Placencia, Belize, A quiet Caribbean Paradise
I went to Belize to rest, be quiet, and relax, work with local seafood, and yes, to fish, and found so much more.
After caring for my aging parents for 8 1/2 months, I was exhausted and looking for a place without high-rise condos, bars, and the associated noise and nightlife —a place where I could fish, not for the freezer, as they were still full. But just for the pure pleasure of catching and releasing some of the top sportfish in the world. Permit Bonefish and Tarpon. After extensive research, I selected Placencia as my destination, a small town offering excellent accommodations, great local seafood, and some of the most knowledgeable, professional, and capable flats guides anywhere in the world. “Charles Leslie and sons.”
Getting There
Getting to Placencia is relatively straightforward, with several major airlines offering flights from Houston, Texas, to Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport in Belize City. It is then only a 25-minute flight aboard either Maya or Tropic Air to Placencia airport. These flights depart about every 30 minutes, so if you miss one, as I did, you can catch the next one. When planning, allocate at least 2 hours in Belize City to clear customs; although it’s not difficult, it does take some time. If you want to buy alcohol, do so at Belize City’s duty-free Liquor shops. They will pack it for you and load it onto your flight to Placencia. Though widely available in Placencia, it is much less expensive. Arriving in Placencia, I met Bridget Poper and her partner Steve Williams of Tropical Reef Rides, who had my Golf Cart waiting for me at the airport, along with a stocked cooler. Bridget and Steve are Transplants from New Mexico and run a top-shelf operation providing golf carts, guided trips, and restaurant recommendations, and even took us directly to where we were staying. I really couldn’t say enough about them. Not only do they have the best Carts in Placencia, but Bridget also checked on us every couple of days to ensure we were both enjoying the peninsula, as well as to keep us aware of great food and invited us to church services. It was a level of service that is hard to find anywhere. You can reach them at +505 417 6667. You will not need a car here unless you plan to spend a lot of time driving further south. It takes about 25 minutes in a golf cart to travel the full length of the village. It is also only about a 30-minute ride north to the Maya Beach Sein Bight area if you want to see it.
Things To Do
Placencia is not only a paradise for outdoor activities, but also a vibrant community with a rich cultural heritage. The town is dotted with world-class snorkeling spots, numerous shops, and beachside cafes. Coffee shops like Chill Point, which also offers a wide selection of homemade ice cream, and bakeries with some of the best orange breakfast muffins I’ve ever had, are popular hangout spots. If hiking is your thing, nature hikes into the Jaguar preserve will take you through lush jungle forests. Trips to Mayan ruins are also available, offering a glimpse into the region’s fascinating history and culture.
Accomodations
Accommodations in Placencia run the whole gamut from luxury Beachside Homes replete with a personal chef for $1000.00 a night, which, if split between several couples, is still less than many other Caribbean Destinations. To simple air-conditioned beachside Cabanas for $130.00 a night. My own choice was the Ohana Kuknat Cabin, run by Isabella Gayot, who was waiting for us to arrive and had her sons take our luggage up to our room—a kind gesture that I greatly appreciated. At about $190.00 a night, it was a bargain, a semi-private beach, a full kitchen, three coffee makers, and a sprawling porch with Hammocks at both ends. There is a high season which runs from November 20th to April 15th. The rest of the year is considered the low season, offering better prices and fewer crowds.
Dining Placencia
From Beachside Cafes, like the Tipsy Tuna and Cozy Corner, to Fine Dining at Rumfish Y Vino, Muna Rooftop restaurant, and the Galley serving a variety of Caribbean-inspired dishes. Some notable items included the Thai Lobster Tacos and Green Banana Fries, which are made fresh daily at Tipsy Tuna. The Split pea soup with crispy Pork Belly and ginger dumplings appetizer, and fried whole red snapper at Muna Rooftop Restaurant will dazzle the senses. Lobster Curry at the Galley was a signature dish and very tasty. One of the primary reasons I visited in July was to enjoy fresh and inexpensive spiny lobsters. The lobster season starts on July 1st and kicks off with the Lobster Festival. If you’d like to cook your own, that’s no problem. They can also be purchased live from several vendors, including the co-op at the end of the peninsula. Wanting to really savor them, I made a simple cold lobster salad and enjoyed it for several days with chilled vegetables and Ritz crackers. See my recipe on the recipe page. Conch is a staple in Belize, and its season runs from October 1st to June 30th of the following year. If you would like to enjoy both sweet spiny Lobsters and Conch, the seasons do overlap; plan accordingly.
