Swinging flies is a concept that is often overlooked or misunderstood. First off, what does it mean to swing a fly? Swinging a fly ultimately means making a cast which gives your fly a chance to flow with the current, lift, and turn rising towards the surface. This technique is most common for fishing for salmon and steelhead. Trout want to see the origin of their prey and so swinging a fly that rises and moves across a current can give that allusion of a tasty meal rising to the surface. In this tips and tricks video tutorial, Joe Rotter of Red’s Fly Shop demonstrates how to effectively swing streamers and wet flies to hungry fish.
How to Perform the Swing:
Cast your line at a 90-degree angle across the river.
Perform two small mends to give your fly a chance to flow naturally.
Keep a close eye on your line and manage the depths of your fly by selecting a target location where fish are anticipated to be laying.
Keep your rod at an angle to where your fly has the chance to sink to the bottom of the waterway.
Once your fly has traveled to your desired target location, tilt your rod in a manner to flutter and lift your fly into the money zone giving the fish a look at your fly.
When performed effectively, you will likely feel your line tighten up meaning a fish is on!
There are many different techniques for swinging and manipulating your flies. Remember that you are in control of your line and fly and have the liberty to place that fly in your desired location. Best of luck on the water!
Written by Flylords Content Team Member Grant Michaels, Check out what he is up to here.
“There’s a lot of fish in the sea,” the list below outlines a few fish species that deserve some more respect from fellow anglers. Did your favorite target species make the list?
Only a few years back an entirely new fishery was discovered in New Zealand. Yellowtail kingfish from 5kg – 30kg were found right up on the shallow flats of several harbors, often seen riding off the backs of large stingrays. They have become known as “ray-ridersâ€, and in certain salty fly circles are becoming one of the most sought after targets! If you can handle the cold water, yellow-tail kingfish are best targeted on foot; chucking poppers over the tops of stingrays. The fishing often requires the angler to make long casts, but once a kingfish zeroes in on the chug of a popper, its game on! These brutes will take you into your backing within seconds, heading for the closest bit of cover… which often means you!
Why: Big, strong, aggressive fish that you can sight cast with poppers in shallow water…. Need I say more?
Best locations:Â New Zealand
Top Flies: Large poppers
2. GOLDEN TREVALLY
Photo: Gil Greenberg
I remember my first days on the water is Australia. I waded around the flats, dodging sharks, crocs, and nudists (wish I was joking), hooking nothing but the back of my head. Golden trevally was my target and it would take weeks before I was able to land my first fish. It’s not that they are terribly challenging to catch, but as a solo angler with nearly zero saltwater experience, I had a lot to learn. Goldies, as they are known in Australia, venture onto the flats as the tide falls to about knee-high, and will stick around until right before the water becomes too shallow for them to swim. On the incoming tide, they will do the opposite, moving into the flats as soon as the water is able to cover their body; sticking around until the tide reaches knee height.
Being a trevally species, they will cruise quickly through a flat similar to GT, and stop every 15-30 yards to feed – head down, tail right out of the water like a bonefish or permit. While cruising, intercepting fish with a stripped shrimp fly generally works, however, when goldens are tailing, crab flies work best.
Why: Because GEETs are soooo 2015…just joking, goldens have the fight of a GT with the feeding behavior of a bonefish. Think of them as a somewhat dumbed-down permit!
Best locations:Â Australia
Top Flies: VGDC, Bauer crab, ultimate shrimp, Jono makim’s spawning shrimp.
3. MILKFISH
Photo: Brandon Gudjonson
They just might be the toughest fish to catch on fly. This long torpedo shaped fish has a massive forked tail, which accounts for nearly half of their length. Milkfish feed on plankton and are best targeted along wind or current lines where they can be spotted scooping mouthfuls of seemingly invisible organisms from the surface film. Casting a small algae fly or scud pattern into a pod of feeding fish is generally how most milkfish are hooked. When you do manage to hook one, be warned they take off and just don’t stop. Make sure you are prepared with at least 300m of backing and a strong set of arms. Fun Fact: milkfish don’t build up lactic acid!
