Belize Fly Fishing For Permit, Bonefish and Tarpon

ests at the lodge, returned last month for their fifth visit. During one outing on the wading flats, Bob lost a good bonefish after it made several long runs and finally cut him off on a piece of coral. That is frustrating enough, but as every flats fisherman knows, sometimes the story is not over just because the fish swims away.

A short while later, Bob spotted a large school of bonefish moving in his direction and made the cast.

Wham.

He was on again.

This time, the fish did not get away. But when Bob finally brought the bonefish to hand, he noticed something that stopped him cold. Hanging from the fish was the very same fly and leader he had lost about an hour earlier.

That is the kind of thing that keeps fishermen grinning long after the trip is over.

What fly was that, Bob?

Turneffe also had a well-known visitor this past month. Jimmy Buffett and family came to the island for some bonefishing. Jimmy, a longtime friend of mine dating back to the early Key West days, arrived in style aboard his 93-foot Choy Lee trawler, with seaplane included. He also managed to drop off his new CD by seaplane, which seems about right for Jimmy.

And yes, I believe there may have been a few Sherman Margarita specials mixed into the visit as well.

So the stories keep coming from Belize. The offshore fishing is showing real promise, the flats are still producing their magic, and the island remains the kind of place where a man can hook a marlin one day and watch a bonefish return his lost fly the next.

That is the sort of country that keeps calling fishermen back.

I hope to see you all soon, and until next time, keep a tight line and an open calendar.