Answers to what most anglers ask before their trip, from conservation practices and logistics to gear and what a day of fishing actually looks like. Can't find what you're after? Just get in touch.
Belize is tropical, and weather can change quickly. A rain shower doesn't necessarily mean a lost fishing day, and our large fishing range gives us options when wind or other conditions make one area less suitable.
We use the forecast and actual conditions to determine where we believe we'll have the best opportunities that day.
If inclement weather is a possibility we will always stay abreast of local marine advisories and statements released from Belize Port Authority before ruling out a day due to weather.
Our flats fishing is catch and release. Fish welfare is important to us, and we follow responsible handling and angling practices designed to get fish back into the water in good condition.
Conservation of Belize's flats fishery is central to how we operate and we abide by all local laws and practices, including the designation of bonefish, permit and tarpon as 'Catch & Release' only species.
Yes. Capt. Will is an IGFA recognized International Captain, and responsible angling practices are an important part of how we guide.
We always prefer to follow IGFA guideline where possible to not only aid in fish welfare, but also validate any potential Grand Slam, Super Slam or potential world record caught.
With that being said, we also want to offer you the best experience possible, meaning that we will not pressure you into using IGFA compliant rigging practices if you have a preference against that.
Our goal is to teach, educate and ensure that anyone stepping foot on our vessel has the best time possible on their charter.
One of the simplest ways to help is to treat the fishery and the environment around it with respect. Practice responsible catch and release, handle fish carefully, avoid leaving anything behind and be mindful of sensitive habitats such as flats, mangroves, seagrass beds and coral reefs.
You can also support organizations working directly to protect Belize's marine environment and flats fisheries, including Bonefish & Tarpon Trust, Oceana Belize and the Belize Flats Fishery Association.
Choosing licensed, responsible fishing guides and tour operators also makes a difference. Sustainable recreational fishing gives healthy flats, mangroves and fish populations real economic value to local communities, helping ensure there is a reason to protect these resources for the future.
When you fish with us, we'll always encourage responsible fishing and fish-handling practices and are happy to share what we know about the fishery, its habitats and the conservation work being done to protect them.
Yes, but you don't need to arrange one separately when fishing with us. Your Belize fishing license is included with your charter.
If you plan on doing some DIY fishing whilst here then we can happily assist with purchasing a week long license or additional days.
We include your fishing license, premium fly and light tackle, flies, lures, leaders and terminal tackle, drinks and snacks, and lunch on full-day charters.
Necessary charter transfers and dockside pickup/drop-off are also included.
All you have to do is get here; we'll take care of the rest.
Please drop us a message if you have any questions or special requests to ensure we can meet your needs prior to the date of your charter.
We can accommodate guests staying on the mainland (Belize City, Ladyville, Lords Bank, Burrell Boom and the wider Belize District), Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye.
Rather than requiring everyone to travel to one marina, we arrange the most convenient pickup or meeting point based on where you're staying and where we plan to fish.
In most cases when staying on Ambergris Caye or Caye Caulker we can pick you up right outside your accommodation from one of the many docks located on both Cayes.
Yes. For mainland guests, we pick you up from your accommodation, take you to the boat and return you after your charter.
If you're staying on the Cayes, we offer dockside pickup and drop-off as close to your accommodation as possible.
All three can make excellent bases, but each offers something different. Ambergris Caye provides easy access to the northern flats along with the more tourist friendly aspect of restaurants, resorts and nightlife in San Pedro.
Caye Caulker offers a happy medium, with a quieter island experience, but still plenty of restaurants and hotels and nightlife, while retaining greater accessibility to our mainland lagoons and southern fishery.
Staying on the mainland provides excellent access to the mainland, coastal and reef fisheries and makes it easy to combine fishing with Maya ruins, cave tubing, rafting and other inland activities.
Still can't decide? Seeing as we cover all three locations, we can happily guide you from a variety of destinations if you wanted to experience a little of each location or do a multi-destination trip. We can also take care of the logistics as part of the charter, meaning no down time or inconvenience and more time spent enjoying your trip.
If you are unsure of where to stay, don't hesitate to drop us a message or call. We are more than happy to talk through each option, offer something bespoke and give recommendations that align with the goals of your trip.
Our range covers a huge portion of Northern and Central Belize. We fish from the Manatee River in the south, through the Drowned Cayes and southern patch reef systems, and north past Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye to Bacalar Chico on the Mexican border.
Within that range are flats, Cayes, channels, rivers, creeks and lagoons, giving us an enormous variety of water to choose from and a host of different species to target.
Yes. Fly Fish Belize Charters is a fully licensed Belize Tourism Board (BTB) Tour Operator, and our guides are licensed Belize Tour Guides.
Both certifications ensure that our charters are vetted and fully insured, so you can book knowing your charter is being operated professionally and in accordance with Belize's tourism requirements.
