Belize Permit Fishing

Permit are an inshore species that are typically found on shallow water flats or sandy beaches and the deep channels next to them. They can also be found in water as deep as 100 ft, typically in larger schools near reefs or shipwrecks. They range from the Northeastern Coast of the United States down to Brazil, but without any doubt their numbers are the best right here in Belize, the Yucatan, and the Florida Keys. Permit are easily recognizable with their tall, flat bodies and elongated dorsal and anal fins. Most feature a yellow patch on their bellies, but their silver colored sides makes them extremely hard to see when laid up. They also have deep forked tails which are black in color, which is often what betrays their camouflage on the flats and led to the nickname “black tailed devil”.

Fly Rods
The ideal fly rod for permit fishing in Belize is a 9 wt. If you have an 8 wt rod you are using for bonefish that can be used in a pinch, but it can be a bit too light when casting in strong winds or when needing to place a crab fly 80-100 ft away. Some permit in Belize can reach 25-30+ lbs too, so you would never sleep again if you lost a fish like that using the wrong tackle. A 10 wt rod that doubles for tarpon also works, but if you are getting shots at 10-20 permit a day it can tire you out quicker than a 9 wt and might not have as much feel.

Fly Reels
We strongly recommend a large arbor, corrosion-resistant saltwater reel that will hold a fly line plus approximately 200 yards of 20 lb backing. Having a high quality, smooth drag system is essential to prevent break-offs or being spooled by a permit that is flying off the flats at warp speed to head for deeper water.

Lines & Leaders
A weight forward floating line is ideal for most of the stalking and sight fishing you will be doing on the flats. It’s also a good idea to have an intermediate sinking line because you can’t guarantee 100% of the permit you see will be tailing up on the flats. Sometimes you need to make a cast to laid up fish or a cruising pair along the mangroves and getting the fly right in front of them is imperative. Most guides prefer a 9 ft – 12 ft leader of 15#-20# fluorocarbon leader with 15# tippet.

Flies
Permit flies in Belize are all about crab patterns. It’s a good idea to have a variety of sizes and weights so you can adjust depending on the water depth and where you are fishing. Flies sizes should be #2 – #6, with #4 being the most used. The standard go-to fly every angler needs is the Del Brown’s Merkin crab in tan or olive, but the Raghead and Christmas Island Special are also popular.  We will provide you with a full list of recommended permit flies for Belize once you book your trip with us as it can vary based on where you are fishing.

Additional Items
To stalk permit all week we highly recommend a quality pair of wading boots or Simms flats sneakers. These need to be firm soled shoes designed for flats wading to keep out the small, sharp pieces of coral you are guaranteed to encounter. Light tennis shoes, sandals, or booties will not work and can put a quick end to your wade fishing. Of course we recommend a light rain jacket for tropical showers, hat, sun lotion, and polarized sun glasses so you can spot your fish.

Permit are available in Belize in healthy numbers throughout the entire year. The consistently warm weather, warm shallow water, and abundant flats create an environment they never need to leave. Unfortunately that doesn’t make them any easier to catch on the fly, but at least we know we’ll get our chances!

Permit fishing in Belize is affected more by day-to-day weather than by seasonal changes. Rain storms and big winds obviously aren’t fun to fish in, and overcast skies make it harder to spot fish. Some months tend to offer better conditions than others, but the weather on the Caribbean can be wildly unpredictable no matter when you visit. Below is our Belize fly fishing calendar to give you a general idea of the different species and fishing seasons. We customize all of our Belize fishing packages so once you contact us we’ll work with you personally to make sure you are in the right spot at the right time for the fishing you want to do.

Permit are found all throughout Belize. Being a protected catch-and-release species, their population is strong and the habitat is perfect so they can be seen from border to border and even out at the atolls. They can be found in schools of 10 or more when feeding, but the really big adults tend to be seen swimming alone or in pairs. Permit can be spotted when they are feeding on top of the flats or cruising the mangroves looking for a meal, so there are specific spots in Belize that hold more fish and/or present better flats fishing opportunities:

1) Placencia & Hopkins
The shallow waters off of southern Belize offer one of the finest stretches of permit fishing in the entire world. This area, referred to as ‘Permit Alley’, offers shallow saltwater flats that stretch nearly 30 miles form Dangriga down to Placencia. Located inside the Mesoamerican Reef, the calm protected waters can be 50-100 ft deep in the channels which offer safety for schooling permit. When the tides change you can see tailing permit up on the flats searching for their next meal almost any day of the year. Some flats may be just a couple hundred feet long while others can be up to half a mile long, so there is no shortage of territory to stalk permit. Not coincidentally, this stretch of Belize is home to luxury beach resorts, a few fantastic island-based fishing lodges that put you right in the middle of the action, and some amazing flats guides.

2) Turneffe Atoll
The most remote fly fishing destination in Belize offers some of the best permit fishing for that very same reason. The Turneffe Atoll is located 20 miles off the coast and is one of Belize’s prized national treasures for fishing and diving. Changing from several thousand feet deep outside the atoll to just a few feet deep inside of it, this is one of the most unique marine environments to fish. It measures 30 miles long and 10 miles wide, making it the biggest atoll in the Western Hemisphere with acres and acres of pristine flats and mangroves to explore. Due to it’s isolated location it receives very little fishing pressure so these permit aren’t used to seeing flies like they are in more mainstream areas.

3) Ambergris Caye
Located in northern Belize, this is the most popular vacation destination in the country. The 400 sq mile fishery allows anglers to escape the crowds and fish all the way from the Mexican border to mainland Belize. This area doesn’t generally offer shallow flats like the southern part of the country, but instead offers sandy & mud bottoms covered in turtle grass.  On one side of the island you have the Mesoamerican Reef which gives them easy access to deeper water and on the other side you have protected lagoons and mangroves.

4) Punta Gorda
The southernmost city in Belize is the self proclaimed ‘Permit Capital of the World’. In addition to several flats, this area has a massive lagoon that can be fished in almost any weather. There is only one fishing operation here, and they do an amazing job, so if you visit the remote southern end of Belize you might see more permit than people.