Saltwater
Brilliant Belize - Destination Report 2024
Landon Mace October 11, 2024
Belize has always been on my radar and it was great to finally get an opportunity to really dig in and get to know it intimately. It is such a beautiful country with extremely warm and kindhearted people. Most of the folks I met along the way had the classic, laid-back “island time” mentality that we can all appreciate. I was on an ambitious mission with the goal of seeing seven different lodges, spanning from north to south. Travel in and around the country was surprisingly easy aided by Belize City being a single hub from which all all trips originated and terminated. Tropic Air was the airline that I utilized for all my domestic flights and a big thanks to them and their staff along the way.
Here is a quick overview of the lodges I visited: El Pescador Lodge & Villas, Copal Tree Lodge, Garbutt’s Fishing Lodge, Blue Horizon Lodge, Thatch Caye, Belize River Lodge, & Turneffe Flats Lodge. My trip spanned 18 days and included two international flights, four domestic flights, nine vehicle transfers, and two boat transfers.
El Pescador Lodge and Villas, San Pedro
1. Getting there
Fly into Belize International Airport. Head over to Tropic Air for domestic flight to San Pedro Airport. Transfer from San Pedro airport to the lodge via boat (10 minutes) or vehicle (25 minutes).
2. Overall experience of the lodge
El Pescador is super comfortable, with fun amenities and a great staff. Perfect for small or large groups. Dining is family style where you can share stories and converse with other guests. Three separate pools on-site with a renovated bar and lounge. The fishery around Ambergris Caye offers all the grand slam species, as well as jacks, snook, snapper, etc.
3. Favorite moment
For me, it was getting out for a day on the water with the General Manager, Eben. He is a great individual to share time with and does a great job of helping things run like clockwork.
4. Operation synopsis (who is this best for)
El Pescador is a great lodge for anglers of all saltwater skill levels. They offer casting lessons on-site as well as helping anglers improve casting techniques including the double haul. For anyone wanting to chase multiple species with consistency, again, Ambergris Caye is a good spot to look at getting a grand slam. The lodge is also a
great place for families, as the amenities offered will speak to everyone, and they have some great tours for guests that don't want to fish.
Copal Tree Lodge, Punta Gorda
1. Getting there
I flew to the Ambergris Caye airport, making a quick stop in Placencia to drop off a couple of other travelers, and then on to Punta Gorda. Elon from the lodge was there to pick me up and the transfer was roughly 15 minutes from Punta Gorda to the lodge. Elon was a wealth of knowledge the entire drive over.
2. Overall experience of the lodge
The lodge is located 15 minutes inland on a hill overlooking the beautiful rainforest of Southern Belize. There is amazing wildlife all around this spectacular lodge. The staff was super friendly, and I had amazing meals at their Garden Table Restaurant. The Rum Bar had a great list of delicious signature cocktails which utilize the rum that is made at their on-site distillery. It was great to see and experience Copal Tree’s amazing farm to table initiative in action. Their farm produced the majority of the ingredients in all of their meals and the chocolate made on-site was delicious! This place is not a fishing lodge but rather a boutique resort where only a small percentage of the guests are anglers. The lodge utilizes guides from Garbutt’s Fishing Lodge, so each fishing day, the lodge will run you down to their marina to head out on the water.
3. Favorite moment
There were a few, and as a nature enthusiast, the wildlife did not disappoint. I loved waking up to howler monkeys in the trees above my suite and then being able to step out on the back porch and enjoy a cup of coffee in the hammock. Obviously, casting tom tailing permit with an expert guide at my side is always great fun.
4. Operation synopsis (who is this best for)
Copal Tree is great for permit junkies that want luxury accommodations and great rainforest experience. This is also an ideal option for couples. For the non-anglers or anyone that wants to take a break from fishing , there are countless tours thaty are thoughtfully designed. The lodge also offers spa options and is a great place simply to relax around their pools.
Garbutt’s Fishing Lodge, Punta Gorda
1. Getting there
This was my easiest travel of the trip. I started the morning at Copal Tree, spent the day with my guide, and then came back to stay the night at Garbutt’s.
