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El Pescador Lodge
Trip Summary:
El Pescador Lodge, in business for over 40 years, is one of the best-run, most famous flyfishing lodges in all of Central America. Situated on Ambergris Caye, an island only 15 minutes by light aircraft from Belize City, the lodge offers world-class sight fishing for the “Big Three” – tarpon, permit and bonefish.
Fishing & General
Information:
LENGTH OF STAY
The average package is a one week (six fishing days and seven nights) package, although trips and itineraries of any length can be accommodated.
THE FISHING
While staying at El Pescador, you will have numerous fishing options available. You can fish for bones along the many tidal flats and mangroves, or fish the barrier reef for larger species. You can target large permit on deep water flats or chase schools of smaller permit that cruise between many of the mangrove islands and – at certain times of the year – readily take a fly. Perhaps the most popular fishing at El Pescador, however, is the sight-fishing for tarpon. Offering the largest “classic” tarpon flats in the world outside of South Florida, Ambergris is one of the few spots in the Caribbean where tarpon can be sight-fished year-round.
Resident schools of tarpon (20 to 80 pounds) roam the broad flats of the area and can be enticed to take a fly any time of the year. Larger migratory tarpon –fish in the 100 to 200 pound range – arrive in the late spring and early summer months. While all of the tarpon fishing in this part of Belize is done from 23-foot skiffs (called pangas,) there are some places where an angler can wade a hard sand bottom while stalking either bonefish or permit. With regards to the diversity of the fishery, it is also not uncommon to see cobia on the flats, snook in the mangroves, schools of ladyfish, large jacks cruising the flats, and cubera snapper in the channels.
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BOATS AND EQUIPMENT
OFFERED
Guides fish from 23-foot Mexican super-pangas. The lodge offers top of the line rental gear and equipment from Scott, Sage, Ross, Tibor, and Scientific Anglers.
Accommodations:
THE LODGING
You can chose between clean, comfortable rooms in the main lodge, or opt for accommodations in the newer El Pescador Villas. The rooms at the lodge are clean and quiet and all have individual bathrooms and showers, air-conditioning, ceiling fans, and even rod racks mounted on the wall. For guests who would like more luxury or are interested in slightly newer, more private accommodations, El Pescador now offers packages in one, two, and three-bedroom villas. These villas are perfect for couples, families or small groups (please call Yellow Dog for details.)
Total capacity for El Pescador is 64 (double occupancy.) The lodge itself is an intimate, 12-room, one suite hotel set in a colonial style mahogany building with a long verandah overlooking the beach and barrier reef. The villas are a collection of eight luxury, three-bedroom “island homes” set in tropical gardens and surrounding a private pool. You may enjoy an entire villa as a home-away-from-home, or request only portions since each suite can lock-off into a private unit.
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Rates & Details:
RATES
| Please call for current pricing |
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| Travel arrangements and lodge bookings are handled through our travel partner, Yellow Dog FlyFishing Adventures, LLC (YDFA). We work together to combine all of the best that a Full Service Fly Shop and a Specialty Fly Fishing Travel Booking Company can provide. YDFA terms and conditions apply. Click here to learn more about YDFA terms, deposit/payment information and cancellation/refund policies. |
WHAT'S INCLUDED
The number of nights lodging and days fishing specified in your package, round trip land and air transfers between Belize City and El Pescador, 7% hotel tax, sales tax where applicable, three meals per day, local Belizean beverages (beer, alcohol, and soda) and a welcome drink.
WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED
International flight to Belize City, imported beer and alcohol, gratuities for guides and staff, items purchased at gift shop or tackle shop, $5.00 per person in-country flight tax, diving and non-fishing adventure packages. Pricing for accommodations in El Pescador Villas is extra.
DEPOSIT INFORMATION
A 50% deposit (per angler) of the total package cost for each trip is due to Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures (YDFA) within 10 days of booking to secure the reservation. Guides and dates cannot be held or reserved without a deposit. YDFA reserves the right to charge a handling fee of $100 per person for date changes after the initial reservation has been made. Full payment is due 90 days prior to departure.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Click here to view Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures terms and conditions.
Travel Specifics:
HOW TO GET THERE
International flights to Belize go through Miami, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta and Charlotte. The major airlines that service Belize are American, Continental, US Air, Delta, and Taca. The close proximity of Belize River Lodge to the International Airport means that you can arrive into Belize at any time of the day and easily transfer to the lodge without worrying about additional in-country flights and further travel time.
