Belize Flats Fishing Trips

Belize Sport Fishing Vacations

A country that can boast 176 miles of unrivalled barrier reef, hundreds of square miles of classic fishing flats, and intricate webs of emerald green rivers attracts more than just your avid fisherman. Fish cannot get enough of the Belizean waters either, which makes this destination ideal for a sport called "catching"-a favorite among expert fly fishermen and your average fish enthusiast of any age or skill level. The species diversity matches the assortment of fishing grounds and makes each trip truly remarkable.

El Pescador Ambergris Caye »  |  Turneffe Flats Lodge »

 

Fly fishing is your game? Come play in these waters and bring your camera. Permit, bonefish, and tarpon are the marquee species anglers cross the globe to catch in the flats off the coasts of the cayes and mainland. Throughout the waterways of the country, anglers will find success. Belize boasts of a strong resident population of tarpon, with the largest members residing in the north around Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker. Tarpon average fifty pounds in the winter, while in the summer they fill out to well over a hundred pounds.

 

Bonefish also have a year-round presence and are perhaps the most convenient fish to hunt. Step off the sandy shores of one of the cayes and you´ll find yourself in a prime flat with no movement other than the flick of the bonefish´s tail as he hunts for shrimp and the flick of your wrist as you fetch your prize. Ambergris Caye, Turneffe Islands Atoll, Glover´s Reef Atoll, Tobacco Caye and Placentia are considered the best bonefish battle grounds.

 

Prodigious permit populations have recently been discovered in the south of the country, where fly fishing is quickly gaining a reputation. Permit can be found near the reef drop-offs and anywhere in the flats. Other saltwater game fish such as barracuda, jack crevalle, and snook also offer the fly fisherman additional challenges during his stay. The fish here put up a strong fight and revel in busting your line and raising your blood pressure, so be prepared for a showdown.

 

Belize enjoys warm, semi-tropical weather year-round-a reason both fish and angler rush to its waters. A few times each winter, Belize will experience a cold snap that will yield great fishing prior, but not during the weather event, which may last 2-3 days. The best (and most successful) time of the year to fish occurs May through July, when cold fronts have stopped passing through and the sun never seems to disappear. While most species can be found year-round, many have usual stomping grounds during at least part of the year.