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.

Each permit fishery has a unique characteristic, and even some specific flats have certain flies that work better than others. It is also important to consider the best way to present the fly, some fly patterns should be striped, others are more effective when they get little or no movement fished on the ‘drop’. Remember, crabs don’t often flee from their predators. Instead, they hide, burying themselves in the sand and turtle grass. 

Here is what we have found to be the go-to-flies on the flats of the best permit fishing flats in Belize. 

Number 1: Bauer Crab Fly

The Bauer Crab is hands down the absolute must-have fly for fishing for permit in Southern Belize. Both variations of this fly will produce, in olive and tan. In the South Water Marine Reserve between Dangriga and Placencia, the tan version is the top producer. In the far southern reaches of Belize, the olive variation is the ‘go to’. Developed by the permit pioneer Will Bauer, the fly was honed in after many annual trips to Belize to fish with legendary permit guide Lincoln Westby. This fly has seen more fish brought to hand than perhaps any other crab pattern. The thick body mimics a crab very well and the Rubber Legs give it motion. This fly is best fished ‘still’ or with a slight amount of movement. The broad profile and stiff legs give this fly life like characteristics of a live still crab. It is very common for this pattern to be eaten as it sinks to the bottom, or when perfectly placed in front of a tailing permit. It is recommended to have this pattern in a variety of sizes based on conditions, recommended sizes include 4, 6, and 8.

Number 2: Camo Crab Fly

In Belize, permit eat lots of crabs. This will be evident when you spend some time on the reefs or pancake flats examining what lives underwater. If you flip a few rocks (just like you would on your local trout stream) you’ll see what the permit sees… and eats. One of the most common critters you will find is the small crabs. They range in color for dark green to near white. These multi-colored crabs are the food of permit (and to a lesser extent bonefish). Many of these crabs tend to be no bigger than a nickel, they have short but prominent legs. A normal crab pattern about the size of a quarter is two big, a solid colored crab doesn't look like the real thing. The Camo Crab has begun to give the Bauer Crab a run for the money, as a growing continent of guides is making the Camo their “go to”.

Number 3: Colby’s Casa Blanca Raghead Crab

In the past few years, many of the BHL guides have started using the tan Casa Blanca crab more frequently, and with proven success. The lead eyes on this fly are smallish, making for easier casting, and the fly lands softly, lessening the possibility of spooking fish. This fly should be stripped to activate the rubber legs and to make it look alive. One of the most common shots you’ll experience on these flats are slowly cruising and feeding permit. When you are fishing in this situation, you’ll typically have the best success with a slow-moving fly. A less predictable shot, this situation requires the fly to be delivered close to the permit (but not on the fish). Leading the fish by 1-2 feet can be the most effective (it can also be the most likely to spook the fish off the flats) then a 1 count before stripping the fly.  

Number 4: Mantis Shrimp Fly

One of our other favorite permit flies is Bob Veverka’s Mantis Shrimp. The long rubber legs give the fly a lot of movement and fish react best during a slow retrieve. One of the top features is the bead chain eyes. The lighter weight can be fished in shallower water along the reef edges. This fly works great with the cruising permit you often encounter feeding in muddy bottom flats or along the sargassum grass edges. This lightweight fly can be cast extremely close to tailing permit, with little fish of spooking them. Another bonus to this fly is the ability to cast at the unexpected bonefish school that maybe feeding on the same flats.

Southern Belize has long been known as the best permit fishing location in the Caribbean. The prime fishing area is very large ranging from the southern border north to Dangriga. The two most popular areas to fish are the Port of Honduras Marine Reserve and the South Water Caye Marine Reserve. Both offer, short boat rides to protected groups of small most uninhabited mangrove islands and pancake flats. Schools of permit; small groups, and singles feed on the mixed rocky and turtle grass flats. The Bauer Crab is hands down the go to fly for this part of Belize, but many other flies will seduce permit into feeding. Many permit in this region is attracted to sinking or still crabs. Casting your fly just inside the range of the permit’s vision is the best target. If they see the fly, they will undoubtedly move to inspect. Depending on what your guide says, either no movement or a slight twitch is the preferred method of enticing the fish to eat.

