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Belize River Lodge
The Belize River Lodge is a tried and proven world class fishing lodge in continuous operation since 1960.
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The Belize River Lodge rests quietly on the lush, green banks of the Belize Olde River. This beautiful mahogany lodge is situated amidst a lush tropical setting. Balmy breezes rich with bird song drift among the private cottages. Relax and enjoy our Belizean hospitality & a combination of fine Belizean-Creole-American cuisine.
It was the first fishing lodge built in Belize and was known as Barothy's Caribbean Lodge Ltd; then Keller Caribbean Sports Ltd (KCS); and since January of 1987, Belize River Lodge. The Lodge is now owned and operated by Mike and Marguerite, and we specialize in some of the very best saltwater fishing in all of Belize, and we also offer customized eco-tours.
Strategically located, the Lodge is just ten minutes from the Belize International Airport, approximately 10 miles north of Belize City, and 4 miles from the Caribbean Sea. While conveniently located, we are also a short and easy run to the Flats. Sight fishing the FLATS is our specialty, with variety our main attraction. Bonefish, Tarpon, Permit, and Snook are the main species caught by fly fishing and/or spin casting. About 75% of our guests are fly fishers, men and women, who are in pursuit of the Grand Slam.
Belize River Lodge operates two systems of fishing; fishing from the Lodge and fishing from the Motherships. Whether you choose to stay at the Lodge or aboard one of the Motherships, you will surely enjoy your ultimate tropical adventure with us.
Nearby Attractions:
Fishing from the Lodge:
Guests stay in the comfortable, well kept Mahogany Lodge, which is located in a setting of tropical greenery and colorful flowers on the bank of the Belize Olde River. Fishing is from 23' fiberglass Panga skiffs, usually two anglers to a skiff with an experienced professional guide.
The FLATS, cayes, reef, mangrove channels, Belize River, Sibun River, Manatee River, Black Creek, and several other creeks & lagoons in between are the areas fished from the Lodge in a normal five day fishing package. This is a very large area with a great variety of fishing conditions, fish species, and scenery. Game fish species generally found in this area include PERMIT, BONEFISH, TARPON, SNOOK, Cubera Snapper, Jacks, Barracuda, Grouper, and others. Visual Grand Slams & Back Country Grand Slams occur every day. Landed Slams will depend upon your skill, the fish, & a little luck. Many species of birds and other wildlife such as Manatees, Howler Monkeys, Iguanas, Turtles, and occasionally Crocodiles may be seen while fishing from the Lodge. Comfortable skiffs, modern outboard engines, and English speaking, professional licensed guides help make this a memorable fishing vacation.
Tell your guide what your desires for the day are, and he will try to fulfill your every request. All of the Lodge guides are local Belizeans, who know the waters; and are friendly, talented, hard working, patient, and very capable of instructing, whether you are a fly caster or spin fisher. While you search for your trophy or cast for your Grand Slam, be sure to absorb the natural beauty of Belize.
Fish Opportunities
The coast of Belize is a complex system of river mouths, creeks, lagoons, flats, small cayes, mangrove islands, and the Barrier Reef. The eco system that exists here supports millions of crabs, shrimp, bait fish, and other aquatic life, which is why there is an abundance of game fish; Permit, Bonefish, Tarpon, Snook, Snappers, Jacks, Groupers, Cobia, and Barracudas, to name a few.
The Belize coast is world known for its Permit fishing. From the lodge, Permit range from 5 to over 30 pounds. The best time to fish for Permit is October through July. This fish is the ultimate fisherman's trophy. Bonefish within this ecosystem vary from 2 to 8 pounds, with the majority being 4 to 6 pounds. Bone fishing is year round. Bonefish are considered to be one of the most powerful fish, per pound for its size. Tarpon, the silver king, is one of the most acrobatic fish sought by anglers. These fish along the coast of Belize range from 5 to over 200 pounds. The bigger Tarpon are mainly found in the months of March through July and September through November. Smaller Tarpon (5 to 60 lbs) are found year round. The explosive Snook, saltwater's bass, can be found in sizes of 5 to 25 pounds. These fish are mainly caught February through November. Snappers, Jacks, Groupers, Cobia, Barracuda and a large variety of other saltwater game fish can be caught year round along the coast of Belize. The months noted above are typically higher concentrations of those particular fish.
A Typical Day Saltwater Fishing
6:00 am:
Coffee or Tea on the Lodge Verandah, conversation, check tackle & equipment
7:00 am:
Breakfast, then after breakfast, its back to your room, grab your gear, and back to the dock where you will meet your awaiting guide.
7:30 am:
Guides are ready on skiffs at the dock, a few minutes for guides to check your tackle (especially if guests are changing guides daily). Then you & your guide can determine where & what to fish for that day based on weather & target species. Your guide will help you tie or select the right leaders, lines, shock tippets, and flies for the areas you are concentrating on for that day, and your first morning will take a few minutes longer for initial set up of equipment.