Why:Â Pound for pound toughest fighter on the planet!
Best locations: Seychelles, Australia, or Christmas Island.
Top flies: Arno’s milky dream, reverse olive woolly bugger.
4. NIUGINI BLACK BASS / SPOT TAIL BASS
Photo: Gil Greenberg
While Niugini Black Bass and Spot Tail Bass are two distinct species, they are often targeted synonymously. These catadromous snapper species are found in the remote tidal river systems of Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. I first became infatuated with these fish while working as a fisheries consultant in a remote corner of the Solomon Islands. While my initial attempts to catch one of these fish on fly failed, I have since found multiple systems where these amazing fish are present and I am pleased to report I have managed to land a handful on fly. While locating these guys is not overly difficult, they are some of the toughest fish to land. Both snapper species are often found tucked into submerged timber, often around heavy currents. Black Bass and Spot Tails will dart out past your fly, turn 180s degrees, and hit it on their way back into their snags. Once a fish get back into cover its game over – you will not be able to get them out. To catch one, you will need to be on-point, and once the fish takes your fly, you must hold your ground and not give an inch. If you are to slow, or caught off guard, they will literally rip the fly line out of your hands. This is close-quarters combat at its finest.
Why:Â These fish get absolutely massive, and hit flies harder than any other fish I caught. They are simply badass!
Best Locations: Papua New Guinea, and Solomon Islands (spot tail only).
Top flies: Giant bunny flies with weed guards, yak fur baitfish, poppers and spook flies for topwater.
5. BLUE BASTARD
First recognized as a unique species in 2015, the “Blue Bastard†is finally starting to get the respect it deserves. For years, this fish was unknown to anglers outside of a small fraternity of North Queensland anglers. I first started targeting bastards while studying marine biology at James Cook University in Townsville, Queensland. They can be a tough fish to catch, but just like any other fish, once you understand their habits and patterns, they are attainable. Blue Bastards are usually found around shallow coral heads and reef rubble, particularly on low tide. They tend to hover across the flats, mainly feeding on polychaete, hermit crabs, and snails. Bastards are finicky, smart, and aware of their surroundings, but will take a small shrimp or crab fly if presented properly. The best place to cast is right in front of the fish, but be wary not to cause too much of a splash. Similar to fishing permit, use a short strip to get the fish’s attention, but once the fish sees your fly – keep it still – as any movement may spook the fish. To set the hook, I watch for the fish’s reaction rather than feeling the bite. When I see the eat, I start a long, slow strip to tighten the line. Once I feel weight on the end of the line, I set hard.
Why:Â Tough, finicky, fish that take off like a freight train once hooked!
Best locations: Northern Australia, particularly the top of Cape York.
Top Flies: Merkins, VGDC, ultimate shrimp, and fuzzy worm.
Vail has long been known as a great destination for fly fishing. The fishing opportunities surrounding the town, including Gore Creek, the Eagle River, the Colorado River, and the surplus of alpine lakes and streams, have always lured anglers to this location.Â
Courtesy of the Town of Vail
Gore Creek—the creek that runs through the heart of Vail—provides anglers with the unique opportunity to catch a “Colorado Grand Slam†(catching a rainbow, brown, brook, and cutthroat trout from the same body of water on the same day)! Sunny and 70’s, pulling out different species on each take, and being surrounded by beautiful mountain vistas … Gore Creek is hard to beat.
While fishing on Gore creek can be epic, the stream’s condition is much different than it was a few decades ago. Today, the stream faces problems of pollutants from urban runoff, drainage from pavement and rooftops, and the loss of streamside vegetation that filters pollutants and slows their drainage. In order to learn more about the history of Gore Creek and the ongoing restoration work that is happening, we met up with Pete Wadden, the Watershed Education Coordinator for the Town of Vail.
