FISHING REPORT AND BUSMAN’S HOLIDAY FOR A FISHING GUIDE BELIZE RIVER LODGE
What do you do when the illusive SNOOK plays hard to get and stays back under mangrove over-hangs daring you to reach him?
Accurate sidearm casting with tight loops can be very effective, as experienced by Florida fishing guide Capt. Pic along with his fishing partner Mike M. in late September. Very good numbers of snook gave them enough opportunities to prove it.
Along with snook, they also caught bones and tarpon for the back country grand slam on their first day at Belize River Lodge and continued to enjoy all three species for the next two days.
Snook very often are mixed in with small tarpon and provide an extra variety and bonus when fishing for tarpon out of BRL. Our guides will advise you of what to expect so may help you rig for both snook and tarpon on the same leader. A very effective rig for this situation has been a very short leader, 60 pound shock, with blue and white or green and white Deceivers or Bend Back Half and Half snook flies of the same colors on 2/0 hooks.
Targeting BABY TARPON from 8-35 pounds was also very productive and exciting even for our regular returning guests. Those new to fishing for “baby tarpon” are now also hooked on this size and species. Even when not landed, the acrobatic jumping of the baby tarpon was most impressive.
There were good numbers of BONES caught also, both on flies and 1/8 oz jigs. Several bones in the 5 pound category were brought to the boat, most others averaged about 3 pounds.
Anglers who had never caught bonefish before were very excited and enjoyed the hunt, especially those explosive first runs bonefish are so famous for.
In addition to the FLATS, cayes and channels, the BELIZE RIVER and BLACK CREEK were also productive for those who fished there. Very good action from small tarpon and great birding while fishing in this pristine environment was especially exciting for first timers to BRL. Howler monkeys sometimes seemed to pose for the cameras.
The weather in Belize this past August and September was mostly beautiful; very little rain, sunny and generally clear skies; very typical of August. There were no hurricanes anywhere in our vicinity this year and we look forward to a relatively calm fall.
