PRE-TRIP INFORMATION & DAY TRIPS DETAILS FOR BLUE HORIZON FLY FISHING.

If you can’t locate your guide at the meet location, you can also reach out to, Marcy Usher - Operations Manager @ 011-501-612-1295. (From a US phone, be sure to dial 011-501 before the 7 digit phone number.) You can also find BH Onsite Manager at +501-612-1295 on WhatsApp.

Additionally, our on island team can be reach at 011-501-613-6345. From a US phone, be sure to dial 011-501 before the 7 digit phone number.) You can also find BH ISLAND at +501-613-6345 on WhatsApp.

Please read it carefully:  

BEFORE YOU ARRIVE

Please read it carefully:  

CURRENCY:  U.S. currency is easily exchanged in Belize at a rate of $2 BLD for $1 USD, and you do not need to exchange money before leaving the U.S. Large US bills ($50s and $100s) are difficult to break, and we suggest that you bring smaller bills. Other currencies should be exchanged for Belizean dollars or US dollars prior to traveling to Belize. Blue Horizon Fishing and it’s lodging partners accepts most major credit cards. Major credit cards are accepted throughout Belize.

FOOD & BEVERAGE: Our guided fishing program is complete with lunch, snacks, and beverages on all Full Day tours. Sample lunch: Sandwich, chips, cookies, fruit, and beverages - sodas, juice, and plenty of water.  During our Half Day trips, we provide snacks and beverages - sodas, juice, and plenty of water.

WATER: Drinking water is supplied on the boats. 

TACKLE: All fishing gear rods, reels, lines, are included in both Full Day and Half Day fishing tours. Please let us know if you will need gear, so we can make sure your guide is prepared with everything he’ll need to share a great day on the water with you. If you prefer to use your owe gear, please feel free to bring that gear.

FLIES: Included in the price of your trip are a BASIC selection of flies that are needed needed to catch bonefish, permit, tarpon, and more. We highly recommend bringing flies. 

We have partnered with the team at Yellow Dog Flyfishing to fulfill ALL of our clients' fly and gear needs. Rest assured, that as an angler headed fishing with the Blue Horizon team, you can purchase your gear with confidence knowing that the equipment on this page has been vetted and hand-select ed by Damien Nurre, our GM: https://www.yellowdogflyfishing.com/collections/blue-horizon-lodge-equipment-list?sca_ref=6873727.2SLF4dO4F0

MEET TIME / LOCATION: We operate fishing trips from Dangriga, south to Placencia and just about anywhere in between, cayes included. We even have the ability to pick you up at your location for  modest an additional charge. We have standard meet times and locations in the most popular areas. See below:

  • Hopkins Bay Resort: Each morning you will be shuttled to the Sittee River Marina, where your guide will be waiting for your arrival. The shuttle leaves Hopkins Bay at 7:00 am

  • Hopkins / Sittee River area: Please meet your guide at the Sittee River Marina at 7:00 am, where your guide will be waiting for your arrival.

  • Placencia Peninsula: Please make transport arrangements to meet your guide at the Municipal Pier at 7:00 am, where your guide will be waiting for your arrival.

If you can’t locate your guide at the meet location, call Marcy Usher - Operations Manager @ 011-501-612-1295. (From a US phone, be sure to dial 011-501 before the 7 digit phone number.) You can also find BH Onsite Manager at +501-612-1295 on WhatsApp.

TIPS: Tipping is at your discretion and should relate directly to the level of service you receive.  As we are often asked about customary tipping, so we offer the following suggestions.  Tips should be paid in cash, and we suggest that all tipping be done at the end of your visit. Suggestions below are in US dollars.  

Full Day trips - $100-125 per day per guide.   

Half Day trips - $60-80 per half day per guide

PACKING LIST: Belize is a tropical country where the average temperature is 84ºF. Dress is informal at the island resort, so bring light, comfortable clothing. You may wish to consider packing the following:

  • Lightweight rain gear for tropical showers

  • Light jacket or sweater for cool mornings/evenings

  • Light quick-dry shirts, shorts, and pants for protection from the sun

  • Polarized sunglasses for spotting fish (amber, copper, or green mirror work best on the flats)

  • Wide-brimmed hat for protection from the sun

  • Small waterproof bag for carrying extra gear

  • Camera, batteries, plenty of memory/film, and lens cleaner

  • Sunscreen, lip balm, and moisturizers (SPF 30+)

  • Wading shoes or boots for stalking flats fish, if desired - We recommend HARD-SOLED BOOTS

  • Fisherman’s pliers, clipper, and line cleaner

  • Optional: binoculars and snorkeling gear

FISHING LICENSES: A fishing license is necessary if you are between the ages of 16 - 65. You can purchase online prior to your scheduled fishing dates. Day prices are $20.00 BZD, a week is $50.00 BZD. The link for this is here: https://apps.coastalzonebelize.org

GUIDES: All of our guides are English-speaking Belizeans with extensive knowledge of all of the water we fish. Several have been guiding on the flats for more than three decades. They are accomplished boatmen and fly casters, who fish on their days off.

