All though it was nearly a decade ago, when I close my eyes, I can still envision the hypnotic scene as if I was watching it on TV. There wasn’t a breath of wind, and the water covering the white sand flat was so clear that it was nearly impossible to differentiate where the water stopped, and the sky began. A few fluffy white clouds broke up the monotony of the bright blue skyline. In the distance, I could start to make out a few darker shapes, and as the small string of juvenile tarpon approached the bow of the boat, it looked as though they were hovering in mid-air. I took my sunglasses off and blinked a few times to readjust my eyes and ascertain the surface of the water. Never in my life had I experienced such a euphoric phenomenon, and I was doing everything I could to free myself from the illusion before I missed my opportunity.
Trying to limit my movement, I made a gentile sidearm cast a few feet in front of the lead fish. The water's glass-like surface erupted, and my dreamy trance was broken as I watched the fish engulf my fly and explode into the air. The vivid course of events was immediately galvanized as one of my fondest core memories.
Over the past 20 years, I have been blessed with the good fortune to have walked miles of white sand and explored some of the world's most picturesque estuaries, from Key West to the Cosmoledo Atoll. Each flat is surprisingly more unique than the last and home to a wide array of species; it’s nearly impossible to choose a favorite. But, when and comes to family-friendly, easily accessible places with a wide variety of species, it’s hard to imagine a more utopic fishing location than Belize.
Located in the Caribbean, on the northeast coast of Central America, Belize has a tropical climate and is one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world. Over 60% of its land's surface is covered by lush forest, and off its coast is the world's second-largest barrier reef, which hosts over 500 species of fish. Not only are its waters teeming with life, but the flight from Florida is easy, and the fresh seafood is fantastic! What’s not to like? The only problem I have encountered with Belize is narrowing down the selection of productive patterns to include in this book.
I have written several species-specific books in the past, but this is the first that focuses on one location with countless species to target on the fly. Since space is limited, I have chosen to focus on the big three; bonefish, tarpon, and permit. It was not an easy task, but I am confident that the assortment of patterns outlined in this book will ensure you are covered given the opportunity for a shot at a slam … and the insight provided in the interviews of the contributing guides and gurus will help you understand what factors need to be considered for creating and fishing your own flies.
Belize Flies contains detailed step-by-step instructions for tying The Bauer Crab, The Black Fly, Flack’s Fanta Shrimp, LeMay's Big Eye Tarpon Fly, Mitchell’s Itchy & Scratchy, Austin’s San Pedro Crab, Mathew’s Turneffe Crab, and Pop’s Bonefish Bitters, Chicone's Magnum Mantis, Calypso Coyote, and Tide Slave. These eleven proven bonefish, tarpon, and permit patterns will tip the odds in your favor when tying flies for your next Belize adventure. This is a 208-page paperback illustrated with ultra-hi-resolution images.
