Caye Caulker, Belize

I got back Monday from 8 days in Caye Caulker

As some of you fine folks probably remember, my initial plan was to go to Glover’s Atoll. I still haven’t heard back from the owner. I was warned of some pretty sketchy reviews so decided to change plans

My best good friend Hank went on the trip with me. He doesn’t really fish, so I figured Caye Caulker would be a good mix of both fishing and non-fishing entertainment

The first day we got there the island was friggin packed. I didn’t realize Easter was such a big party weekend. Fortunately, the crowds died down after the weekend.

Pretty much the daily plan was going to Hanks hotel room, sitting on the porch, then walking or biking to wherever I wanted to chuck some flies. We went all over the south island, and explored the north a bit.

I picked up a few bonefish here and there off random docks in the first few days. Tarpon were cruising at night but I didn’t get any action on them the first few days

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We did take a charter trip to fish the reef and we did pretty well on Porgies, which we grilled up the next 3 nights. Gooooood stuff

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I started to get my fly flicking mojo working after a few days. We went up the split on a night when there was an outgoing tide and I did pretty well throwing a crazy Charlie. I hooked 5 jacks and landed 3. I also had 2 tarpon grab the fly in the drop but I wasn’t able to stick any of them. I did probably have several heart attacks though.


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The last few days, we found a dock on the north island. $10US for us to hang out there all day! I managed a few bonefish.


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Hank was looking around the dock and noticed a lionfish clinging to one of the posts. We snorkeled around beneath the dock and there were a few of them.

So I got all worked up about getting rid of those invasive sumbitches. The next day I rented a speargun and we went back.


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I wanted him to make it look like a got them on the fly


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Anyway, that’s about it. The trip was fun as hell. The food was great. People were cool

Pro tip: when you get offered drugs, just yell “I’M ALREADY ON MUSHROOMS!!!”. They’ll leave you alone after that.

Okay, bye!
 

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Fun report! Glad you and your fishing buddy tried a bit of everything.
 
Porgies are good eating...lionfish are good eating too, but require a bit more attention to detail while cleaning them; you'd hate to stick yourself on a spine, it would ruin your day...
 
Looks like a killer trip
Welcome home

The line to dealers I was taught was “I don’t NEEEEED it!”
But that was back in the crackie 90’s
 
I got back Monday from 8 days in Caye Caulker

As some of you fine folks probably remember, my initial plan was to go to Glover’s Atoll. I still haven’t heard back from the owner. I was warned of some pretty sketchy reviews so decided to change plans

My best good friend Hank went on the trip with me. He doesn’t really fish, so I figured Caye Caulker would be a good mix of both fishing and non-fishing entertainment

The first day we got there the island was friggin packed. I didn’t realize Easter was such a big party weekend. Fortunately, the crowds died down after the weekend.

Pretty much the daily plan was going to Hanks hotel room, sitting on the porch, then walking or biking to wherever I wanted to chuck some flies. We went all over the south island, and explored the north a bit.

I picked up a few bonefish here and there off random docks in the first few days. Tarpon were cruising at night but I didn’t get any action on them the first few days

View attachment 151929View attachment 151930View attachment 151931View attachment 151932

We did take a charter trip to fish the reef and we did pretty well on Porgies, which we grilled up the next 3 nights. Gooooood stuff

View attachment 151933
View attachment 151934View attachment 151935

I started to get my fly flicking mojo working after a few days. We went up the split on a night when there was an outgoing tide and I did pretty well throwing a crazy Charlie. I hooked 5 jacks and landed 3. I also had 2 tarpon grab the fly in the drop but I wasn’t able to stick any of them. I did probably have several heart attacks though.


View attachment 151936

The last few days, we found a dock on the north island. $10US for us to hang out there all day! I managed a few bonefish.


View attachment 151938

Hank was looking around the dock and noticed a lionfish clinging to one of the posts. We snorkeled around beneath the dock and there were a few of them.

