BigBendFishing.Net

I'm fishing the barrier reef in Belize next week. Anyone ever been there? It will be a short trip, since it is during my honeymoon. I would like to have an idea of what to expect. BTW, the new bride will be fishing also.

Dawg, I was there last summer but did not do any fishing. We went tubing throught the caves instead.

If you are arriving by cruise ship, they have to anchor about 10 miles from shore. If you can arrange to be picked up at the ship, it would save you a lot of time.

GT

The fishing trip is one of those excursion deals offered by the cruise line. I don't have very high hopes, but some fishing is better than no fishing, even on a honeymoon. Hopefully I can get the missus hooked on bottom fishing so I can get a bigger boat.

Hopefully I can get the missus hooked on bottom fishing so I can get a bigger boat.

Lucky Dawg, are you seriously telling us that you have agreed to marry this young lady, without ascertaining her interest in off shore fishing ?

Is it too late to ask her before the vows are exchanged ????
Some things are too important to be left to chance.

Have a great trip, I'm sure you will.

If she's willing to let me go fishing DURING the honeymoon, she must be OK. I just hope she doesn't have TOO much fun and insists on going on every fishing trip from now on. I've been able to keep her happy with a trip to the lake every now and then, but if she ever figures out how much fun flats fishing is I'll never get to fish with my buddies again.

So, how was Belize? Enquiring minds want to know...



Bailey

Well, the fishing was a bit disappointing. The "guides" were nice, kept the hooks baited and gave out plenty of drinks and fruit, but they didn't really seem very concerned about catching fish. It was too much trouble for them if anybody actually caught anything. I caught a nice horse-eye jack, about 8 lb.s, and a handful of grunts,etc. The only other fish caught over a pound or two was a 45 lb. cobia that a 10-yr-old boy hooked. He fought that fish for 30 minutes and finally got it to the boat. It was nice to see him get it in and take a few pictures.

Now to the details:

air temp. 90*
water temp. 80+
seas 1-3 swells
wind 5-10
depth 30-50

20 anglers + 3 guides + 4 hours =

1 8 lb. horse-eye jack
1 45 lb. cobia
and a bunch of baitfish.

The wife and I are "cruising" next week, and Belize is on the list of stops. Maybe I'll just find a bar there.

Bailey

Have fun in Belize, but be careful. It is pretty rough outside of the port perimeter. The cruise port is surrounded by a huge iron fence with spikes on top and patolled by armed security guards. And since there is no pier, you have to take a 20 minute ferry from the ship to shore.

I can recommend the tube'ing through the caves. (If you don't mind a cold butt.)

A couple we met on the ship did the cave tubing trip and loved it. I want to try it next time, if I'm not too old by then.

Forget Belize City. It's a den of thieves. Time permitting, get on a puddle hopper or even one of the high-speed ferries to Ambergris Caye and get a guide there. You can find them via the internet before you go or just walk along the beach and the piers and ask around. BIG tarpon and nice little snappers and cudas out by the reef on the ocean side of the island, and smaller tarpon, bonefish, and permit on the bay side.

The tubing sounds pretty cool. I'll have to research the fishing a little more too....would be fun to hook into a tarpon, would be a good fishing tale, fer sure!

Bailey