Any skill level or age can enjoy fishing on an Island Expeditions’ trip where the fish are so abundant it won’t take long before you’ve landed your first catch. From traditional Belizean Handline fishing - hugely popular with kids and first-timers - to finessing a sleek bonefish to take your fly, our trips cater to different fishing styles and interests.
You’ll find fishing on the outer atolls of Belize to be an enriching experience; the water is so clear that from the boat you can see schools of fish feeding. Bonefish, barracuda, grouper, jacks, snapper, mackerel and tarpon are all possible.
Explore our Belize trips that include fishing.
Fish with our Experienced and Knowledgeable Belizean Guides
Our Belizean guides can show you how to prepare bait, where to go, or for an exceptional and unique experience, why not accompany your guides as they free dive to hunt for fish, conch and lobster. On river trips machaca, tuba and snook are in the rivers. Little is known as the best ways to catch these fish so count on experimenting with different gear and techniques. For fly-fishing our guides will provide full instruction from beginning casting techniques to advanced fly placement.
Guide Mike and a guest with a Barracuda at Glover’s Reef.
Experience the ‘Belizean Hand line fishing technique’
Inside the Glover’s Reef Marine Reserve all fishing is catch and release only. However, the Marine Reserve boundary is not far from our Glover’s Reef Basecamp. You will have the opportunity to go out with the guides on a fishing trip outside of the park boundaries where we can catch and keep our catch. The guides will take you on a power boat to a place with shallow waters and using conch as bait, the guides will jig for small bait fish (Grunt or Snapper), using a light weight hand line.
Then the guides will take the Grunt and Snapper, fillet them and put them on a large hook. The idea here is to mimic squid for when they troll on the boat. A hook will then be attached to a steel leader with some 100 lb of test fishing line.
You will then have the opportunity to catch a Barracuda! You will hold the line with the bait behind the boat and once you feel a heavy tug you will bring up the caught fish, with the help of the guide.
Check out our video from Glover’s Reef showing the Belizean hand line fishing technique.
Fly-fishing for Bonefish
For the seasoned fisherman, Glover's Reef is hard to beat as far as a salt water destination to fish. You can see the Bonefish in waist deep clear waters and can simply walk off the beach into the water and start fishing.
Fly-fishing for bonefish (catch and release only, please!) is unmatched for light tackle challenge and excitement. If you are planning on fly-fishing for bonefish, tarpon, permit, snook etc. you should talk to your local fly-fishing shop to find out the specific tackle needed and where you can get it in your area.
If you wish to fly-fish at Glover's Reef then please check in with our office to confirm if there will be gear available or not at our Basecamp during your stay.
Please note that as Lighthouse Reef is a National Marine Reserve, there is no fishing allowed within a mile of the island shores.
For more information on gear, tackle and fishing regulations, visit our planning and packing page for fishing .
Fly-fishing on the saltwater flats at Glover’s Reef
If you go:
Our trips to the Glover’s Reef Basecamp on Southwest Caye will allow you to fish, explore, kayak, kayak-sail, snorkel and SUP while you stay on Glover’s Reef Atoll, a protected marine park and designated world heritage site thirty-six miles offshore of mainland Belize.
We are currently offering a special on the 5 night Glover’s Reef Adventure trip for departures on Apr 4, 25 & May 2, 2017. This special offer includes an adventure at the Bocawina Rainforest Resort with a free two night stay and zipline tour - a $350 value (April 9 & 10, April 30 & May 1, May 7 & 8). We have only 6 spots available on this special offer, book your trip now!
Call 1-800-667-1630 or email info@islandexpeditions.com to discover more about the many fishing opportunities that await in Belize.