If you are armed with our four recommended flies, there will be fewer excuses for not connecting with the coveted permit. For those anglers who are new to the game, we’d like to offer a touch of wisdom; 1. Always trust your guide - if he says to use one of these patterns (or one not on this list), Fish it! 2. The fly only is 40% of the equation for success. 60% is finding the right fish. The ‘right’ fish will eat just about anything your put in front of it. 

For more information about fishing in Southern Belize, please contact us at info@BlueHorizonBelize.com or call us at 1-800-313-1672

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.

The resort attracts honeymooners from all over the world as it is complete with oceanfront penthouses and overwater bungalows, so there will be no shortage of drunken happy go lucky couples to laugh the evenings away with. The advantage to this is that while yes you will mostly come across a plethora of vacationing couples, you will be all alone in your fly-fishing quest for one of the most challenging sport fish of all time. Trachinotus falcatus. Otherwise known as the Permit.

Thatch Caye is centered in the heart of permit country. Surrounded by the world’s largest living reef, the Belize Barrier Reef you can literally cast to schools of tailing permit and not see another soul for miles past the horizon. One morning we just hopped on a couple of the community bicycles and peddled down to the north end of the island.

Stealthy as we could peering through openings in the hanging palms we spotted bonefish tailing just a rod lengths from the shore. Someone wake me up, it can’t be this easy… All along the west side and close to the overwater tiki bar thrashing takes and baitfish raining just above the surface for their lives echo throughout the night.

The water is alive with hunting barracuda, reef fish brilliantly strutting every color of the spectrum, and of course your game fish: bones, tarpon and permit.

Say for example not every person in your party wants to fly fish every day. No worries, your experience is completely designed by the interests of you and those who accompany you. Snorkeling, diving, lobster/conch hunting, basket weaving, kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, river boat tours, island crawl via a floating bar, body treatments, spa massage are all on the table. Evenings if you so desire can end with popping bottles on a stargazer’s cruise under the Belizean Night Sky. And again if all you came for is the fly fishing then you can literally fish till your heart’s content.

While we were there we had the incredible opportunity of fishing with the Permit Master himself. When you meet Lincoln Westby you have immediate innate respect for this man. A legendary Belizean fly fishing guide he was fishing for permit with a fly rod before the rest of the world knew what a permit was.

At 78 years of age, he was polling us around the flats as if he had just reached his prime, telling us fish stories from 40-50 years ago while slipping in life lessons of forgiveness, humility and well-being.

Lincoln is simply an immense wealth of knowledge that no video, book or article could ever fully convey. His kindness, patience and direction deemed him an absolute pleasure to spend the days fly fishing with and the words and stories he shared with us will not soon be forgotten. (Lincoln is the lead guide for Blue Horizon Belize, an Orvis Endorsed fly fishing outfitter that operates out of Thatch Caye Island Resort).

The island resort is well aware of the jewel of a location in which they are located when it comes to destination fly fishing so they have cleverly designed several of their cabanas to accommodate the visiting angler. At the end of a long day on the salt, all you want to do is shower and be cold right? Well, you just mosey yourself on down to your private quarters, hang your rods on the fly rod holders built right onto your cabanas deck, step inside and blast the AC.

You must, however, be very cautious of the beds in the angler cabanas…. I kid you not, the first night I slept there I awoke the next morning feeling as though I had slept for a week and subtracted 10 years of aging. A nap could turn into missing dinner and dinner at Thatch Caye is not something you can forgive yourself for if you miss.

The first night prepared by the Island’s private chef we had lobster that was caught that day from a rocks throw away. The food is thoughtfully and artistically prepared as the chef has the support of a crew of 5-6 servers, sous chefs and line cooks all with one goal which is to make sure that every bite is an invigorating experience.

I think that in itself is exactly what this Muy’Ono Resort envisioned when they designed this paradise destination. They pictured a glistening sunset and you walking barefoot, past the breezy palms on your way to a hammock, pina colada in hand and a smile from ear to ear reminiscing on a day of fly fishing that you won’t ever forget.

Article by Ruth Simms (@navajoflyfisher) on a recent Team Flylords trip down to Thatch Caye Island Resort while fishing with Blue Horizon Belize in the famed Permit Alley region of Southern Belize.

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.

