Although not as well publicized as our neighbors in Costa Rica or Panama, Belize holds its own when it comes to Deep Sea Fishing. Every year we catch Trophy sized Bill Fish such as
- Blue Marlin
- Sailfish
Belize also has large numbers of
- Dorado
- Black Fin Tuna
- Mackerel
- Grouper
- Barracuda
One of the big advantages to Deep Sea Fishing in Belize is that the fishing waters are just a few miles from the reef. That means that we can be fishing in a matter of minutes instead of cruising for a few hours to get the good fishing.
The day starts at the marina after breakfast in a private boat ranging from 26ft to 36ft which holds up to 4 fishermen very comfortably. Boats of this size typically have canopies where you can get out of the sun, fresh water and a bathroom.
Also onboard is all the gear and tackle you need for a successful day in the Caribbean waters. Onboard will be bottled water and beverages, typically you will need to bring your own lunch, snacks and alcoholic beverages. Unlike fishing closer to the island, when deep sea fishing we typically are not close to many restaurants or facilities until we return to the marina at the end of the day.
The Captain will have prepared the equipment the night before for the first species of fish you will be going after. Once in the right place the captain will generally start trolling for fish with various types and colors of lures and baits. As soon as the fish show a preference to what is being presented the captain will adjust the presentations accordingly.
The fish you will be fishing for while deep sea fishing will be larger fish than inshore ranging from 20lbs to 200lbs+. When a big fish is hooked the captain will typically have the other fishermen reel in their lines so as to not tangle them with the line of the fish being fought. Depending on the size of the fish the battle can last a few minutes up to a few hours. When the fish is really big many fishermen will take turns fighting the fish.
Fish such as Tuna and Dorado travel in schools and the fishing techniques are much different. When a school is located the captain may encourage all fishermen to have their lines in the water. Multiple hookups are common and then not only do the fishermen need to fight the fish, but they also need to make sure they don’t get tangled with each other’s lines. The ensuing chaos is just part of the experience and is the topic of many toasts in the bar afterwards.
Belize does encourage catch and release but keeping a fish or two from your day on the water and having a local restaurant prepare it for for dinner is a great way to end the day. Ask your captain for his recommendations on what fish to keep and where to have it prepared.
Depending on the day, your boat may have traveled many miles fighting and in search of its next catch. Depending on how far out you are will determine when the captain will want to start the voyage back to the marina.
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