Damien Nurre
Lincoln Westby - 2022 Orvis Lifetime ...

During the recent, annual get together for Orvis Endorsed operations from around the world, our founder and head guide (yes… even at 81, he is still guiding daily), Lincoln Westby was honored with the Orvis Company’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Lincoln Westby - 2022 Orvis Lifetime Achievement Award

Tips and Techniques

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Top 4 Permit Flies for Fly Fishing Southern Belize

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Top 4 Permit Flies for Fly Fishing Southern Belize

Permit are regarded as one of the most challenging fish to catch in the sport of fly fishing. Their behavior, the often whimsical feeding patterns, is much less predictable than other flats species. This fact, coupled with their reliance on tides, is why permit have the reputation they have. Of course like all fish, they have their favorite foods; crabs, shrimp, and other crustaceans. For years, pioneers like Lincoln Westby, Charlie Leslie, and Will Bauer have designed flies to elicit the fish’s feeding instinct.

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Trip Report - Thatch Caye Island Resort – Blue Horizon Belize

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Trip Report - Thatch Caye Island Resort – Blue Horizon Belize

The moment your feet step off the panga and onto the landing dock of the breathtaking Thatch Caye Island Resort you are greeted by a fresh glass of ice cold watermelon juice prepared specifically for your private arrival. Pearly white smiles of the hospitality crew surround you. From that moment until you return back to the mainland, every wish and desire you have is accommodated at the all-inclusive island resort. The entire island only takes you 20 minutes to walk from one end to the other, it is complete with 15 rooms and can sleep up to 32 guests.

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Best Time to Visit Belize for Fly Fishing

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Best Time to Visit Belize for Fly Fishing

Belize is a tropical country where the average temperature is 84F and it generally stays in the 80’s year-round. This means we fish year-round and the fish are active all the time. The busy season coincides with the dry season from late November to May. The traditional prime time to fish in Belize is from February through May. As the rainy season begins in May and lasts through November.

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Planning a Family Fly Fishing Vacation to Belize

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Planning a Family Fly Fishing Vacation to Belize

Belize is a great destination for a family vacation. The beaches, pools, jungle adventures, Mayan ruins and of course all the ocean activities like fishing. And as a plus, the travel to Belize can be quite simple from most North American cities with direct flights from many international destinations (Houston, Newark, Atlanta, LAX to name a few).

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Tarpon Fly Fishing in Belize [A Basic Guide]

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Tarpon Fly Fishing in Belize [A Basic Guide]

Tarpon are one of the three fish species to make up the grand slam (permit and bonefish are the other two), they are known for their large size, long fights and rod busting runs and jumps. They are the king and queens of the flats. Catching and landing a tarpon on a fly is an accomplishment for every angler. After you hook one of these beasts the battle has just started and be ready to pour out all the energy you have as landing a tarpon is often harder than hooking a tarpon.

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Southern Belize: The Best Destination to Fly Fish for a Grand Slam

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Southern Belize: The Best Destination to Fly Fish for a Grand Slam

According to the International Gamefish Association (IGFA), “A “Grand Slam” is defined by an individual angler catching at least three of the eligible species within a category (shown below), per IGFA International Angling Rules. All catches must be made within one calendar day, and all past and present catches are eligible, provided they are properly documented.

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Understanding Flats Fly Fishing Tides and Moon Phases

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Understanding Flats Fly Fishing Tides and Moon Phases

If you have begun to plan and try to understand when to visit Belize for a fly fishing vacation, you have most likely found out that the tides can play a big factor in your fishing conditions. While there may not be a perfect recipe for picking the best tides here is some basic information that applies to the fishing tides in Belize.

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Guide to Bonefishing in Belize

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Guide to Bonefishing in Belize

Having a reef that spans the whole coastline of Belize, let’s just say there is plenty of fish habitat. It is a true saltwater angler’s paradise. One of the most common game fish to target on the fly in Belize is the bonefish. Also called the “ghost of the flats,” this species can be tricky at times but for the most part, a well-presented fly will always result in a hookup. Don’t underestimate the power of these fish either, once you have them on it’s common that they will take you to the backing.

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Grand Slam fly fishing in Belize

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Grand Slam fly fishing in Belize

The country of Belize is well known as one of the top locations to enjoy fly fishing for numerous flats species. Many anglers travel to the small Caribbean country in pursuit of the fabled bonefish, permit, and tarpon. Some angler come for an introduction to the world of saltwater fly fishing. While others venture to Belize with the hopes of catching their first permit or a triple digit tarpon. And for the lucky few, a Grand Slam is is caught.

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Belize Fly Fishing - Tarpon Leader and Tippet Building 101

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Belize Fly Fishing - Tarpon Leader and Tippet Building 101

*Article from Ruth Simms as she prepares for an upcoming trip with Blue Horizon

The date is August 15th, 2019 and I’m a nerd. I’m actually a fly fishing nerd, and yes I use to watch star trek but that’s beside the point. On the 19th I will take a red-eye down to Atlanta, GA for a connection flight to BZE (Belize City) on the 20th. Being 4 days away from departure a rolodex of items not to forget flip through my mind. I keep thinking of my passport… I know it’s in that one drawer but I had better make sure today after I get home from work. Fishing wise I keep thinking to myself, “Ok the list of equipment on the Blue Horizon Belize at Thatch Caye Island Resort website says for tarpon a 30lb 9ft leader with 12-18 inches of 60, 80 pound shock tippet.” This suggestion has been whirling around in my head for the past 2 weeks.