 The following designations apply to IGFA Slam Clubs:

• Three species in a day = Grand Slam (Permit, Bonefish, and Tarpon)

Most anglers would say that catching and landing a permit on the fly is the hardest species to complete the grand slam. This is the sole reason why Southern Belize is one of the best places in the world to complete the slam. There is no better place than Southern Belize to get more shots at permit specifically tailing permit. Due to the expansive flats, the habitat is rich in biodiversity providing and supporting these fish with ample food supply. So when you fly fish in southern Belize you should expect to get multiple good shots at permit each day.

While the permit may be considered the toughest of the three species, landing a tarpon is no easy task. Tarpon are the largest, strongest and most acrobatic of the grand slam species found in Belize. Even juvenile fish will put angling skills to the test and strain tackle beyond belief. Resident tarpon are typically small- to mid-sized specimens (20-60 pounds), and the large migratory fish can range from 100-150+ pounds.

Large schools of bonefish can be found on a consistent basis on numerous caye (islands) throughout our fishery. Since bonefish are the most abundant fish, they tend to be the most willing to eat a fly. So typically this species can be the easiest and the last species to catch to fulfill the inshore fly fishing grand slam.

Luckily in Southern Belize the guides at Blue Horizon Belize are very skilled and know the waters and area very well to help guide you into your grand slam of a lifetime. Feel free to send us an email to check availability.

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.

What are tides?

Tides are directly linked to gravity and the moon, the moon’s gravitational pull moves the earth’s bodies of water and this in the tides. The tides will vary in height and intensity depending on where the moon is in proximity to the sun and earth. So when you have a high tide the flats in Belize will be flooded with water, thus bringing needed nutrients and marine life onto the flats. Typically with this comes the fish. But, you do have to take into consideration that certain flats are deeper than others, so some flats may fish better a lower tide while other tides fish better at high tide. This is where the importance of having a fly fishing guide in Belize comes into play. They know where to go and when to go to find fish.

Best Tides to Fish?

As a rule of thumb, the fish will come onto the flats as the tide comes in, and the fish will return to the depths of the ocean when the tide goes out. So typically as a general rule the 2 hours before high tide (incoming tide) and the 2 hours after high tide (outgoing tide) are the best times to fish the flats of Belize.

The stronger the tide the more food will be swept up onto the flats and the more fish will come. A stronger tide means that there is a large increase in water depth and height. So, for example, you would want to choose to fish a 2 feet tidal increase than say a 1-foot tidal increase in depth. As more water will have rushed onto the flat and with this more food and more fish. So look for this when looking at tide charts.

The tide schedule is divided into four, seven day periods. And these four cycles will repeat every 29.5 days, or approximately every month. The four stages include the First Quarter, New Moon, Last Quarter and Full Moon.

Typically, if you are targeting permit in Belize you will want to focus your efforts in that 4-hour window around the high tide. 3 days before and 3 days after the New Moon and the Full Moon phases are your safest bet to be able to fish this window in your standard 8:00-4:00 pm guide day. As around this moon cycle, the high tide falls within the 8:00 am -4:00 pm window. So if you are wanting to target permit and can only go fishing during the 8:00 am - 4:00 pm window it is best to try to book around the new and full moon.

Fish the ‘Smarter, not Harder’:

But, at the new Blue Horizon Lodge, we have been taking a survey of the times that permit are hooked and landed. And you our surprise, we’ve learned that most fish are landed AFTER 7 am. The agreed upon reasoning between the guides, is this has to do with the angle of the sun. The higher the sun is, the easier it is to see the fish, and then make an accurate cast at the fish. Our team still ‘fishes the tides and not the clock’, but they most often depart between 6:30 and 7:30 am each day. But, they will fish late in the day, if that’s when the fish start showing up.

To book an all-inclusive fly fishing package and vacation at the new Blue Horizon Belize Lodge inquire within at info@bluehorizonbelize.com.

Grand Slam fly fishing in Belize

Two Days, Two Grand Slams, One Incredible Video

The country of Belize is well known as one of the top locations to enjoy the sport of fly fishing. Many anglers travel to the small Caribbean country in pursuit of the fabled bonefish, permit, and tarpon, and catching all three in one day is known as a Grand Slam. 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.

