The Ultimate Fly Selection For Southern Belize

Southern Belize is known as Permit Alley due to its high concentration of permit. Here are the five must-have flies for the region:

1. Bauer Crab: Created by the late Will Bauer, this fly has knotted square rubber legs that face backward, giving it a realistic silhouette.

2. Camo Crab: Similar to the Bauer Crab but smaller in size, this fly is versatile and easy to cast.

3. McKnight's Danger Muffin: Tied with laser-cut synthetic claws and a blend of deer hair and rabbit fur, this fly swims while being stripped, allowing it to stay in the danger zone longer.

4. EP Crab: Tied in two variations—a standard and a micro crab—this fly is ideal for situations that require a delicate presentation or deeper waters.

5. Chicone's Contraband Crab: A combination of three popular patterns—Bauer, Scotch-Brite, and McFly—the Contraband Crab features realistic textures and large, central dumbbells that help it sink and not rotate on the strip.

Crab flies

Bauer Crab

Created by the late Will Bauer, the Bauer Crab is a must-have crab fly pattern for anglers heading to Belize. Bauer himself landed over 100 permit on this fly pattern. This fly has knotted square rubber legs that face backward, giving it a realistic silhouette. The square legs also remain still in the water and do not tangle. This fly sinks quickly and can be left to sit on the bottom or given a twitch or two. It is best fished on small, broken, or mixed coral. The black-tailed devils of Permit Alley tend to enjoy the green and grey combo with grey back legs. From Turneffe Atoll south to Punta Gorda, the Bauer Crab is always worth having at the end of your line.

Camo Crab

The Camo Crab, created by SS Flies, is a staple fly pattern for Southern Belize. Small in size—often no bigger than a nickel—but big on versatility, the Camo Crab has a body of contrasting colours and round legs. Tied into the body is SS Flies' unique weighting system. This pattern sinks well and, when fished with a twitch or two at the right time, can be very effective.

McKnight's Danger Muffin

Doug McKnight, a renowned fly tier, created the Danger Muffin while chasing permit in the Caribbean. This fly is tied with laser-cut synthetic claws and a body of deer hair and rabbit fur. The Danger Muffin is designed to swim while being stripped, allowing it to stay in the danger zone for longer and increase the likelihood of a bite.

Enrico Puglisi (EP) Crab

The EP Crab is tied in two variations: a standard pattern and a "micro crab". The micropattern is best suited for situations that require a delicate presentation, while the traditional EP is larger and heavier, ideal for deeper waters. Both patterns use appropriately matched Sili-legs, providing life-like swimming or fleeing actions.

Chicone's Contraband Crab

The Contraband Crab is a potpourri of three popular patterns: the Bauer, Scotch-Brite, and McFly. It tweaks the body and legs of a Bauer, makes the legs on a Scotch-Brite more durable, and reduces the overall size of the McFly. The Contraband also uses a Scotch pad to create a realistic texture and look of a mottled crab, and the large, central dumbbells help it sink and not rotate on the strip.

Shrimp flies

EP Spawning Shrimp

The EP Spawning Shrimp, created by Enrico Puglisi, is a must-have fly for any angler in Northern Belize. This fly is designed with a blend of colour contrast and realism. It is tied with Puglisi’s signature fibres, life-like legs, and eyes. It is available in a variety of colours and sizes, making it ideal for skinny water bonefish, spooky tailing permit, or deeper water when weighted with heavy eyes.

Avalon

The Avalon is another effective shrimp imitation. It features long legs and lead eyes, giving it a lot of action in the water. It is a great choice for deep water patterns and is very visible to fish.

Ultra-Shrimp

The Ultra-Shrimp is a good option for anglers targeting permit in Belize. It is designed to imitate the shrimp that are a primary food source for permit in the region.

Mantis Shrimp

The Mantis Shrimp is a favourite among permit anglers in Southern Belize. Created by Bob Veverka, this fly features long rubber legs that give it a lot of movement in the water. It also has bead chain eyes, making it lightweight and ideal for shallower water along reef edges. This fly works well for cruising permit in muddy bottom flats or sargassum grass edges, and it can also be used for bonefish.

EP Crab

While not strictly a shrimp fly, the EP Crab, also created by Enrico Puglisi, is a must-have for anglers in Southern Belize. This fly is available in two variations: a standard version and a "micro crab" version. The micropattern is ideal for delicate presentations, while the traditional EP is larger and heavier, making it suitable for deeper waters. Both versions feature life-like swimming and fleeing actions thanks to their appropriately matched Sili-legs.

Bonefish flies

Mantis Shrimp

The Mantis Shrimp fly pattern is one of the most effective bonefish flies available. It is known for catching bonefish anywhere it is fished, and even small barracuda are drawn to this fly. The fly is typically tied with a weed guard, which can be trimmed off if not needed. The recommended hook for this fly is the Gamakatsu SL-11 3H, which is strong and sharp, ideal for hooking large fish.

Gotcha

The Gotcha is a classic bonefish fly that has been responsible for catching countless bonefish over the years. It is often considered the "Parachute Adams" of bonefish flies. This fly is typically tied with a weed guard and the Gamakatsu SL-11 3H hook, which provides strength and sharpness for secure hookups.

DF Spawning Shrimp

The DF Spawning Shrimp is a favourite among anglers for catching bonefish. This fly is tied with a weed guard and the Gamakatsu SL-11 3H hook, ensuring a solid hookup. It is available in a range of sizes, making it versatile for different fishing conditions.