2. Overall experience of the lodge
Garbutt’s is a no-frills lodge with basic accommodations and a high level of professionalism. I got to spend one-on-one time with some of the guests and Dennis Garbutt, the lodge manager. I really enjoyed Dennis’s company and the home-style cooking. The atmosphere was very relaxed and homey. I really liked the laser-permit focus of the guides and the ease of the marina being right at the lodge. Permit are the focus, but there are some opportunities at bonefish and tarpon when the conditions are right.
3. Favorite moment
We were able to hop back into one of the lagoons for a couple of hours to chase plump bonefish cruising in inches of water. It was quite exciting and challenging to make delicate casts at wary fish.
4. Operation synopsis (who is this best for)
Garbutt’s is a great spot for dedicated permit anglers. You will get the opportunity to experience and learn from some of the most talented permit guides on the planet. It's a great option for anglers that want to focus on this species and not break the bank. If chasing permit ot a budget rate is your gig, Garbutt’s is the best option for you.
Blue Horizon Lodge, Dangriga
1. Getting there
From Punta Gorda, I hopped on a 30-minute flight up to Placencia. Once on the ground, I was picked up and transferred down to the town pier. Once there, I grabbed my gear and jumped on the fast boat. The water was a bit rough, so we had to take the longer, more protected route to the lodge. This took us about an hour and a half, where the normal run is 30-45 minutes.
2. Overall experience of the lodge
Blue Horizon is in a great area for anglers that want quick access to wide range of productive permit flats. It's right in the heart of permit alley between Placencia and Dangriga. The accommodations are very clean, chic, and comfortable. Dining is family
style and sometimes the guides will eat with you, which is a special treat. It’s a great time to pick their brains and get to know them personally. The lodge has an open bar where you can help yourself to any concoction you fancy. Out front you can play a cornhole with a large audience of fiddler crabs. Watch your step! You can hunt permit on the flat right in front of the lodge if want an extra solo session early or late in the day.
3. Favorite moment
My favorite thing about Blue Horizon was the number of tailing fish. There were a couple cruisers in deeper water but for the most part, the majority of fish were tailing. This obviously helps when combating overcast conditions, but I do always enjoy the excitement of the visual hunt on tailing fish.
4. Operation synopsis (who is this best for)
Blue Horizon Lodge is another great option for permit-focused anglers. It’s a spot where you will almost exclusively target permit. There are a couple options for bonefish and tarpon, but they are limited. This is another great lodge for single anglers or groups and it has a fun, vibrant atmosphere.
Thatch Caye Resort, Dangriga
1. Getting there
After my last day of fishing with one of the guides from Blue Horizon, I was dropped off at Thatch Caye. This caye is further north and in closer proximity to Dangriga.
2. Overall experience of the lodge
Thatch Caye Lodge is a resort style lodge with great amenities. The Starfish Cabana located out on the water, was a fun place to hang out and enjoy a cocktail and catch up on some emails. They use some of the guides from Blue Horizon. it is go-to spot for couples to enjoy a range of water-based activities.. The caye itself is roughly one mile long . There were a couple of newlyweds on their honeymoon and the husband had a few days lined up for fishing mixed in with snorkeling and other tours they had scheduled during their stay. Thatch Caye shares the same fishing waters as Blue Horizon, so I simply overnighted to see the accommodations and resort.
3. Favorite moment
My favorite moment here was heading out to the Starfish Cabana at night. There are underwater lights surrounding the cabana and juvenile tarpon are fond of lurking around them. It was challenging to cast between the pilings, hook the fish and then keep them from wrapping me and breaking off.
4. Operation synopsis (who is this best for).
Thatch Caye is a great option for couples or families looking for a resort style stay and the ability to split a little time fishing amongst other on-the-water activities.