There is no doubt that Belize is one of (if not the top) top locations in the world to catch a Grand Slam on a fly. The prolific populations of bonefish deliver a nearly 100% guarantee of “catching” a bonefish, not just “fishing” for bonefish. Both resident and migratory tarpon swim in the emerald waters of Belize, granting ample opportunities for jumping and landing tarpon ranging in size from a few pounds to over 150 pounds. But the abundant schools of permit are what truly make Belize special. Few fisheries in the world can claim to have the quality permit fishing that Belize has. Often regarded as the most difficult of the three species to catch, the sheer numbers of permit in Belize converts landing all three in one day from a dream to a reality.

While fishing with Blue Horizon’s guides, Lincoln Westby and Marlon Leslie, our General Manager, Damien Nurre, experienced the highest potential of the fishery. And our friend Will Phelps was in right place at the right time to capture two magical days of fishing on video - not one, but two Grand Slams in two days! Check out the video linked below.

Catching a Grand Slam is possible 365 days a year, but the most likely period to catch all three species in one day is during the spring and summer months. May through early September is the most common time that our guests accomplish this trilling feat.

For more information about fly fishing in Belize for a Grand Slam, send us an email or give us a call!

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

Fly Fishing in Placencia, Belize

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.

What’s unique about Placencia is it located on a thin peninsula with a large lagoon on one side and the ocean on the other, the isolated village is a must-see for any traveler. “The sidewalk” on the tip on the peninsula has numerous smaller resorts, BandB’s, local restaurants and bars perfect for a couple of day stay for any angler.

The Travel to Placencia Village:

The small village is perfect as travelers do not need any sort of transportation to access all the amenities and services. Many of the accommodations offer complimentary shuttles as well as free bikes. A lot of tourists also like to utilize golf carts while staying in Placencia. The easiest way to get to Placencia is to take a commuter flight from Belize International Airport. Airlines like Tropic Air or Maya Island Air offer flights every hour or so throughout the day and the cost is around $265.00 per person roundtrip. The flight time is around 35 minutes as driving could take 4-5 hours, so for most the flight is the way to go.

Accommodations in Placencia Village:

Since the small tourism boom in Placencia, the locals and hospitality companies have created many different lodging options to meet each traveler’s needs. On the tip of the Peninsula, there are many different vacation rentals as well as a small resort called the Brisa Oceano. This resort has wonderful rooms, complete with full kitchens. It is located on the very tip of the Peninsula on the sidewalk and on the beach. So this makes it perfect for travelers looking to enjoy all the local cuisine and culture the Peninsula has to offer. It is also located next to the two well-known bars where most people wind down there day. The bars are called the Tipsy Tuna and Barefoot Beach Bar. Definitely check these out and enjoy the beach views and tropical drinks.

If you are looking for accommodations with a little more amenities and services, a little bit farther out of the main village there are some wonderful resorts including the Placencia Resort. This resort is complete with multiple restaurants onsite, a pool, exercise room, variety of room types and full harbor.

Another option that many tourists prefer is to do a combo trip where they stay 3-5 nights on the mainland and then head out to a caye or island to stay 3-5 nights. This way you get the full Belizean experience of the culture on the mainland and then escape to the beauty of a Caribbean island. One island I recommend highly due to its location of wonderful fishing and snorkeling is Ranguana Caye. This Belizean island has a great flat for DIY fly fishing for bonefish.

The Fly Fishing in Placencia Belize

Like most other areas on the mainland of Belize, the fishing right off the beach in Placencia is not that productive as the reef is located about 20 miles offshore. The reef is where phenomenal fishing occurs. So hiring a guide is essential to your fishing adventure when you're in Placencia. While at certain times of the year and certain conditions there can be some beach fishing for jacks, tarpon, snook, and barracuda. Don’t count on this as it can be a bit finicky. But the true draw to this village is the reef right off the coast. The fishery is just endless with pancake flats, cayes, and lagoons in islands that tarpon frequent (Tarpon Caye). As well as some blue water right off the reef that can be productive for deep sea fishing.

Many of the guides at Blue Horizon Belize, are born and raised in Placencia or the nearby village of Independence. These Placencia fly fishing guides are the real deal and will take you on an unforgettable fly fishing experience for permit, tarpon, bonefish and much more. To book your fly fishing adventure in Placencia, reach out to us at info@bluehorizonbelize.com. We offer package specials with lodging, food, and guided fishing.

