Its a good thing…

Each year, anglers pack their bags and head to Blue Bonefish Belize. The owner, Chris Leeman, is a friend of mine from our time guiding together in Alaska. Since he and his wife Mary acquired the lodge, I’ve had the privilege of putting together a group of anglers for a yearly trip. I consulted this packing list and thought it might be useful to publish it here.

In 2025, NWFFO and I will partner and curate a group of 14 Anglers. Our time spent at Blue Bonefish has fostered many cherished memories and developed many strong relationships. If you decide to join us, the same will be true for you. For those who secure a deposit, I will personally offer an hour-long Zoom consultation to help iron out the details and make your trip seamless.

The first item on the to-do list is to choose a date. Thanks to the tireless work of Chris Leeman and the NWFFO team, this is easy. For 2025, our date is 04/26-05/02.

The next to-do is to book airfare. It’s been a welcome surprise to see the price drop year after year. I usually fly with Alaska Airlines and use the miles I acquire on my card. Then I call Tropical Air (https://www.tropicair.com) and arranged an island hopper airplane from the Belize Airport to the island of Ambergris Caye. Bustling with excitement, the night before my plane leaves, I pack as follows:

WHAT TO BRING TO BELIZE FOR FLY FISHING

FLY RODS

A shop favorite is the Beulah G2 Opal series. These rods use titanium guides, graphene wraps, and AAAA Quark. Implemented by the owner and veteran salt guide James Shaughnessy they are designed for outstanding performance in the salt. Also of note are the

G-Loomis IMX V2 Salt. Winston Air Salt. You’ll want them in different weights and lined differently for easy access. Things happen quickly on the flats. You can’t be prepared enough. Rods should be no longer than 9 ½ feet in length. 9-foot rods are the ideal length for saltwater fly fishing. Fast to extra-fast action is the right tool for throwing tight loops in windier conditions. Lighter 7 and 8-weight rods work for bonefish and smaller tarpon found in the lagoons and smaller permits. While chasing permit, a 9 or 10-weight rod will help you get the extra distance needed and handle a heavy fly required to get down quickly to the fish. Adult tarpon requires a heavier set-up; 10 and 11-weight rods will give you the backbone needed to tangle with these 30-80 lbs leviathans. 4-piece rods are perfect to travel with. You can either place it in your checked luggage or carry it on board and place it in the overhead bins on your flight to and from Belize.

Bonefish/Small Tarpon 7/8 Weight rods

Permit 9/10 Weight rods.

Tarpon reels 10/11/12 Weight rods

FLY REELS

Saltwater fly reels need to be anodized/corrosion-resistant and have fully sealed drags. A reel with a high-quality, smooth drag and plenty of backing is ideal for the long runs inshore saltwater fish are known for. Reels need to have 200 yards of 20 lb backing for permit and bonefish and 250 yards of 30 lb backing for tarpon.

Check out the Hatch 7+ for a fantastic performing all-around saltwater reel.

Also, the Sage Spectrum is serviceable, #8 for Bones 1 and #0 for Permit.

FLY LINES

A tropical-weight forward floating fly line will cover most scenarios you will encounter on the flats. In some cases, a tropical weight forward 10ft clear intermediate sink tip line will help give a little edge on spooky Permit and Tarpon. My personal favorites would be the Scientific Angler Magnitude clear floating tip textured. Or the Rio Elite flats pro. Keep in mind those clear tips help to keep you stealthy, but they also make it difficult to tell where your fly is. Practice your cast and follow the fly with your eyes as the line turns over so as to have a good idea of where you’re at.

LEADERS & TIPPET

Bonefish – 9 foot 10 and 12lb tapered leaders. Tippet – 8, 10, and 12lb fluorocarbon

Permit – 9 foot 12 and 15lb tapered leaders. Tippet – 12, 15lb fluorocarbon

Tarpon – 9 foot straight piece of 40/50/60lb fluorocarbon or hand-tied Bimini twist 20lb class with a 40/50/60lb fluorocarbon bite tippet

CLOTHING/SUNGLASSES

For clothing, you will need clothes that dry quickly and are comfortable in hot weather. Light colors that stay cool and don’t spook fish are important. A long-sleeved fishing shirt and long pants are recommended. A hat with a dark bill that won’t reflect light into your eyes, good polarized sunglasses in amber/brown, a glass cleaning cloth, sunscreen and sun proof lip balm are also vital. These days, everyone wears a buff around their neck to protect from the sun when needed. Also, bring a rain jacket and rain pants.

