Faq Lodge Main

Generally speaking our rainy season is from mid October to mid January and the hottest, most humid weather is from August to September when there is less wind. Normally, however, we have constant south easterly breezes which help to keep one cooler.

During the winter and spring – Jan through June, the weather is usually quite settled and it is our driest time of year. There is of course, the chance of a norther in the early months which bring rain showers, but they usually pass quickly.

The Temperature year round is mid eighties to low nineties with a cooling breeze. The night time temperature drops into the seventies for great sleeping. You will need a light sheet and sometimes a blanket at night. The Cabanas are out over the water and they cool off nicely at night.

Simply email us and inquire as to when you want to come, for how long and how many people. We will make up a quotation. To make a reservation, we require a 50% deposit, and the balance of 50% is due 45 days prior to your arrival at Mango Creek.

Payment can be made by personal check sent to our bank in the USA, by bank transfer, or by credit card. We will send you detailed instructions on how to do this.

There are a couple of ATM's on the island (one is right at the airport) but they may not be very reliable. We would suggest that it's safer to bring credit cards and US cash. Most people are happy to take American cash here.

Euros, however, are accepted only in very few businesses, and many banks won’t even exchange them for local Lempiras! Best to bring US currency.

Ah, yes – the Tropics. This is a jungle down here! As such, it is lush and green, and what we call ‘creepy crawlies’ do make their home here.

We are on the ocean and we generally have a nice breeze, which keeps the no see ums away. All of the living accommodations and dining areas are well-screened and insects are not a problem there. And we provide insect killing spray should they get in.

However, Malaria does occur on the island and we suggest that you consult with your doctor, travel health clinic or pharmacist about the necessity of taking preventative medication. We ourselves do not take anything because living on the island we find that it is undesirable to take medication continuously. We do wear repellent and avoid getting bitten to protect ourselves from the noseeums and mosquitoes. Being in the tropics they are a fact of life. However, they are not excessive and using Deet or Cactus Juice keeps them at bay

Everyone enjoys the intimate, 'family' atmosphere found at our lodge. We usually limit total guests to 10 or 12 but the lodge can hold a maximum of 20 - 3 in each of 4 cabanas, 2 in the large lodge room, and 3 in each of the other lodge rooms. If your group is larger, contact us and we will see what we can do to accommodate you!

We love kids and they can have lots of fun here. If you have toddlers, you might be better staying in the Lodge Rooms rather than in the over-the-water cabanas – for safety factor.

With advance notice, we can arrange a baby sitter. We recommend that you have someone available full time while you're here so you can enjoy your stay. We can hire a reliable young lady for about $100.00 per week.

Everyone on the island dresses casual - shorts and flipflops are accepted everywhere. Bring the usual tropical garb.... shorts , shirts, pedal pushers, or 'high water pants" long pants, light cotton and quick-dry kind.

If you just want a place to stay that's close to the airport then the French Harbour yacht club may be the best. It's only about 10 minutes from the airport www.roatanyachtclub.com

However, if you want to go out and see some "night life", visit some souvenir stores, art shops and restaurants you may prefer to stay at a resort on the West End. This is the "tourist" end of the island and you'd probably enjoy seeing it. A good website to check for a resort is www.tropicalrez.com

West Bay Beach is the best place to be for upscale and more action. It is about 20 to 30 minutes from West Bay to the airport and taxis are plentiful.

We have heard favorable reports about Coco View , Mayan Princess resort, Palmetto Bay, and Cabana Roatana.

Yes, we have a wide screen satellite TV in the Main Lodge. We have a huge selection of DVD movies and a good selection for children too. The TV is registered as if it's situated in Durango, Colorado. This means we can receive sports programming, but if a particular sports event is blocked for Durango then we won't see it. We don't have a TV guide to check programming, so if there is some special sports event you really want to see, check out the time and channel before you arrive at Mango Creek and we will do our best to accommodate you.

We do have phone service here. The number is 011 504 435 2576. We have high speed satellite internet and we will receive your emails at mangocreek@hughes.net – we find this is the best way to communicate right now. We also use the Skype internet phone system extensively and this has proved economical. If you need to email home, you are welcome to use our Internet.