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED
A valid passport is required for all visitors to Belize and must be valid for at least six (6) months beyond the duration of your stay. Citizens of the U.S., the British Commonwealth, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, and the European Community are NOT required to have Visas.
TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS
Yellow Dog can assist with the travel arrangements for all destinations that we offer! Contact Us for details on airfare, itineraries, and details.
ESSENTIAL GEAR
Belize fly fishing gear should include 9' Fly Rods in both 8, 9 and 10 weight depending on
conditions. For calm, delicate presentations to Bonefish, a 7 weight Fly Rod can be used. Saltwater conditions
and hard running Bonefish, Permit and Tarpon demand the best of your equipement. Quality anodized reels with smooth drag
systems, larger arbors, and capacity for at least 150 yards of 20 pound test backing. Floating
Saltwater Fly line with fluorocarbon leaders ranging from 9' to 12' in 10, 12, 15 and 20 lb. test.
You should also have tippet ranging from 8 lb. to 15 lb. test. Smaller shrimp patterns in tan and pink are Belize Bonefish favorites. Crab patters are very effective for Belize Permit. Typical Tarpon patterns are also a staple for Belize Tarpon. Clousers and snook patterns are also effective in the rivers, creeks and mangrove lagoons. This is a remote tropical destination with limited/no opportunity to purchase gear so you need to come prepared
to make the most out of your fishing trip.
Click here for the customized list of everything you need for the trip.
Call or e-mail us and we'll be happy to assist you!
Non-Angling Activities:
For non-anglers, the lodge offers a wide variety of other activities, including diving, naturalist excursions, snorkeling, tours of Mayan ruins, beachcombing, trips to the town of San Pedro, bicycling, and more. Amenities at the lodge include a full-size shuffleboard area, pool table, complimentary internet, satellite TV and VCR, bike rentals, sea kayaks, volleyball court, lagoon kayaks, ATT phone line linked to the states, and an on-site dive master – one of the best in all of Belize! The lodge also has two golf carts that can be rented for trips around the island or a run into town.
Other Information / Testimonials:
One of the best customer service features we have found anywhere is the “boat bag” that the Lodge includes in every guide skiff. This kit includes five dozen bonefish, cuda, jack, tarpon, permit, and snook flies, a selection of leaders and tippet, two rain jackets, and a very good wilderness first-aid kit. Checked and restocked every night, the kit eliminates situations when you find yourself on the water without the right gear!
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"I have fly fished my entire life, but this was my first trip to the salt. It was everything I could have imagined. We not only saw a lot of tarpon, permit, and bones, but we also had countless shots at each. Perfect place for a first timer. Thanks for everything!"
- Cody and Meghan D. of Black Hawk, CO
"We had an excellent time. Everyone and everything was great, the lodge, the food, hospitality, and the fishing. We had a wonderful guide. Thank you Yellow Dog for helping to make our trip one we will never forget! We hope to come back next year with the rest of the family."
- Keith and Melissa Mac
“Wow - what a great trip! Our group had such a fabulous time - I can only hope that we didn't wear out our welcome! We very much enjoyed the friendly staff of El Pescador. I have to say Leo, the bartender, was probably the most popular guy at the resort. Let's see … a few highlights off the top of my head... Julie inaugurated the new bar by dancing on it and then of course others followed suit; Caroline had such trouble with her casting that Gilberto had a good laugh and then took them to his home to get spinning rods to fish for Barracuda; Saturday night we went to Elvie's Restaurant in town and Cory entertained us and others by blowing flaming 151 shots in the air ...we were a bit worried about their palapa roof; and we all have a new drink - A Panty Ripper! (Belize Coconut Rum and Pineapple juice). The fishing was great and I got to know both Sinoe and Gilberto well! Not only are they super guides, but terrific people as well. We really had fun! I invited both of them to come to Montana to try their luck flyfishing there, but they prefer to practice their casting in Belize and look forward to the next Guide/Gringo Casting Competition! Beware - the stakes may be higher now! The diving turned out to be great. We had a lot of wind and we initially doubted if Alonzo could take anyone out on Friday. He was nice enough to book day trips for those of us that were interested to Turneffe and the Blue Hole, but as it turned out the weather calmed and so we had some great dives with Alonzo (or the "Zen Master of diving” as Mike refers to him.) Well, I don't know what else to tell you. Thank you Jim and the Yellow Dog gang for all of your hard work in organizing our group. We’re already looking forward to the next time! Thank you again!”
- Gretchen and Cory H. of Lafayette, California
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