History of Blue Horizon Lodge
Lincoln Westby & Water: One in the Same
Lincoln Westby was born on the water – literally. His dad was a lighthouse keeper, living with Lincoln’s mother off the coast of Belize when she unexpectedly went into labor. The two nervous, soon-to-be parents had to travel thirty miles across open water in a tiny boat to make it to the nearest hospital. The baby, however, had other plans.
Lincoln just could not wait.
He was born in the middle of the Caribbean. Lincoln’s first breath was of fresh ocean air. His origin story has become his lifestyle. Being born in that little skiff on the open water created a special bond with the ocean he would hold for the rest of his life.
The Story of Lincoln Westby
Teaching a Man to Fish
Growing up in the islands and along the coast of Belize, Lincoln learned to live off the sea. If you wanted to eat, you had to catch fish. But the waters of the Caribbean not only supplied nourishment, they also provided entertainment, and ultimately, a career. Lincoln figured out quickly that his bond with the ocean was special - that he understood it in a way that few others ever could.
Lincoln’s first true professional experience in the fishing industry was working for Belize River Lodge. The skills he picked up in the British Army got him hired on as a cook. His younger brother, David, also worked for the lodge as a guide. We can credit him for sparking Lincoln’s interest in fly fishing. After a life of fishing to put food on the table, his new passion was fly fishing for fun.
Lincoln and David worked together for many years building what would become a new industry in the country. Lincoln put everything he had into learning about fly fishing with the intention of starting his own guide service. He worked for nearly every lodge in Southern Belize absorbing every bit of knowledge he could. His expertise in catching the most elusive of all sport fish species gained him the title ‘Grandfather of the Permit.’
Why Permit?
Lincoln has dedicated his career to permit. To him, if an angler is going to be the best, they must go after the best...and permit are hard to catch. They are smart and sneaky, requiring excellent fishing skills from the angler and the guide. With unbelievable sight, hearing, smell and intelligence, this fish can elude even the most seasoned professional. One second you think you have it hooked and the next they are gone.
Landing a permit bestows an angler with a lifetime of bragging rights. With Lincoln as a guide, his clients have landed over 2,000 permit. Over several decades, Lincoln’s hard work, dedication, commitment and success has earned him the moniker ‘Permit Master.’
Blue Horizon Lodge: The idea & Creation
Lincoln’s goal was always to start his own fly fishing lodge. He dedicated much of his early adulthood to learning and gaining as much experience as possible. That dream finally became a reality in 1997. On one of their rare leisure days, Lincoln’s wife, Pearline, discovered the perfect island off the coast of Southern Belize. She was the driving force behind his vision and together they established Blue Horizon Lodge.
The island was in the perfect location in the middle of the best flats in the world, but it was not exactly a turnkey operation. They describe the original condition of the caye as just “mud and mangrove.” For months they would make twice daily runs in a boat full of sawdust, sand, rocks, tires, or really anything they could use to elevate the island. With their own two hands, Pearline and Lincoln built a home of hopes and dreams.
The Dream: A Guides’s Guide
Blue Horizon Lodge was finally becoming a reality, but what would make it stand apart? Lincoln had been thinking about the answer to that question for years.
Blue Horizon is not just a place, it is an idea. A concept centered on sharing passions and knowledge while creating precious memories. It’s about teamwork and conservation and focusing on the bigger picture. Coming from a deep desire to make people happy, the Blue Horizon idea is alive inside of every team member, guide and guest that has walked through the doors over the past twenty-plus years.
Lincoln now considers himself a guide’s guide. He is teaching the next generation of guides and providing opportunities for them to grow by imparting both skills and wisdom. Lincoln, the fisherman philosopher, prides himself on always being there when needed. He is a guide on the flats and he is a guide in life.
“I won’t die really. I’m going to go, but I won’t die… “
— LINCOLN WESTBY
Conservation
The Blue Horizon team is different. Lincoln learned early on that the most important quality in a good guide was their passion for the work. Sure, there is a living to be made, but he found that there are certain techniques and beliefs that come out of love for the ocean that can only be taught to those who have the enthusiastic drive to be the best.
The Blue Horizon team is full of passionate guides who care more about protecting the natural world than just about anything else. They understand that conservation is necessary for the industry to have a future. Lincoln prioritizes instilling this zeal for conservation in every team member at Blue Horizon.
Lincoln’s philosophy starts with the notion that even the little fish count. Everything is connected and there is a negative chain of events that can occur if something small is done incorrectly. He instructs guides and guests on fish habitat and reef ecology as much as casting technique. A day on the water with Lincoln is worth a degree in ocean conservation. In Belize, all fly fishing is catch and release and at Blue Horizon we take extra levels of caution to not disturb the environment that supports the industry. One fish in the ocean can provide a lifetime of sport fishing.
Legacy
Lincoln is now focusing on his legacy. He is passing on his knowledge to the next generation of fishing guides. The Junior Guide program at Blue Horizon Lodge is the crown jewel of that legacy. In addition to the hundred photos of permit caught, numerous proud guest testimonials, and the satisfaction of building of a successful business, the impact of the Junior Guide program can live on forever.
The program is currently staffed by the sons of the guides who work at Blue Horizon. Lincoln’s goal is to share as much of his knowledge and passion as he can, preparing these young men for the future of the lodge and the future of the flats.
“I love doing something that will be here forever,” said Lincoln, “because I won’t die really. I’m going to go, but I won’t die… the people I train, they will be teaching for the rest of their lives, and their children will be talking about it…and that’s the purpose of life: if you do good, you’re going to last forever.”
One of the young men Lincoln has taken under his wing is Alvin. He met Lincoln through his father, who also learned how to fish from Lincoln. Alvin got close to Lincoln when he started working at Thatch Caye Resort, another private island resort that regularly hires Blue Horizon guides.
“I learn something new every day from Lincoln,” said Alvin. “It is hard to pick the most important things he has taught me. He says that it is important not to just constantly take from the environment, but to preserve it and care for it.”
When you spend a day in the boat with Lincoln, chasing fish from dusk ‘til dawn, you feel the presence of a man that has lived life well. His enthusiasm passes to you from the moment you step on the boat until the second he says the words, "you got 'em." No matter your level of experience – years of fishing under your belt or giving it a try for the first time – you will learn an abundance about the ocean, the flats, the flies and the incredible fish that inhabit the waters of Southern Belize. You will also learn a thing or two about life.