Our local phone number here is 504 9 723 1424. (Dial 011 first if calling from North America).

Your cell phone will probably not work down here – it may need a new “Sim” card specific for this area.

We do not have air conditioning because we are ‘off grid’ in the sense that we generate our own power. The cabanas take advantage of the trade winds for natural air conditioning. There are 2 ceiling fans in each room above the beds for windless nights. Most of the time however, there is a nice ocean breeze that makes you want a sheet over you at night.

The wiring here is USA compliant, but we are on solar and wind power - so you may use your hair drier only when the generator is running (every evening from 5:30 to 8:00 pm.)

If anyone has food allergies or special requirements we are happy to cater for them too as far as possible. Please let us know in advance, so we can shop accordingly.

The room rate is inclusive of local beer (always cold), wine and spirits. If you prefer specialty drinks, such as Scotch or Vodka, you may bring it with you and we'll serve it at no extra cost. Or you can tell us what your favorite is, and we can try to get it here, but it will be charged to your room.

You can bring liquor into the country if you purchase it at the duty free in the airport. It is probably two bottles per person, but check before buying. The duty free store will tell you. If there is something special you would like, we drive right past a grocery store, and your driver can stop in there for you to purchase something.

Yes. You need a passport to enter the country, and to do any kind of banking such as exchanging US cash for local Lempiras. Your expiry date on your passport must be at least 6 months beyond the date of your stay here in Honduras. If you are coming from North America or the EU you do not need a visa - otherwise, check with your local embassy for details. You will be issued a tourist card (a little piece of paper folded into your passport). Do not lose this - it is necessary so that you can leave the country.

Roatan is the largest and the most developed of the three islands located 30 miles off the coast of mainland Honduras. The reef system surrounding these islands is part of the second largest system in the world – the largest being Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.

Roatan has a jungly and mountainous landscape fringed with stretches of white sandy beaches. The main road and several small ones run through the island and take you wherever you want to go – it is impossible to get lost.
The largest town is Coxen Hole, named after a famous pirate (oops, privateer), and is also the capital of the Bay Islands. Even though there are not many tourist attractions in the traditional sense of the word, Coxen Hole is a bustling town and is your gateway into the island – the airport and ferry are located near here. Visitors arrive by sea on a ferry that departs from La Ceiba on the mainland, or by air through Roatan’s international airport.

From West to East, the island gets progressively less populated and developed – from West End, a fun and lively spot with its many dive shops, restaurants and little resorts, to Sandy Bay where you can view the Roatan Museum, Coxen Hole, Brick Bay, Mount Pleasant, French Harbour and Oak Ridge. Then the road turns to dirt and this leads further east to Paya Bay, Camp Bay, Port Royal and some other tiny communities.
Many of the islanders are of Afro-Antillean descent. Commercial fishing is their main source of income – there is a large fleet of commercial shrimp boats based in Roatan.

Most of the older folks speak English as their primary language. Recently, with the influx of Spanish people from the mainland, and the requirement of schools educating children in Spanish, this language is taking over.

Many times our guests have said to us – ‘oh, if only I had known, I just sent a bunch of stuff to the Goodwill!’ So we will include this question for those of you who would like to make a difference here. There are many areas of need on Roatan. Funding for schools and medical clinics is slim to non-existant. IF you would like to help (and this is totally optional on your part!) and you have some items lying around your house, you could think about putting any of the following items in your bags:

Books in Spanish or English - fiction or educational (Science, History, Geography, English grammar, Computers, Sewing, Trades – anything, really), writing and coloring supplies, art supplies, paper & notebooks, sporting equipment, school uniforms (the kids here wear navy skirts/pants & white shirts), backpacks, kids shoes. Anything else you can think of – everything will find a good use.

Any and all medications, reading glasses, first aid materials, toothpaste/brushes, educational materials – most frequent health issues here are infection (skin, eye, ear, bladder), and intestinal worms.

We get asked all the time how much to tip and who to leave the tip with. If our guests leave a tip for our staff, it is always well appreciated. What we do is take the tip, divide it in half and share that amongst the cooks and cleaners. The other half gets divided among the groundskeepers and workshop staff. It is totally up to you as to how much you feel you would like to leave, but we find on average the tips have been about $20 per cabana per day.