Q & AÂ
Flylords:Â
Hey Pete! So where does the story behind Gore Creek begin?
Pete Wadden:Â
I’ll go back to the initial development of the town. Vail is actually pretty young. Construction on the town began in 1962, and the town grew very slowly up until the late 70’s. But from the 80’s until the present day, there was an explosion of growth that led to the rapid development of Vail and the surrounding Eagle Valley. Within a period of about 50 years, the valley went from being a fairly untouched area, consisting of beaver swamps and marshes, meandering streams, and natural forests, to a place with near-urban levels of development, and an interstate highway.
When these early developments were happening, people weren’t really thinking of the impact it would have on the stream. As the land started to be developed, Gore Creek was channelized and redirected away from the prime building locations. These developments had negative impacts on the water quality, water speed, water temperature, and the amount of valuable habitat. As you can imagine, this had a negative impact on the trout fishery.
What is the Town of Vail doing to help get Gore Creek back on its feet?
Pete Wadden:
In 2016 the town introduced the “Restore the Gore†initiative. The initiative focuses on three main aspects: 1) Riparian Restoration, 2) Stormwater, and 3) Landscaping Practices.
We are about to surpass our goal of planting 10,000 native trees and shrubs along the creek. We have also started a project called “Project Rewildâ€â€”a public/private cost share that helps private property owners restore their property. This is especially important considering that 60% of the watershed is privately owned. Another popular initiative is the artwork that we feature next to the town’s storm drains. Each summer we have local artists create pieces that depict Gore Creek’s native habitat. Pieces (like the one below) are featured next to the storm drains to help educate the public on the idea that “what goes in here, ends up there.â€
There is a lot of work ahead of us, but the future looks good. The health of the creek, and the strength of the fishing will only be improving from here on out. With the help from the town, local nonprofits, and the stewardship of private landowners, Gore Creek will continue to get healthier with time.
Courtesy of the Town of Vail
Flylords:
Are there any lessons to be learned from Gore Creek’s story?
Pete Wadden:
Many fly anglers are already aware of the fact that waterways, like Gore Creek, are valuable ecosystems—places with trout, insects, habitat, clean water, and endless other factors that help create a cohesive ecosystem. The biggest takeaway message from Gore Creek’s story is that we need to think of Gore Creek as a holistic ecosystem, not just a channel of water.
My name is Andy Howard and I live in eastern North Carolina. I am an avid fly fisherman with a passion for a lot of the overlooked fish species found in the southeast. Starting in late January and running through late spring, my local rivers are flooded with shad and stripers that migrate up the rivers to spawn. At that time of the year, those are my target species. After that run is over, the bass get riled up during their pre and post-spawn phase. I target them specifically for 3-4 weeks, and again in the fall and early winter months.
By early June the rivers are running significantly lower than the rest of the year. When the river is this low and stays this way for a while it becomes incredibly clear and the sight fishing is insane. This summer has been one of the wettest ones in my memory and the river was the third-highest ever recorded last month, peaking at around 19,000 CFS. It was completely flooded. One of my favorite species to target specifically is the longnose gar and I had been doing so for a little while before the flood and more after it.
On Tuesday, July 7th, the river finally dropped to the usual level of this time of year, and the lowest level I have fished it this year. The river level read at right around 200 CFS. The forecast called for rain at 3 in the afternoon and said it would continue for the next 4 or 5 days. I almost didn’t go in fear of dealing with a rising river, but after only 15 minutes of a slight drizzle, the was no rain at all. I called up my buddy, and after grabbing some tacos, headed out to target gar. The part of the river we fished was pretty close to the dam and has tons of really big boulders with relatively deep holes surrounding them. Because of this I am not able to boulder hop and wade this section during any other time of the year due to the very fast water and depth. It is an excellent spot for really big gar and bowfin, and a very visual one as well.