Fishing in Placencia, Belize
While I was there to relax as much as possible, I was there to fish the coral finger reefs bordering what is known as Permit Alley. This Place is literally a fly fisherman’s dreamland, with excellent bonefishing, Tarpon, and the Holy Grail Permit. The guides I chose were Charlie Leslie and Sons, with years of knowledge of these flats and fish passed down to his sons by Charlie Leslie senior, who, Lefty Krey himself once said, was the best Permit guide he ever fished with. Charlie Leslie Junior was my initial contact, and he helped me plan the trip based on tides and fly selection. I fished with Marlon Leslie and his son Kelvin, who will be the 3rd generation of their Legacy as some of the best flats guides anywhere in the world already having his captains license and his own boat now being outfitted, with his quiet kind manner and the knowledge of his father Marlon his uncle Charlie Jr and Charlie senior I am sure he will be another great fisherman and guide. It is their preferred method of wading for Permit that makes fishing with them both exciting and productive. When I asked Marlon Leslie why, he said, ‘If you are polling, you lose the Element of surprise.’
Once I slid over the edge of the boat and began to follow Marlon slowly wading through those long coral reefs, and realized that we could see the fish, then stalk them into casting range, I knew I was in my Element. Seeing those black sickle tails cruising in those shallow, gin-clear waters was one of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen. Permits can be finicky; even the most well-presented offering can be turned down, driving some men mad and leading them to pursue them for years until they catch one. It was that way for me until the last day. July is the windiest month of the year in Belize, and I had practiced casting in the wind before arriving. I can not stress enough the importance of doing so if you go. Casting at moving fish in a 15-knot or more wind requires skills like leading a bird with a gun; it just takes practice. Though I had multiple shots at Permit each day, it wasn’t until the last day that I had my chance, and a fish took my fly, a rookie mistake of raising the rod tip as opposed to strip setting the hook. I felt the fish momentarily, and then he was gone, but I will go back and with a lesson learned to strip set, not trout set. If You go the usual selection of Baur crab and Camo Crab flys will work well and I would suggest 12lb Flouro Carbon leaders of at least 12-14 ft. For Tarpon shock leader 50-20 lb test and tarpon toads in varios colors and sizes. For Bonefish the classic Bonefish bitters in both grey and green two or three sizes along with Pink Lady’s and small shrimp imitations will all work well. Suggested line sizes 10 lb Flouro in 10-12 ft lengths. My rod choice were two 9 ft 8 weight rods one fast action The signature series Trident Atlas which was the Rod of choice most days which I also had in a 10 weight. A medium action 8 weight which was great for Bonefish and was all that was needed.
Bonefish in Belize are not known for their size, but they are numerous. Let me say this: a three to four-pound bone fish on an eight-weight rod will make your heart race and bust your knuckles if you try to hold the reel handle. They can peel more line off a reel faster than you can say Bonefish. Seeing them in schools of just a few to more than 30, in inches of water, is a sight that will make any fly fisherman smile. The skinny water flats are beautiful places, and with some of the flats situated in sight of Guatemala’s mountain ranges, this area is particularly picturesque.
Tarpon in Belize are plentiful, depending on the time of year. Both juveniles and larger fish are there. Seeing them is one thing, but catching them is another. Marlon Leslie’s remark that at times they can be fish of a thousand casts, and they were that for me, two missed strikes left me empty-handed, but seeing their Emerald green shapes cruising under our boat endelibly etched them in my mind.
I have fished in many places and can safely say that Placencia, Belize, will always be one of my favorites, and it is definitely one I will return to if you to are a fly fisherman then go and enjoy.
