I'm curious because there seems, on the surface, to be a disparaging difference between the fees asked by fly fishing guides, on Ambergris Caye and in Placencia. Last month my son and I fished with an experienced fly fishing guide from AC and we are currrently thinking about a similar trip to the Placencia area. We found that the guides around AC charge between $200 and $250/day US while the best advertised rates I could find in the Placencia area were between $385 and $415/day US. Did I miss something or are they really that much better?

Volume and fuel costs probably make up most of the difference not the quality of the guides.

I recently dove in Placencia for whale sharks, then in San Pedro with tourist friends. The service, expertise, experiance, and general afability (sp)were remarkable in favor of San Pedro (on this day our guide was Robby Gonzalez). PLUS the price in San Pedro was half.

Whale sharks are 26 miles from the Placencia coast, the reef is 19 miles. Requires lots more fuel to get there and back.

I can truly appreciate that boat operating expense may well be more for Captains catering to the divers community, because of the greater distances traveled to and from. However, those of us who fly fish for bone fish are probably not subjected to traveling these long distances, since "good" bone fish flats are within a 'long' rock throw from San Pedro and are reported to be about the same from Placencia. It's difficult to have an appreciation for any significantly different operating costs, for the "Captains" of the "panga charters" who cater to the flats fishermen. And, if we could find experienced fly fishing Captains in Placencia, who operate at rates competative with those in San Pedro, we would visit there as well. If there are guides, charter services or tour agents who would care to enlighten me some privately on these thoughts, please do so. You can find me interested at dongreife@hotmail.com

Actually, Katie the reef is less than a quarter mile from San Pedro. WE motored in San Pedrro for hours, to and from coral gardens, and trolling for fish. I am making an apples to apples comparison. The distance traveled or not dosen't explain the other differences.

Right, but from Placencia it is 19 miles...

Katie, I don't even want to go out to the reef. The bone fish flats are just off the beach.