Yes, we have a selection of masks, snorkels and fins. But if you have your favorite, bring it along.

Not usually. But if you visit in Dec-Jan, the water, although still warm, is at it’s coldest. If you are in the water for a long time, you could get chilly. We have a selection of wetsuits here which you are welcome to borrow. But if you are an avid snorkeller, think about bringing yours along.

The harbor of Port Royal is very large, and all protected by a barrier reef. We do ask that you remain inside the reef, however. It is a big ocean out there!

If you want to tour Roatan by car, we would suggest hiring a taxi. The roads here are terrible, full of potholes, twisty and the drivers here are crazy. Besides, the local taxi tour drivers we use can show you places you would not normally find on your own. We drive around here all the time but we don’t like it. However if you do want a car or scooter we can certainly arrange it for you.

There are lovely beaches at the west end, canopy tours and zip lines, horse riding and swimming with dolphins. You can hire motorbikes or scooters, visit the iguana farm and the marine science museum or treat yourself at the day Spa.

General:	For fishing:
Passport	Sunglasses – Polarized
Sunglasses	Long pants
Spare prescription glasses	Long sleeved shirt
Cash – US, in small denomination bills	Rain jacket
Clothing – take lightweight loose fitting cotton and quick-drying nylon

For Activities:	For Activities:
Long pants	Mask, snorkel, fins
Long sleeved shirt	Shorts
Hat with ample brim	A few shirts or Tshirts
Hiking shoes	Sandals
“Reef” shoes	Camera
Swimsuit	Flashlight
Binoculars	Notebook & pencil or pen
Sunscreen

Insect repellent – only repellents with 33% DEET or more is effective against sand flies. Avon’s Skin so Soft is popular for repelling mosquitos, and works, but it doesn’t work at all against sand flies.

Hydrocortisone cream and/or antihistamine cream such as Benadryl in case of severe itching.

Flats fly fishing at Mango Creek offers the excitement of sighting and stalking tailing bonefish and permit, all amidst the gorgeous, unspoiled East End of the island of Roatan.

In many ways, the fishing here is comparable to that of Belize. We fish mainly shallow, turtle grass flats, and our bonefish are bigger but somewhat harder to catch than those of places like the Bahamas. Satisfaction comes not in enormous numbers of fish caught, but in the enormous size of the fish themselves.

We are a small out of the way resort, and have little fishing pressure compared to areas like the Eastern Caribbean We have worked hard to protect our local flats and fish, and thus will not put a lot of fisherman on the water just to make more money. Three skiffs (6 fisherman max) are allowed out on the flats on any given day.

Fly fishing in the Bay Islands is a unique opportunity to
experience fishing in a remote setting. Our "home flats" are as close as a 90 second boat ride and are frequented by large schools of bonefish and permit. In addition, there are miles and miles of expansive flats on both the south and even more remote northern side of the island.

The fishing here is steadily improving as we continue to discover new areas around this and nearby islands. We have also waged a campaign of environmental education and are making substantial progress in the battle against illegal netting. As more anglers learn about this area, we fully expect challenge Belize in its claim to be the best area for Permit (In the main season, we see schools of permit in the hundreds and casting to wave after wave of permit is a common occurrence).

Another unique aspect of the fishing at Mango Creek is that most of our bonefish are caught while wading, as opposed to casting from the skiff. The rush of approaching on foot a group of feeding bonefish as their exposed tails flicker brightly in the sunlight cannot be matched.

For detailed information on fishing conditions and what kind of gear to bring, see our Mango Creek Fishing Guide.

We have great fly fishing and spin fishing for Bonefish, Tarpon, Permit and Snook along with 6 species of jacks, barracuda, snappers, grouper, and queen triggerfish among others. We would suggest that you come ready to fish everything. Die-hard fly fisherman should consider bringing a spin rod, just to experience everything we have to offer.

Bonefish- Bonefish can be found in good numbers, with the average size being between 3-5 lbs, and some of the bigger fish in the 9+ lb. range. Most of the fly fishing is done while wading the turtle grass or coral flats where bonefish can be seen tailing, cruising in schools and as larger singles.

