Favorite Flies for Xcalak Bonefish, Permit, and Tarpon
Xcalak, Mexico is a fly fishing angler’s paradise. Bonefish, permit, tarpon — the big three all live here, and on the right day you can take shots at all of them without ever leaving sight of shore. The water is clear, the fish are plentiful, and the whole place has that laid-back, untouched feeling that makes you never want to leave.
But here’s the thing: the fish in Xcalak are there, but not always hungry. Some days they’ll eat anything, and some days they’re stubborn.
On my most recent trip, I found out the hard way that having the right handful of flies makes a massive difference – especially when fish get spooky, picky, or decide they’re in a “look-but-not-eat” kind of mood.
This guide keeps things simple. No giant fly bins, no overthinking, no “must-have” patterns that only work on every third full moon. These are my favorite flies that consistently catch fish in Xcalak backed by real days on the water, real refusals, and real eats.
Favorite Flies for Xcalak Bonefish, Permit, and Tarpon
Xcalak is loaded with bonefish, permit, and tarpon, but each species makes you work in its own way. Bonefish are everywhere and usually willing, and you’ll catch most of them on small, lightly weighted shrimp patterns that land softly. Permit… well, permit are permit – plentiful at times but still picky, so show up with a few heavier crab flies and a healthy sense of humor. Tarpon, on the other hand, are pure fun. If you find them, a good cast with a confident baitfish pattern (or even a Gurgler on top) usually leads to an eat, whether you’re fishing mangrove pockets or clear ocean-side flats. Keep your fly box simple, carry a handful of confidence patterns for each species, and you’ll be ready for whatever Xcalak throws at you.
Best Xcalak Bonefish Flies
Bonefish in Xcalak aren’t the giants you see in the Bahamas or Hawaii, but man are they fun. They’re everywhere – mangrove edges, sandy flats, rocky bottoms, you name it. Most of the time they’re totally willing to eat… until they’re not.
On my last trip, the bonefish were weirdly picky. They’d rush the fly, pump the brakes, then ghost away like they had somewhere more important to be. Having a handful of different patterns (and weights) made all the difference. Just swapping flies after a refusal was enough to turn lookers into eaters.
A couple quick notes before the list:
- Go small: Sizes 6 and 8 are generally the most effective.
- Bring handful of size 4s for murkier water or for when you’re feelin’ cocky, but err on the side of small for Xcalak bonefish.
- Go light: In Xcalak, it’s not about sinking fast — it’s about not blowing fish up. Oftentimes, the softer the landing, the better. Weightless and bead-chain patterns outperformed anything heavy on calm, shallow days.
- You might wanna carry a couple hefty dumbbell versions for deeper water, but in general, keep things on the lighter side.
- I personally like extra-small dumbbells/bead chains or even tie some up with a touch of lead wire.
- “2 Strikes and You’re Out”– if your fly gets refused on back-to-back attempts, switch it out. This is where the importance of your fly variety comes to play.
Here are my favorite patterns that consistently catch fish down there:
Gotcha
A classic and still one of the best all-around Xcalak bonefish flies. Tan, pearl, pink — it’s all good.
If you only bring one fly, make it a Gotcha. It lands soft, rides right, and has that perfect “shrimp-but-not-too-shrimp” look. This was my go-to whenever fish were cruising over light sand.
Spawning Shrimp
When bonefish need a little extra flare to bite, this is the fly that triggers aggressive chomps. The little orange egg sac gives it just enough pop without being loud. These guys are also very easy to cast and land very delicately, which proved to be very effective on those calm, windless days.
Squimp
Part shrimp, part crabby-lookin’ thing — whatever it is, bonefish love it. Squimps offer a little bit of a larger profile which gives me confidence that the fish are actually seeing the fly. It breathes, it wiggles, and it lands surprisingly soft.
My favorite Squimp color is natural tan with a touch of flash. I had these ready to rock whenever the bonefish were spooking away from my other patterns.
Mantis Shrimp
These get eaten anywhere bonefish live. Strip it slow. Bonefish will lock onto this thing from a mile away. I switched to this after a refusal on a Gotcha and immediately hooked up.
To my human eye, these may be the most “shrimpy” looking patterns in my box. I have a ton of confidence with Mantis Shrimp when I get the feeling that bonefish want something that looks like the real thing.
Bonefish Bitters
When fish are extra spooky and want a small snack, the Bitters is money. It sinks slow and rides hook up, which is perfect for cruising fish in shallow sand or rocky patches where small crabs reside.
This was one of the patterns that turned tough fish into biting fish on my trip — just a quiet little plop followed by short slow strips and boom.
Bonefish Bugger
We can’t have a list of favorite bonefish flies and leave out the Wooly Bugger, now can we? The Bonefish Bugger is essentially a shrimpy looking Wooly Bugger and can be a very effective, all around pattern (no shock there!).
I liked using the Bonefish Bugger in super skinny, calm water when stealth was a priority. Larger flies can spook off wary bonefish but the Bonefish Bugger is a soft-landing, shrimpy-looking snack that when presented well, can be just what they’re looking for.
Also, check out our Best Flies for Xcalak Bonefish for more useful tips
Best Xcalak Permit Flies
There’s no way around it — permit are tough. Everywhere. Always.
Even in Xcalak, where permit can actually be plentiful, it certainly doesn’t mean they’re going to eat anything you show them.
