El Pescador Lodge is located on Ambergris Caye in Belize at the foot of the world’s largest barrier reef. Originally established in 1974, it is a world-class fly fishing resort that has won numerous awards over the years. It offers outstanding saltwater flats fishing for bonefish, tarpon and permit.
The family-owned and operated lodge puts an emphasis on creating an environment for guests which nurtures camaraderie and authentic Belize experiences. The lodge really makes every guest feel like family, and many enduring relationships are created amongst staff and guests alike.
Set on 45 beachfront acres of private grounds, the lodge also lends itself to many other activities making it an ideal destination for non-fishing partners and family. From Scuba diving and snorkelling, Manatee watching to explorations of Mayan archaeological sites, the bounty that is Belize’s flora and fauna is all there for you to experience.
El Pescador offers accommodation at the main lodge in one of the fourteen newly-refurbished standard rooms or alternatively in one of the beachfront villas. All offer excellent, clean, comfortable accommodation in a modern style but with a Belizean feel. All rooms are air-conditioned, have private en-suite facilities including a large shower, two Queen-size beds or a large King-size bed. Each one of the rooms has stunning views over the ocean and reef.
For those wanting increased privacy or simply more space, the best option is to book all or part of one of the resort villas. There are one, two and three bedroomed villas which are ideally suited for couples, families or groups. The villas are quite big, and each one has its own kitchen, dining area and living area in which to relax. They also have external decks with access to the swimming pools and resort beach. As with the main lodge, all the villas have stunning views over the ocean.
Dining in the resort is a mix of local seafood and fresh vegetables along with chicken and Belizean specialities. All main meals, breakfast and dinner, which is buffet style, are taken in the main lodge dining room. If you’re out on (or in) the water for the day, a packed lunch is provided and prepared from a menu, with soft drinks and snacks. For those at the resort, lunch is in the main lodge, where there is also a well-stocked bar and cool beers always on hand.
Bonefish, Permit, Tarpon and Snook are the main species that visiting anglers target, plus endless opportunities over the reef for Tuna, Wahoo, Grouper, Snapper and Barracuda if you fancy some Bluewater action.
El Pescador is rightly proud of having one of the only true large Tarpon flats outside of Florida. Ambergris offers sight fishing for Tarpon all year round. With resident fish up to eighty pounds in weight, for those chasing a trophy fish, there are much larger migrating Tarpon reaching two hundred pounds which also visit the area during the season.
Combine this with world-class bonefishing and some of the best permit fishing, and you can see why this is a top location. The larger Permit favour the deeper ocean flats, however, there are schools of smaller fish cruising around the shallows in and around the mangroves and channels where the Snook also like to show up. Most of the permit fishing is done from the skiffs (Pangas), however, there are opportunities to walk and wade.
If you fancy some fishing and solitude you can borrow one of the resort’s canoes and, after some guidance, you can head off on your own mini-adventure chasing Bonefish for a couple of hours. The guides at El Pescador are amongst the finest in Belize, and many of them have been with the resort for over twenty years. There are many second-generation guides now starting to come through after years of training. Their intimate knowledge of the fishing, tides and movements of the fish make sure that they offer you the best chance to catch fish. In addition, they can offer tuition if your casting needs some help with one of the evening workshops where you can learn the technical skills required and they are there to ensure that you really do have a memorable time.
We would advise all anglers to bring all the gear and equipment needed— rods, reels, flies and polarized glasses etc. However, if you do forget something, the resort has a well-stocked tackle shop that can cover emergencies well as the opportunity to try new equipment. It also offers rental equipment and flies, leaders etc., should you run short or need additional gear.
A typical day starts after breakfast when you leave the dock with the guide and the skiff at 8:00 am and return after a full day out around 5:00 pm.
Let us do the groundwork for you.
Our tailored fly fishing and accommodation itineraries are designed with you in mind to suit your preferences. They are also quoted in your local currency with very favourable exchange rates.
Fly Odyssey has access to the best guiding and lodging rates, suitable tides and updated availability to this destination which can vary throughout the season.
This includes flight bookings, transit accommodation, transfers and a host of non-angling activities and experiences.
We specialise in group stays to the region, and our long involvement with our partners on the ground in Belize will ensure you are well looked after both on and off the water.
This includes extended stays in Belize and throughout the Americas.
Please enquire for the latest rates and availability, including information on any applicable special offers.
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Creating and sharing memorable travel experiences with our clients and friends provides us with genuine satisfaction. All of our trips are bespoke, tailored to your needs, and we always love hearing all about the adventure on your return.
Our knowledge of travel logistics saves you time, and our highly experienced team is here to ensure it’s spent on the water and not at the desk or on a long flight connection that you didn’t require. Since 2006 we have developed a valued client-base that has travelled to all corners of the globe.
We are a fully-accredited travel agency, where all of our flights, accommodation and associated travel bookings are made in-house, which means that you pay less. We have access to a huge range of specials, deals, great volume pricing and excellent currency exchange rates which allows us to pass these benefits directly onto you.
On the fishing front, our extensive expertise and experience around prime seasons, species, moon-phases, tides and personalised customer service is centred around one principal – preparation. This includes detailed gear and equipment lists, the fly patterns, transfer details, up-to-date fishing reports and some of the finer aspects that can often be overlooked.
We travel extensively and understand that your free-time is important. Just as we all understand from experience, that the key to a successful trip is pre-trip preparation.
Our highly experienced team has fly fished the world for the last 25 years, and we understand the considerations and gear needed to turn a good fly fishing trip into a great one.
Fly fishing and travel is our passion.
Season: All year round
Species: Bonefish, Permit and Tarpon
Outdoor: Scuba diving, snorkelling, cave tubing, jungle zip-lining
Ideal for: Anglers, couples, families and groups
Temperature: Mid 20s to high 30s, fairly consistent due to its proximity to the equator
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