Permit- Permit fishing can be good year round, with the best numbers of fish found from February to July. During these months, they are most abundant on the flats, providing more opportunities to fisherman. The permit are at their most aggressive in March and April because of their spawning season when we have seen groups of between 50 and 100 of them on the flats! They are often found on the same flats as the bonefish, but are also seen cruising the edges between the deep and shallow water. The average permit weighs 8 - 12 lbs, but can reach 30+ lbs. In the case of permit, windy conditions can benefit a fisherman because wind pushes more water onto the flats- allowing larger permit to feed in normally shallow water.

Tarpon. Tarpon are available year round with peak season being October to January. November is usually the start of the rainy season and is when the Tarpon are most active. Still, fishermen have a good chance of catching them during the rest of the year. Tarpon fishing can be done either on a fly or by spin fishing and offers a magnificent fight in both instances. Tarpon, which average from 10 to 50 pounds, can be found in deep mangrove channels and along the docks and pilings of the area's small fishing villages.

Snook – We see snook here usually a foot long or so. A good catch would be considered 18" and up. They are found in the same areas as Tarpon.

Deep sea fishing is not a focus of ours, but tuna, wahoo, and some sailfish are caught in the area, along with the occasional marlin. We mostly catch wahoo in blue water, our record being a seventy four pound brute. The best Wahoo fishing is in November, December and January as they come down from the colder waters to the north.

For those feeling the urge to hook one of these deep water monsters, we have recently added a 32' sports fishing boat to the lodge’s fleet. Primarily, we use it to transport guests safely and comfortably to and from the lodge. However, arrangements can be made to hire the boat (at an extra cost) to head off-shore for the day.

The typical day starts early. We do not subscribe to the attitude that our guests should fish from 8:30am till 4:30pm, something many of the larger resorts require. Our guides love to fish (they even fish when off work) and it is up to you to decide when you will head out in the morning. For the safety of both our guests and our guides, we do ask that you are back to the lodge by 6pm, just at dusk, so that your guide doesn’t have to navigate the reefs in the dark.

Usually, you fish one of the flats closer to the lodge from 6:30 till about 9:30 am. Then you can come back to the restaurant to have a relaxing and filling breakfast. Most people love getting some early casts in while still being able to enjoy a big breakfast. While eating, our cooks will pack your lunch and whatever beverages you like into a cooler (alcohol is included in the price so feel free to take all the beer and soda you wish). With enough energy from a hearty breakfast to get you through the day, you are off again with your packed lunch until the evening.

As the tide changes and the sun heats up, you typically move more to the east towards our further flats. Some can be fished from the boat, but most are shallow enough for wading. Your experienced and considerate English speaking guide will amaze you as he spots fish with his incredibly acute eyesight and you’ll spend the day casting to our beautiful species of fish.

Both permit and tarpon have their peak seasons, but are still found year round. The main factor to consider when planning your fishing trip at Mango Creek is not necessarily the time of year, but instead the tide and the phase of the moon. Fisherman should try and find a time when the incoming tide fits well with their fishing day (for instance, when the tide is low early in the morning and starts coming in around 7 or 8am, it's a good time to be on the flats). Our guides also swear that the New Moon is the best time of the month to be fishing for bonefish and permit. Inversely, they say the Full Moon can make the fishing noticeably more difficult.

The site we use for tide and moon info (it gives it both together) is www.mobilegeographics.com. It gives the tide table and moon phase for Port Royal on the same page so it makes it easy to compare.

Of course, apart from the moon and the tides, weather can be the overriding factor on any day. Unfortunately, it is also the most difficult to predict. And though the different seasons do have general weather patterns (see below), rain and heavy winds can make anyone’s day tough. The best advice is to be prepared for anything (a raincoat is a good idea and some fly fisherman bring along a spinning rod for the really windy days that making casting too tough).

January and February - The weather is lovely and mild after the rainy season of November and December. It is usually warm during the day and cool at night with occasional rain showers. We have cold fronts called “northers” that sometimes come down from the States, but they usually only give us scattered showers or rain for a day, then leave.

