Sargassum: Menace or Miracle?
Bad Grass. Hot Bite.
Sargassum is bad news on the beach. Beachgoers run from it. But out on the water? It's an entirely different story. The floating brown seaweed creates an oasis for mahi, tripletail, bait and the sargassum crab that notoriously picky permit love. Tommy Batun, a deaf and mute fly-fishing guide, saw the opportunity and tied a fly that changed the game.
Over the past 15 years, we’ve seen an explosion in Sargassum. Mats of this floating brown seaweed can be seen from space, spanning miles of open ocean until they eventually wash ashore.
From the Keys to the Caribbean, beachgoers all over the world are running from the weed. As it decomposes, it can cause headaches, dizziness, coughing, rashes, and even respiratory issues.
But, there’s a catch, and it's a fishy one.
With the grass comes life. Before it reaches land, it's an oasis. It holds mahi in the deep blue, triple tail in the bay, and harbors bait seeking refuge in the great wide Atlantic.
Specifically in Xcalak, Mexico, it has created a “Food Phenomenon”. Permit, widely known as some of the pickiest fish in the sea, have been seen crushing these sargassum crabs, like hungry jacks fighting over a popper.
The Silent Spotter
Tommy, a young Xcalak guide, saw this and took advantage of it. Watch The Silent Spotter, an award-winning fly fishing film.
Tommy Batun is a deaf and mute fly-fishing guide in Xcalak, Mexico who'll put you on more permit than most talking guides ever will. Working alongside his father Alejandro, Tommy learned with just eyes, instinct, and a communication style he invented himself. When sargassum started choking the flats, he hit the vice and tied a fly that turned picky permit into feeding machines. The Silent Spotter is about a guide who's damn good at his job, reminding us that passion for fishing transcends language and culture.
What is a sargassum crab?
Sargassum crabs are small crustaceans that live in floating sargassum seaweed mats in the Atlantic Ocean. They're perfectly camouflaged to match the brown weed, making them nearly invisible until they move. These crabs feed on the sargassum and other organisms living in the mats.
Why are permit eating sargassum crabs?
Permit are opportunistic feeders that love crustaceans, and sargassum crabs have become an easy meal in areas where the seaweed is abundant.
How do you tie a sargassum crab fly?
A good sargassum crab pattern mimics the small, brown, mottled appearance of the real thing. Use tan, brown, and olive materials to match the seaweed coloration. Keep it small and relatively flat with splayed legs to imitate the crab's profile.
Where can you fish sargassum crab patterns?
Anywhere sargassum accumulates. The Florida Keys, Caribbean waters, Gulf of Mexico, and, particularly, the Yucatan Peninsula around Xcalak, Mexico, are prime locations. Look for floating mats of brown seaweed in bays, along shorelines, or in open water.
Is sargassum good or bad for fishing?
Depends where you are. On the beach, it's a nightmare, causing health issues and ruining shorelines as it decomposes. But at sea, before it washes ashore, sargassum holds bait, attracts predators, and creates feeding opportunities.
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