Belize: Fly fishing for Permit

Permit on the flats are probably the ultimate challenge for the saltwater fly fisherman. This year we have seen an increasing demand from anglers for travel to locations where they have a chance at getting good numbers of shots at permit. We have had anglers land permit in Mexico and Cuba this season but the country that has produced more fish than anywhere else has been Belize. We have had anglers fish out of both Turneffe Flats and Tarpon Caye Lodge this season and all reported seeing more permit than at any other location they have fished. The trick of course is getting them to eat your fly and happily, enough of them did to make for some memorable fishing trips.

Turneffe Flats
Turneffe offers an expceptional quality lodge experience and is well suited with activities for the non-fishing partner and family holidays. They also have some of the most experienced permit guides in the world and it is not uncommon to be having not just multiple but dozens of shots at permit each day. The more shots you get at permit the more chance you have of success. Recently Sean Clarke of Farlows, Pall Mall managed 6 permit in a week. But permit aren't the only fish on offer. There is every chance that the permit can be followed up by a bonefish and tarpon making up the saltwater grand slam, as Sean also managed during his week there, a first for him which is saying something for the place considering his extensive experience fishing Cuba.





In 2009/2010 we are running 2 trips to Turneffe flats. The first is October 30th- November 7th 2009 and is on offer at 2 anglers for the price of 1 and the second week will be April 17th-24th 2010.

Tarpon Caye Lodge
Tarpon Caye Lodge is in Southern Belize an hours run from Placencia. For those that like to get away from it all and want endless miles of unfished flats then this is for you. However it is primarily for the dedicated permit fisherman, and while there are other species present it is the large numbers of permit that will be your primary reason for visiting the region.

Gavin Hodgson from Grangers Fishing Tackle hosted a group for us in March which saw 5 permit caught for the week and many more chances lost as will always happen when targeting this species.





For more information on fly fishing and travel to Turneffe Flats or Tarpon Caye Lodge please email us.