March, April and May – These are some of our best months. The weather is usually very settled with little rain. It is often breezy, so practice casting with and across the wind. The permit start gathering for spawning and there is a lot of activity on the flats. You will likely not only have good opportunity to catch permit and bonefish, but tarpon, snook, jacks and others as well.

June, July and August – There is usually a mix of afternoon thunder showers and warm to hot temperatures this time of the year. The prevailing trade winds are lighter, but still help to keep everything cool. August has some of the calmest days in terms of wind, making casting a bit easier for a novice fly caster. The bonefish are plentiful, the permit are still on the flats and some big tarpon can be found. If you live in areas like Florida or Texas, these months are for you. Instead of escaping the cold and snow like our snow birds in winter, you can escape the suffocating heat and humidity of August and get in some great fishing.

September and October – These months usually have warm to hot temperatures with rain showers. Fishing in September is sometimes tricky because of very high tides. October is hurricane season for this part of the Caribbean and although we seldom have direct hurricane hits in the Bay Islands (one every 22 years on average), we sometimes get a lot of rain from hurricanes to the north. This does not affect the fish but the conditions can be very wet and windy!

November and December - The rainy season starts in November and lasts through to early January, but most times we still fish as tropical rain comes hard, but for short periods. This is our rainiest time but the fishing is good and it often rains only during the night. The mainland suffers from drenching monsoons far more than we do here on the Island. We get a warm, tropical rain and most people are not overly bothered by the showers.

Our 18' skiffs are locally made, strong and sturdy fiberglass boats with a shallow draft and outfitted with new 2006 40HP-4 stroke Mercury outboards. They offer a smooth ride, even while cruising open ocean in moderately high seas.

We have four fishing skiffs, but we limit the total fishermen to 6 per day in order to maintain a healthy fishery by not over-pressuring it.

Day fishing is included as one of our services and daily rates include equipment, beverages and lunch, and pick up/drop off to and from the small town of Oak Ridge.

On the morning of your fishing day, you will need to make your way to the town of Oakridge, to a waterfront bar called BJ’s Backyard. Most hotels have taxis that they regularly use and can arrange this for you. If you’re finding a taxi on your own, every taxi on the island knows where Oakridge is and almost everyone knows where BJ’s bar is. If your driver isn’t familiar with BJ’s bar, anyone you ask in Oar Ridge can give your driver simple directions.

Our fishing guide will pick you up at BJ’s at whatever time you specify. (Usually day fishermen want to be picked up between 6:30 AM and 7:30) Normally, the guide will immediately take you fishing on and around the flats closest to the lodge right after picking you up. He'll then return to the lodge where we’ll feed you a good breakfast and your guide can outfit a cooler with lunch, water and any beverages you like.

You can pay your bill for the entire day after eating, and we can show you around the property at Mango Creek (if you can spare a few minutes before heading back out to fish).

The cost for a single fisherman is $250 for the day, including the guide, boat, gas, breakfast and a packed lunch with beverages. If a second fisherman shares the boat with you, the cost is $200 per person. If a non-fisher accompanies you for a day out on the water, there is an extra charge of $20 to cover food.

At the end of the day, your guide will try to drop you off by around 5PM or 5:30. This way, he can return to Mango Creek and get inside the reef before dark.

We employ three guides (sometimes four in the peak season) and all are local islanders. Brothers Perry and Kessel Cooper both are from the area and have been bred on fishing and diving since they were kids. Our other guide, Tie-Tie Matute, knows every turn of this island (both on land and in the water) and is phenomenal at putting our fishermen on fish.

All of our guides have ample knowledge of these waters and take what they do seriously. They love to fish and have a personal interest in making sure you catch as many fish as possible. But in addition to being great guides, they are all great people who manage to charm anyone lucky enough to spend a day out on the water with them. They won’t chastise you like the more surly guides at other lodges, but will work their hardest to find you fish.

If you so desire, we offer the opportunity to make an open water crossing to the island of Guanaja (pronounced Gwan-AH-ha), about 30 miles to the east of Roatan. Years ago, Guanaja supported two successful fly fishing lodges that were unfortunately lost in a hurricane. Since then, the plentiful flats surrounding the steep, mountainous island have been left all but untouched. Trips to Guanaja have been quite fruitful; by far the biggest bonefish that have been caught by our lodge have been caught there.