On my last trip, we had a handful of shots at offshore permit that would cruise right up to the fly… pause… think about their life choices… and then just peel off like they remembered they left the stove on.
It’s a wild emotional swing — your heart jumps into your throat when they follow, and then collapses into your stomach when they don’t commit. One fish on our trip got within a nose-length of the fly, stared at it like it owed him money, and then said “nah” and swam away. Permit fishing is equal parts hope, heartbreak, and wondering why you didn’t just stick to bonefish.
All that said, you still need the right flies. Keep it simple:
- Permit in Xcalak tend to hang a bit deeper than bonefish.
- Heavier flies help get down quickly — think medium dumbbell eyes.
- Colors and sizes shift with conditions, but nothing crazy: tans, olives, whites, size 2–6.
Here are the patterns that give me confidence and actually stand a fighting chance:
Ragheads
A classic for a reason. Ragheads look like the kind of crab a permit should want to eat — even if they often choose not to. Great for deeper flats or when fish are moving fast and you need the fly to drop quickly.
Merkin
If you want a fly that permit follow with intense curiosity only to ignore it at the last second, this is the one. But when they do eat it, they eat it with zero hesitation. Heavy eyes help it get down and stay in the zone.
Flexo Crab
Some days permit want realism. Other days they want attitude. The Flexo does both — it looks alive, sinks quick, and pushes just enough water to get noticed. This is a great option for offshore shots when fish are cruising in 3–6 feet of water.
Red-Striped K**en
This fly is a little bit off the traditional path, but locals swear by it. I reached out to an angler on Facebook who consistently posts pictures of Xcalak permit and he said this fly is the difference maker. I personally haven’t had any luck with it, but it’s still worth a spot in your box.
And for those wondering, the original spelling of this fly is either a swear word or a dick joke in a different language. Honestly not totally positive what it means, but very sure that many experienced anglers choose this fly as their go-to Xcalak permit pattern.
Check out Acocote Inn’s fly tying video on the Red Striped K**en
Best Xcalak Tarpon Flies
Tarpon in Xcalak are just plain fun. You’ve got baby tarpon tucked way back in the lagoons and a handful of resident ocean-side fish cruising the edges. The true migratory giants show up around June, but my trips have always been later in the year — which is totally fine, because the resident fish will still absolutely rail a fly if you put it in the right place.
Unlike permit (who seem to have trust issues), tarpon in Xcalak aren’t overly picky. A good cast and a clean presentation usually get the job done. If you find a fish and get the fly in the zone, there’s a real chance you’re about to watch something explode out of the water. And once they’re hooked? Hang on. They jump, they cartwheel, they pull drag, and they leave you grinning like an idiot.
One more tip:
- Go darker in the murky lagoon water.
- Black/Purple or Black/Red are confidence colors.
- Go lighter when you’re fishing the clearer ocean-side flats.
- Chartreuse/White is my favorite here.
- Choose beefy hooks: Hooks in ranges 1/0-3/0 are great choices.
- The flies don’t have to be huge (think 2-5 inches), but make sure you got a quality hook tied in there.
- And don’t sleep on blind casting into deeper mangrove pockets — if a tarpon is home, they’ll often smoke a fly the second it swings into view.
Here are my favorite patterns that get eats in Xcalak:
Tarpon Bunny
The perfect baby-tarpon fly. Simple, wiggly, alive. It pushes just enough water for fish to key in on, and it works great in the tight lagoon channels where you only get one quick shot. Black/purple for dirty water, chartreuse/white for clear.
If I had to choose one Xcalak tarpon fly, without a doubt it would be a black/purple Tarpon Bunny.
Tarpon Toad
The Toad is a staple for a reason — it has that slow, hovering swim that drives tarpon nuts. Cast it past the fish, let it settle, and give it short, confident strips. It has a similar action to the Tarpon Bunny but can sink a little faster or slower depending on how heavy your dumbbell eyes are.
Lefty’s Deceiver
The Deceiver is the do-everything fly. Need something a little more baitfishy for cruising fish? This is it. It’s great for blind casting toward mangrove edges or dropping into deeper holes where tarpon like to rest. They see it, they eat it — it’s that simple.
Classic colors like chartreuse/white or blue/white are my go-to color combos for this fly.
Gurgler
If you want to make tarpon fishing even more fun, fish a Gurgler. Watching tarpon feed on the surface is about as good as it gets — they swirl, slash, and sometimes just detonate on it.
Baby tarpon especially can’t resist a well-placed Gurgler skittering across a calm lagoon pocket. It’s pure chaos in the best possible way.
Conclusion
If you’re heading to Xcalak, don’t stress about bringing a thousand flies. Just bring a tight little box of patterns that land soft, sink fast when they need to, and look like the shrimp, crabs, and baitfish that live on these flats. The fish are here, the shots are here, and with the right flies, you’ll be ready for all of it — the hard-fighting bonefish, the picky permit, and the tarpon that blow up your fly like they’ve been waiting their whole lives to do it.
Xcalak is special. It’s raw, quiet, and full of fish that will humble you one minute and make you feel like a hero the next. Pack smart, stay flexible, keep your sense of humor with the permit, and enjoy the ride. Few places in the world offer this kind of variety, this kind of beauty, and this kind of pure fly-fishing fun.