Rio Lagartos Fishing Experience: Private Boat & Wildlife Tour

Cast for tarpon and snapper, then navigate the mangroves for flamingos and crocodiles

A private fishing and wildlife activity in Rio Lagartos combines sport fishing for giant shad, bass, snapper and tarpon in the Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve with a guided nature tour of mangroves, flamingo colonies and crocodile habitat. The guide is a local born and raised in the area, and the itinerary adapts to conditions and your interests rather than following a fixed schedule. Bottled water is included. The guide speaks English or Spanish.

The experience

The fishing starts at 5 AM when the light is low and the fish are feeding. You'll work the bocanas, mangroves and coastal shallows where giant shad, bass, corvina, snapper, coronado and baby tarpon hold. What you catch gets prepared for you to eat. Everything else goes back. The guide reads the water and the season, so the species and the spots change. There's no script, just the knowledge someone who lives here has built over years.

After fishing ends around 11 AM, the nature tour takes over. You navigate the reserve's canals by boat, moving slowly through mangrove corridors where pink flamingos, herons, roseate spoonbills, eagles and pelicans work the shallows. Crocodiles rest in their natural habitat along the banks. The guide explains what you're seeing (the plants, the birds, the rhythms of the reserve), and the route can include a walk to Las Coloradas and the virgin beach of Rio Lagartos. A traditional Mayan bath with natural scrub is available if you want it. The whole nature portion runs about two and a half hours.

The boats are private, which means no strangers sharing your day and no rigid schedule dictating when you move or how long you stay at a spot. The guide adjusts to the light, the tide, what's biting and what you want to see. Bottled water comes with you. Bring sun protection and a camera with a good zoom.

What’s included

• Bottled water.
• private boat.
• certified local guide in English or Spanish.
• personalized itinerary adapted to conditions and your interests.
• access to the Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve fishing grounds and mangrove canals.
• traditional Mayan bath option available during the nature tour.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (16 to 59 years) · Senior (70 to 96 years) · Youth (11 to 15 years) · Child (3 to 10 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 14 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Ricky Tours and Fishing Experience

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English or Spanish, so choose the language you're comfortable with when you book. The private boat means no fixed group size or schedule. It's just you, the guide and the water, which works for anyone who wants to fish at their own pace and linger over wildlife sightings without waiting for others.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (11 to 15 years); Child (3 to 10 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What fish can I expect to catch in Rio Lagartos?

Giant shad, sea bass, corvina, snapper, coronado and baby tarpon are the main species. What's available shifts with the season, and your guide will know what's running when you go.

Do I need fishing experience to book this?

The guide handles the boat and reads the water. You handle the rod. No prior experience is required, and the guide will show you how to cast and work the lure.

What happens to the fish I catch?

Catch and release is the practice here. Any fish you want to keep gets prepared for you to eat. The rest go back into the water.

Is the nature tour included, or do I choose fishing or wildlife?

Both happen on the same morning. You fish from 5 AM to around 11 AM, then the guide takes you through the mangroves and reserve canals to see flamingos, crocodiles and migratory birds for about two and a half hours.

What's included in the price?

Bottled water is included. Meals, snacks and drinks are not. Bring what you want to eat and drink beyond the water provided.

Can I do just the fishing or just the wildlife tour?

The experience combines both on the same day. The guide personalizes the stops and the pace, but the full morning covers both fishing and nature.