Weather and sea conditions greatly effect whether or not we can make the trip across. Despite the fact that it is less than 10 miles of open ocean, in the wrong conditions it can be very dangerous and we take care not to put any of our guides or guests at risk.

Fishing Guanaja comes at an additional cost and can include an overnight stay at a nice hotel called Graham’s Place if you choose to fish there more than one day. The following is a description of our various options and the additional costs that accompany them:

You will leave here, weather permitting, in the morning with a packed lunch, go across the ten mile straight to Guanaja, fish for the day, and return to Mango Creek so as to arrive before dark. For this package which includes the services of our fishing guide, a driver for the sports fishing boat, meals, beverages and fuel for the skiff and the sports fishing boat, we charge:

For a two day trip, you leave here in the morning with a packed lunch, fish all day at Guanaja, then eat and spend the night at another hotel on Guanaja. The next day, you fish all day, returning to Mango Creek before dark. The price for this package is:

This includes the services of our fishing guide, a driver for the sports fishing boat, one packed lunch, on-board beverages brought from Mango Creek, and fuel for the dingy and the sports fishing boat. It DOES NOT include dinner the first night, the cost of accommodation on Guanaja, breakfast or lunch for the second day, or beverages purchased ashore at a restaurant or bar.

We would take two of our normal skiffs so that there is a ‘buddy boat’ in case of emergency. Because we need to use two skiffs, we require at least two fishermen to go. Cost for this type of day trip is $150 per person with a two person minimum.

The flats that we fish are a mix of both wadeable and non-wadeable flats. However since the majority of the flats that you will be walking are turtle grass or coral, the best footwear is a quality pair of wading shoes or boots. Sharp objects like sea urchins and sharp bits of coral are scattered all over these flats, leaving the barefoot angler a perforated, limping mess. But in a good pair of salt water wading boots, your feet will be well protected and you will also be more stable as you are walking. It is highly recommended that you wear socks with your wading shoes to prevent any sand that might get inside your shoes from chaffing your feet.

If you choose not to buy a pair of wading boots, it is possible to wade in high cut tennis shoes. Sandals or flip-flops, however, are all but useless. Some people have used reef runners (also known as “aqua socks”) but they lack the support of a proper pair of wading shoes.

Unfortunately, we cannot support day fishing excursions from the cruise ships that come into Roatan. We are on the end of Roatan furthest from the cruise ship and have found that the amount of time it takes to get to and from Mango Creek from the ship leaves little time for actual fishing. We pride ourselves on giving our guests a quality experience and don’t feel right about rushing you through your day. So, if you are stopping by on a cruise ship, but plan on coming back to Roatan after your trip, we’d love to have you!

Be sure to check out the “Gear” page, accessible from the fishing menu on our website for a detailed description of what gear you need to bring as a fisherman.

For the same reason as the cruise ships, we don’t offer half day fishing trips because there isn’t time to bring fishermen to our isolated end of the island and back in half a day. It is much more worthwhile to spend at least a full day exploring the flats, especially if you want to catch a good tide while you are out.

Salt water fly fishing without a boat or a guide is a difficult proposition in general. Flats are normally hard, if not impossible to reach from shore and the advantage of being able to cover a lot of areas quickly in a boat is far more enjoyable that trying to do it on foot. Also, the advice and knowledge of an experienced local guide can be priceless- especially when casting to our picky fish.

Additionally, there is a law currently being passed by the local municipality to require anyone fishing Roatan’s flats to have a fishing license AND certified guide with them. This law is meant to protect these fragile natural resources from being exploited and abused while generating revenue for projects meant to maintain this beautiful ecosystem.

Unlike fresh water fly fishing, the fish are moving as well as the water. Also, there is a degree of hunting involved in salt water flats fishing. Stalking fish requires stealth and long, precise casts. But don’t be intimidated. The excitement of casting to and battling these large and powerful fish is enough to turn almost any angler an obsessive flats fisherman.

Light rain jacket	Sunscreen
Hat	Bug Repellent
Shoes for hiking	Camera
“Reef” shoes
Sunglasses
Bathing suit
Snorkle if you have a favourite