FISHING OVERVIEW: The South Water Caye Marine Reserve, locally known as Permit Alley, is home to prime pancake flats and many schools of permit, bonefish, and cruising tarpon. The nearby Meso-American Reef is home to many permit, as well as jacks, snapper, barracudas, and many other species. Tarpon are present year round and found on nearby cayes, channels, and in the large Placencia lagoon., which is also home to healthy populations of snook. From late April through the month of August, anglers can cast their flies at the larger migratory tarpon. These fish can reach up to 150+ pounds.

PERMIT: The vast majority of anglers come to Southern Belize to pursue permit. Permit are plentiful and are found on the pancake flats and the outer cayes. You can expect plenty of shots at 5 - 25+ pound permit on any given day. Permit may be more plentiful than in other areas, but they are just as challenging to catch. A permit is a permit. The game is about opportunity, the more shots at catching a permit the better your odds. There are few places in the world you can expect to have more shots at permit.

BONEFISH: While the area is most well known for the permit that feed on the flats, there are impressive numbers of bonefish. The most common place to see bonefish is on the flats near the cayes or on select reef flats. On an average day on the flats, any time of year, you will see and fish to schools of bonefish in the 3 - 5 pound range with shots at bigger fish. These fish tend to be in large schools; however, there are singles and doubles if you are interested in more challenging casting.

TARPON: The tarpon migration is generally from late April through August in Belize, and the channels and cayes in the South Water Caye Marine Reserve get robust amounts of the migration. There is considerably less pressure in these waters than in the more famous reaches of Northern Belize. The tarpon in this fishery tend to be ‘eaters’ not ‘lookers’.

OTHER GAME FISH: Barracuda, jacks, mutton snapper, sharks, jack crevalle, and cubera snapper are all available and add to the angling experience. We recommend that you come prepared to at least try for some of these other species during your stay.

TACKLE: If you if to bring your own gear, here is what we recommend.

Recommended Permit Tackle

• Rods: 9 or 10 weight

• Reel : Saltwater reel holding a minimum of 200 yards of 20 pound backing

• Fly Line : Weight forward floating

• Leader : 9 - 12 feet 

• Tippet : 1X - 0X

Recommended Tarpon Tackle

• Rods: 11 or 12 weight

• Reel : Saltwater reel holding a minimum of 200 yards of 30 pound backing

• Fly Line : Intermediate or sink tip (350 - 500 grains sink tip).

• Leader : 4 - 6 ft. butt section, 16 - 20 pound class tippet and 60 - 100 pound shock tippet

Recommended Bonefish Tackle

• Rods: 7 or 8 weight

• Reel: Saltwater reel holding at least 200 yards of 20 pound backing

• Fly Line: Weight forward floating line

• Leader: 9 - 14 feet - depending upon the fishing situation

• Tippet: 2X - 0X - Fluorocarbon offers an advantage

FLIES: Please arrive with a selection of flies. We recommend 4 - 6 of each pattern. 

Permit Flies

Bauer’s Crab - Olive and tan size 6 (sometimes size 4)

Camo Crab - Olive size 4 and 6

Del Brown's Permit Fly (Merkin) - Tan  size #2 to 1/0

Enrico Puglisi's EP Crab - Olive, tan, tri, size 6, 4, 2

Various other crab patterns in olive or tan - size 6-1/0

Smaller, lighter variations for the shallow flats

Bonefish Flies

Pops' Bonefish Bitters, #6 & #8 (Olive and Amber)

Crazy Charlies - chartreuse, white, pink, and brown (unweighted for outer flats) #6 & #8

Gotcha’s - white, pink, tan, #6 and #8

Tarpon Flies

Gummy minnow - size 2, 2/0

Apte-style tarpon flies in various color combinations. Dark colors tend to be better in the early morning and brighter colors work best when the sun is bright.

Deceiver patterns - various colors

EP - Peanut style flies - various colors

All tarpon flies in sizes 3/0 to 4/0

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DEPOSIT/PAYMENT: A 50% deposit is due within 10 days of booking your trip. Full payment is due 90 days prior to scheduled trip. You can easily call us with a credit card if you prefer to give information over the phone. 1-800-313-1672

CANCELLATION POLICY:

  • All cancellations must be received in writing.

  • Prior to 90 days 100% of deposit may be transferred to another date/angler or refunded minus the cancellation fee

  • Between 45 - 90 days 50% of package may be transferred to another date or angler or refunded minus the cancellation fee

  • Less than 45 days may not be transferred or refunded

  • All cancellations will be charged a 5% cancellation fee

  • The unused portion of these packages by guest’s choice are not refundable.

  • Trips cancelled or shortened as a result of inclement weather, acts of nature including hurricanes, airline delays, strikes, or political unrest are not refundable. We strongly encourage all guests to purchase travel insurance.

It is the Tour Operator’s / Agent’s responsibility to ensure that their clients are informed of the above mentioned cancellation conditions and that they are covered by a travel insurance policy to offset unforeseen cancellation charges.

Trip insurance is highly recommended

CONTACT: For any questions or further details regarding fishing, please feel free to contact our Fishing reservationist at info@bluehorizonbelize.com or 800-313-1672

If you can’t locate your guide at the meet location, call Marcy Usher - Operations Manager @ 011-501-612-1295. (From a US phone, be sure to dial 011-501 before the 7 digit phone number.) You can also find BH Onsite Manager at +501-612-1295 on WhatsApp.