Best spots for DIY flyfishing inBelize?

[fish farmer]

Heading to Belize Sept 15th for 5 weeks as a last hurah before my wife and I have a couple of pups and I'm stuck changing diapers in the nursery instead of flys streamside. Since I won't be working for 5 weeks I can't really afford to pay for guides everyday (although I will go into major debt and get a guide for a couple days since I am there). Any knowledge pertaining to productive areas where I will be able to wade or kayak flyfish in Belize would be awesome. We are heading to Caye Caulker for 10 days, and after that were not quite sure. Thanks in advance.

As a side note, I'm looking to get SCUBA certified before I go, anyone dealt with the dive shops in the Tacoma/Bremerton area? Thanks in advance once again.

[DeanHosh]

Best place I heard was Dangriga, Right next to the panama border. I was in Placentia and a guy just got back and was raving about the beach fishing for snook. Of course a lot of other stuff too.

Consider taking an inflatable kayak. That would get you into the fish for sure. Also those mangroves have instense tiny black flies.

Dean

[fish farmer]

Thanks Dean, I'll do some research on that.

[BRYORS]

Farmer: I returned from Belize two weeks ago. We stayed in San Pedro on Ambergris Caye. It was my second time there. We hired a guide 1 day for $320 for two people. We did it by talking to the fishermen direct and not through an office. The two of us landed 7 bones that day. We fished four times at the cut that divides Ambergris between the north and south. This is on the north side of San Pedro. Fish either side of the cut depending on the wind. Just walk across the bridge. The flats extend out maybe 100 yards on either side. The cut is used by boats going from the reef side to the lagoon side of the caye. Each day we caught bones to three pounds, snapper, cuda, grouper, grunts, and other species I have no idea of what they were. The total competion of other fishermen, -0-. A few kids asked if we would give them fish to take home to eat. My favorite fly was an olive and tan clouser fished with a moderate retrieve. Good Fishing.

[Willie Bodger]

(&!)(#&^(%@&^ I fished that cut and got NADA (no, wait, got one 12" 'cuda). Guess I should have stuck with it a little longer... On the flip side, I did get into some decent bones closer to town, actually right around The Tides. However, it may be cheaper in Dangriga as you won't be on an island where everything has to be flown or boated in.

[TomB]

Dean- i dont know which belize you went to, but the one i lived in for four months did not share a border with Panama. Also....Dangriga is nowhere near the border....it is a rather large (by belizean standards) town on the middle of the southern coast. The beaches are dirty and often so is the water if there has been any rain.

[tyler]

i was in dangriga years ago. stayed at a lodge south of there in the village of hopkins. while the bonefish/permit flats may be out of reach for the DIYer from there, there probably are opportunities for snook, tarpon, jacks, etc... just south of hopkins is the sittee (sp?) river.

t

[DeanHosh]

OMG, Sorry for the miss information. I was thinking of Costa Rica! Don't know why Dangriga came to mind

Anyways for Belize, I fished the amergis and the caulker areas. The "cut" as it is called does have fish. I also fished on the East side of the southern part and caught fish in the flats. You can wade etc, but covering ground might be tedious in the sun and wind.

Placencia (stan creek district) I think mgiht have more bones to fish. Not huge but there. I was there and found a lot of different fish in the inland cayes since it it farther to the reef down there.

It was Punta Gorda Toledo I was thinking about before. Where a guy came back and was raving...

Cheers

Dean

[flyandfield]

I have not fished from the beach at Cay Caulker, but was speaking with a friend yesterday whos does ever year. He told me a story of catching his biggest permit to date by himself, walking distance from where he was staying on the island.
As memory serves, toward the north end of the island are some great hard bottem flats.

It wouldn't be a bad idea to hire a guide for a day, or 1/2 day, and ask him to fish just at Cay Caulker. That same freind told me about almost super slamming there. He had a tarpon on, just couldn't wrangle it in. Ask for a guide named Parnel.

[TomB]

Down in the south by placencia and Punta gorda, there is good bonefishing out on the reef (30 mile boatride), but none to speak of for the DIY'er....permit fishing is hot in close near PG and placencia...in fact if you rent a kayak in placencia, you can DIY for permit not a mile away from town....snook and tarpon in the lagoon behind town. In the north, say from Belize city north, bonefish DIY is much more of a possibility....bigger numbers and often, bigger fish. If you are doing any tying for permit, PM me....i got a killer pattern that i settled on after 4months field testing.
-T

[fish farmer]

Thanks for the info guys. Any little bit of shared knowledge is appreciated. I was starting think I was gonna be up sh** creek not staying at a lodge or paying for a guide everyday. I'm gonna bring a 7wt and 8wt down there, should I bother bringing a 10 wt too.

[DeanHosh]

Fish farmer,

I think the biggest issue is bringing a proper reel. You need to gain a lot fast on some of those fish.

I used a 9wt and a fin nor #2. 9wt was fine the fin nor was not. A couple of 10 second runs and 2 minutes reeling back in made that clear!

Don't forget the baracudda. They are a bit like the blue gill down there. Very eager to strick.

Have a great time. PS: About two-three blocks to the north of the water taxi area is a good place for some chicken-snacks while you wait. Lot of chicken in Belieze. Think it has something to do withthe early settlers. Mentonites?

Dean