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A Guide to Fly Fishing Placencia, Belize [A Permit Paradise]

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A Guide to Fly Fishing Placencia, Belize [A Permit Paradise]

With miles and miles of undisturbed flats, it’s a good reason that Southern Belize is considered the permit capital of Belize. There is wonderful habitat for these permit to thrive in and not as many anglers and people for that matter in the south. Nestled on the southern coast the quaint little fishing village of Placencia has become an under the radar destination for many adventure seeking tourists, more specifically anglers pursuing Belize fly fishing and sport fishing opportunities.

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Belize Barracuda Fly Fishing Opportunities

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Belize Barracuda Fly Fishing Opportunities

Like many saltwater flats destinations in the world, barracuda are present year-round on the flats of Belize. A barracuda or commonly called “the wolf of the flats” they are a large, predatory ray-finned fish known for its fearsome appearance and aggressive behavior. Barracuda range in size from a couple pounds to 80 pounds and 6 feet in length. The larger ones are considered “Great Barracuda” and are more commonly encountered when diving or fishing at deeper depths. However, barracuda in the 20-40 pound class are common in the flats of Belize and can be effectively targeted with a fly rod.

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Belize Saltwater Fly Fishing Gear Packing List

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Belize Saltwater Fly Fishing Gear Packing List

So you have booked your fly fishing trip to Belize and are wondering what you might need to pack for your adventure. Here is some general information about what we suggest to pack for fly fishing in Belize.

Belize is a tropical country where the average temperature is 84, so expect this more or less most days of the year. While like any place in the world Belize does experience cold fronts and warm fronts so be sure to check the weather before heading to Belize. A lot of the time when you check the weather during the rainy season it says rain every day, well this may be true but these rainstorms only last for less than an hour.

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3 Tips to Prepare for Your Saltwater Fly Fishing Trip in Belize

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3 Tips to Prepare for Your Saltwater Fly Fishing Trip in Belize

Are you thinking about booking a fly fishing trip to Southern Belize? Or maybe you have booked your fly fishing adventure to Belize and want to make sure you are properly prepared to make the most out of your trip? A lot of anglers that come to fly fish Belize for the first time have minimal experience fly fishing the saltwater. Most are avid freshwater trout anglers that have dreams of catching a grand slam on the flats of Belize. So what are some tips to prepare yourself for your saltwater fly fishing adventure?

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Wading Boots for Flats Fishing Belize

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Wading Boots for Flats Fishing Belize

If you have booked a trip with Blue Horizon Belize, you have probably seen that we recommend bringing hard-soled saltwater wading boots. While this item is not essential especially if you are just going for one day, they do come in handy for certain scenarios out in the flats. It could make or break a day, especially for a beginner angler.

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What to Wear on Your Flats Fly Fishing Trip in Belize

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What to Wear on Your Flats Fly Fishing Trip in Belize

Most people that want to enjoy a day in the sun on a flats boat down in Belize would think of wearing maybe swim trunks or a bathing suit and lots of sunscreen. But, most people who have been in a flats boat for a full day or wading the flats for a full day know that if you just wear a swimsuit you’re probably going to look like a lobster by happy hour. While a swimsuit is perfect to wear as a “base layer” below you will find a general guide of recommended clothing and gear you need to bring for your permit fly fishing adventure in Belize.

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DIY Fly Fishing in Belize

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DIY Fly Fishing in Belize

If you wanted to do some DIY fly fishing in Belize your best option would be to stay out in the Cayes or islands off from the mainland. These cayes are located on the barrier reef, they actually make up the barrier reef. Around the islands, marine life is rich in biodiversity providing great habitat for many game fish like bonefish, permit, and tarpon.

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Hosted Saltwater Fly Fishing Trips in Belize

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Hosted Saltwater Fly Fishing Trips in Belize

Why host saltwater fly fishing trips?

That is the million-dollar question..well it’s simple for many people. They want to bring together a group of friends to go on an unforgettable fly fishing adventure. But if you do host a trip, Blue Horizon Belize will also offer you a free or comped spot on the trip. While restrictions do come into play here as typically you will need at least 7 paying fly fishing package guests in order to claim that host spot. But if you think you may have some clients that you want to take on a Belize Fly Fishing vacation hosting a trip may be a perfect option for you. If you also have 8 or more friends that want to plan a fly fishing trip, you can also apply the comped spot to discounting the rate for everyone. So this is a great option to get the price down.

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Permit Fly Fishing 101 [With Basic Tips]

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Permit Fly Fishing 101 [With Basic Tips]

…Our experienced guides greatly increase your chance of catching this tricky fish.

Basic Tips to Permit Fishing:

  1. Make sure you are confident and familiar with the gear you are using. Be sure to cast the fly rod prior to the trip or as soon as you get on the boat. You want to be able to cast the fly accurately into a dinner plate-sized target at about 40 feet.

Here is what others are saying about fishing with Blue Horizon: