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THE SKINFLINT’S GUIDE TO AMBERGRIS CAYE, BELIZE
This article originally appeared in American Angler, November/December 2008 and is published here with permission. By B. Craig Phillips
Walking north along the warm Belize beachfront, I carried a couple Belikin beers for my fishing buddy and me. There was another fellow who had been watching us fish the flat the past two mornings. As he shifted in his beach chair, he asked, “You guys fishing for bonefish?” I told him we were not just fishing for bones but also catching them. He said, “I’ve paid guides good money to take me fishing, and you’re telling me there are bonefish right here in front of my house?”
If he was frugal like me, he’d have known that flats anglers can have an exotic trip and great fishing without breaking their piggy banks. Ambergris Caye off the coast of Belize offers paradise for a saltwater fly fisher, and the town of San Pedro makes a great base of operations. Further, reasonably priced motels, cheap food, and readily accessible flats make Ambergris Caye a perfect destination for a skinflint.
The Big Four
Ambergris Caye is an island off the coast of Belize, where the local fishery is aided by geography. On the ocean side of the island, the Belize Barrier Reef lies just offshore. This is the second-longest barrier reef in the world, and shallow flats between the island and the reef provide excellent bonefish habitat. Between the island and mainland, the lagoon offers some good opportunities as well.
The fish are pressured less there than in say, the Florida Keys, and on a good morning, it isn’t unusual to see a half-dozen groups of fish tailing on a small section of flat. Schools of bones hold from two and three fish in the skinny water to dozens of small fish in deeper water. Belize bones are plentiful but not large, averaging one to two pounds. Fish larger than four pounds are rare.
You’ll also see an occasional permit on the reef-side flats, especially in travel lanes, such as sandy-bottomed holes that extend out to knee-deep water. If you happen to get a cloudy day, the permit are likely to move into shallow water, so consider taking a shot at them when conditions for spotting bones aren’t good.
Also a tarpon-bonefish-permit Grand Slam is very much within reach in Belize but is difficult for the do-it-yourself angler. Tarpon are scarce on the flats or in the lagoon, which takes them out of range for wading anglers. Your best shot for silver kings is to hire a guide.
Adding a snook to the big three, for a Super Grand Slam is an outside possibility. Snook reside in the mangrove edges of the backside lagoons, and sometimes come out to channel mouths after rains or during heavy tidal events. Similar to your pursuit of tarpon, you’d greatly increase your chances for snook by hiring a guide. All four species are available all year-round, but your best bet to see all four on the same trip is late spring.
Do-It-Yourself Flats
The first thing to know is that many of these spots are popular with tourists and locals. Secondly, the skinny water and bright sun of Belize generally run the fish off the flats by midday. So, rise early to beat the crowds and the heat.
We’ll begin on the reef side of the island. Most days, the wind blows onshore (toward the mainland westward), putting the reef side of the island windward. Moving northward from the center of San Pedro, the first flat worth checking out is at the Boca Del Rio Park, on the southern side of the channel under the Boca Del Rio bridge. The park is almost a pure sand bottom, but the nearby channel provides bones an avenue for access and escape. It also provides a good spot to look for tarpon or for permit on a cloudy day.
Cross the bridge, and you’ll come to an area of heavy development. You can check here, but the flat is not very attractive to bonefish, because it is broken up by docks. If you’re on the beach early enough, you might want to scan the flat for tails, pushes and muds. Don’t spend too much time, though, as the better fishing lies ahead.
About a mile north of the bridge, you’ll see the Palapa Bar and Grill. The first flat beyond the bar features a fairly deep sand hole that is close and parallel to the shore. The bar’s owner says bones cruise the edge of that hole at daylight, but the north end has better skinny water for tailing and pushing bones. This flat is also worth wading deep to watch for permit.
Continuing up the beach, you’ll come to an old pier with an elevated building at the end, and the flat to the north of it is worth a thorough look. There are a couple of good holes near the shore and an abundance of skinny water over turtle grass. This flat is large enough to accommodate several groups of tailing bones.
The next dock features an ornate gate and belongs to a residence, but it overlooks another excellent flat. There’s a deep sand hole about 20 yards to the north of the pier, and it extends about 15 yards offshore. Position yourself near the offshore point of the hole so you can stalk fish that pop up on either side and still keep an eye on the grass flats. The flat runs northward from the sand hole another hundred yards, with grassy areas nearly all the way to the next dock, which begins another section of small broken flats. There are more open flats farther north but the spot, just south of El Pescador resort, is about the limit of the reef side flats you can reach by walking from San Pedro.
Occasionally the wind blows hard onshore and makes the reef-side flats too windy or muddy to fish. That leaves the lagoon side of Ambergris Caye to explore. Again, head past the Boca Del Rio bridge, toward Sweet Basil’s restaurant, and look for a path to the lagoon on your left.
Approach the edge of all lagoon-side flats quietly, as there are often deeper spots near the shore that can hold schools of bonefish. One word of warning about the lagoon side – saltwater Crocodiles are known to inhabit the area, and they can be dangerous in spring when the females are nesting. Wade carefully, and if you see one, skip that flat. The first flat you’ll come to past Sweet Basil’s is usually around calf to thigh deep, and can fish well to both the north and south. There’s a thin edge of shallow water on the west side that quickly drops off to deeper water. Once you fish that, you can cross over the thin spit of land and fish the next small bay. If you’re interested in brush-busting through the mangroves, you can fish the bays and flats of the lagoon for quite a good distance.
You can also leave the lagoon where you entered, and walk northward until you see a sign for the Palapa Bar and Grill. There are a couple of trails going west through the jungle that will lead to a road. Head south on the road until you see a small dock, and it provides access to another decent flat. Again, watch the shoreline as you approach for fish near the edge, then fish it to the west.
DIY Tips
If the wind is blowing out the flats, you’ll need a plan B. Consider fishing around the docks on the reef side, as most have a boat cut next to them. Baby bonefish often hold in these cuts and are usually eager to take a fly. You’ll need quick-sinking flies to get your presentation down to the fish. Position yourself with the wind behind you to make casting easier, and fan-cast to cover the entire cut.
Belizean tides are fairly small, so there isn’t much strategy to timing the best tide. But, like all other saltwater fishing, the best fishing occurs as the tides are moving one way or the other.
The most important technique, however, is to move very slowly across a flat. Remember, you’re hunting, and once you get in a good position, move no faster than six feet every five minutes. If you’re creating a mud trail that lasts longer than a minute or two, you’re moving too fast. And when you spot a tailing fish, especially one close to you, crouch to decrease your profile against the sky, and make your stalk to get in casting range.
What more could an angler want than great weather, reasonably priced lodging, inexpensive food, and abundant bonefish? Belize is an easy one- or two-stop flight from about just about anywhere in America. Almost everyone speaks English, guides are cheap, and there are even plenty of activities to keep a non-fishing companion occupied while you fish. So, get going.
If You Go
Getting There
American, Continental, and Delta offer service to the Philip Goldson International Airport in Belize City. From Belize City, take either Maya Island Air or Tropic Air to San Pedro, each a bit over $50 one way.
Lodging
Ruby’s Hotel, $40 per night, $60 for a room with A/C. (rubys@btl.net)
The Spindrift Hotel, $53.20 (011-501-226-2174; Spinhotel@btl.net)
Pedro’s Inn, $35 (011-501-226-3925; peterlwarencepl@gmail.com)
Food
There is good food available from street vendors and sit-down restaurants. The sit-down eateries take credit cards; street vendors do not but you can get good meals for $2 or less. The Palapa Bar and Grill serves fish tacos that are worth the nearly three mile walk to get there. Plus, you can fish practically right up to the front step.
Fly and Tackle Shops
There really aren’t any fly shops in San Pedro and the closest facsimiles are not well stocked, so take all you’ll need and backups of critical gear.
Currency
Most places on San Pedro take United States and Belize currency (a fixed 2 Belize to 1 US dollar rate applies)
Remember
Make sure you keep about US $40 tucked away to pay the departure tax at the airport on your way home (some airlines include this in the ticket price, but be prepared to pay it just in case)
(previously unpublished material)
Skinflint-Friendly Guides
Ambergris Caye is a great place for the cheapskate to take a guided fishing trip. As long as you stay away from the high-priced fishing resorts, you can hire a guide for around 200-300 dollars a day for two anglers. That’s less than half of what most Florida guides are charging these days, and they are locals who generally know the area and the fish very well. Most of the economy hotels can put you in contact with a reasonably-priced guide who can expand your fishing area. The locals fish from pangas, locally-made boats that can take the open water but still get shallow where the bones hang out. Each has his own favorite spots for the day’s conditions, but two good spots are Frenchman’s Lagoon, north of San Pedro Lagoon, and Congrejo (Crab) Caye.
Another option is to hire a boat to take you out of San Pedro lagoon to the back side of the island. There is a large flat there that can keep you hunting for fish all day long. You can ask for a recommendation at your hotel, or, if you’re a bit more adventurous, visit the boatyard on the west side of town and find your own boat. Strike a deal by offering a third or half the money when the boat owner drops you off, and the rest when he returns at the appointed time. For a few extra bucks, you might get the Captain to bring a couple of cold Belikins on his return trip. We had a guy named Umberto, known locally as “Berto, the rock man,” who provided this service to us on previous visits, but the last hurricane damaged his boat, setting back his budding fishing and snorkeling adventure business, and he has yet to get completely back on his feet. He’s now using his boat to haul rock for the construction trades (hence, the name), but hopes to be back in the tourist service business soon. With a few days’ notice, he might be able to get his boat cleaned up enough to take you out. Ask for him at Ruby’s Café. He’s there almost every morning about 8:00.
Belize Gear
An 8-weight rod of a fairly fast action is all you need for Belize bonefish, but the smaller average size of the bonefish are perfect for a 6-weight if the wind isn’t blowing too hard. Just make sure your reel has plenty of backing – at least 150 yards – as even an average bone will make at least one, long, screaming run. A weight forward line is all you need, but one designed for the warm saltwater of the Tropics is a good idea to ensure it will retain enough stiffness for a good cast.
Ambergris fish are not as spooky as Keys bones, so a six-foot leader with 18 inches of tippet is plenty. I use furled leaders I make myself (see “Do The Twist” Fall, 2007 American Angler [also included in this web site]), and I start with eight-pound test mono to produce a four-strand butt section of about four feet, and a two-strand section of just less than two feet. I then add an eight-pound test tippet with a Bimini twist to complete my rig. If you’re fortunate enough to have conditions that allow you to fish a six-weight, start with six-pound test mono to build your leader. I make the butt quite a bit longer than the mid-section to provide better turnover with heavy flies, and beat the wind. If the wind is really strong, you might consider a leader built of 12 or 15 pound-test to help turn over your fly.
For flies, a very basic selection will serve you well in Belize. Clousers, Gotchas, and Crazy Charlies, or your favorite shrimp pattern will do the trick for most situations. Just make sure you have a good assortment of eye sizes, so you can cover all water depths from 10-12 feet in the boat channels to a few inches over the top of the turtle grass. My go-to fly for the skinny water is a lightly-dressed Kwan-style fly with the smallest dumbbell eyes I can find. It sits on top of the grass, and the bones jumped all over it when I managed to put it where it needed to be. I don’t worry too much about color, but if you’re going to tie a few dozen of each, tie some in tan and dark green to match the sand and turtle grass, and add a few pinks and whites to your box. Carry a couple of larger crab patterns in case you have the time to re-tie when you see a permit. If you don’t have time, throw what you have on. Never miss a chance to throw at a permit, you may never get another chance.
A pair of polarized glasses is an absolute must. You’re sight fishing, and if you can’t see into the water, you’re not fishing. Tails you might see without glasses but the surface glare might even prevent that. You’ll definitely need polarized glasses to see muds, pushes, nervous water, and those fish that don’t disturb the water’s surface at all. Take two pair with you, as I’ve seen more than one pair lost or broken on a trip. If you’re over 40, like me, you may be having trouble holding those flies far enough away to get your eyes to focus on them. The answer is polarized bifocal sunglasses. On my last trip to Belize, I tried out a pair of Mantis bifocals from Guideline. They were great, and at around $85, are around half the price of many other brands.
The other essential piece of equipment is a good pair of wading boots. You’ll be walking to most of your fishing spots, and the best ones are over two miles from the center of San Pedro. So, if you haven’t taken a good long walk in your wading boots before the trip, you might get blistered. Consider wearing silk or polypropylene socks under your boots, or wear a familiar pair of sandals for the walk and carry your wading boots. A large fanny pack or small backpack is a good idea, too, for holding all your gear.
Finally, your fishing clothes should be of a quick-drying synthetic material. To allow me to pack more fishing gear in my luggage and carry-on bag, I only take three sets of clothing, including the set I wear on the plane trip. After a day of fishing, I take all my gear into the shower while I’m fully clothed. I first wash the saltwater off my rod, reel, and other gear, then I wash my clothes. Finally, I hang my clothes over the shower curtain rod and wash my body. I put on a clean set of clothes and hang the wet ones out on the deck of the motel to dry. By the end of day two, that set is dry, and I can wear them on the third day.