Honeymoon Island Fly Fishing Trip in Belize

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.

At Blue Horizon Belize we offer customizable honeymoon and couples fly fishing packages. You can decide how many days you want to book a fly fishing guide and if you want to add anything other activities like SCUBA diving. The guides at Blue Horizon Belize are also happy to take you for a combo day of snorkeling and fly fishing. We can also accommodate spin fishing if your spouse is not comfortable with a fly rod. But…there are nearby cayes with schools of bonefish that can be a lot of fun for a novice angler.

Blue Horizon Belize works exclusively with Thatch Caye Island Resort. This small resort offers adventure and island fun in a barefoot casual environment. The accommodations are breathtaking with a rustic Belizean feel, but only include the necessities, unlike your typical luxury hotel suite. The island is limited to 30 guests at a time and 15 rooms. It also has 5 Premier Over Water Bungalows, which are a favorite for couples. The single standing structures are the perfect romantic accommodation. Some of our guests have claimed that they have caught permit and bonefish standing on the porch of their Over Water Bungalow. One guest even provided a picture so the proof was in the picture.

There is a nice flat at Thatch Caye that sometimes will have bonefish and permit feeding at certain tides. You can also kayak and paddle board to nearby cayes that have some wadable flats. But the true experience is to hire one of Blue Horizon’s local Belizean fly fishing guides for a professional guided trip. Thatch Caye is located in the South Water Caye Marine Reserve. This area is known as “permit alley” due to the vast amount of flats with tailing permit. The best part about Thatch Caye is that the guide will pick you up and within two minutes you could be having shots at permit, bonefish, and tarpon. It is a true saltwater angler’s paradise and the accommodations and food at Thatch Caye are wonderful.

We also offer “Rock to Reef” packages with Copal Tree Lodge, which is located to the south in Punta Gorda. Couples will enjoy 3-5 nights at each resort. You will get the jungle land based adventure at Copal Tree Lodge and then the island getaway at Thatch Caye. At Copal Tree the fishing program is more focused on permit, so Thatch Caye does offer better fly fishing opportunities for the novice angler.

Whether your planning a romantic getaway, or celebrating an anniversary or want to do a couples trip with some of your friends Thatch Caye Island Resort is a great option for fly fishing anglers. Be sure to send us an email at info@bluehorizonbelize.com to check availability and inquire about a customized couples fly fishing vacation.

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?

Tip #1: Have the right gear and know-how to use it.

Make sure to come prepared with the correct gear for your Belize fly fishing adventure. While many lodges, outfitters, and guides do provide gear it is not always everything that you need to make the most of your Belize fly fishing trip. It is better to be prepared for your trip with your own gear, so you don’t have to assume or set your hopes on that the outfitter your use will have the proper gear for you.

For starters, it is recommended to have 3 rods rigged up and ready to go each day for your guided trip. We recommend setting up a 9 foot 7 or 8 weight rod for bonefish (floating line, 8-12 pound fluorocarbon leader, and a bonefish fly). The second rod would be your permit rod, a 9 or 10 weight rod (floating line, 16-20 pound fluorocarbon leader, and permit fly. The third rod would be your tarpon rod or cuda/shark setup. Typically this is setup with a clear intermediate tip line weight to match the rod, tarpon leader or wire leader if you are after cuda or sharks. It is also recommended to bring a sink tip spool or reel for this setup as fishing the deep channels for tarpon is common in Belize and a full sink line is essential. It is also good to bring a back up 9 or 10 weight rod and have it on the boat in case one of the rods breaks. Think of this as your backup permit rod. By having the right gear prepped and ready to roll you will be able to make the most of your time on the flats of Belize.

Tip#2:Make sure to have a reputable guide booked.

A local Belizean fly fishing guide will take the learning curve out of trying to learn the complexities of saltwater flats fishing and specifically permit fly fishing. The guides are out on the water 200 plus days a year and have been out on the water their whole lives. They know where the permit live, what tides to fish specific flats, and how to make your day unforgettable. More often than not tourists coming to Belize believe that DIY is the way to go and while this may be possible in some areas it is not as productive as fishing from a boat with a guide.

It’s important to book a guide farther in advance to ensure you are getting an experienced fly fishing guide. While some guides to claim to offer fly fishing they are more often taking out spin or reef fishing trips. So be sure to double check that the guide you booked is reputable and understands fly fishing.

