Belize Report Day 1

[Dave Sikorski]

The trip started early saturday 4/29 after 3 hours of sleep. Had a wedding on friday night to attend and didn't get home till late.


By 14:00 EST....12:00 Belize we were out of the airport and headed to the pier to meet our shuttle boat. The Turneffe Island Lodge crew was waiting at the gates with a nice air conditioned van to make the 15 min ride to the boat. We learned that 19 others would be on the Island with us and that my dad and I were 2 of the 3 fishermen for the week. The rest being divers/snorkelers or just beachers.

Some of our fellow vacationer's flights were held up so the hour wait at the dock slowly turned into a 4 hour wait in 80%+ humidity and 90+ degree weather. Not fun.

We finally got underway and over to the Island had a rum punch on the way


watched the sun try and set



ate dinner and went to bed....talk about a long day.

Day one started with a little walk around the Island to check things out.



It's a 14 acre hunk or coral with mangroves on the back and a bunch of coconut palms. the newest owner has really put some money into the place and added a nice new pier and breakwaters to protect the place. There are a bunch of private cabanas and a few two story lodges. The bar and dining area are very nice and the deck and pool are great too.



After breakfast we headed to the boat to meet Fabian our guide for the week.

We hopped in the Dolphin flats boat and headed out.

First stop was right near Fabian's fishing camp. He's one of many commercial fishermen from the area. He's been running around and fishing throughout the Turneffe Atoll for almost 35 years....you could say he know's the place kinda well.



If you look closely you can see some bones up against the shore

Not a bad location.

We put on our wading boots and got wet. Walked around a little looking for tails and fins. Found em. The tide was high and just starting to turn. The bones were rooting around in some mangroves against the shore and feeding in groups of 20-50.



Look to the left and right of the leaves....that's Bones.

I started off waiting to try and capture my dad's first Bone but decided fishing would be a better idea.



The fish were feeding behind the mangrove island on the lefft in the pic above. It was tough to keep up with the speedy little rockets as they jetted through roots and across the flats. With an 8lb tippet there's not much you can do to stop them.

Dad ended up breaking off his first in the mangroves and so did I. We bothered the fish until lunchtime. I ended up landing one and loosing 4...either from mangrove issues or Polack issues....one just plain ole spit knocked the hook out. My dad lost a few more and never landed his first. These fish were 2-5lbers. Will add a pic later when I get my film pics back.

We headed back to the lodge for a little lunch then chased more bones afterwards. The afternoon led to a little frustration with some fincky fish and wind that picked up considerably. The wind always blows on the Atoll but tends to pick up in the afternoons. Casting got a little tough and I think I spooked every fish I could make a cast to. Caught a little snapper to two to keep me attentive, but no more bones for me or dad.

......TBC

[CapeMayRay]

Great pictures and great report. Pictures make you wish you were there. Weather looked super. Have a friend going there on his honeymoon in the next week or so. Looks like a real fishy place.

[Dave Sikorski]

It's a shitty pic from a throwaway camera but it was my first bone of the trip and the biggest for me so far. maybe around 4.5lbs.

-D

[Jer]

What a beautiful place!

Congrats on your biggest bonefish

[POON MAN]

Dave looks like paradise

Thanks for sharing those pics !!!!

[Dave Sikorski]

After a good night sleep we began again with breakfast and met down at the boat. We had the kitchen pack a lunch and a few beers so we could venture further from the lodge.

After a 45 or so min run we came to an area where we began motoring along and searching for signs of permit....Nervous water, tails, splashing....etc. it was an area with a hard grassy bottom where lots of shrimp, crabs, and lobster hung out....obviously the permit liked it just fine too....maybe 4-6 ft of water with mangroves on one side and miles of open lagoon on the other.



The Atoll

anyway....we spotted a school and shut off the motor....Fabian went to the poling platform and we started searching for the fish. I was ready on the bow with the 10wt and fabian's special permit fly.

We searched and searched for that school and more but ended up only finding more guides whenever we found fish....no bigggie...off to some other less known spots.

Headed to another spot but the rollers made it almost impossible to stand let alone cast. Did have a shot at some big permit at that spot but couldn't make it work.

Headed to a few others before asking about lunch.

Fabian had it all planned out. He said no lunch before you catch a permit....

Now anyone who has tried to catch a permit on the fly knows it's not an easy thing to do....now I had to catch one before eating....I hoped he knew where to find more fish.