BOOTS

If you plan to do some wading, bring neoprene wading shoes or lace-up wading boots with wading socks – any shoe that will keep sand and coral out should work. Normal wading shoes will work in a pinch. In the boat, a comfortable shoe with no laces to catch the fly line is acceptable. Most pros will go barefoot so that they can feel the fly line on the deck and avoid stepping on it. I fish in my socks to avoid burning my Oregonian whiter-than-white tinder feet.

FISHING LICENSE

You will need to purchase a fishing license online before your arrival into the country. Simply click on the link below, enter your information, and print. We recommended purchasing a one week license for $50BZE/$25US.

Purchase License Here

ESSENTIALS

Sunscreen SPF 30-50
Buff face shield
Chapstick/lip balm
Water bottle
Sun gloves
Dry bag or boat bag
Chest or hip pack for wading
Rain Jacket/ Rain Pants
Fleece Jacket
Wading boots
Polarized sunglasses – copper or amber lens
Lens wipes/cleaner
Fly line cleaner
Insect repellant
Hemostat/pliers/nippers
Hook Hone
Knotable wire leader for barracuda 30/40lb

FLY SELECTIONS

Permit

SS Merkin
Bauer Crab – tan
EP Spawning Shrimp – tan
Avalon
Ultra-Shrimp
EP Crab/Sinking and floating
SS permit crab
SS B-Turd
Mantis Shrimp
Squimp
Strong arm crab

Permit flies will range in hook sizes from a size 4-1/0 hooks, depending on the pattern. Also have a variety of sink rates with each pattern. Most should be tied with large bead chain eyes or small to medium lead eyes. You typically want the fly on the bottom quickly and in front of the fish.

Bonefish/Small Tarpon

Christmas island specials – tan/pink, tan/orange
Bonefish Bitters – Tan, olive
Squimp – Tan
Gotcha – Tan, Pink, Orange
EP Spawning Shrimp – Tan/orange
Mantis Shrimp – Tan
Bonefish Clouser – Tan/white
Crazy Charlies – white, pink, tan

You should have an assortment of bonefish flies in different weights and sizes. Most flies should be on a size 6-8 hook. Have some that sink quickly with lead eyes and some with a slower sink rate tied with bead chain eyes. Some scenarios will also require a weed guard to feed tailing fish in the turtle grass.

Tarpon

Tarpon Changer – chartreuse, white, purple/black, black/red
Black Death
Cockroach
EP Minnow – white, tan/white, chartreuse/white
Tarpon Bunny – purple/black, black/red, white

Tarpon eyes are situated on the tops of their heads and feed on prey that is above them. So, when presenting a fly to a moving fish, you want it to stay up in the water column. Your flies should have little to no weight on them. Hook sizes should range from a size 2 all the way up to a 3/0 for adults.

After all this it’s finally time to hit the water. Here’s a few ideas that have helped me in the past. Pick your shots, starting from a macro sense in choosing a place like Belize, all the way down to a micro sense in choosing the right light to scan for fish. I think of a pie chart. Depending on sun light, 30% of the water at any given time has the right glare and conditions to see a fish. If you’re paying attention, you’ll quickly learn what those conditions are. Staying relaxed and alert is a natural juxtaposition in any sport, and fly fishing is the same. Ready position in the salt is line neatly laid out on the deck, fly in hand, with the leader out of the tip of the rod. Ideally you’re able to fire off an 80ft cast wherever directed within two false casts. Turning around to look at the guide pointing and helping them help you is critical. It’s a lot of little things that make the big thing happen. Opportunity meets preparedness, sunscreen smeared hands, heatstroke, and wind are strong adversaries. Buck fever is another killer. After days of travel by plane, boat, and automobile, there will come a moment when your guides voice will change, your eyes will strain, your muscles will tense up, and with any luck you’ll see a fish. Composure! Wind! Composure! Tangle! Composure! A boat mate is yelling, "Composure! It's your only chance in three days, and the tail is enormous. Composure! You flubbed the shot, and you may never get another. Composure." This is what it is to fish the salt. And back to the lodge to enjoy a Belakin, to gloat or sulk, to laugh and play, to make heroes of one another, to fish.

THAT'S IT WE’RE GOING!