Belize Report Day 1

[Dave Sikorski]

Oh I have the "T" bug alright.....don't see how someone could avoid it.

Tarpon is by far my favorite fish I've caught on a flyrod to date. The monster permit from night 3 was a blast too but nothing like the line hauling ass off the reel when I hooked and lost the tarpon on the same night. I was friggin giddy watching the backing peel away before he jumped and spit the hook. If I would have been paying attention and not thinking permit I probably would have at least fought him a little more.

Fabian had a client a few years back hook a tarpon at 9 am and fight him for 7 hours 17 min on a 10 wt. The fish was 140 something lbs. Talk about a day to remember.

To say it was an awesome trip is an understatement. It goes to show that a good guide and the right place is well worth the cost.

Richard French @ www.belizeflatsfishing.com set the whole thing up for us and if I ever meet him he's getting a big damn hug!! If you're going to Belize you're crazy not to book through him.

anyway....glad you all are enjoying the report....I'll make it around to day 3+ soon.

Rob....do I make the happy customers page with this one?


a perfect shirt for the tropics.

-D

[hodx]

dave...awsome fish....I will be heading for Belize in Sept 23...can't wait..then I'm off to Mexico across from Belize....Herman

[Dave Sikorski]

Hell yeah...where you headed down there? What kinda fish you going after?

-D

[hodx]

Hi Dave...don't really care what I catch....will be near St Georges caye...After Belize...will be heading to Mexico for something I really want to catch a Roosterfish...I carved one out of wood....the one I use for my avitar...Will be fishing the Zihuatanejo area of mainland Mexico...after Mexico, I'm off to Nassau....this trip will be my lifetime dream come true.....next year want to try Key West............Herman


Dave or anybody here....where in maryland can I get the best deal on a decent 10wt outfit?

[OneMoreCast]

What are you lookin for?
If you are steppin up to a ten wt and going on a destination thing the reel starts to get important. I give a huge thumbs up to Ross Big Game. I've had two reels fail on me in the last month. Both high end... $600+ reels.. one place is going to repair or replace the other oufit went out of business and I'm going to have to pay to get it repaired for $$$$... which I think is a huge load of shit.
The shop I do business with will cut you a deal. It won't be an ebay deal, but you can develop a relationship with them..
The other alternative... I know a place that might have year old st croix legend ultra's... middle of the road line of the maker... reduced bigtime for this year's inventory. Excellent rod with a great warranty.
I'm workin on my boat today. I'll swing by the place with the st croix's and let you know if they have a ten wt and how much etc...

[flies only]

damn nice report dave !!! thanks for sharing it!!! got some buddies in andros now ... grand slam oooohhhhh yeeeaaahhhh!!!!!

[OneMoreCast]

9wt only hodx.. bummer.. st croix legend ultra for 199.

[Dave Sikorski]

Day 3 began with a slight shift in wind direction and a little chill to the air. Most sunrises were blocked by some clouds down there but this one was different. There was a tiny bit of rain in the distance and I could just tell it was gonna be one of those days. The divers crossed the deep to the famous "Blue Hole" and Dad stayed back on the island with the whole place to himself.

Mom came along on this one. She's been "learning" to fly fish in the back yard for a few weeks, but her instructor isn't exactly that good....it's ME

Anyway....we headed to the same flat as day one and began looking for the tails and fins.

The tide was lower than before and the fish were further out towards the reef. We spotted a decent school holding up in a sandy hole and off we went. We waded around to get the wind advantage and I started making a few casts. Short ones at first to be safe. Mom stood by listening to instructions. Well a few casts later and I'm hooked up. A little bone in the 1.5 lb range. A good start of a cloudy day.

Fabian did a quick scan of the area and decided we would walk out to the reef and then work our way back in looking for bones feeding on the incoming tide. Well there was no shortage of tails, fins, and nervous water. mom and Fabian worked their way to the south a little and I had my own little private area to work. I patiently waited to the right chance time and time again and still had nothing to show for it. These damn fish were being spooky as all hell. The more I spooked, the bigger the schools would become and things would become much tougher. A few little snappers did take my fly now and again, and the stinky ole needle fish became quite a pest himself.....did I say STINKY.


bad focus...sorry

A quick check on mom and she'd had the same luck. A snapper or two. she's also hooked herself and Fabian. Good thing I was off on my own or she'd of had the grand slam too. At least no blood was drawn so it was all good. look at the crappy weather!!

I went back to work on the spooky bones with every damn fly in the box. None were having it.

it was time to make a move.

About a 1/2 mile walk towards the mangrove later I'm staring at three fins making their way through 6in. of water. these are bigger bones and are all alone. No school to cast on top of or mess up.

I start my cast....lay down the fly...strip...strip...strip.......Hooked up.

The line clears in typical bonefish fashion and SNAP!!!!!

guess who tightened their drag too much on the first fish of the day and forgot to pay attention to it later on? MEEEE!!!!

Biggest bone of the vacation was off to the races with my charlie in his mouth...DAMN DAMN DAMN.

After that I'd had it. It was lunch time....not everyday can be a grandslam....or can it?

-TBC

[Foul Hooked]

Oh I have the "T" bug alright.....don't see how someone could avoid it.

Tarpon is by far my favorite fish I've caught on a flyrod to date. The monster permit from night 3 was a blast too but nothing like the line hauling ass off the reel when I hooked and lost the tarpon on the same night. I was friggin giddy watching the backing peel away before he jumped and spit the hook. If I would have been paying attention and not thinking permit I probably would have at least fought him a little more.

Fabian had a client a few years back hook a tarpon at 9 am and fight him for 7 hours 17 min on a 10 wt. The fish was 140 something lbs. Talk about a day to remember.

To say it was an awesome trip is an understatement. It goes to show that a good guide and the right place is well worth the cost.

Richard French @ www.belizeflatsfishing.com set the whole thing up for us and if I ever meet him he's getting a big damn hug!! If you're going to Belize you're crazy not to book through him.

anyway....glad you all are enjoying the report....I'll make it around to day 3+ soon.

Rob....do I make the happy customers page with this one?


a perfect shirt for the tropics.

-D

Hell yes, you certainly make the happy customers page. Hopefully I'll have it up soon as I've received some great pics from great customers such as yourself. Hope to have you in the print catalog as well!

Rob

[Dave Sikorski]

Fantastic.

-D