Fishing Tips

At El Pescador in Ambergris Caye, Belize, we have over 200 square miles of flats fishing and an abundant and diverse fishery. So what should your expectations be?

While this is certainly one of the largest yet lightly fished areas you may find, don't be lulled into thinking easy. Sure we have days where the bones, permit, tarpon, and jacks are more than cooperative; but fishing the flats is much more of a hunting experience than one where you tally up dozens of fish landed each day.

Perhaps the best single word to describe this fishery is challenging. Don't get the wrong impression. It's not impossible at all, but the fish here tend to reward good casts and punish (as in 'not eat') poor casts.

We have miles on end of beautiful flats where bonefish swim, tail and graze in very skinny water. Skinny water tends to make fish a bit more demanding since they are acutely aware of anything abnormal. So you will need to lengthen your leaders, use light weight flies and cast accurately. Anyone who has spent time on the flats will be familiar with these conditions; and if you have yet to experience them you are in for quite a treat.

Most all of our flats are "skinny water" meaning shallow. Often you will throw to Tarpon in 2 or 3 feet of water, and when a tarpon nails your fly in "skinny water," you will never forget the experience.  They are explosive. So while the fishery can be easy at times and challenging at times, there is one final word I will use to describe the Belize fishery: rewarding.