My buddy was in front of me and reached the pool we had in mind first, and yelled that there were 4 or 5 GIANT CATFISH. I didn’t realize how big he meant until I caught up with him and looked where he was pointing. These absolute giants were congregated and slowly cruising around at the top of the hole, and we both started freaking out. I had broken my 9wt earlier in the week and was using my 8wt with a slightly sinking tip. I tied on an EP brush fiber & deer hair gamechanger fly I tied the night before. I cast to the closest fish and just hovered it in front of its face, with a few short and abrupt strips. I immediately froze for a moment as I saw its mouth open and engulf the fly. The fish kind of turned in confusion for a slight second and shot downstream as it realized it was hooked.
I held on to my rod and barreled downstream after it, tearing my legs up in the process. I knew this was the biggest catfish I’d ever hooked and my mind was just racing. The pools are closely connected and are very deep so I had to plan on where to step accordingly. This didn’t really work out as I fell many times just to keep up with this fish, but I didn’t care. It seriously felt like I had hooked into a truck, and I was the one being controlled. I get crap constantly from my buddy’s because I use straight 35-pound mono as my short leader (for toothy gar and bowfin) but I was glad I didn’t have anything less than it on. I truly did not think I was going to land this fish because for every inch I got on him, he took back two feet or more. At the bottom of the third or fourth massive pool, the catfish realized it couldn’t go any further downstream as the river started to shallow up, and decided it was heading back upstream. I obliged. After a fight close to 45 minutes, and when fish was finally growing tired I managed to guide it into one of the open rock crevice areas where I felt I could most safely unhook it and admire it.
My buddy Eli snapped some pics and, worn out, we just stared at it in disbelief. I have caught a good number of catfish but this was by far the biggest I had ever landed, as well as my first flathead. I honestly think it was a perfect storm of having the flood the month prior, the low water levels, the insane clarity, the low pressure of the next 4/5 days of rain coming in, and luck. I let the fish go and watched as it swam off. I sat and just caught my breath in my slightly delirious post-fish state. After about 15 minutes or so I threw again at the remaining group of flatheads who were seemingly unfazed by all of this commotion. And it happened again.
This one gave a pretty similar fight and after landing it I continued to be both exhausted and dumbfounded. This flathead was even bigger than the first and was more of the yellowish color I’ve seen flatheads in pictures have opposed to the jet black first one. I did catch a few bowfins after both of my catfish but my mind wasn’t all there. I had caught by far my biggest and second-biggest catfish ever. The bowfin, which I would’ve been ecstatic with any other day, just didn’t compare after all of that. That is my first experience with flatheads, and only the second time I’ve ever seen one. I hope I get to wrangle with them again, but honestly, I’m content knowing I will probably never catch another that size.
Photos and story courtesy of Andy Howard, @andy.724 on Instagram!
The lake was crystal clear and I could distinctly see each of the brown spots that randomly adorned the perfectly proportioned brown trout as it swung around a rock and tracked along the undercut bank that lay at my feet. I was standing at full height, leaning on my camera tripod, as I had been for the last fifteen minutes.
Once again the fish, following the exact same beat, swam past close enough for me to touch it with my foot. And once again this same fish tracked an airborne mayfly spinner and exploded from the water to engulf it mid-air. I stood mouth agape and pulse racing, wondering how the fish had not seen me yet? The only plausible explanation being that the fish was so preoccupied with the aerial bounty that it had not focused beyond the first foot of air above and I had escaped attention.
This fish and others I have observed feeding in this manner do a display a kind of reckless abandon, science teaches us not to project human emotions onto animals but its tempting to interpret this abandon as fish having some fun; albeit with a valuable reward for doing it correctly – a mouthful of a tasty mayfly.
I watched and filmed that fish feeding for over 25 minutes without being detected. It remains the most incredible of all my fishing experiences. The opportunity to observe, at such close quarters, a wild animal predating so ingeniously and with such efficiency was spellbinding. From that day forth I have been addicted to finding trout feeding on airborne mayfly spinners or as my Tasmanian mates call them ‘The Spinner Feedersâ€.
