El Pescador Lodge, Belize
El Pescador Belize Fishing Lodge and Villas on Ambergris Caye is a recipient of numerous awards. Among its many titles, it’s become a world-class fly fishing resort. The lodge is a top choice for anglers, eco-adventurers, and families looking for the best of Belize. It has been owned and operated by the same family for over twenty years. The lodge is a Tripadvisor Travelers Choice and one of the best Belize fishing lodges endorsed by Orvis!
In addition to outstanding fishing, Belize is a beautiful place to be. The country lies on the Caribbean coast of Central America with 17,000 square miles of dense tropical jungle to explore, mountain ranges with peaks over 3,500 feet, and 266 square miles of offshore cays surrounded by coral reefs. You can find fabulous diving spots everywhere on the Belize Barrier Reef, which stretches the entire length of the coast, some 175 miles. In addition, three atolls provide another 180 miles of living reef.
Looking out from the beach, you can see the waves roll over this incredible section of the Belize Barrier Reef. With over 40 Ambergris Caye dive sites, scuba divers will have an abundance of different sites to explore. Snorkeling is fantastic here with three Marine Reserves, Hol Chan, Shark-Ray Alley minutes to the south, and Bacalar Chico just to our north. Staying at the El Pescador Belize Fishing Lodge puts you right in the middle of the action!
Snorkeling
Some of the best snorkeling in the world is just minutes away from our resort on the world's second longest barrier reef. We’re just off our Ambergris Caye location near San Pedro, Belize, so you can’t miss it! Belizean reefs are teeming with more than 160 species of marine life for you to discover, so don’t miss out on this excellent opportunity.
Diving
When diving along the main barrier reef at Ambergris Caye, you will experience the vast canyons formed by large, living corals rising from a sandy bottom. These canyons are found just outside the reef at depths of 50 - 100 feet.
Fishing Program
At El Pescador Lodge, you can achieve the anglers' ultimate dream - a Grand Slam of bonefish, tarpon, and permit. Belize's shallow water contains the only classic tarpon flats outside South Florida. Our flats are world renowned for offering the opportunity to sight cast tarpon 12 months a year.
Bonefish
The bonefish grounds are only minutes from the lodge. Fish from the boat or wade-able flats are available all around us. The bonefish run from 2 to 5 lbs and are plentiful and eager to take a fly.
Permit
Permits are found on the bonefish flats and on many of the tarpon flats as well. Our permits are found in large schools and range from 4 to 30 lbs, with the majority running about 8 to 10 lbs.
Tarpon
The El Pescador fishery has year round resident tarpon over 100 lbs. In late summer, we have the bonus of a large migratory population of big fish.
Seasons
Belize is a fantastic location to fish all year! Belize has a neo-tropical climate; our temperature varies less than 10 degrees F year-round. Rather than seasons, we have micro-climate changes. During these times, Belize is subject to the occasional cold front in the winter months. The wind is part of our tropical environment; some days are windy, and some are not. Our country is semi-arid and gets less than 25 inches of rain annually, so you should expect to enjoy plenty of nice weather on your trip.
Our fish reside here 12 months of the year, plus the addition of a significant tarpon migration in late summer. We assure you that the fishery is diverse and abundant any day of the year.
Months tend to blend into one another. If our "best" month is a 10, then our "worst" month is an 8.5 or a 9. Again, the vagary of a passing front has more impact than the time of year. These fronts possess two common characteristics: they are unpredictable and they tend to be short-lived.
Months
Practice your casting and visit us and one of the world's premier saltwater destinations, El Pescador Lodge. Enjoy fishing here all year round!
January: On calm days, you should see as many as 50 to 75 tarpon in the 20-90 pound range. Generally, bone and tarpon fishing are good; reef fishing is good to excellent on calm days.
February: Fish are plentiful on the flats if the wind isn't too strong. It shouldn’t take long to land a few tarpon in the 20-90 pound range. Bones, permit, and tarpon fishing are good but weather-dependent. Reef fishing is excellent.
March: Plenty of 20-90 pound tarpon will be out on the calmer days, especially in lagoons. There will be plenty of bonefish, and reef fishing is good to excellent. Permit are schooled up in good numbers as well.
April: Aggressive tarpon are plentiful as migrating tarpon start coming onto the reef. They're ready for a battle royale, weighing 40-100 pounds. It's a good month for permit too. There are usually large schools with small permit and plenty of bones—the reef fishing is excellent.
May: This is generally our hottest month, with calm-to-light breezes. Bones swim in vast schools of 200-300 bones. Tarpon are visible on both flats and the reef. Reef fishing is good to excellent.
June: Bone fishing is excellent, as it always is from April through October. Tarpon are busy on both the flats and reef. Reef fishing is good to excellent.
July, August, and September: As summer fades to fall, it's usually calm, warm outside, and excellent weather for fishing. There are a lot of bones and tarpon; tarpon are well over 100 pounds. We consider this the best tarpon season of the year. The most giant tarpon were caught in August and September. We also find some of the largest permits of the year during tarpon migration.
October: This is a big and aggressive time for tarpon and bones. Many of the tarpon are aggressive and large. Bones are larger and more aggressive too. Big schools of jack crevalle are also on the flats now, and it is a good month for the more oversized permit. Reef fishing is fair to good. If there is a lot of rainfall on the mainland, snooks arrive on the flats in large numbers. The Belize fishing lodge record for the most tarpon landed in a single day was in October by Dick Smith, with seven tarpon landed, and another five jumped.
November: There are plenty of 60-100 pound tarpon on the flats. Jack crevalle and bone fishing are also good. Reef fishing is good to excellent.
