Fishing Adventures

 Reef Fishing - Full & Half Days
Off the coastline of Ambergris Caye, you will find many wonderful fishing spots (inside the reef).  Because of the close proximity to land, you can find yourself fishing in a matter of minutes.  This makes for a perfect day either full or half day.  Due to fishing inside the reef, many do not experience sea sickness, typically found with deep sea fishing.   
Duration:  Full Day
Departure Time:  8:30 a.m.
Return Time:  4:00 to 4:30 p.m.
Fishing Gear:  Rod, reel, line, tackle, bait included

Included:  Cold bottled water, fresh fruit, transportation to & from site, licensed guide.

What to Bring: Camera, cell phone, personal medications (for the day), light jacket or windbreaker, sunscreen, sunglasses, hat, beach towel, swimsuit, cash for tipping your guide.

Reef Fishing

Description:   Local reef fishing is by far the most popular fishing trip asked for by visitors to Ambergris Caye.  It is always a great day fishing, because you are almost guaranteed a catch.  This makes for a great day together (father & son, buddies, or just with the guys).  This is a great tour for families to do together, kids ages 8 to 16 really enjoy doing this as a group. 

Since the barrier reef is less than half a mile from shore, you can be fishing in no time at all.  Whether it is dropping anchor and a line to catch snappers and groupers or trolling to catch the fast barracudas or jacks, this is an exciting experience.  There are many fishing spots on the barrier reef.  If fish aren't biting in one spot, we can easily move to another spot.  This type of fishing is the easiest and ensures that you will catch something.

Snappers, barracuda, jacks and groupers are some of the more common catches on this day trip.  All tackle, gear and bait is provided by your guide.  Most guides will have a cooler with ice, ready for anything you catch.  Since reef fishing is done mostly inside the Barrier Reef, there is not much to worry about as far as big waves and motion sickness. 

Reef fishing may be done as half or full day charters.  Half days usually last about 4 hours, with a full day lasting about 7 to 8 hours.  Most guides will start the day at 7 or 8 in the morning, or you can arrange meet earlier or later.  Half day charters can be done either in the morning or afternoon.
Since the Belize Barrier Reef is about one quarter of a mile from shore, you can be fishing in not time at all.  Belize Reef Fishing, provides some of the best fishing in the world.

Your day starts off fishing inside the reef, by dropping anchor and a line to catch snappers and grouper or trolling to catch the fast barracudas or jacks, this is fun for the whole family. We mostly use live bait consisting of sardines and we combine our fishing with some trolling and bottom fishing.

Fish you can expect to catch are Grouper, King Mackerel, Snapper, Barracuda, and Jacks.  There are many fishing spots on the barrier reef, so if fish aren't biting in one spot, it is easy to move to another spot.  This type of fishing is the easiest and you can be sure that you will catch fish. Your guide will also free dive for fresh lobster or conch (depending on availability and season).

For full day reef fishing, your captain can clean some of the fish you have caught, and prepare a nice beach BBQ for you.  Relax on our white sandy beach while your guide prepares lunch, including fresh fruits, fresh veggies, beans and flour tortillas.    

Trip includes rods, reels, line, tackle, bait, plenty of ice and cold drinks.  Since reef fishing is done mostly inside the Barrier Reef,  you don't need to worry too much about big waves and swells, that cause motion sickness.
ADD A BEACH BBQ
Ask about adding a beach barbecue to your day.

What Kind of Fish Can I Catch Reef Fishing?

We briefly mentioned that Belize’s fishing grounds are diverse. Therefore, you won’t be surprised to hear that there’s a wide array of species you can target. There are few places in the world that come close to offering up such a fishing feast – especially somewhere so small! From an inshore Super Grand Slam to big game species offshore, here’s our pick of the best. 
BLACK SNAPPERS - The Black Snapper has an elongated oval fusiform compressed body with a depth that is 38% to 42% of standard length. They are dark brown with a violet tinge and transition to lighter brown ventrally. Juveniles are blue. They have a prominent white lateral line set high on their body.

RED SNAPPERS - Red snapper are a deep rosy red color, with a dark fringe around the dorsal and tail fins. Adults average 2-4 pounds but can reach over 50 pounds. To avoid misidentifying small red snapper as lane snapper, note that red snapper have an angular anal fin and 14 soft dorsal fin ray.
GROUPERS - Grouper is a lean, moist fish with a distinctive yet mild flavor, large flakes and a firm texture. The Red Grouper has a slightly sweeter, milder flavor than the Black Grouper and is considered to be the better of the two. Grouper's flavor profile is like a cross between Bass and Halibut.

HOG FISH - The hogfish is large with a laterally compressed body that is high and round. This is in contrast to other wrasses, which tend to be smaller and cigar-shaped. The caudal fin is slightly lunate and the first three dorsal fin spines are elongate and thickened, trailing behind the fin.
BARRACUDA - Barracudas are muscular fish with streamlined, torpedo-shaped bodies. They are equipped with an impressive set of razor-sharp teeth. The lower jaw juts out past the upper jaw and both are filled with dozens of teeth. Many members of this family are small and harmless to humans.

SNOOK - Snooks are long, silvery, pikelike fishes with two dorsal fins, a long head, and a rather large mouth with a projecting lower jaw. Tropical fishes, they are found along the American Atlantic and Pacific coasts, often in estuaries and among mangroves and, sometimes, in fresh water.

MACKEREL - Mackerels are rounded and torpedo-shaped, with a slender, keeled tail base, a forked tail, and a row of small finlets behind the dorsal and anal fins. They are carnivorous fishes and feed on plankton, crustaceans, mollusks, fish eggs, and small fish.

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