Western Lakes:
Most anglers would only observe such fish briefly before making a cast and who could blame them! Luckily for me, my occupation has forced me to hold fire and observe these fish for long periods. This has led to some interesting insights.
The bulk of my spinner feeder experiences have been in the Western Lakes and my observations should be taken in that geographical context, although I am sure they roughly apply to most waters in Tasmania. Let me loosely and unscientifically describe the happenings that lead to this magical event. The Western Lakes of Tasmania lay on an alpine plateau in the centre of the island, they experience a significant mayfly hatch during early summer. The mayfly nymphs ascend to the surface from the weed beds where they have been living. Once at the surface they hatch into mayfly duns. The trout feed extensively on both the ascending nymph and the hatched dun. Those duns that avoid being eaten fly onto surrounding vegetation where they under go another metamorphosis into the adult mayfly spinner. Spinners will sit in vegetation until there are calm conditions when they will take to the air in giant clouds of mating insects. They often congregate in the windbreak offered by large rocks or backside vegetation. Once successfully mated the female spinner lays her eggs in the water by dapping her body on the surface. It is the mating and dapping stages that the trout can become fixated with.
Short Window
Timing, as they say, is everything. Time of year is critical, spinner falls of magnitude will only happen over a period of roughly one month and in some water I suspect this time window to be even narrower. In the Western Lakes I have found the three weeks after Christmas to be the peak of the activity. The other essential ingredient for spinner feeding trout is the correct climatic conditions. In short, you need calm and warm weather, an unusual occurrence in the Western Lakes, even in summer.
Techniques:
Assuming you have been lucky and arrived at your chosen lake or river to find the trout feeding heavily on spinners; you might be excused for thinking that its only a matter of throwing a fly in there and hanging on! While there are times when it is this easy, but for the most part, they can be quite hard to fool. Understanding the intricacies of this feeding behavior can give the angler the upper hand.
Spinner feeders follow a beat and this is usually along a bank of the lake or river. When the action is intense this beat will be quite small, between 10 and 20m. During the lesser activity, they may patrol a much larger area. When you spot some activity it pays to watch for a few minutes, you should see numerous splashes. You can safely assume these are from the same fish. After a while, a pattern will emerge and the fish’s beat will become apparent. Ambush tactics are the most effective and fun. Cast your fly, which should be a suitable sized black parachute spinner pattern, to a place directly in line with the fish’s beat.
Glory Days:
The stories of lakes boiling with fish taking spinners are true – I have witnessed it. During such times each bay will have a fish leaping with abandon and they can be very easy to catch. But it is the exception rather than the rule, in over 40 days fishing during the peak period I have witnessed that on only two occasions and then only for a couple of hours. They are precious memories and they keep me coming back in the hope of another encounter with Tasmania’s enigmatic Spinner Feeders.
Article, photos, and video from Nick Reygaert, be sure to follow him @ginclearmedia on Instagram.
The full version of HATCH is available on Amazon Prime. It is an episode from the trilogy of films in the Planet Fly Fish series (LEVIATHAN and PREDATOR are the other two). Check out the films here.
This happy place is a small lake on the West Coast of Vancouver Island. Such a stunning spot and lots of hungry rainbows! Having the whole lake to yourself in a remote place like this is always awesome and backdrops like that don’t hurt either!
It doesn’t get much better than saltwater fly fishing in Belize, it is almost as though the country was meant for fly anglers. Located on the northeastern coast of Central America between Mexico and Guatemala, Belize boasts the second largest barrier reef in the world spanning the whole coastline providing endless fishing flats for fly anglers. These grounds are home to some of the most common flats species including tarpon, permit, and bonefish. Fly anglers can expect encounters with these three species daily. First-time anglers, honeymooners, families, hardcore permit anglers all can enjoy the diverse fishery that Belize offers. The country’s international airport offers nonstop flights from numerous North American cities and the primary language is English. It seems like a no-brainer for fly anglers that Belize should be a must-visit destination. So what should you know about fly fishing in Belize?