The guides at Blue Horizon Belize are all english speaking and are knowledgable, personable, and patient instructors. We do our best to match clients with the best fitting guide for their personality and fishing preferences.

Tip#3: Practice casting heavy rods and be able to haul fly line with one fly line pick up.

One step you can take to prepare yourself for your fly fishing trip is to practice casting the heavier weighted rods. We recommend to head out to a lake or take your boat out and rig up the rods just like you would for your saltwater fly fishing trip. It also helps if you have a friend come along to help roll play real scenarios that would happen out on the flats. Instead of peeling off all the line and trying to double haul as far as you can focus first on accuracy. Have your friend call out “shots” of imaginary fish. For example, they say 12’o’cock 40 feet you then make the cast. Then again 3’o’clock 60 feet. Then again 10’o’clock 20 feet. Try going through different shots just like it would happen on the flats in Belize.

One component to keep in mind that most novice saltwater anglers seem to forget is to focus on being able to make your casting with one double haul. So if you have to make a 60 foot shot at 10’o’clock, try making this cast without false casting. Or once you have made your shot and your line is out, try to pick up all your line and make another shot without false casting.

One of the number one mistakes novice salt fly anglers make is too much false casting. Have confidence in your ability to shoot line with one double haul. So practice this at home and you will be better offer when you arrive to catch a permit of a lifetime in Belize.

Hopefully these tips will prepare you for a fly fishing trip of a lifetime to Southern Belize. Be sure to send us an email at info@bluehorizonbelize.com to check availability for fly fishing guides or to book your fly fishing adventure to Belize.

Tailing Permit Tactics

Southern Belize is 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.

A tailing permit is a happy permit and a happy permit is one that will eat a well-presented fly. So when you do encounter a tailing permit it is your time to shine here are some tips to follow.

Go for the Jugular.

“Hook him or spook him,” is the rule to live by on a tailing permit. 

When you see a permit tailing and feeding, put that fly right in front of that fish. Think of a dinner plate and land it within a dinner plate of the permit’s mouth. You can aim for the head of the permit and hope that fly drops write into the feeding fish’s mouth. This is different from when you have a cruising permit or a school of permit. A tailing permit is less spooky, take advantage of this.

Get Close to the Fish.

Since a tailing permit is preoccupied with actively trying to stuff crabs into it’s mouth use this to your advantage. If you are in a boat, get out of the boat and take the hunt on foot. This allows you to get closer and have a good shot. It’s not uncommon for a tailing fish to come within 10-20 feet of you and not notice as it’s mind is on food.

Don’t Let Your Emotions Get in the Way

A tailing permit will absolutely get your heart rate going. So with this tell yourself before you go fishing that if you do encounter a tailing fish you are going to take a deep breath and relax, just focus on what you know and don’t let the pressure get to you. The mental game of permit fishing is real, so step up out of it and show the permit that you have confidence. You have control to catch that fish, so make it happen.

If you want to book a trip to have daily shots at tailing permit, there is no better place than the Blue Horizon Lodge with Blue Horizon Fly Fishing guides, led by legendary guide Lincoln Westby. To check availability you can email us at info@bluehorizonbelize.com.

DIY Fly Fishing in Belize

The fishing grounds in Belize are endless. Having the largest living barrier reef, second largest barrier reef (behind the great barrier reef), the coast of Belize is dotted with hundreds of small islands called Cayes (pronounced “Keys”). Providing miles and miles of fishable water for the avid flats angler. The question is how do you find and access the fly fishing flats in Belize?

The barrier reef in Belize does span the whole coastline of Belize but the reef can be quite far from the mainland at many parts of the country. For fishing this means that the flats are only accessible by boat, making it challenging to DIY fish from shore. While on the mainland fish do move through and there can be opportunities for gamefish like jacks busting bait in the mornings, the potential for tarpon moving through specific channels or hanging around in the dock lights at night, barracuda, and other smaller reef fish. But for the most part the fishing from the mainland can be quite unproductive.

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.

The most pressured and popular (for a good reason) is the island of San Pedro in northern Belize. The island offers great DIY fishing right off the beaches and can be very productive at times. But it does see a good bit of pressure and the fish can be pretty keen due to this.