7:30 - 8:30 am:
Leave dock for fishing areas (can be Flats, reef, mangroves, creeks, lagoons or river), usually ½ hour to 40 minutes running time (as close as 20 minutes away).
During the Day:
Most of the day is spent hunting or casting to fish, checking out many different places, such as flats, channels, mangrove shorelines, etc. The guides will usually pole or paddle during fishing most of the day with each angler taking turns on the bow, if there are two anglers to the boat. Mostly it is sight fishing: casting to tailing , rolling or cruising fish or casting to fish held up under the mangroves or casting to spots. There will be some blind casting to areas that the guides know hold fish which may not be visible at the surface. The guide will motor to other areas during the day always with wind, tide, light, & species in mind.
Sometime about mid day, depending on fishing, the guide will find a cool, shady spot for lunch (usually under an overhanging mangrove). Lunch is prepared by the Lodge staff and consists of a delicious box meal of sandwiches, fruit, chips & dessert and is packed in a cooler with an assortment of soft drinks, beer, water, etc. Many anglers catch a power nap at this time and then plan for the afternoon.
The afternoon fishing continues until about 5:00 pm, when the skiff heads back for the Lodge, to be back in the river before dark. Rods & reels are rinsed at the dockside and stored in a convenient rack near the main Lodge, safe from screen doors and ceiling fans.
After a shower; drinks, appetizers & fishing stories are shared on the verandah. At 7:00 pm is dinner. After dinner, relax on the screened in porch, enjoy an after dinner cocktail and reminisce on the day's fishing. Maybe even find out what the hot fly of the day was, and learn to tie it yourself at the fly tying table.
Note: If you enjoy snorkeling, bring your equipment with you, and take a couple of hours out of your fishing day and snorkel, if you are near the reef.
A day's fishing from the mothership is similar to the Lodge's fishing day, except fishing can start earlier, returning to the yacht for breakfast about 8:00 - 8:30 am; going out again & fishing until lunch (about 1:00 - 2:00 pm); then taking a siesta. After, you can go out again & fish till dark. The only change will be if you are moving, as the mothership moves during daylight hours. The mothership provides for earlier and later fishing, afternoon siesta's & shorter runs to fishing areas. (Please remember that the average guiding day is 8 to 10 hours).
Fishing Cruises:
At Belize River Lodge, we are proud to be the pioneers in developing live-aboard cruises within Belize. Each mothership comes with it's own crew, Captain, Guide, Chef, and flats skiffs. For the truly adventurous sport fisherman or cruising aficionado, this is the ultimate safari.
This is the most successful and versatile way to travel to remote locations in order to fish the FLATS, mangrove channels, rivers, coral reefs, and cayes of Belize for PERMIT, BONEFISH, TARPON, SNOOK, BARRACUDA, JACK, SNAPPER, and many other species of game fish. GRAND SLAMS are common on these trips.
Living aboard one of our comfortable motherships allows you to visit a variety of fishing grounds not otherwise accessible in this, the last uncrowded region left in the Caribbean. Fishing is from comfortable 23 Panga flats skiffs. Experienced and hard working guides assist you in fishing at your own pace... .early, late, or all day. No long runs in the skiff, since your captain has anchored your mothership in a calm protected area near the fishing. Unbelievably good snorkeling is usually close. At the end of the day, retire to your luxurious floating resort to relax and enjoy one of the spectacular sunsets which are only available in the tropics. Enjoy refreshments in the fully air-conditioned comfort of your yacht. You will easily forget about diets this week as you enjoy excellent meals prepared by our on-board chef. This is truly the ultimate get-away-from-it-all fishing vacation, no schedules to keep. We take care of all the details, you fish and relax.
You may want to try our TRADITIONAL FISHING CRUISE, which depending on weather, fishing conditions, and your interests, covers the areas from Hick's Caye to Southern Long Caye, and the Turneffe Islands. The traditional fishing cruise is a minimum trip of 6 night/5 days. Or try our SOUTHERN BELIZE CRUISE, which was developed in 1987, and begins at 7 nights/6 days. This Fishing Adventure covers South to Bluefield Range and provides greater access to Permit and Bonefish. Tarpon and other species of fish are also caught.
Our VACATION CRUISES are similar to fishing cruises but with less emphasis on fishing. Usually, one skiff is towed behind the motor yacht and used for fishing, snorkeling, exploring the reef, cayes, beaches, and shore areas. More a family type cruise or for the two couples looking for a very relaxing get-away-from-it- all vacation.
In an effort to offer our clients the very best in facilities and equipment, we are constantly upgrading. The motherships Cristina & Blue Yonder accommodate four people and crew.
For the discriminating sport fisherman, we have the luxurious Cristina, an air conditioned 58' Hatteras Yacht-Fisherman. This vessel is the best equipped in all of Belize, and it offers the absolute ultimate in personal accommodations, comfort and safety at sea. The Cristina has two guest bedrooms, a master with a queen which can be converted to two single beds, and a guest room with two single beds. There are two private bathrooms with hot & cold freshwater showers. A large salon area to relax in, offers a CD player, color TV, and VCR; also an enclosed dining area with a wet bar, and ice maker. The fly bridge with comfortable seating offers great views.
