# Belize- El Pescador Lodge



## JappyFish (Mar 1, 2014)

Looking at heading down to Belize the first week in August while the girlfriend is in Nicaragua.

Any thoughts on El Pescador Lodge? I was trying to book the special "2-1 Heads" but my buddy backed out on me.


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## Guest (May 27, 2015)

Hosted a trip there last March. The rooms weren't very nice, but they were completely remodeling them and so they should be great now. The guides are great, the food and bar is great. The Permit fishing is excellent. See if you can't get Cetchu, a hard ass guide, but you'll learn a great deal from him. Probably my only complaint would be that the guides seem to run their days based on the clock, getting back to the lodge earlier than we'd all like.


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## Guest (May 27, 2015)

Just wanted to add one more thought. Ed Blank is now the fishing director replacing Lori Ann Murphy. Ed is a top rate guy and fly fisher. The lodge typically has casting lessons every afternoon, which can really get you dialed in. This is a great addition to the ammeneties the lodge offers.


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## texasag07 (Nov 11, 2014)

I haven't fished with el pescador but I can say that they aren't afraid to run over good flats to get somewhere quicker or get in front of another guide. I don't thing they realize this is hurting the fishing in ambergis. I was there in February fishing with another guide for a couple days and this seemed to be the norm with them.

They ran up onto one of the tarpon flats we were working and got within shouting distances from us as well.


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## coconutgroves (Sep 23, 2013)

Stx4wheeler is right, there are some guides there that rush over perfectly good water, sometimes in front of you.

I stayed there in 2010 - it is a good spot for a first trip to Belize.  It is still a bit on the pricey side.  I didn't have any problems with the rooms.  The food was good.  We caught bones and poon, had some shots at permit.  This was Thanksgiving 2010.

Depending on time of year, there are bones you can get from the shore just in front and north of the lodge.  We used bikes in the evening to ride up the beach, searching for wakes and tails.  They said the fish had PhDs and catching one or two is considered a great feat.  We caught 12 one evening.  6 the next.  12' leaders and light tippet were the key - the people at the lodge thought we were liars until we showed them the photos.  

Since then, I've gone back to Belize 6 other times, all booking directly with guides that either were recommended, or met while down there.  Personally, I would not go back to El Pescador because I don't need that experience, but I wouldn't not recommend them either.  Keep in mind the lodge is pretty far from town (the road is not paved up there), so it limits what you can do in the evenings.

If you do go and stay at El Pescador, I'd book through Yellowdog and make sure to get one of the veteran guides there.   It is possible for you to book a place closer to town and book a guide directly.  PM me and I can get some contact info for you.  You could do a solo trip for less than the 2 for 1.

And don't miss the conch fritters at the Palapa Bar. The owner's dog can bark the word "rum" and then drinks it.


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## Guest (May 31, 2015)

Sounds like a few of us are"piling on" El Pescador Lodge. My favorite Belize destination has been Turneffe Flats Lodge. You might try contacting The Fly Shop[800-669-3474] in Redding,Ca. They've been traveling Belize for 30 years and can answer any questions that you might have.


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## coconutgroves (Sep 23, 2013)

Not piling on, just pointing out pros and cons in my opinion. It is a great lodge for someone looking for the full service experience, especially if the family is going, it is a honeymoon or anniversary trip with the spouse. It offers good variety of species too.

I love fishing out of Placencia, but the bones are far away, so it's a poon and permit game only. If those two are off, you can slum it for jacks. At Ambergris, bones are always around, so for a first trip, or dependable fishing, it is a great spot.