So I got all worked up about getting rid of those invasive sumbitches. The next day I rented a speargun and we went back.


View attachment 151939View attachment 151940View attachment 151941View attachment 151942

I wanted him to make it look like a got them on the fly


View attachment 151943View attachment 151944

Anyway, that’s about it. The trip was fun as hell. The food was great. People were cool

Pro tip: when you get offered drugs, just yell “I’M ALREADY ON MUSHROOMS!!!”. They’ll leave you alone after that.

Okay, bye!
Glad you enjoyed it.... I first went to Caye Caulker 50 some years ago and had 17 lobster meals in a row, lots of people forgot to wear their clothes down at the cut...
 
Fun stuff! We made a family trip there 6 years ago, fewer DIY options, but looks like you guys made a good go of it!
 
Porgies are good eating...lionfish are good eating too, but require a bit more attention to detail while cleaning them; you'd hate to stick yourself on a spine, it would ruin your day...
I gave them to the guy who owned the dock I speared them on. I didn't want to deal with getting poked!
 
I thought all the docks were public in Belize? Looks like a fun trip.
the water is public, you can wade/fish right in front of a resort or a house and they may glare but they don't own it, docks are private and I learned to always ask permission having seen people get chased off a dock by someone waving a machete.
 
the water is public, you can wade/fish right in front of a resort or a house and they may glare but they don't own it, docks are private and I learned to always ask permission having seen people get chased off a dock by someone waving a machete.
Yea- not saying its best practice to wander onto a random dock and just fish. That said- I believe that docks are public per Belize law. I never had to pay when I was last there in 2012.

Here is a link to an article I found just cause I was curious if things had changed-

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Years ago I was obsessed with catching bonefish on Caye Caulker and nearby Cayes and I never had to pay to use a dock but I learned to always ask permission ... if you had put in the time and money to construct a pier in front of your house/hotel you would be rightfully territorial and pissed off when a foreign tourist waddled out on it and quoting the "law" in Belize as a defense would be laughable.
 
Years ago I was obsessed with catching bonefish on Caye Caulker and nearby Cayes and I never had to pay to use a dock but I learned to always ask permission ... if you had put in the time and money to construct a pier in front of your house/hotel you would be rightfully territorial and pissed off when a foreign tourist waddled out on it and quoting the "law" in Belize as a defense would be laughable.
Haha- totally!
 
Also I was told that every coconut belongs to someone and it’s customary to offer
(25 cents at the time) to the owner of the property

Customs and laws can be different
 
Hey, Im planning a trip there in May. its for my honeymoon but ive been allotted some time for fishing lol. Im just going to do some diy. What did you bring for setups. im trying to bring maybe 2 rods and just have a good time with what i got.
 
Hey, Im planning a trip there in May. its for my honeymoon but ive been allotted some time for fishing lol. Im just going to do some diy. What did you bring for setups. im trying to bring maybe 2 rods and just have a good time with what i got.
i think the fishing would need to be pretty good, to fish on my honeymoon. it might be nice to take the lady out on a boat ride to an island and fish...or snorkel.
 
Hey, Im planning a trip there in May. its for my honeymoon but ive been allotted some time for fishing lol. Im just going to do some diy. What did you bring for setups. im trying to bring maybe 2 rods and just have a good time with what i got.

i think the fishing would need to be pretty good, to fish on my honeymoon.

Definitely should bring the wedding tackle
 
I’d bring two 8 wts with a tropical floating and a tropical intermediate
It’s a little heavy for the little jacks and such but I like the redundancy
Have a great time!
 
Hey, Im planning a trip there in May. its for my honeymoon but ive been allotted some time for fishing lol. Im just going to do some diy. What did you bring for setups. im trying to bring maybe 2 rods and just have a good time with what i got.
the bonefish are for the most part smaller schooling fish and a 5 wt. is perfect and and having an 8 wt. as back up ...
 
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