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.
Southern Belize is a perfect place for a couples vacation or honeymoon with some fly fishing mixed in. As a travel destination, Belize is known for adventure tourism that is rich with culture and warm and fuzzy hospitality. The Caribbean seas and genuine hospitality make it a great place for couples to spend some quality time together. Belize is also top on the list for many anglers, with beautiful saltwater flats teeming with flats species like permit, bonefish and tarpon.
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.
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.
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?
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.
In Southern Belize, we are in the epicenter for tailing permit. The vast pancake flats provide suitable feeding grounds for a hungry permit. When the tide shifts and the water moves onto the flats, permit move in and gorge on the crabs, shrimp, baitfish, even the sea urchins and small lobsters. Typically, this feeding frenzy will result in tailing permit.
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.
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.
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.
A quality fly fishing guide is what makes the international fly fishing travel experience so enjoyable. So what is that makes a great guide? First and foremost, knowledge of the local fishery and fly fishing expertise. But attitude is also an essential trait to a quality fly fishing guide. Is it a job for the guide? Or it is a passion and way of life? Successful guides will effectively translate their passion of the fishery to you.
Welcome!
Thank you for choosing Blue Horizon Fishing, a Muy’Ono Company, for your upcoming fishing adventure.
We look forward to fishing with you and welcoming you to our recently rebuilt Blue Horizon Lodge. Our lodge offers the best in local food, warm Belizean hospitality, and of course prime fishing. We hope you will find this document useful as you plan your trip to beautiful Belize.
We are available to answer any further questions via email at info@bluehorizonbelize.com or by calling us at 1-800-313-1672.
…Our experienced guides greatly increase your chance of catching this tricky fish.
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.
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