There are many great lodging options with productive flats either located right at the island or nearby and can be accessed by kayak or paddleboard. A few favorites for many anglers is the Ranguana Caye Island Resort and Thatch Caye Island Resort. Both have fly fishing flats with resident bonefish and often also host feeding permit and other flats species like triggerfish. Just make sure to bring your own fly fishing gear as typically most of these island resorts do not have gear on hand for guests.

Weather also plays a large factor in having good conditions for DIY fly fishing in Belize. If the wind is up and the waves are choppy is can be very challenging to fish the islands and it can also be unsafe to take out a kayak or paddleboard. So do keep this in mind.

If in fact, you wanted to book a day of guided fly fishing while you're in Belize to understand the fishery, Blue Horizon Belize does offer day trips in Hopkins, Placencia, and the surrounding Cayes. To inquire about booking a trip you can email info@bluehorizonbelize.com.

Hosted Saltwater Fly Fishing Trips in Belize

At Blue Horizon Belize we allow our guests and customers to “host” groups of anglers at our various resorts that we operate at. What this means is if you are a host you will be in charge of getting all the deposits for your group’s trip, taking care of travel questions, and any other questions your group may have. We are also here to help aid you in the process of being a host.

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.

What makes a good host?

Know what your group wants and understand what the fishery and lodge offers. At Blue Horizon Belize, we are heavily focused on permit fishing. This type of fishing may not be for everyone so be sure to communicate to your group what exactly each day looks like and what the fishing catch rates and expectations should be. That’s why we are here every step of the way to help you plan your hosted fly fishing trip to Belize.

If you are interested in hosting a saltwater fly fishing trip in Belize, the team at Blue Horizon Belize is here to help you, reach out to us at info@bluehorizonbelize.com to check availability.

Belize Fly Fishing Guides

Belize Fly Fishing Guides

In the country of Belize, qualified and experienced fly fishing guides can be hard to come by especially during the busy tourist season from December to May if you don’t book ahead. Many renowned fly fishing guides book out quite early, some as far as a year out. While sometimes you can get lucky when a guide has a gap in his schedule but often the top caliber guides are booked and usually booked around the quality tides.

Do note that English is the primary language in Belize. So all fly fishing guides in Belize are English speaking. Some of the guides will speak in the local creole at times.

What to look for in a Belize Fly Fishing Guide?

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.

The guides at Blue Horizon Belize are held to the highest standard. They enjoy what they do and are good at what they do. They are professionally trained, held accountable by the other guides and staff, and have an established client base. They are also all insured and have up to date Captain’s Licenses and Tour Guide Licenses. Two credentials that are mandatory for any Belize fishing guides but often overlooked. These credentials are often a good indicator if your guide runs a “tight” program.

How to Become a Fly Fishing Guide in Belize?

In the country of Belize in order to be a fly fishing guide you need to be a Belizean citizen. This regulation has protected the local citizens of this livelihood and has prevented many international fly fishing guides from flocking to the area to open up operations and guide as we have seen in other Caribbean countries like Mexico. If you are a Belizean citizen and want to become a fly fishing guide you will need to retain your tour guide license as well as your captain’s license.

It’s a Family Tradition

Like many other Caribbean fly fishing destinations, guiding is a family business that is passed on generation to generation. Our fly fishing guides were taught by their fathers, who were taught by their fathers and now our guides are teaching their children.

Many family names are very renowned in the Belize fly fishing guide business. Westby, Leslie, Cabral, and Garbutt are just a few of the fly fishing families that work with Blue Horizon and Muy’Ono Resorts.

Of course, Lincoln Westby, the founder of Blue Horizon Lodge and our lead guide, is one family name to mention. Lincoln’s roots are in Hopkins and Dangriga. You can learn more about Westby family fishing HERE.

To the South in Placencia, the Leslie family is known for their fly fishing expertise. Charlie Leslie, the founder of Tarpon Caye Lodge, is a popular guide in Southern Belize. His son Marlon Leslie is one of the most renowned guides in the region and lead guide for Blue Horizon. Ivan Leslie, Blake Leslie, and Bruce Leslie also operate in Placencia with Blue Horizon

Another common family name of fishing guides in southern Belize is Cabral. At Blue Horizon, Steve Cabral is a lead guide and his son, Kevon Cabral, is an aspiring guide in his early 20’s that will be a permit master for years to come.