Raghead Crab

The Raghead Crab is an effective crab fly pattern that bonefish find irresistible. This fly is designed with a strip and sink retrieve, making it ideal for bonefish. It is typically tied with the Gamakatsu SL-11 3H hook and is available in tan and olive colours.

Squimp

The Squimp is a unique fly that combines the characteristics of a shrimp and a squid, making it irresistible to bonefish. It is tied with the Gamakatsu SL-11 3H hook and is available in sizes #8, #6, #4, and #2, making it versatile for various fishing conditions.

Spawning Shrimp

The Spawning Shrimp fly pattern is a magnet for bonefish and also attracts permit, redfish, and tarpon. This fly is typically tied with a lead head, allowing it to sink quickly, and is available in both standard and bead chain versions. Anglers can choose between the Gamakatsu SL-11 3H hook or the Tiemco 811S hook, depending on their preferences.

When fishing for bonefish in Belize, it is important to have a variety of flies in different sizes, colours, and weights. The ideal tippet size for bonefish ranges from 3X to 20 lb. test, with 12-pound fluorocarbon being the standard. Additionally, it is recommended to use lightweight bonefish flies in the #8 or #6 range when fishing in shallow calm waters to avoid spooking the fish.

Tarpon flies

Tarpon are strong, aggressive fish that jump like no other species. They can be found in mangroves and are a lot of fun to fish. Anglers may target Tarpon ranging in size from 10 to 200 pounds.

There is no correlation between the size of the fly and the size of the fish with Tarpon. Big fish are just as likely to take small flies as they are to take large ones. However, the hook is very important. The mouth of a Tarpon is tough, so you will need a strong hook to muscle up and bury it.

Most Tarpon flies are unweighted, but it is a good idea to have a few large weighted Clousers or Shrimp flies in your arsenal to handle bigger Tarpon. If you encounter Tarpon that are running several feet deep, it is not practical to change lines, so change the fly to a weighted one, get it down deep, and hook them!

Tarpon Toad

Developed by Gary Merriman, owner of the Fish Hawk fly shop in Atlanta, this fly's introduction increased hook-up rates for anglers from Key West to Cuba to Honduras. It is a lightweight, slow-sinking fly designed for sight-casting. Originally tied with a rabbit fur tail, it is now often tied with marabou. Recommended sizes are from 1/0 to 3/0, and popular colours include black/purple and white/chartreuse.

McKnight’s Homeslice

Designed as a baitfish imitation primarily for big tarpon, this fly also works well for snook. It was invented by renowned fly tier Doug McKnight, who tweaked his popular trout streamer, the Home Invader, to create this pattern. McKnight's favourite colours are purple or a purple/black combo, and he says the foxtail fur gives it a life-like appearance when stripped through the water.

EP Boca Grande Tarpon

A nice, easy meal for large Tarpon, this fly is made from EP (Enrico Puglisi) fibres that shed water and form a fishy/shrimpy profile. It is a great baitfish imitation, with tough, durable material and build. It is tied on a super-sharp Gamakatsu SC15 hook.

Chocklett’s Game Changer Tarpon

A large profile, articulated fly with incredible movement. It is tied on a stout SL12S hook and has large eyes for fish to key in on. The five articulated shanks provide a lifelike swim while stripping, and the material sheds water incredibly easily with a false cast.

Dan’s Midnight Snack

This fly works great on Tarpon and snook in the lights and bridges of South Florida. It was designed and tied by custom tyer Dan Glassford and is tied on Gamakatsu SL12S #1/0 hooks.

Barracuda flies

Barracuda are fierce and opportunistic predators, known for their elongated cylindrical bodies, long and pointed snouts, and distinctive undershot bottom jaws with razor-sharp teeth. They are found in many tropical to temperate waters throughout the Indo-Pacific region and subtropical Atlantic. When targeting barracuda, it is ideal to use a baitfish imitation, such as a Deceiver pattern, which works best when lightly dressed, sparsely tied, and stripped through the water as quickly as possible. The colour of the baitfish imitation should depend on the environment, with brighter colours being more suitable for sand and darker colours for the surf or darker-bottomed waters.

Traditional popper patterns are also popular for barracuda fishing, as they create a greater disturbance on the water, which can help to attract the fish's attention from a distance. These are generally fished over deeper waters, such as lagoons, channels, and outer reefs of atolls.

When constructing a leader for barracuda flies, it is important to use a wire trace, as the barracuda's razor-sharp teeth can easily cut through mono. A suitable leader for barracuda flies can be constructed using eight feet of straight 100 lbs line attached to one foot of 80 lbs knottable wire, tied with either a bright or double uni-knot.

• Sempers flies: These flies have incredible movement in the water, making them irresistible to cruising barracuda. They are generic fly patterns that can imitate various life forms, such as squid or baitfish, and are made from mostly natural materials such as bucktail and feathers.
• Enrico Puglisi (EP) flies: These flies are known for catching fish, with their unique blend of "EP fibres" creating a life-like appearance. They are available in a variety of colours and sizes, making them ideal for different water conditions and target species.

When fly fishing for barracuda, it is important to remember that they are ambush predators and can be easily spooked. Therefore, it is recommended to look at where you want the fly to land, rather than at the fish, to avoid spooking them by casting too close. Additionally, large barracuda need to be tempted onto the fly, so it is important to let the fly sink before beginning your retrieve.

Frequently asked questions