With one of the most vibrant marine eco-systems found anywhere on Earth, Belize is truly a paradise for anglers. The enormous Belize Barrier Reef, favorable tides, and thousands of magrove-lined lagoons provide every fisherman a unique opportunity to pursue a wide variety of gamefish.

A Beautiful Environment for Fishing

Lagoons and coastal areas of Belize are the home to a staggeringly complex abundance of life, including bait fish, crabs, shrimp and marine mammals. A plethora of small animals and juvenile fish attract enormous schools of game fish to the area, including permit fish, bonefish and barracuda. Meanwhile the inlets and mouths of Belize’s many rivers are ideal locations to fish for tarpon, snook, jacks, snapper (including yellowtail, mutton and cubera), king mackeral, and both blackfin and yellowfin tuna. The Belize Barrier Reef draws schools of amberjacks, snapper, grouper fish and barracuda and the deeper waters offshore are ideal spots to fish for pompano, bonita, sailfish and marlin.

Local guides are experienced with reading the wind, phase of the moon, tidal action and the weather in order to find the most profitable locations to fish.

Deep Sea Fishing in Belize

Anglers wanting to pursue the very biggest of gamefish know that the deeper waters beyond the Belize Barrier Reef are perfect for pursuing marlin, dorado, billfish and several varieties of shark. Although deep sea fishing requires expert guidance and superior strength and strategy, few feelings can compare to the elation of landing a spectacular big fish.

River Fishing in Belize

Thanks to an abundance of annual rainfall and a warm semi-tropical environment, Belize is crisscrossed with many rivers, creeks, lagoons, small islands (called “cayes” locally) and flats. Anglers interested in pursuing river fishing as well as fishing along the coast have numerous opportunities to land permit fish, bonefish, snappers, jacks, groupers, cobia, barracudas and tarpon, many of which grow to record sizes in Belize.

Reef Fishing in Belize

As the second-largest barrier reef in the world, the Belize Barrier Reef gives hundreds of fish and other aquatic creatures shelter and a safe place to spawn. Draw to the reef are large fish, including yellowtail snapper (the current record is 16 pounds), jack crevalle, barracuda, grouper and mutton.

Flat Fishing in Belize

In local parlance, flat fishing is the use of a small boat to travel to one of the hundreds of tiny islands (cayes) in Belize and fishing in the island’s lagoon. Popular gamer fish like tarpon, permit fish and bonefish are plentiful in these waters, as are jack crevalle, snooks and barracuda.

Interested in a fishing vacation in Belize? Check out this unique Belize fishing package that is offered by Laru Beya Beach Resort in the Placencia Peninsula in southern Belize.