Belize is an amazing place to visit if you love to fish or if you love to kayak. If you love to do both…well, it is un-Belizable. From the Mayan Mountains to the Caribbean anglers catch fish and kayakers catch great water. Belize is about the size of Massachusetts, wedged between Mexico, Guatamala and the Caribbean. The high mountains and tropical coastline host over 5,000 species of plants and hundreds of exotic birds and animals including toucan, monkeys and jaguar. Add the jungle scenery and deserted island beach scenes and you get a great destination for paddling and casting. I arrived for a reconaissance trip in 2015. Here’s what I found.
FROM THE MOUNTAINS
Machaca
Machaca are related to piranha. Despite their formidable teeth, they are not man-eaters. However, other dangers lurk in the Mayan Mountains. The jungle is home to the world’s largest population of jaguars. Although there are also poisonous snakes and insects, anglers visiting the country have no need to worry. Just stay on the trail.
My Mayan friend insisted that the only way to catch Machaca is by hand line and bait. Undaunted, I persevered and managed to land a few fly shredding, tippet-nipping Machaca in rapids below the falls. Though the ancient civilization is long gone, the Mayan people remember how to live amongst the dense forest and the Machaca is a staple food. The locals also eat a lot of green iguanas. We caught them by jumping from our ducky boat to snatch the five-foot-long lizards as they dive from tree branch into the water. For fun, not food.
Deadfalls and Drops
Target structure like deadfalls and drops to find Machaca and other cichlids. The fish can be spotted holding out of the current. Cast a streamer and work with slow-sinking line.
Running the whitewater in the Mayan Mountains is thrilling, but catching a Machaca big enough to eat with my fly rod is the real challenge.
Many of the best fishing holes are only accessible via the river. Expect class IV rapids to access your very own world-class fishing hole.
How much fishing tackle can you fit in a whitewater creek boat?
Enough to target Machaca in the deep jungle. Carry a box of streamer flies and a couple extra leaders, Machaca have sharp teeth. A multi-piece fly rod breaks down to tuck into the boat.
TO THE SEA
Pack the ‘yak and camp
Pack the ‘yak and camp almost anywhere along the coast (just ask the locals first) or stay at any of a wide range of accommodations including hotels and beach-side cabanas.
From day to night
From day to night, from deep jungle to open blue, Belize offers open water paddling from caye to reef to white sand beaches. Crystal clear water holds the big three: tarpon, bonefish and permit. The country boasts the second-longest marine barrier reef in the world pocked with countless islands and atolls.
Crab and shrimp
Crab and shrimp patterns take abuse from local residents. You can’t go wrong with a selection that includes streamers, too.
Belize has a long history
Belize has a long history of piracy. The rugged coast of this former British colony once hid scallywags, scoundrels and rogues. Now, with English the country’s official language, Belize has found a treasure in tourism. Today, it’s the perfect destination for kayak pirates seeking rum and salty sand flats loaded with fish.
The sun sets over the sheltered bay
The sun sets over the sheltered bay as I cast to the edge of red mangrove roots. A crocodile slowly slides into the water and a heron splits the silence with its raucous cry. My second cast is met with an explosion on the surface; a tarpon finally takes the lure. I hold on while the fish tail-walks and shakes its huge head, eventually whipping the hook loose. The line goes slack but my heart is racing.
Patrol the shallows
Patrol the shallows and sight fish for tarpon, bones and permit. This school of bones was easy pickings with a crab-pattern fly. Sitting on the back deck of the kayak provides better visibility, but wading and sight casting are the best way to cover ground.
water offers. | PHOTO: JAIME SHARP
A streamer fly and 8 wt fly rod
In addition to big game, the reefs and mangroves hide surprises like this snapper. A streamer fly and 8 wt fly rod will handle most of what the clear water offers.
If You Go….
GETTING THERE: Regular fights from many U.S. hubs. Save money; fly into Cancun and take an overnight bus to Belize City.
WHEN TO GO: Visit during the dry season from January to April.
DON’T-MISS SIDE TRIPS: If you love Indiana Jones, visit the Ac- tun Tunichil Muknal cave system and walk amongst ancient Mayan skeletons and pottery. Take a 4X4 tour to remote Caracol Ruins, a city that was once larger than modern Belize City. Great diving at Lighthouse Reef, The Blue Hole and Half Moon Caye where you can also rent kayaks and fish the reefs.
WHERE TO EAT: Restaurants on the Cayes serve great fresh seafood. Or grab a quick bite from a local food stall.
WHERE TO STAY Central Barrier Reef: Reefs End Lodge, Tobacco Caye www.reefsendlodge.com. In the jungle: Bocawina Rainforest Resort www.bocawina.com.
HOW TO GET AROUND: There are easy internal flights with two major providers. On a shoestring, take a local bus for an unforgettable ride on jungle roads.
OUTFITTERS & GUIDE: Most lodges on the Cayes have a fishing guide. Hire the guide to learn the ropes, then return with your kayak. Companies like Island Expeditions Ltd (www.islandexpeditions.com) and Slick Rock Adventures (www.slickrock.com) provide kayak-based adventure trips and supply kayak rentals for your fishing adventure.
ESSENTIALS: Bonefish, tarpon and permit fishing is catch-and-release only. Purchase a fishing license at www.coastalzonebelize.org.
Official language is English, locals speak Creole English. $1USD = $2 BZD.
This article was first published in the Early Summer 2016 issue of Kayak Angler Magazine. Subscribe to Kayak Angler Magazine’s print and digital editions, or browse the archives.
