Wanna go to Belize with us?

Rocky Mountain Anglers is excited to host a week of fishing at Turneffe Flats Lodge in Belize. Located on The Turneffe Atoll, 90 minutes from the mainland, the lodge is surrounded by 250 square miles of flats and reefs rich with marine life adding to your overall experience. The fishing here is world class with the possibility of a grand slam on any given day of the year. The permit fishing has been written to be the best anywhere, and where else can a new saltwater angler catch so many bonefish that their arms start to ache. A terrible problem to have!!

Turneffe lodge has experienced, English speaking guides, and luxurious accommodations to make your visit one to remember. Rooms are double occupancy with air conditioning, with beautiful views of the ocean just a few steps away. There are beautiful flats teeming with bonefish right out your door. The friendly staff prepares excellent meals using local produce, freshly baked breads, and of course seafood. Meals are served family style in the main lodge, where the bar, gift shop, and fly shop are also located. Special dietary needs or restrictions can be accommodated and the excellent meals reflect Belizian

and international influences. Dinner is a very social event following drinks and hors d’oeuvres, and includes a soup or salad, a delicious entrée of chicken, pork, beef, seafood, or a combination. Desserts are to die for as are the fresh breads and pasteries for breakfast.

Three meals are served daily, and fisherman have the option of returning mid day for lunch at the lodge, or taking it on the boat.The views and vistas as well as the diversity of wildlife have made this a truly special salt water destination. The lodge also offers scuba diving and reef or eco-tours as well as the world class flats fishing. This is a great spot to come with a significant other to relax and be pampered in the warm waters and white sands of the Caribbean.

Turneffe Flats Lodge is the best saltwater destination for anglers of all experience. The sheer numbers of fish allow repeated shots for anglers first stepping in the salt. And for anglers wanting more of a challenge there are larger fish, as well as tarpon and snook in the area. While present in fewer numbers the tarpon are around 100 pounds with fish closer to 200 pounds caught each year. The best permit fishing anywhere, schools of bonefish out your front door, and the chance of a tarpon or snook as well. This place rocks!!! Anglers are often limited to only a single species on their excursions, but not here! The diversity of gamefish means you may catch all bonefish one day, permit the next, and a tarpon on the third.

Many friends have traveled to Belize, coming back with photos that will make you envious. I never like to say anything is easy, but Turneffe Lodge is as close to a sure thing as you will find. The fishing here is world class and the lodge has made a name for itself as one of the best in the business. When the snow is flying in Colorado think how relaxed you could be south of the border. Come join us in paradise for a saltwater experience to remember. (Call the shop, 303-447-2400 and talk to Randy to get more info!)

Trip dates: March 12-19, 2011.

Price $3883.95(does not include airfare, tips, alcohol or purchases from the gift or fly shop)

Flyfishing for Texas Redfish on the Cheap

Scratching the saltwater itch can be more expensive than a gambling addiction, especially when you live in Colorado. For many landlocked flyfisherman, the $3000 price tag of a guided week of flats fishing might as well be a million. However, determined to get our saltwater fix, fellow Front Range Anglers Guide, Tyler Bowman and I set our sights on the redfish along Texas' Gulf Coast. With a budget not allowing for the conveniences of a boat, guide, or rental car, we strategically located ourselves in Aransas Pass, Texas. Fueled by peanut butter sandwiches and armed with 8 weights, we found expansive flats within walking distance of our $50 per night motel. We quickly discovered also that a thumb and a smile can easily get you a few miles down the road from a friendly local on their way to work. Every new flat provided shots at tailing and cruising redfish, along with an occasional speckled sea trout hookup.

Tyler Bowman with a beautiful Texas Red

If you go: The beauty of salt water flats fishing is that the gear is pretty simple. A good fast action rod in the 7-8 weight range, a pair of wading boots or old sneakers, a few leaders, and a handful of flies is all you need. Here is a short list of effective gear:

Rods: A 9' 8 weight with a fast action will is an ideal rod for smaller reds.

Reels: Any reel with a half decent drag system and at least a 125 yards of 20 pound backing will do.

Flies: The Texas coast is filled with abundant populations of crabs and shrimp. Any fly that imitates these creatures will produce fish if carefully presented. Also, red fish feed heavily on mullet, and in several instances we found reds cruising with groups of these fish, so smaller bait fish imitations are good to have on hand. On the sand flats shrimp patterns without weed guards worked well. However, we quickly learned that many of the grass flats in Texas require a weedless fly. Simply put, sometimes a double weed guard was not enough to keep our flies free of grass. The more weedless your fly, the better. We threw all of our flies on 9-10' leaders tapered down to 0-2x fluorocarbon tippet.

Every minute on a flat is educational. For every hookup, we had to put quite a few miles on the old chevro -legs. Wind, spooked fish, and bad casts are more the rule than the exception.
Hiring a local professional guide is always worth every penny, but if you're low on pennies, your next experinece on a pristine saltwater flat may only require a plane ticket, a cheap hotel, and a short swim...

Tight Lines,
Patrick Knackendoffel and Tyler Bowman