December: If the sun stays out, plenty of barracuda, bones, and tarpon at 40-80 pounds are on the flats. Jacks and ladyfish are plentiful too. The full moon brings grouper and snappers to the reef to spawn. Reef fishing is good to excellent.
Accommodations
Where would you like to stay? We have a couple options to choose between, including the main Belize fishing lodge or a separate private villa.
Main Lodge
The gracious, mahogany colonial lodge with recently renovated rooms is right on the beach, facing the sea, surrounded by fragrant tropical flowering plants and the whisper of shady palms. Each of the fourteen main lodge guest rooms look out to the sea and are just steps away from our swimming pool adjacent to the beach. All Belize Fishing Lodge rooms have private baths, overhead fans, and air-conditioning.
Not only will you find the serenity and relaxation you are looking for, but you'll also have the convenience of being a few miles north of San Pedro Town and its gift shops, restaurants, bars, and night spots. Guests usually travel by golf cart, easily rented at our front desk.
Exotic Private Villas
El Pescador's lovely villas are right on the beach and with stunning views of the Belize Barrier Reef across an open expanse of turquoise Caribbean Sea. The villas are two-story, 3-bedroom, 3-bath homes designed in a lock-off configuration, which enables you to rent a 1, 2, or 3-bedroom villa to perfectly match your individual needs while ensuring your complete privacy.
El Pescador Lodge villas have beautiful tile floors, furnished with lovingly handcrafted furniture of tropical hardwoods, bamboo, or traditional wicker. Interior walls are graced with local artists' paintings, crafts, and tapestries. Look around and you should discover an exotic array of tropical flowers and greenery tucked here and there to welcome you to paradise. From the splash of sunshine yellow on the exteriors to the rich wood trim and coral stone floors, each villa exudes casual tropical elegance. You'll cherish every memory created in this special place in the sun!
Private Villa Features
Upstairs
- Great Room with dramatic cathedral ceilings of fine Belizean hardwoods.
- Large open-style kitchen with quartz counters, mahogany cabinetry, and appliances including dishwasher, stove-top, oven, and coffee machine.
- Breakfast Bar.
- Spacious living and dining areas.
- Floors of coral stone with agate and crystal inclusions.
- One bedroom is on this level.
- Full bath with exquisite ceramic tile and sink.
- Mahogany French doors open to a wide-covered veranda.
Downstairs
- Two full bedroom-bathrooms. Each bathroom features granite counters and sinks. One bathroom features a jungle shower.
- Floors of coral stone.
- Each bedroom has a private beach entrance and opens to a covered stone patio facing the sea.
Food and Dining
The chef's menus include delicious standard daily meals and vegetarian and vegan options. Please notify your server of any special dietary needs. El Pescador always provides a seasonal farm-to-table dining experience that reflects the culinary origins of our country. The fish catch is from nearby waters—meats and produce are from family-owned and local farms on mainland Belize.
- Breakfast: A la carte menu. Served from 5:30 am – 9:00 am.
- Lunch: A la carte menu served from noon to 2:00 pm.
- Dinner: Pre-Fixe. Served at 6:45 pm.
- In addition to the prefixed menu, local grilled fish filet and a vegan option are offered every night. If you would like one of these options, please let the chef know by 10:00 am.
*Reservations: If guests are not on a meal plan, please make reservations in the office. We request dinner reservations be made no later than 10:00 am. No dining reservations are necessary for breakfast or lunch.
Also consider our Grand Slam Bar! The bar is the perfect place to relax after a full day of activity! In addition to a full selection of local and imported beverages, we have a pool table, foosball table, a fly tying area, and other games located in the bar for your enjoyment. The bar opens at 2:00 pm for drinks. Afternoon bar snacks are available from 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm.
Arrival
Fly to Belize International Airport (BZE) from the U.S. We will make your transfer arrangements from the airport to the Island. It is a short flight from the International Airport to San Pedro Town, where a representative from El Pescador will greet you. El Pescador is about 2 miles from San Pedro Town Airport.
Our Rates
Our packages start with our all-inclusive standard package. You can add any additional activities to it for a fee. Most people customize a package to include the level and type of activities desirable to them. Tip customizations make El Pescador one of the best Belize fishing lodges and the perfect place for your dream Belize vacation.
We also offer an all-inclusive fishing package plan for serious anglers and an all-inclusive diving package. Additionally, adventure packages are available for those seeking a broader Belize vacation experience.
Contact us when you have an idea of what activities you would like. We will help you plan and price your unique vacation at El Pescador.
What's Included?
Here’s everything you can expect to find included in your package!
- The number of nights lodging specified in your package in a standard room.
- Roundtrip land, air, and sea transfers between Belize International Airport and El Pescador.
- 3 meals per day and hors d'oeuvres.
- Belizean beverages (including soda, beer, and rum) consumed at our bar.
- 9% Hotel tax, 12.5% GST tax
- Complimentary use of all amenities (pools, WIFI, gym, paddle boards, kayaks, bikes, etc.).
- Welcome drink
Packages Do Not Include
- Sport fishing licenses
- Gratuities for guides or hotel staff
- Imported alcoholic beverages (such as wine and scotch)
- Items purchased in our gift or tackle shop
- Park fees (if applicable)
- Fishing gear (which may be borrowed based on availability)
- Diving gear (which may be rented)
Reservation Policy
A non-refundable deposit of 50% per person is required to hold both space and guides on all packages. No space or guides will be held without receipt of the deposit. Full pre-payment is due at El Pescador 90 days before arrival.
Travel Insurance
We strongly advise purchasing travel insurance to cover unexpected cancellations, interruptions, or delays. Call us for a quote with Global Rescue.