Belize Fly Fishing Species:
Belize might be most well known for anglers chasing to get a fly fishing grand slam, catching a permit, bonefish, and tarpon in one day. These are the main three target species and thanks to some grassroots efforts bonefish, tarpon, and permit are all catch and release only. While these three species gain the most attention there are also a variety of other species to fly fish for in Belize. Populations of snook inhibit the mangrove areas and coastal rivers of Belize. Other species that anglers may encounter when fly fishing Belize includes barracuda, jacks, sharks, snappers, mahi-mahi, and triggerfish. It is important to be prepared for these other species when fly fishing in Belize.
Bonefish:
Bonefish are the most popular saltwater fishing species in the world and for a good reason! Their lightning-fast speed and pound for pound fighting power set them apart from many other sport fish. In Belize, the bonefish are plentiful. They can usually be found in the shallow flats or around the cayes (islands) feeding on crabs, shrimp, and baitfish in the sand and coral. A well-presented fly will almost be always taken down in a hurry by a hungry bonefish. Be sure to check out our article 8 Tips for Catching Bonefish on Fly to brush up on your bonefishing skills.
The bonefishing in Belize is great for first-time saltwater anglers, as you can almost guarantee a hook up with a guided outing. They can be targetted year-round in Belize and range in size from 2-5 pounds. They are best targetted with a 9 foot 7 or 8 weight fly rod with a tropical floating line with 8-12 pound fluorocarbon tippet.
Tarpon:
Tarpon are known across the world for their sheer size and power. In Belize, tarpon are a popular target species for many fly anglers. The tarpon in Belize can be fished for year-round. There are resident tarpon as well as the migratory tarpon. The migratory tarpon move through Belize typically starting around April and stick around until late August. These migratory fish can top the scales at over 200 pounds but are more commonly found in the 80-150 pound range.
The resident tarpon can range in size from very small baby tarpon (that can be found in the rivers and mangroves) to larger sized residents in the 80-100 pound class. The tarpon’s diet consists of mainly baitfish, so where there is bait is where you are going to find the tarpon! Tarpon are best fished for with an 11 or 12 weight rod on an intermediate tropical fly line. Check out this article for all your tarpon leader/tippet needs, Preparing for a Saltwater Trip to Belize – Leader and Tippet Building 101.
Permit:
The permit are the holy grail of the flats species for fly anglers. As permit can be one of the toughest fish to catch on a fly rod. In Belize, the chances of encountering permit on the flats is very high. The permit range in size from 2-30 pounds, with the most common being in the 8-10 pound range. The permit in Belize can be concentrated in schools as well as some of the larger ones will be on there own. They can be fished for year-round but the tides can play an important part in having the success of catching a permit on the fly. The permit prefer a little deeper flats than the bonefish but can be found pushing up onto these flats to feed on the crabs, shrimp, and other small marine life.
Belize is also known for having tailing permit. Meaning a permit that is feeding and the black tail is sticking out of the water. This makes sight fishing very much more enjoyable. Fly fishing for permit in Belize can take proper presentation, fly selection, and some luck. Permit can be very spooky and finicky at times. But for many anglers, this is what drives them to chase this species. Permit are best targeted with a 9 or 10 weight rod on a tropical floating line with 16 or 20 pound fluorocarbon tippet.
Best Places to Fish Belize:
The country of Belize is no bigger than the state of Massachusetts, the coastline spans 240 miles and there is over 1,000 square miles of protected flats that can be fished year-round. The northern part of the country is more populated and developed while the southern end is less developed and populated. Most fly anglers will stay out on cayes (islands) as this means the fishery will be right at your footstep as for the most part if you are on the mainland you will need a boat to get to productive fishing flats.
