AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums The Cayes Ambergris Caye Fishing Equipment

I am wondering if anybody can help me out about fishing equip. Should I bring my equip down with me or just buy down there. I have been told to bring my lures and rod down there as there is not much of a selection.

Jon - my husband always brings all his own gear. Rods, reels, everything. He insists the stuff available on AC is not as good as what he brings and is more expensive than at home. But its a pain traveling with all that stuff for a week or 10 days.

How does he get the fishing gear to AC..

I think this really depends on what kind of fishing you are going to do. If you are using a simple spinning or casting set up it is not a big deal. You can bring your own or buy it at Captain Sharks. It is more expensive than in the US and the selection is limited. If this is the kind of equipment you are going to use then either bring it (get multiple piece rod so it won't be a problem on the flight down) or buy it and when you finished give it to a local guide or kid.
If you are going with a guide, I think, most of them will supply all the equipment for you. I am not a fly fisherman but I understand there is a very particular relationship between the angler and his equipment and you will know what to do.
In any event please do come down and have some fun and leave something for the guide or some of the children.

My husband has mostly 3 piece travel rods that he brings (fly rods) but he has brought other travel rods with for reef fishing. He packs all the stuff with hooks and extra line in the checked luggage and carrys on the reels and the rods. We have never had a problem in Belize - we have run into problems in other countries with the reels and the line - in Costa Rica they made him take the line off all his reels and throw it away before he could board the plane. He also sometimes brings down gear he is not going to use any more and gives it to local kids or guides before we leave.

Seashell....so kind of you to mention to bring some fishing stuff to pass along. I met a man fishing with line around a water bottle and he seemed to know what he was doing. Everybody apreciates some line, terminal gear, etc.

How do you get it there? Pack it in your luggage and pay the airline extra for the weight like we all do. Don't bring too many lures...most of the guides fish with live baits with circle hooks. for dinnCatch, photo, release and keep some snappers for dinner.

What kind of fish are inside the reef on the Westside of AC cause from what I can tell it is less populated and that is where I will be fishing. I am also trying to figure out what kind of rod to buy. A casting or spinning reel for the rod I am getting.

What would be my best bet for the fish inside the reef. Will not do deep sea fishing or trolling.

What fish's are a good eat in AC as well and what am I able NOT to fish for or need a permit for?

Sorry if this does not make any sense, but hopefully you understand what I am trying to say lol....

JTB, Whats your tackle budget? I ask becasue there is no sense in me recommending what I'd take vs what you can afford. How do you want to fish? Bait? fly, lures? Do you want food fish or catch 'n release fish? DO you want to hire a guide/local and use a boat or will you be simply casting from shore?

In the bay west side of AC, you can get snook, tarpon, bonefish, small barracuda, small snapper, to name a few. Bait is typically used for the barries and the snapper.

Most guide gear I've used is of the "economy" class equipment, dont expect graphite or even high quality fiberglass rods; UglySticks are common. Reels? Shimano economy models are considered high end and most use spinning gear not conventional reels. Deeper water and bigger terminal gear you start to see Penn Senator series. The gear I've used has been well maintained but check your drag for proper tension after being handed a rig.

If youre taking your own, I'd recommend a 15# rig (spin or cast) using 65# braided line and flourocarbon leader, or if youre not into typign knots just use Berkeley Big Game 15#. Get a two piece rod, medium heavy with a fast action. You'll want a sensitive tip but backbone to set hooks and pull their heads out of the bommies. Lures, silver spoons, jigs, feathered or not your call, I use rubber baits and jig heads frequently and go through quite a few becasue of the short strikes from barries that usually lop off the tail. For hooks and weights? Spread some of your cash and buy locally. I usually have bait and circle hooks in a variety of sizes. I dont recommend bait fishing if youre going to catch & release, you'll just mess up the fish more often as not.

I should qualify my use of guide here, I like to use the older guys with smaller boats and motors, usually a Mexican panga. Hill Gonzales and his nephew Tino (They usually hang at Chuck and Robbies Dive dock) are good examples of these guys. Mr Hill, is old school and Tino is a bit more progressive. Depending on your price range and what you want to do I would consider my statements about guides and their tackle typical of what most visiting anglers want to do. Personally, I dont have a problemm dropping $$$ on a bigger boat and chance for game fish using good tackle when I want but ecomonmy is what most people end up looking for....

What does everybody on the island use for bait.. Lures, Minnows, Chum, Jigs.. As you can tell I would be Casting/Spinning fishing..

Also are you able to put a lobster trap in the ocean and catch lobster or do you need a permit? Do you need a permit for fish as well..

I don't think you can put lobster traps out. But I think you can free dive for them.