Belize is a premier destination for fly fishing enthusiasts, renowned for its expansive flats that offer the opportunity to pursue the coveted Grand Slam—landing a bonefish, permit, and tarpon in a single day. Home to one of the largest flats ecosystems in the world, the region provides exceptional fishing in every direction. Cayo Espanto was our home for the week, and served as an ideal basecamp, perfectly positioned for us to explore all that Belize’s waters have to offer.
I was joined by my two friends Brad and Craig on this trip. This was Brad’s second time bonefishing and Craig’s very first time fly fishing in the salt. After organizing rods, flies and group gear, my bags were packed and ready for the adventure ahead. I left Jackson Hole and flew to Dallas Texas to meet the gang.
Upon arrival at Brad’s house, the very first thing we did was drop our bags and pour three bourbons in anticipation and celebration for the great trip ahead. That night we ate at one of the most famous steakhouses in Dallas called Nick and Sam’s. We ordered oysters, calamari, smoked deviled eggs, rounds of dirty martinis and wedge salads, followed by a couple bottles of beautiful red wine and massive steaks, garlic mashed potatoes, asparagus and mushrooms. It was an epic feast fit for three kings which we were that night. We were on top of the world as the next morning we were headed to a private island to experience some of the most exciting fly fishing the world has to offer. Sight fishing the skinny saltwater flats of Belize!
We were lucky to fly on a private jet on our way down to Belize and upon arrival in BZE we walked a few steps to our own helicopter which was waiting for us to transport us to our private island for the week. During the short 30 minute helicopter ride we flew over the reef and were able to see manatees and sharks from above. One of the most incredible helicopter rides I’ve ever taken. I had to pinch myself more than once as the impossibly blue waters of Belize were below me, calling my name. When we landed on Cayo Espanto, the entire staff was in a line ready to welcome us. They offered us cold towels for our faces and forced us to drink an ice cold rum punch while being escorted to our villas. We checked into our villas and about 10 mins later they served us a beautiful lunch and popped a bottle of champagne. We sipped champagne and ate and organized rods and gear. Our guides were picking us up from our own private dock in one hour.
I fished with Craig the first day and was so impressed. Craig has only trout fished before this trip, so I talked him through the differences between bonefish and trout. He was practicing his double haul before this trip and I could tell the difference. He was able to pick up and shoot the line without a problem. While bonefishing, it’s important to pick up and deliver the fly quickly and to minimize false casts. Bonefish never stop moving so when you first see them, you only have a few seconds to get a fly in front of their face. It’s a myth that you have to cast far while bonefishing, it’s more important to be able to cast accurately within 50 feet. That’s only 6 rod lengths away from you, so if you want to get better at saltwater fly fishing, practice casting accurately and quickly inside of 50 feet. It’s also important to be able to cast backhand as proficient as you can cast normal.
Craig and I fished with our guide Alex and after a few hours of fishing, Craig had caught three or four bonefish which was a huge success for a first time flats fisherman. Craig learned how to cast with different wind angles, he learned how to keep the rod low while stripping to increase the hook set power, he learned about strip setting rather than lifting the rod like we do for trout, above all he learned how to anticipate the guides instructions and how to spot bonefish. I was proud of Craig and all that he accomplished and it was only day one! That night we sat around and popped a few Belikins and ate fresh snapper and tortilla soup, accompanied by delicious cakes and desserts. It was an incredible start to our week at Cayo Espanto.
Over the next week we had an incredible time together. Lots of bonefish were caught including a session that I had with Craig that I will never forget. Craig and I were together when I was up on the bow. Our guides that day were Franklin and Joe who were awesome and young likable guides. They poled us onto a flat that was as shallow as your hand. Eventually we couldn’t go any further so we staked out and waited for the fish to come to us. The sun was behind me which illuminated the flat in front of me. I could see bonefish tails in the distance getting closer. I had a lot of fly line stripped out when a large bonefish came from twelve o’clock about 80 feet away. I started to cast and landed the fly about 5 feet in front of the fish about 50 feet away from us and began to strip. The fish immediately saw the fly and charged it. The water was so shallow that his back was out of the water while lunging forward for the fly. It was so exciting and all I had to do was continue to strip until I felt pressure and BAM! I had him on and stripped one more time just to be sure. Within seconds I could see my backing and we were all awed by the sheer power of a bonefish’s first run. I got him next to the boat and immediately dropped him before a photo was taken. That’s ok though, I’ve got a ton of photos of bonefish and it’s better to make sure they swim away quickly, sometimes with no photos at all.
One of the highlights for Brad was hooking multiple tarpon on this trip. He casted at a lot more than he hooked which is normal for tarpon fishing but eventually hooked up with a 60 pound tarpon which is a massive fish by anyone’s standards. Unfortunately the fish came off which happens a lot more than you think while tarpon fishing. Hell, you’re not even supposed to land them, it’s just that sometimes you get lucky. It was awesome to witness Brad’s new found obsession with tarpon fishing.
The meals at Cayo Espanto were incredible. We would order our breakfast and lunch the night before from a menu and at 6 am every morning there was delicious hot coffee and fresh squeezed juice put out on our veranda. When the guides picked us up in the mornings our housemen would load our lunches onto the boats along with ice cold beers and plenty of water and fresh fruit and homemade cookies. Dinners were always delicious with plenty of fresh stone crab, fresh snapper, fresh grouper, lobster, beautiful
fresh produce and salads. Desserts every night were always insanely delicious and featured cheesecakes, chocolate dipped strawberries, cardamom ice cream, fresh fruit pastries and always followed by an after dinner drink.
The service was impeccable as we had four house men assigned to us for the week. After fishing we would jump in the pool and then call up our housemen on the radios and order pitchers of margaritas and conch fritters and nachos and shrimp cocktail. One night in particular, after we all finished up our fishing day we sat and watched Rory win the masters while sipping margaritas and eating appetizers in the villa. It was pure luxury. Dinner was a surprise every night and our house men would set up a table with a white table cloth and lights and tiki torches in a new place every night. Rest assured you can count on the staff at Cayo Espanto to deliver an exceptional experience.
Overall, our experience at Cayo Espanto was incredible. It’s very close to Ambergris island and the town of San Pedro where you can hire a water taxi to take you if you decide you want to go shopping and bar hopping one night. But the exclusivity of the island makes you feel like you are in the middle of nowhere. Furthermore, it’s right in the middle of all of the best fly fishing in Belize. All of these factors make this a must visit island in our opinion if you’re looking for a private island with excellent fishing.
When I look back on our trip, I vividly remember the stunning white sand flats teeming with bonefish, tarpon, and permit. I recall the restful nights, the ocean breeze, and the sound of waves lapping against the dock. I’ll never forget the tailing bonefish just off our beach at sunrise, or the warm hospitality of the Belizean people and the unwavering dedication of our guides. Rosita and Erika, the managers at Cayo Espanto, ensured every detail of our stay was seamless. I remember the joy on Craig’s face as he hooked his first bonefish, and Brad’s heartbreak as he lost his big tarpon. Every trip teaches you something new—and as always, when you step into the salt, you never know what you’ll find.
