Fishing from the Lodge:
Guests stay in the
comfortable, well kept Mahogany Lodge, which is
located in a setting of tropical greenery and
colorful flowers on the bank of the Belize Olde
River. Fishing is from 23' fiberglass Panga
skiffs, usually two anglers to a skiff with an
experienced professional guide.
The
FLATS, cayes, reef, mangrove
channels, Belize River, Sibun River, Manatee
River, Black Creek, and several other creeks &
lagoons in between are the areas fished from the
Lodge in a normal five day fishing package. This
is a very large area with a great variety of
fishing conditions, fish species, and scenery.
Game fish species generally found in this area
include PERMIT, BONEFISH, TARPON, SNOOK, Cubera
Snapper, Jacks, Barracuda, Grouper, and others.
Visual Grand Slams & Back Country Grand Slams
occur every day. Landed Slams will depend upon
your skill, the fish, & a little luck. Many
species of birds and other wildlife such as
Manatees, Howler Monkeys, Iguanas, Turtles, and
occasionally Crocodiles may be seen while
fishing from the Lodge. Comfortable skiffs,
modern outboard engines, and English speaking,
professional licensed guides help make this a
memorable fishing vacation.
Tell your guide what your desires for the day
are, and he will try to fulfill your every
request. All of the Lodge guides are local
Belizeans, who know the waters; and are
friendly, talented, hard working, patient, and
very capable of instructing, whether you are a
fly caster or spin fisher. While you search for
your trophy or cast for your Grand Slam, be sure
to absorb the natural beauty of Belize.
Fish Opportunities
The
coast of Belize is a complex system of river
mouths, creeks, lagoons, flats, small cayes,
mangrove islands, and the Barrier Reef. The eco
system that exists here supports millions of
crabs, shrimp, bait fish, and other aquatic
life, which is why there is an abundance of
game fish; Permit, Bonefish, Tarpon, Snook,
Snappers, Jacks, Groupers, Cobia, and
Barracudas, to name a few.
The Belize coast is world
known for its Permit fishing. From the lodge,
Permit range from 5 to over 30 pounds. The best
time to fish for Permit is October through July.
This fish is the ultimate fisherman's trophy.
Bonefish within this ecosystem vary from 2 to 8
pounds, with the majority being 4 to 6 pounds.
Bone fishing is year round. Bonefish are
considered to be one of the most powerful fish,
per pound for its size. Tarpon, the silver king,
is one of the most acrobatic fish sought by
anglers. These fish along the coast of Belize
range from 5 to over 200 pounds. The bigger
Tarpon are mainly found in the months of March
through July and September through November.
Smaller Tarpon (5 to 60 lbs) are found year
round. The explosive Snook, saltwater's bass,
can be found in sizes of 5 to 25 pounds. These
fish are mainly caught February through
November. Snappers, Jacks, Groupers, Cobia,
Barracuda and a large variety of other saltwater
game fish can be caught year round along the
coast of Belize. The months noted above are
typically higher concentrations of those
particular fish.
A
Typical Day Saltwater Fishing
6:00 am:
Coffee or Tea on the Lodge Verandah,
conversation, check tackle & equipment
7:00 am:
Breakfast, then after breakfast, its back to
your room, grab your gear, and back to the dock
where you will meet your awaiting guide.
7:30 am:
Guides are ready on skiffs at the dock, a few
minutes for guides to check your tackle
(especially if guests are changing guides
daily). Then you & your guide can determine
where & what to fish for that day based on
weather & target species. Your guide will help
you tie or select the right leaders, lines,
shock tippets, and flies for the areas you are
concentrating on for that day, and your first
morning will take a few minutes longer for
initial set up of equipment.
7:30 - 8:30 am:
Leave dock for fishing areas (can be Flats,
reef, mangroves, creeks, lagoons or river),
usually ½ hour to 40 minutes running time (as
close as 20 minutes away).
During the Day:
Most of the day is spent hunting or casting to
fish, checking out many different places, such
as flats, channels, mangrove shorelines, etc.
The guides will usually pole or paddle during
fishing most of the day with each angler taking
turns on the bow, if there are two anglers to
the boat. Mostly it is sight fishing: casting to
tailing , rolling or cruising fish or casting to
fish held up under the mangroves or casting to
spots. There will be some blind casting to areas
that the guides know hold fish which may not be
visible at the surface. The guide will motor to
other areas during the day always with wind,
tide, light, & species in mind.
Sometime about mid day, depending on fishing,
the guide will find a cool, shady spot for lunch
(usually under an overhanging mangrove). Lunch
is prepared by the Lodge staff and consists of a
delicious box meal of sandwiches, fruit, chips &
dessert and is packed in a cooler with an
assortment of soft drinks, beer, water, etc.
Many anglers catch a power nap at this time and
then plan for the afternoon.
The afternoon fishing continues until about
5:00 pm, when the skiff heads back for the
Lodge, to be back in the river before dark. Rods
& reels are rinsed at the dockside and stored in
a convenient rack near the main Lodge, safe from
screen doors and ceiling fans.
After a shower;
drinks, appetizers & fishing stories are shared
on the verandah. At 7:00 pm is dinner. After
dinner, relax on the screened in porch, enjoy an
after dinner cocktail and reminisce on the day's
fishing. Maybe even find out what the hot fly of
the day was, and learn to tie it yourself at the
fly tying table.
Note: If you enjoy snorkeling, bring your
equipment with you, and take a couple of hours
out of your fishing day and snorkel, if you are
near the reef.
A day's fishing from the mothership is
similar to the Lodge's fishing day, except
fishing can start earlier, returning to the
yacht for breakfast about 8:00 - 8:30 am; going
out again & fishing until lunch (about 1:00 -
2:00 pm); then taking a siesta. After, you can
go out again & fish till dark. The only change
will be if you are moving, as the mothership
moves during daylight hours. The mothership
provides for earlier and later fishing,
afternoon siesta's & shorter runs to fishing
areas. (Please remember that the average guiding
day is 8 to 10 hours).