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## jacack (Jan 3, 2011)

I have fished there twice, both times i had my wife and very young son with me. Fishing is good but you have to make sure they understand what you are looking for, my first day first year it became clear very fast that they were happy catching very small bones all day, quick chat with the guide and we finished up the day with a slam and tarpon and bigger bones and shots at permit every day after that.

i agree that this may be a better place if you are bringing family as i did. the staff was awesome with my wife and son, who was less than 2 the first time i went there. they cooked stuff just for him and had no issue doing it early so he could get to sleep on his regular schedule they also had someone line up for us to watch him some while the wife and i went out and just to give us some time alone .all the staff played with him and just went above and beyond from the minute we got there.

now if i was going with just guys i may chose to go elsewhere just to save some $ but el pescador is top notch for service and plenty of fish. if i had to pick on them at all it would be that most of the areas i fished were longer runs like 45 minutes or more, but again i told them i wanted to go out early and they had no problem making that happen.


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## jsnipes (May 1, 2011)

FYI -- the road is now paved up to (and past) El Pescador. I just went for Memorial Day, stayed at a resort right next to El Pescador and booked guides through Tres Pescados (local fly shop owned by an American dude - Wil Flack).

I fished two days, with two different guides, and would really recommend the 2nd guy. He was a really good fisherman.

Mario -- [email protected]

Would def recommend booking direct with him, or through TP.

Managed to catch my first two permit with Mario, it was awesome. Would also say I was pretty shocked at the way the guides behave towards each other there. Run all over each other -- would be an entire bar full of fights if it were the keys.

I have also fished Turneffe and that's amazing. If you don't have wife/kids to entertain...I would just go there.


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## Bamajo (Apr 11, 2013)

Did you stay at Cocotal Inn?


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## coconutgroves (Sep 23, 2013)

Mario went permit fishing and not tarpon fishing? Did you pay him extra?  I've fished with him on two different trips. Glad to hear to road is paved up there now - while it wasn't dangerous or anything, it wasn't the easiest road to take on a golf cart, which is the main way of travel there.


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## jsnipes (May 1, 2011)

> Did you stay at Cocotal Inn?


Yea, stayed at Cocotal. We really like it there...people who work there are super friendly.


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## jsnipes (May 1, 2011)

> Mario went permit fishing and not tarpon fishing?  Did you pay him extra?    I've fished with him on two different trips.  Glad to hear to road is paved up there now - while it wasn't dangerous or anything, it wasn't the easiest road to take on a golf cart, which is the main way of travel there.



Haha, I think it was blowing too hard to fish Savannah--would have been blown out. I actually halfway suggested it once we caught our permit bc it was only like ~10am to try and get a slam.


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## Bamajo (Apr 11, 2013)

I was there at the same time. I figured it was you I briefly spoke to under the palapa when you stepped off the dock the day you caught two permit. I fished with Luis but not Mario.


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## jsnipes (May 1, 2011)

Ahhh, yea I remember talking with you. That's funny -- small world!

I didn't know you were a flyfisherman or would have engaged in further banter.


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## 352outfitters (May 13, 2019)

Taking a trip there soon.


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## TheAdamsProject (Oct 29, 2007)

When we go we rent a house and book directly with guides. I can pass along the names but you can also call the fly shop as mentioned above. We have always had a blast doing the DIY action from a golf cart as well.


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## vaninkc (May 7, 2017)

2nd using Tres Pescados Fly Shop in town. Normally have gone with others and rent some place in town and sneak a couple of days on my own out on the panga and utilized Tres Pescados fly shop for guides. Also I would recommend Mario, great guy and fishy!! It’s nice to be in town as well so one can take in the great atmosphere as well as the night life and food. Last time I was there I was curious about El Pescador Lodge so we rented golf carts and checked it out and had lunch at the restaurant there. Place looked nice and well organized. Good luck with your travel!!


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## mro (Jan 24, 2018)

vaninkc said:


> El Pescador Lodge


I've some great memories from there. My dad and I used to go a couple times a year.
On one trip I broke my 12 on a big tarpon at the boat. They had a 12 for customers to use but when I looked it over, an old Fenwick  , with worn guides no less. Stuck my 12's reel on it but planned to use my 11. Wind blew that day and we took turns blind casting as the only tarpon we could see was when they rolled. Just for fun I casted the Fenwick. Surprised how well it threw my line.


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