The northern part of Belize seems to have a more diverse fishery with more opportunities of tarpon, larger bonefish, and snook. While the south is a permit anglers paradise and is less busy and more spread out. Many anglers will fly fish Belize at multiple locations in one trip as it can be very easy to travel from one area to another.
Right off the Northern Coastline of Belize lies the popular destination of Ambergris Caye, the largest island in Belize. Ambergris is a perfect destination for any fly angler as there are plenty of different amenities, access to fly fishing, and it is relatively easy to get to. The popular tourist town of San Pedro is on the southern end of Ambergris, a hot spot for fly fishing travelers. The Blue Bonefish Lodge is located just south of San Pedro.
Belize City separates the north from the south and really only is an area to fly in and out of as the city doesn’t have too many attractions for tourists. Off the coast of Belize City is the famous Turneffe Atoll, where fly anglers can take a ferry to stay out at a fly fishing or diving lodge. To the South of Belize City is the smaller tourist village of Hopkins, a small charming cultural destination. Further south of here in Placencia, Belize, another smaller tourist destination that offers some wonderful lodging and fly fishing options. The last destination for fly anglers to check out is the town of Punta Gorda or the Permit Capital of Belize.
Best Time of Year to Fish Belize:
The climate in Belize supports a year-round fishery, the average temperature year-round is around 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The rainy season in Belize is from June 1st to November 30th. The rainy season usually doesn’t mean rain every day or all the time, being in a tropical climate small monsoon cycle systems move through quickly. While the dry season also called the tourist season is from December 1st to May 30th. Typically December through February are cooler and the April and May can be the hottest months with minimal wind, pretty prime for fly fishing.
In the dry season or tourist season, most resorts and hotels will be at full capacity and rates will be high and the fishery will have the most pressure, while in the rainy season the rates of lodging can be lower and the pressure from other anglers on the water will be minimal. So you need to assess what you prefer as you can fish year-round in Belize…
One important aspect to think about when fly fishing in Belize is the specific tides. You should plan your trip around good tides, this means that you want the correct tides to be during the day so you are able to fish them. The tide tables are changing all the time so it is best to consult a professional like an outfitter, lodge, or booking agent about when the tides will be good for fly fishing. As a rule of thumb fishing around a new or full moon can be good tides to fish. If you are planning purely a fly fishing trip to Belize, it is recommended to really choose your dates wisely. But if you are just going to be doing a day or two of guided fishing on a family vacation, the specific dates can be less important.
One last aspect to note is that if you are very interested in tarpon, the migratory tarpon move through from late spring into late summer. So to improve your chances of tarpon fishing, it is recommended to go this time of year.
Best Flies for Belize:
Having the right flies for your trip to Belize can be very important to the success of your trip. While the fly selection does vary from northern to southern Belize here is a general list of the flies for fly fishing Belize.
*Flylords Pick*Blue Bonefish Lodge: Located 4 miles south of San Pedro the newly renovated lodge offers reasonably priced fly fishing packages and quality fly fishing guides in the heart of Belize. Great for first time saltwater anglers, couples, families, and non-anglers looking to experience Belize for the first time.
El Pescador Lodge: One of the oldest and longest operating Belize Fly Fishing Lodges in the area. They offer a variety of different packages specific to anglers or families. They have one of the largest teams of guides in the country, they operate in San Pedro on Ambergris Caye.
Turneffe Flats Lodge: Located off the coast of Belize City, Turneffe Flats has been a flagship fishing lodge in the country of Belize for a long time. The guide team at Turneffe is very experienced, it is a great destination to catch the Grand Slam.
Blue Horizon Lodge: Located off the coast of Hopkins and Placencia in an area called the “Permit Alley†is the small fishing lodge that was founded by legendary permit guide Lincoln Westby. The off the beaten path fishery offers some of the best tailing permit opportunities in the country.
Copal Tree Lodge: Copal is located in the jungle just outside of the fishing village of Punta Gorda. The lodge is an ecolodge with many non-angler activities as well as a developed fly fishing program. The fly fishing guides at Copal Tree are the renowned Garbutt brothers. They are some of the most skilled permit guides in the country.