Well a few min later we were poling into another "hole"....now I think only God and Fabian knew about this "hole" but as I'd find out....Fabian knows the atoll about as well as God....we were in good hands.

well a few casts later I'm hooked up and things are looking good.



Well maybe 7 min later it was lunch time.....I had landed my first permit period and on the fly none the less.



We anchored up and enjoyed lunch and began bullshitting about what to do next. Well of course Fabian knew exactly where we were headed and began tying on a shock tippet and a "super tarpon fly"...."Dis one never fail me buuuuddy"

Well we slowly polled along to another spot....pausing as clouds came over limiting our vision. At the same time Fabian and I saw a pair of crusing tarpon....exactly where they were supposed to me. We drifted away and let them settle in where they wanted to be. Waited for the sun once again...Fabian quietly poled me into a perfect position...Ok mon....no fish there...just make a cast to the creek opening....Creek?....it looked like featureless mangrove to me....not to Fabian....remember the guy knows the place like you wouldn't believe.

"Right there Buddy"....well a few casts later and about 50 yds to the left some tarpon appear....shit...they started coming out of everywhere....it seemed like every shadow held a fish.

"Come on Mr. Silver King do ya thing"

"shoot it back in the creek...strip....strip...he's after it....strip.....SHIT" Pulled it away.

"Right back in there.....strip.......SPLASH....SET IT SET IT!!!!"

Holy Shit my first fly tarpon sucked up the fly about 30 ft away in gin clear water right on top......WOW....well you know how it goes now.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ......JUMP........"BOW TO THE KING"....splash...."TIGHTEN UP"....................fish runs at the boat....etc.

well a few jumps later I still haven't messed up and he's getting tired.....Ha.

"tarpon is very tricky fish.....(waving finger)....don't get fooled buuuddy"

Well a little less than 15 min later the boga grip is out and ready and....click....My first fly tarpon is handed to me.....21lbs.



He's no monster....but a perfect opponent on a 10wt....especially for a Polack.

Back he went....High fives and jumping hugs all around...DAMN THAT WAS SWEET.....I'm addicted.

Phew.....now what?....

Fabian gives that gold laced smile...."you want a grand slam buuuddy?"

You must be kidding me....First permit on the fly....first tarpon on the fly...and you're talking grand slam...HA....YES let's go.

Well a little ride later I'm back on the bow and flinging the 8wt w/ a tan charlie on it....this fly I tied.

tried a few spots...no fish....damn...maybe it won't happen.

We motored into another quiet windless cove and there they are....a little tail, a little ripple...

"Bonefish...10 o'clock".....SHIT...bad cast....spooked them.

"don't worry...more ahead"...ok ok...I can do it this time.

get pointed in the little cove...see the fish....make a cast....they're after it....ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.......

The little fella is hooked and doin his thing. Off to the mangroves he goes...he may be a little fella but he got the Bonefish handbook and he damn sure read it.

"Pressure him Dave....but don't snap it"

Well some how the little guy decided to turn and try his best at fooling me....Right to the boat. No problem...leader in hand and a GRAND SLAM.



A little dance on the bow...some more high fives a few pics and back he goes....Thanks little buddy!!!

Now I'm done for the trip....how can it get any better? would you believe if I said it did?

Anyway......time to head in...of course there's another spot we've gotta try before heading in....DUH.

This time Dad is on the bow and armed with the 10 wt and the magic permit fly. We pole towards another hole and it's the same story...grey shadows and black fin tips out of the water as the waves roll by.

"Drew cast over there....5 more ft....Shit...Snapper took it....yank him in"



"Go again...the permit are on the far edge."

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ....Hooked up.

a few min later and Drew has his first permit on the fly....are you kidding? Does a day get much better?



OF COURSE!!!....it was a short boat ride back to the BAR!!!



TBC.....

[OneMoreCast]

I made it over... looks nice.. I'll bring a few of the other guys too.

[Double D]

Nice job dave and great reports. Belize is a beautiful place

[Dave Sikorski]

Paradise would be a good way to describe it. If the weather would have worked out and we would have planned more there are tuna and marlin within sight of the place at certain times of the year....I don't know shit about the offshore game there but it seems like it might not be a bad spot to give it a try.

Welcome OMC....I think you'll like it here...The sky is the limit around this place.

I can even say SHIT!!!

Fly guys....OMC is a great addition to have here....Knowledgable as hell and a GREAT fly tier...not to mention a downright nice guy.

-D

[Chilli]

Way to go Dave... I'm drooling on the key board looking at the pis. Its beautiful. Sounds like you had a bang up time. Congrates on a dream vacation!