April, the focus shifts to the mangroves of the upper island, where anglers fly-cast in two- to five-foot flats for baby tarpon, barracuda, jack crevalle, snook, and other shallow-water predators.

A Typical Fishing Day:
After breakfast, you’ll depart around 6:00 a.m. with your guide and a fellow angler to the fishing grounds. Depending on conditions, your guide will choose whether to target offshore waters or explore the lagoons. Enjoy a packed lunch on the boat before heading back. You’ll return to your hotel around 2:00 p.m. Dinner is on your own, with plenty of restaurants in the village to choose from.

The Fishing Program:

The cage (pictured above on the right) is used in June for giant tarpon.

Methods: Most guests target tarpon with fly gear, though spinning tackle is also highly effective.
Boats: Fishing is done from 18- to 23-foot flats-style pangas powered by 50-horsepower motors. Each boat accommodates one to two anglers and includes an English-speaking guide.
Guides: The guiding team is led by Sandflea, a legendary head guide with more than 30 years of experience, who personally trains and oversees the staff.
Equipment: Fishing gear is not included but can be rented. Spin or fly outfits—including rod, reel, leaders, and flies—are available for $50 per day, with a $100 breakage fee. A detailed tackle list is provided in your confirmation packet.
Fishing License: Fishing licenses are not included. They cost about $25 per week and must be purchased online in advance.

Fishing chart and species for Tarpon Club Isla Holbox

Sandflea and another angler with a permit double at Holbox Island, Mexico.

Two Guides Holding Tarpon Over the Side of the Boat

Island Life, Lodging, and Meals

On Holbox, golf carts and walking are the only means of transportation, adding to the island’s relaxed charm.
Hotel nights are not included in the package, but recommendations are provided in our confirmation packet.
Meals: While boxed lunches are provided on the boat, breakfast is typically enjoyed at your hotel, and dinners are on your own at one of the many inviting restaurants in the village.
Non-Anglers: Non-anglers can spend their days lounging on the beach with a good book, watching for whales, exploring Mayan ruins, or browsing the quaint shops that make this island paradise so unique.

Guide and our Agent Brad Staples with Tarpon

Brad Staples and guide with tarpon at Holbox Island, Mexico.

Getting to Holbox Island

Quick Travel Summary:
• Fly to Cancún, Mexico
• 2.5-hour ground transfer to Chiquilá
• 30-minute ferry to Holbox
• Golf carts + walking on island
You’ll fly into Cancún, Mexico, with the international airport serviced by all major U.S. airlines. From there, a ground transfer takes you through the Yucatán jungle to the port town of Chiquilá—about a two-and-a-half-hour drive. (Roundtrip transfers cost approximately $400 for one to two guests.) In Chiquilá, you’ll purchase a ferry ticket (about $36 roundtrip) for the 30-minute ride to Holbox Island. If your hotel does not provide a shuttle, taxis are available for the short ride to your accommodations.