Another choice to fish the same fantastic area is Blue Yonder, a 52' Chris Craft motoryacht. This Air Conditioned Vessel features two bedrooms with two single beds in each. It has two bathrooms, one with a freshwater, hot and cold shower. A large salon/dining area to relax in offers a radio/cassette player. An open air aft deck, with table and chairs, is a wonderful place to relax and enjoy cocktails. The fly bridge offers a great place to watch sunrises and sunsets.
A Typical Mothership Cruise
A typical day depends upon you, your friends, and your crew. As there are no schedules to keep, fishing times are very flexible. Please remember that the average guiding day is 8 to 10 hours.
Arrival Day You are met at the airport by a staff member, and taken to the Lodge to check in. Mothership boarding time is approximately 4:30 PM. After boarding your mothership and meeting your crew, you and your fishing mate can settle into your room, unpack, and sort gear, with a cocktail. Meanwhile the captain will be setting sail for one of the nearby cayes, approximately two hours, where you will anchor for the night. Upon setting anchor, your chef will serve an appetizing dinner. After dinner, you can sit on the aft deck or fly bridge, enjoying the evening and discussing the upcoming week.
Day 1 thru Day 5 -This is where your options begin.
1st Option, Early Bird: A day could start early at sunrise with coffee, tea, or juice. Fish near the boat for one to two hours. Early morning fishing can be some of the best fishing of the day. Then return to the boat for breakfast. After breakfast, you can head back out to fish until midday, then return to the boat for a nice relaxing lunch in air conditioning. After a leisurely lunch, maybe a siesta, you can head back out for an afternoon of fishing. Return to the boat for cocktails, dinner, and a nice relaxing evening.
2nd Option: A day could start with sleeping in and forgetting the stress of the outside world. Have a mid morning breakfast, and then head out to fish until lunch. Return to the boat for a nice relaxing lunch in air conditioning. After lunch, resume fishing, and then return to the boat for an enjoyable dinner and watch the sunset.
Note: Both of these options are 9 to 10 hours of fishing per day. Mothership Travel time is daylight hours only. Whatever you choose to do, let your guide and chef know, so they can plan for your day. Just remember, you, along with your captain and crew, are in control of your trip.
Amenities:
The Belize River Lodge, previously known as Barothy's Lodge Ltd., was the first of three fishing lodges built in Belize. In the early 1960's, Vic Barothy came to Belize from Cuba, fleeing the late 50's situation there. In Belize, he located the ideal settings for three different fishing lodges; one on the southern end of Turneffe Atoll, one on Spanish Creek, about thirty miles inland, and one about four miles up the Belize Olde River, which is the present day Belize River Lodge. After operating these three Lodges for a few years, he decided logistically that the four mile river site was best suited for a wide variety of fishing opportunities. This setting allowed easy access to a few different rivers, several creeks, and also very easy access to the FLATS & mangrove cayes, & the Barrier Reef.
The Lodge was built amongst the palm, coconut, mahogany, logwood & mango trees, in a genuine jungle setting. Many native trees were left in place around the Lodge for atmosphere & shade. Mahogany was the wood used for building the Lodge.
Today the Belize River Lodge still rests quietly on the banks of the Belize Olde River, amidst the lush green tropical setting. Balmy breezes, rich with bird song, drift among the private mahogany cottages. The Lodge can accommodate up to sixteen people. The Guest House is a two story mahogany building. It contains four rooms, each with two single beds, private hot & cold showers, ceiling fans, & screened verandas overlooking the Belize Olde River. The Cottage is set up for two groups of two or for a family of four. Each room has separate hot & cold showers, ceiling fans, & two single beds. Both are separated by a connecting door and share an open veranda. One of the cottage rooms has a cozy sitting area. The Bungalow has two rooms, each with a double & a single bed, private hot & cold shower, ceiling fan, a/c, & a large screened veranda, which allows the tropical trade winds to blow through. All of the Lodge rooms are air conditioned and decorated with a tropical Belizean ambience. When you return from fishing, fresh water and ice will be ready in your room, and your bed will be turned down for you during dinner.
The main Lodge houses the kitchen, office, Mags' gift shop, Mike's fishing closet, the dining room, lounge area, screened in porch & self service bar. From the Belize River Lodge's kitchen comes an excellent combination of the best Belizean, Creole, and American cuisine. The Lodge cooks use the freshest and finest ingredients (even coconuts off the trees in the front yard), and along with some of Mags' old family recipes, create some of the most memorable tasty meals, which will have you asking for a few of her recipes. Remember, save room for coffee or tea and dessert!
The dining room's claim to fame are the three solid slab mahogany tables, where you can find some of the finest dining and socializing in Belize. Relax and enjoy the atmosphere, and tell a couple of stories yourself. After dinner, you can retire to the lounge or the porch for an after dinner refreshment. Located within this area is our self service bar and the fly tying table.
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