Children are absolutely welcome, and there is no set minimum age for our charters. We're happy to tailor the day around younger anglers and their experience, whether they're already keen fishermen or simply want to have a go.
For families with younger children, we can adjust the length, pace and style of fishing to keep the day enjoyable for everyone. Light-tackle fishing can be a great way to introduce children to fishing in Belize, with plenty to see and experience along the way.
If you're traveling with children, let us know their ages when booking and we'll be happy to recommend the most suitable charter.
No. We provide a full quiver of Scott Sector fly rods paired with Nautilus CCF-X2 reels and Rio/SA fly lines, as well as flies, leaders, tippet and the other tackle needed for your day.
You are also very welcome to bring your own equipment if you prefer fishing with familiar gear.
We have 8 rod holders available in our boat, so more often then not we will bring a full set of rods in any case for the conditions on the day and preferred target species.
As a general rule, I would aim to bring the following outfits:
You don't need to bring flies—we supply them as part of your charter. If you enjoy tying or prefer to bring your own, we're happy to recommend patterns, sizes and colours before your trip based on the species you want to target.
Lightweight, breathable sun-protective clothing is ideal. We strongly recommend a good pair of polarized sunglasses, a hat, sunscreen and comfortable footwear appropriate for the boat and, when applicable, wading. A lightweight rain jacket is also useful. See our complete packing list below for more detail.
Our primary targets are permit, bonefish, tarpon and snook. We also regularly encounter jacks, barracuda, cobia, snapper and triggerfish, while tripletail, sharks, grouper and ladyfish are also present.
There really is no off season. Permit, bonefish, tarpon and snook can all be found throughout the year, although conditions and seasonal opportunities change.
Larger tarpon begin appearing around March and April, with migratory fish generally arriving around May and June and continuing into mid-to-late July.
November and December can also bring a push of larger tarpon through our fishery. If you have a particular species in mind, contact us before booking your travel and we can help you choose your dates.
Yes. Catching a Grand Slam is one of the pinnacle achievements in fly fishing and Belize is one of the best destinations in the Caribbean for anglers to have a realistic opportunity at achieving that!
Catching three of the four inshore species (permit, bonefish, tarpon and snook) in the same day on IGFA compliant tackle is what constitutes a Grand Slam.
In addition, seeing as we have all four inshore species present, anglers also have the opportunity to go for the coveted inshore Super Slam, being all 4 species caught in one day.
It's an exciting goal and something we love do try and do, but never something we can guarantee. These are wild fish, and weather, tides, the fish themselves and a little luck ultimately determine what happens.
Permit can be targeted year round in Belize. Rather than having one short permit season, conditions change throughout the year and influence where and how we look for them.
Spring and Summer can offer some particularly interesting opportunities close to the reef, including sight fishing permit cruising the edges of floating sargassum. The influx of this floating weed allows us to target these fish with floating 'dry flies' as they feed on crabs and shrimp that live amongst the weed.
No. We guide everyone from experienced saltwater fly anglers to people picking up a fly rod for the first time. Your day will be tailored around your ability and goals, and we're happy to spend time helping you with casting, presentations, spotting fish and the techniques used on the flats.
No. We offer both fly fishing and light-tackle fishing. We carry quality spinning and casting tackle and can tailor the day around your preferred style of fishing.
Whether you prefer to throw artificials, jigs, troll or bait fish, we can happily rig our tackle to suit your preference ensure a productive day on the water.
Much of our flats fishing is sight fishing. We quietly move through shallow water looking for fish before making a cast to them.
Depending on the species and environment, we may also fish rolling tarpon, work structure for snook or use other techniques suited to the conditions.
We do also have the option to 'blind fish' likely areas for tarpon and snook if the conditions require, with the goal being to make accurate casts around structure and work stretches of water to cover as much ground as possible, instead of casting to sighted targets.
Both. Much of our fishing is done from the boat, but we also wade suitable hard-bottomed flats when conditions and the location allow.
Wading can provide an entirely different experience, particularly when sight fishing for permit and bonefish.
Most of our wade fishing takes place towards the southern part of our fishery when targeting tailing permit specifically.
We also have a number of hard sand flats heading north that are home to bonefish and can make for great wading sport on a falling tide.
For serious flats fishing, particularly fly fishing, one angler is usually on the bow and the other angler is either seated or assisting the angler on the bow with line management or spotting fish.
That being said, we almost always will have either a second fly rod or spinning rod out and ready in the cockpit of the boat in case we see a shark, barracuda, cobia or any other species cruise by.
This system means that both anglers always have an opportunity to catch throughout the day.
If both anglers are using light tackle gear then having two anglers fishing at the same time from the bow is far more common and possible regardless of species.
If you can't find what you're looking for here, just ask. We're happy to help you plan every detail of your trip.
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