Belize River Lodge, Belize City
1. Getting there
I was transported on a boat back to the mainland and dropped off for an extremely short van ride to the Dangriga airport. From there I grabbed the plane back to Belize City. After getting off at BZE, I was met by my driver to head to the lodge. It was a short 8-minute car ride to the river and then 2 minutes by boat upriver.
2. Overall experience of the lodge
Admittedly, the best fishing I had of the entire trip was at Belize River Lodge. To be transparent, it was the first time during the trip where I wasn't solely focused on permit. I was able to see a lot of water in and around Belize City during my stay. it was eye opening to see the diversity that the fishery offers. Being a family run lodge, I thoroughly enjoyed the hospitality from Mike, Marguerite, Misha, and Dirk. They are great hosts and make sure you feel right at home.
3. Favorite moment
I had an incredible day chasing snook in and along the mangroves on the various cayes. Making technical shots to open pockets or skipping flies under branches without getting snagged is one of my favorite ways to fish mangroves. It was so much fun spotting laid up snook, making the shot, giving it a second or two watching the fish's reaction, stripping the fly out, and watching it get inhaled.
4. Operation synopsis (who is this best for)
Belize River Lodge is another great spot if you want to target a multitude of species. Again, the diversity of this fishery is vast. You can find yourself fishing in a river to tarpon/snook/jacks, shallow sand flats for bonefish, mangroves for snook, oceanside reefs and flats for permit, or long sandy oceanside highways for migratory tarpon. It's also another great option for anglers that want to make a combination eco-tour trip. Being located on the mainland, there are a ton of options for birding, Mayan ruins, snorkeling, etc.
Turneffe Flats Lodge, Turneffe Atoll
1. Getting there
I fished the morning with Belize River Lodge and then was dropped off at the pier in Belize City next to the Radisson Hotel. From here, we hopped on Turneffe Flats’s dive boats and headed out to the atoll. It was a smooth and beautiful 1.5 hour ride out to the lodge.
2. Overall experience of the lodge
Turneffe Flats Lodge is an impressive operation on the northern edge of Turneffe Atoll. I'm was impressed with the logistics that it takes to run operations in these remote locations. The lodge itself is a well-run machine due to its professional and competent staff. Accommodations are clean and comfortable, and it was a friendly reminder of why Turneffe Flats Lodge continues to be a Fly Water favorite. The food was great and the staff was ever friendly. Having an orientation for guests on the island was a nice touch. It seemed to clear any questions and reservations that the guests had right out of the gate. This is another great option for a guest that want to target the Grand Slam. Bonefish in the inner lagoon are more forgiving while the bonefish on the outer flats were rather technical. I thought it was nice to have both options at the fisheries disposal for guests’ preference.
3. Favorite moment
My favorite moment was working a school of permit for quite some time as they moved in and out of the reef. After taking multiple shots and serveral fly changes, I was able to finally convince one to eat. Unfortunately, it proceeded to make a big run and break me off on a coral head before I could lighten my drag. It’s those fish that always keep you coming back.
4. Operation synopsis (who is this best for)
Turneffe Flats is a great option for any guest. Whether you're an angler, diver or adventurer the lodge covers all your bases. The lodge has a multitude of options, but the two most common for our Fly Water Travel guests are the Angling and Atoll Adventure packages. This gives a great opportunity for families and couples who don’t fish to enjoy activities and eco-tours around the atoll.
Belize is a country filled with diversity and opportunities for fly anglers. It's hard to imagine a country that is so small, yet so easily able to traverse eco-systems from dense jungle to broad flats and from pristine mangrove lined creeks to coral reefs. Principal is the ability to appeal to hardcore saltwater flats anglers as easily as it does normal vacation goers just looking for an escape. Belize offers a brilliant kaleidoscope of options and variable itineraries with a little something for absolutely everyone. From fishing to snorkeling, from lazy beach days to birding, to some of the most intense encounters with shallow water permit imaginable, let us match you with the perfect trip to brilliant Belize.
Landon Mace
Landon Mace
Landon Mace specializes in Fly Water Travel's Saltwater and Jungle operations. Contact Landon now for more information about this exciting destination or to inquire about special openings.