Damien Nurre
Epic Permit Quest in Belize: A Permit Triple ...

Kurt Long's story is one of dedication and perseverance. After numerous trips to Belize and Mexico, and countless casts, his 34th day of fishing for permit proved to be the turning point. The film captures the raw emotion and challenges of targeting these finicky fish, showcasing the highs and lows that every angler can relate to.

Epic Permit Quest in Belize: A Permit Triple Landed in Permit Alley

Fly Fishing Tips: Mastering Tides to Catch More Permit in Belize

Fly Fishing Tips: Mastering Tides to Catch More Permit in Belize

Belize. The name alone conjures images of turquoise seas, swaying palms, rum drinks, and the ultimate saltwater challenge: the permit. These elusive fish are considered the ultimate prize for many fly anglers, and a crucial skill to solving the riddle of to catch them, lies in understanding the subtle dance of the tides.

While permit are present in Belize year-round, knowing when and how the tides influence their behavior can dramatically increase your chances of landing these "black-tailed devils." It's not just about high or low tide, but the movement of the water that truly matters. In fact, permit can be found and caught at all stages of the tide cycle, if the water is “rushing." And the ‘rushing’ of the water across flats and through channels is what really get permit fired up and feeding.

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Fly Fishing for Tarpon in Belize: Our Guide to the Best Tarpon Fishing

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Fly Fishing for Tarpon in Belize: Our Guide to the Best Tarpon Fishing

What makes the tarpon, scientifically known as Megalops atlanticus, so captivating? Beyond their size and fighting prowess, they possess remarkable adaptations. Despite being a premier saltwater game fish, they can thrive in freshwater and brackish environments. Their primitive lung allows them to gulp air at the surface – a signal for anglers hunting for ‘rollers’ the creeks, rivers, or channels. Seeing a tarpon rolling on the surface is an invitation for a well-placed cast near where the last "roll" often results in an explosive eat.

Mastering Permit on the Fly in Belize: 6 Essential Tips

Mastering Permit on the Fly in Belize: 6 Essential Tips

Learn 6 essential tips for successful fly fishing for permit in Belize! Discover how to spot, cast to, and land these elusive fish. Expert advice from Blue Horizon guides and staff. These tips will help you catch a permit in Belize.

Epic Permit Quest in Belize: A Permit Triple Landed in Permit Alley

Epic Permit Quest in Belize: A Permit Triple Landed in Permit Alley

Kurt Long's story is one of dedication and perseverance. After numerous trips to Belize and Mexico, and countless casts, his 34th day of fishing for permit proved to be the turning point. The film captures the raw emotion and challenges of targeting these finicky fish, showcasing the highs and lows that every angler can relate to.

Fly Fishing in Permit Alley, Belize: An Angler’s Paradise

Fly Fishing in Permit Alley, Belize: An Angler’s Paradise

Permit Alley, as a region, is located in the South Water Caye Marine Reserve near the picturesque villages of Placencia and Hopkins. It is famous for its expansive pancake style flats - shallow water flats with deep water edges - that create the habitat permit love. Many of the flats in this region are wadable, with anglers easily able to navigate the ankle to mid thigh depths. The flats are often guarded on the eastern flanks by large coral heads - these can create an extra element of challenge, if a hooked permit swims to the safety of deeper water on the eastern edges of the flats. Many permit have been lost due to fly lines being wrapped or stuck in the coral. 

When is the Best Time Fish in Belize?

When is the Best Time Fish in Belize?

The Best Time to Fly Fish in Belize is… Year Round!

Belize is lucky to have consistent fishing 365 days per year. Of course, certain months of the year will produce more fishing success than other periods on the calendar… but we’ll discuss that further shortly.

The climate in Belize is ideal for creating memorable fishing experiences on any date on the calendar. The temperature averages about 80 degrees Fahrenheit and rare sees temps over 100 degrees. Even during the "rainy" season, it is more common to have passing showers than all-day deluges, so rarely is the fishing day cut short by rain.

Orvis Endorsed fishing lodge in Belize 

Orvis Endorsed fishing lodge in Belize 

Blue Horizon Lodge is excited to announce that we are the newest Orvis Endorsed Fishing Lodge in Belize. For the past 5 years, our guide service has enjoyed the endorsement by Orvis. We served anglers the best fishing in the region as we lodged our guests at Thatch Caye, other sister resorts, and by offering day trips through numerous other resorts in Hopkins, the Placencia peninsula, and the cayes of southern Belize.

Belizean Guides Need Our Support

Belizean Guides Need Our Support

There is no doubt that no one in the world has been uneffected by Covid 19 pandemic, but few have been as hard hit as the professional fishing guides on Belize. Belize closed the doors on international tourism on March 23, 2020, during the traditional peak of the most popular time for fishing in the country. While other locals around the Caribbean have either remained open or have reopened, Belize’s government prioritized the health and safety of its citizens over the shuttered tourism economy. And now the people, who rely on tourism to put food on the table, are feeling the deep pinch of no income.

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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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Our Guide Boats: Fly Fishing from a Panga

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Our Guide Boats: Fly Fishing from a Panga

All of the guides at Blue Horizon Belize use fishing boats called “pangas”. A panga is a Mexican style open fishing boat with a bimini top for shade and an outboard motor. Unlike a flats boat that might be common in the Bahamas or Florida, a Panga has larger sides that can withstand larger waves and rougher seas. Often times our fishing guides have to cross certain parts of the ocean where there is no reef with deep depths and these runs can have very choppy water if the winds are up. So with these pangas, the guides are able to safely boat through these areas.

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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.

River Fly Fishing in Belize [Snook and Tarpon]

River Fly Fishing in Belize [Snook and Tarpon]

Many river systems in Belize drain right into the ocean and can provide anglers with some phenomenal sport fishing. Especially when conditions in the ocean are poor due to the weather. Many species thrive in these river systems but for fly fishers and sport anglers two species come to mind, snook and tarpon. Jack’s will also move into these river systems at times, they can be spotted busting bait at the surface and will often move very fast.

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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.

“Never give up on a fish. If you think you blew the shot and permit spooked, don’t give up. It’s common for a permit to initially spook and then come back and eat the fly.” 📸: @mattheronflyfishing ~ ~ 800.313.1672 | bluehoriz
Big news today, Belize’s International Airport (BZE) will reopen on August 15th, 2020. The guides and the rest of the team at @bluehorizonbelize are beyond thrilled to get back on the water. [LINK IN BIO] for more information. ~ ~ 800.313.1672
We cannot wait to have you experience the all-new rebuilt Blue Horizon Lodge. [LINK IN BIO] to inquire today. ~ ~ 800.313.1672 | bluehorizonbelize.com ~ ~ #bluehorizonbelize #bluehorizonlodge #permitonfly #permitfly #permitalley #belize #belizefishin
New Blog: Wading Boots For Flats Fishing Belize ~ Bringing the right pair of wading boots to Southern Belize is essential to your trip. Wading boots allow you to get out of the boat and get closer to a feeding or tailing permit. This is great for man

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