Other guide services include GoFishBelize, Garbutt Brothers, and Belize River Lodge.
There is something for everyone in Belize, from the high priced all-inclusive lodges to budget hostels. One recommendation is to spend some money on a fly fishing guide as the DIY fly fishing in Belize can be tough to access. By hiring a guide it gives you the ability to get to the fishing grounds. Fly fishing Belize is a must for all fly anglers due to the easy travel, robust fishery, and knowledgable and friendly guides.
Fly your favorite flag high any time you hit the water with Abel’s new collection of flag-inspired reel finishes. Celebrate your favorite fly fishing destinations or home waters, the Colorado reel manufacturer’s new collection is sure to turn heads wherever you’re wetting your line.
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“We had a great number of happy customers thanking us for the Colorado, and Texas Flag reels. After a bunch of additional requests for new designs, we decided to expand the available options.” – Jeff Patterson, Director of Sales – Abel Reels
Known for their stunning custom reel artwork Abel has introduced a new series of flag-inspired reels after the success of their Texas and Colorado state flag finishes. Joining CO and TX are the Stars and Stripes, New Mexico, Chicago, the Bahamas, and Cuba. These stunning reels are designed to pay homage to your favorite fly fishing destinations, and with more flag finishes in the works, this initial collection is sure to pique the interest of traveling anglers everywhere!
According to the Steamboat Pilot, Colorado Parks and Wildlife will be offering free fly fishing classes during the month of July 2020 at both Yampa River and Elkhead State Parks.
CRAIG, Colorado – Colorado Parks and Wildlife is offering two, free courses teaching the basics of fly fishing at state parks in Northwest Colorado this month. The course will teach participants the basics of equipment, knots, and casting techniques through dry-land casting practice. CPW is providing all the equipment so the only requirements are a state parks pass and a desire to learn.
Participants can bring their own fly fishing gear or borrow some for the evening. All equipment will be sanitized prior to use. Participants are required to bring a face covering and social distancing rules will be observed. Participants need to bring their own outdoor chair. To encourage individual learning and provide safe social distancing, classes are limited to the first 20 registered participants.
The class at Yampa River State Park will be held at the Visitor Center (6185 U.S. Hwy 40, between Hayden and Craig) on Friday, July 17 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Registration for the Yampa River State Park “Intro to Fly Fishing†course can be found online at https://www.register-ed.com/events/view/161088.
The Elkhead Reservoir State Park class will be held near the main boat ramp on Friday, July 24 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Anyone interested in the Elkhead Reservoir event can register online at https://www.register-ed.com/events/view/161090.
For more information on either event, contact Yampa River State Park at 970-276-2061.
The Great American Outdoors Act will receive a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives Wednesday, July 22. The bill is expected to pass the House and make its way to President Trump’s desk, where it will become law, hopefully. The lead sponsor of the House’s bill, Democratic Rep. Joe Cunningham of South Carolina, had this to say: “Last year we permanently reauthorized LWCF and now the time has come to make its funding permanent…I stand with our community, environmental and sportsmen groups, and business and tourism leaders to urge my colleagues to pass the Great American Outdoors Act as soon as possible, permanently fund LWCF and address the maintenance backlog across our national parks and public lands.â€
The GAOA will fully and permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation fund ($900 million annually)–one of the most successful conservation programs in the United States–and provide billions of dollars to address a massive maintenance backlog on public lands. This stands to be one of the biggest wins for conservation and public lands in decades.
Let your Representative know that you support the Great American Outdoors Act today! Both Backcountry Hunters & Anglers and Trout Unlimited have provided you easy to use forms to contact your Congresspeople: Take Action (BHA) and FUND CONSERVATION, FUND OUR FUTURE (TU).
For more on this bill and what exactly the Land and Water Conservation Fund is, check out our previous article:
