Where the permit are...somewhere off the coast of Belize

The lodge in Belize that caters specifically to the serious flyrodder!

2003-2004 Fishing Packages...
Maximum 8 guests.

Blue Horizon Lodge in southern Belize is a spot custom-tailored for the serious flats fishermen. The location is perfect, the fish are plentiful, and this remote part of Central America is, arguably, the most prolific permit fishing grounds in the world. Location, location, location, that's the key to Blue Horizon Lodge. Facing east into the prevailing breeze, Blue Horizon Lodge is located on Northeast Caye, a small six-acre private island, one of many in the Pelican Range. There are hundreds of wadable flats, some big, some small, surrounded by deep-water troughs and channels. This is naturally perfect habitat, nature-designed to flood the flats with fresh fish on every changing tide. It would take a lifetime to fish all the flats in this region, and the lodge is right in the middle. There are tailing permit less than 2 minutes by boat from the dock! Wade down the beach a few hundred yards on a flooding tide, and you'll probably get shot at a permit.

On a typical morning, anglers are roused out of bed at 6:00 a.m. and after a satisfying breakfast and a few cups of coffee, board one of the lodge boats for a day of skinny water permit hunting. In most cases, lunches are taken on the fly, to maximize time on the water. Anglers return to the lodge each evening by 5:30 - 6:00 p.m. At Blue Horizon Lodge the daily fishing schedule is determined by the tides and anglers should be prepared to fish non-traditional hours taking advantage of favorable conditions.

Both Lincoln and David Westby are hard-core guides, willing to put in the extra effort it takes to be successful. No clock-watchers here... expect long fishing days... Tides are important as in any flats fishing destination, but it doesn't seem to matter whether it is flooding or falling, as long as there is moving water. The guides know where to be and at what time during a given tide cycle; critical to locating feeding permit. Will Bauer, who has fished these waters countless times, said that when the weather cooperates, 15 or more shots per angler, per day are the norm. Now that's permit fishing!

The typical routine has anglers poled across hard bottomed flats covering the maximum amount of water in a thorough and efficient manner. Most flats average in depth between 12" and 36" Once a fish is spotted anglers slip out of the boat and wade to within casting distance of the fish. The majority of the permit spotted will be on the front side of flats adjacent to deep water, a permit's natural escape route. Fish tend to hang in between lapping waves as they wash up on the flat, happily wallowing and rooting for crabs and other natural crustaceans. Permit cast to will vary in size, from giants weighing close to 40 pounds down to 12 and 15 pounds. According to David Westby, permit in southern Belize average between 12 - 18 pounds.

The majority of permit that anglers encounter at Blue Horizon Lodge are happy fish and not easily spooked. In some instances an angler will get twenty or more casts to a single fish. Because of the flats' proximity to deep channels, a constant supply of new and unharassed fish hit the flats each tide change, key to an angler's success. Light, favorable breezes of 10 - 15 knots are the norm in southern Belize and make permit much more approachable when stalking on foot.

After a full day on the flats in search of those sickle-tailed ghosts (10+ hours on some days) , some cold Belikin Beers and zesty Belizean hors d'oeuvres are welcome. Tasty and filling dinners will include lobster salad, fresh conch dishes, the traditional Belizean Sunday supper of black beans, rice, chicken and fried plantains, pork chops, homemade breads and desserts, all in all plenty of good simple Belizean food. After dinner it won't be long before you're thinking about hitting the sack, as 5:30 a.m. (or earlier) comes mighty early.

Blue Horizon Lodge excels as a serious permit fishing operation. The lodge does not offer a lot of variety as far as other fish species, although if you and your guide look hard enough you will find some bonefish in good numbers and tarpon to mix things up. Some of the tarpon can be found on the flats, however the majority of them will be found in deep channels and cuts in the reef. Some of these deep-water tarpon have gone well over 100 pounds. This is not the kind of operation you want to bring a non-fisher unless they can entertain themselves. Accommodations are Spartan, and the sand fleas, when there's no wind, can be brutal. The Bungalows are small, but clean, and feature two beds with all the linens supplied and built in bathrooms. Each day your room is cleaned, new towels provided and your bed made. Lincoln and his crew will bend over backward to make you happy, but they are simple country people and are learning the hospitality business as they go. Improvements on the infrastructure of the operation are always being made. One thing is for sure, the positives of Blue Horizon lodge well out weight the negatives, and if you really want to catch a permit on the fly, THIS IS THE PLACE!

That's it in a nutshell for Blue Horizon Lodge. We can't think of a finer local we know of to catch permit on a fly than Blue Horizon Lodge. If you can put up with rustic accommodations and a no frill approach to your fishing holiday, you'll have a great trip.