FAQ

2.6 miles north of San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye, Belize.  The northern end of Ambergris Caye is on the Mexican border in the northeast corner of Belize on the Caribbean Sea.

El Pescador is perfect for anglers – from beginners to expert, divers, adventure travelers, and their families.

We have year-round resident populations of bonefish, tarpon, and permit. Our weather is generally lovely all year, with average temperatures in the 80s during the day and 70s at night, year-round. If you are specifically targeting tarpon, our migratory tarpon are also in our waters from mid-June to mid-Sept.

Our all-inclusive packages include:

• The number of nights lodging specified in your package in a standard room
• Roundtrip land, air, and sea transfers between Belize International Airport and El Pescador
• 3 meals per day and hors d'oeuvres
• Belizean beverages (including soda, beer, and rum) consumed at our bar
• Complimentary use of all amenities (pools, WIFI, paddle boards, kayaks, bikes, etc.)

We recommend 9-10 foot leaders for all species. For bonefish, we like 12# tapered leaders, for permit we like 16# tapered leaders, and for tarpon we like 40-80# straight fluorocarbon leaders.  

A spool of 12# and 16# fluorocarbon tippet is good to have for bonefish and permit. For tarpon, the sizes we use varies depending on the size of the fish we are targeting and other factors. 80# is vital for the large migratory tarpon May - October, 60# is normally enough for the rest of the year, and 40-50# is good for the smaller tarpon.

Wire leader is necessary if we target Barracudas on the fly. Jacks, cobia, and other species can be targeted with our tarpon setups.

There are lots of factors to consider when choosing fly patterns for our area, but we have a well stocked fly assortment at the lodge and your guides can help pick out patterns for you. If you would like to bring some patterns with you, the following patterns are a good starting point.

Bonefish and Permit:

• Christmas Island Specials, Crazy Charlies, Gotchas. Size 4-8, assorted colors, both beadchain and dumbbell eyes.  Tan, pink, and white are good colors, but lots of options will work. We fish these mainly for bonefish and sometimes for small permit.
• Squimp. Size 4-6, Tan  Great pattern for permit and bonefish
• Raghead Crab Size 2-6  We like white or light tan with white legs and yellow eyes, but also fish tan, light olive, and other colors
• Casa Blanca. Size 2-6 Like the raghead, we like white with yellow eyes, but all colors are good. Size 6 is our favorite
• Spawning Shrimp and Mantis Shrimp  Size 2-6  Great patterns for permit, Tan is our favorite color but we fish others, also
• Strong Arm Size 2-6 Tan or olive is usually best

Tarpon:

• Toads, Bunnies, and Bunny Toads. Size 1/0 to 3/0  Most common patterns by far, Black/Purple is fav color combo, white, white with red, chartreuse, etc.
• Deceivers, Peanut Butters, Game Changers. Size 1 to 3/0  Good in a variety of sizes and colors
• Puglisi Diver. Size 1/ to 3/0 Great in a variety of colors, but our fav is orange or tan fished around the sargassum
• Cockroach. Size 1/0 to 3/0  This classic pattern is a good change of pace some days
• Gurglers Size 1 to 2/0  Smaller sizes are great in the back lagoons for juvenile tarpon and snook

Others:

• Large Gurglers and poppers are a favorite for Jack Crevalle when they are crashing the surface and we can get surface eats
• Long, skinny patterns for Barracuda like Needle Fish and Tandem Hook tube flies

Guests can fish 400 square miles of in-shore, shallow water sight-casting flats from the Mexican border in the north, to Belize City in the south, to the barrier reef in the east, and to the Belizean mainland in the west. In Belize, all beaches and docks are open to the public from 6:00am to 6:00pm. This means guests may walk the shoreline and docks and fish from them during those times. In good weather, we have canoes available for use in lagoons behind the lodge. Guests can use a golf cart to access the Secret Beach area for some sandy wading opportunities.

The bonefish flats start literally at our dock and permit and tarpon flats extend out as far as a 1.5 hour ride by boat. Our guides will make the longer runs if they feel like the travel time will pay off with better fishing, or they will stay closer if conditions allow in order to maximize your fishing time.

Bonefish, permit, and tarpon are our three primary species to catch among many other species that are worth targeting on the fly or with conventional tackle. There is also an endless supply of snappers and grunts, barracuda, snook, ladyfish, groupers, six different species of jacks, cobia, and triggerfish.

That depends on your strength as an angler, what you are targeting, weather, and Lady Luck. We can guarantee that you will SEE fish! Although there are exceptions to every rule in saltwater, flats fishing is typically not a numbers game. This is the most difficult fishing there is and for that same reason, it can also be the most rewarding.

We host both fly and spin anglers, our guides have panga style skiffs designed for flats fishing, and most of our fishing is true sight fishing. We use floating lines almost exclusively and fish over 400 square miles of flats in pursuit of bonefish, permit, tarpon, and many other species.  When fly fishing, anglers alternate time on the bow while your guide searches for fish. Opportunities can happen quickly so our anglers need to be ready at all times.

We are proud to offer a fully stocked fly shop featuring a complete selection of saltwater flies, lines, leaders, tippets, and more. Demo fly and spin fishing equipment is available free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis. Please coordinate with your fishing director or guide regarding your needs. Please bring the gear that you own and allow us to supplement it with our demo gear. But do not feel compelled to purchase new rods and reels for the trip. Leaders, tippet, and flies are not included in the cost but are available for purchase at our fly shop.

Yes! English is the official language of Belize, and you will also hear Spanish and Belizean creole.

We have a teaching environment here – with complimentary casting lessons offered each afternoon. So we welcome beginner to expert anglers!

The standard fishing day is 8 hours. We do our best to accommodate any physical limitations. Belize can be warm and sunny, and 8 hours in a boat can be tiring. But wading is not necessary, our boats all have lean bars to make standing on the bow easier, and comfortable seats when not on the bow.

We have spacious standard rooms in our main lodge (newly renovated), a suite in the main lodge, and 3-bedroom villa accommodations. All rooms have AC, daily maid service, and views of the Caribbean. Check out our accommodations here.

Our goal is to create the best menus using products from our local fisheries and farms. Our chef uses fresh, seasonal local fruits, vegetables, meats and seafood. All of our breads and desserts are homemade. Our breakfasts and lunches allow our guests to order from the menu, and our dinners are family style with a rotating menu that includes entree choices. We happily accommodate dietary requests and restrictions.

Yes. We suggest enabling WiFi calling.

Yes, many! From snorkeling to scuba diving and mainland tours, there are a host of options to explore. Speak with our staff when you arrive, before your trip,  or book your adventure via our cloud-based booking system.

Belize is a tropical country where the average temperature is 84F degrees during the day and 80F at night year-round. Dress is informal at the lodge so bring light, comfortable clothing.