Down south all the way in Punta Gorda, there’s only one guide name that comes to the mind: Garbutt. The Garbutts are a family of commercial fishermen that have branched into guiding fly fishing. Scully, Oliver, and Eworth are the three brothers who guide out of the Garbutts Fishing Lodge in Punta Gorda and service Copal Tree Lodge.

A quality fly fishing guide is hard to come by, a top-caliber guide can be expected when you book with Blue Horizon, at the Lodge or at any of our partner hotels.

Sport Fishing License Required to Fish in Belize

Sport Fishing License Required to Fish in Belize

In order to sport fish in Belize, whether it is catch and release or you will be keeping fish to eat, you are required to have a fishing license. The best way to retain a fishing license is to head over to the Coastal Zone Management Authority Sports Fishing License Portal and fill out the electronic form to retain the license. Make sure to save a copy of the confirmation on your mobile device or print it out to have while fishing in Belize.

Upon checking out you will select the License Type to be Sport Fishing (Catch and Release Only) regardless if you are keeping fish or not.

The cost of the licenses:

1 Day $20.00 BZE
1 Week $50.00 BZE

Permit Fly Fishing 101 [With Basic Tips]

Permit Fly Fishing 101 [With Basic Tips]

Permit, are known as the "Holy Grail" of fly fishing, are by far the most difficult, picky and frustrating fish you'll encounter on the flats. They have superb eyesight and a well-developed sense of smell. 

Due to body shape, permit seem to be much more comfortable in deeper water. Although it is fairly common to see a permit with its tail and dorsal fin sticking out of the water, it usually won't remain that way for long. Permit seem to suddenly appear on a flat for a brief feeding spree and then fade back into the safety of the deeper water. They're constantly on the move.

Quick, accurate casting skills (and a lot of luck) are essential. 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.

2. Assess every encounter differently. Since permit can be tough to catch, each encounter with them is different. So be aware of each scenario, ask yourself different questions. Is this fish tailing? Is this fishing moving? Is it a school of fish? Just a single fish? Is there chop to the water or is it straight calm? All these different questions will change the way you target the fish. So ask your guide what he would do in these different scenarios.

   Keep in mind to try to cast the fly far enough away from the fish that the splash will not spook it but close enough that it will first notice the fly when the pattern drops through the water column.

3. 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. So listen to your guide and watch the fish closely. And never pull that fly out to early. Most permit anglers have made this mistake before.

4. Understand the hookset. A big part of catching the permit is getting a proper hookset. The first step to do this is to make sure you have the slack out of the line and you are tight to the fly. So after you make a cast, typically you will need to strip in a little to get the slack out. Once the slack is out you have a tight connection to the fly and can almost feel when the permit eats. Watch the fish closely and listen to your guide. If the fish eats it set the hook with a strip set and never lift that rod tip up.

5. Think about how to land a permit before you hook a permit. What do you do once you hook a permit? More often than not you are going to let this fish run and the guide will use the boat to the advantage. In Belize, coral can break you off very fast, so if you are around any coral raise the rod high so that the line does not wrap on coral. Also, be sure to clear your slackline easily and avoid wrap-ups on unnecessary gear.

SUGGESTED GEAR:

Rod: 8,9, or 10 wt (Stiff to cast crab patterns in the wind). Standard is a 9 foot 4 piece rod.

Reel: Anodized, corrosion resistant saltwater model. Should be able to hold a full line plus 300 yards of 20 or 30 lb. backing.  A high quality smooth disc drag is essential.

Line: Tropical Floating Line to match the line weight.

Leaders: 10 ft. 16 pound leaders are standard. Extra spools of 16 and 20 lb. Saltwater tippet are nice to have.

Flies:  A large selection of crab and shrimp patterns in a variety of sizes, colors, and weights. Tan, olive and various shades of brown seem to be the most effective colors for most Belizean waters. Be sure to have a variety of different sink rates.

Hopefully, these tips and gear recommendations will help you in your journey to catching more permit on the fly. Be sure to send us an email to check availability for guided fly fishing in Belize and availability at the Blue Horizon Lodge. One of the finest permit destinations in the world.