Training Manual for Tour Guiding in Sport Fishing - Mesoamerican ...

Technical Document No. 21 Training Manual for Tour Guiding in Sport Fishing
Flies
The best flies that you can use are between size 6 and 8. To be sure, a variety of different sized
flies are important and it’s good to have a healthy mix of sizes, including some large ones.
Overall however, the smaller sized bonefish flies will produce more fish.
You will encounter a variety of fishing situations and bottom surfaces. White sand, light and dark
brown coral, as well as lush turtle grass beds, will all dictate the both the colours and sink rates
of the flies that you should be using.
Tarpon
Rods
For juvenile tarpon in the 20 to 50 pound class, a 9 or 10-weight rod will work nicely. When the
larger tarpon (100+lbs) start to show up in the spring, you need a rod in the 11 to 12 weight
class.
Reels
The small to medium sized tarpon require a smooth disk drag reel with a capacity of 300 yards
of 30 pound backing. You can get away with a reel that holds less line but you then run the risk
of losing a good sized tarpon that may show up and take your fly. For the larger fish in the 100
pound + category, you’ll need a reel with 400 yards of 30 pound backing. This may seem
excessive, but when you consider that the Belizean record for tarpon on a fly was set at just a
hair under 200 pounds, it’s far better to be safe that sorry.
Flies
By far the most effective size for tarpon flies is a pattern tied on a 3/0 saltwater hook. Larger
flies will work for bigger fish, especially in specific situations (like when the tarpon are
motionless just under the water level) but overall it’s quite amazing how smaller flies will
consistently take very large fish. For the smaller tarpon, hooks ranging in size from 2 to 2/0 are
highly recommended.
Snook
Rods
Belize is blessed with some pretty big snook so you’ll need an 8 to 10 weight rod to have a
fighting chance. Aside from the size of the snook, you’ll also need an 8 to 10 weight rod in order
to help muscle the snook out of the mangroves, which are its favourite location in which to
ambush prey.
Reels
You’ll need a good (smooth) disk drag reel with 200 yards of 20 pound backing. And while all
but the biggest snook will not come close to getting that far into your backing, medium sized
tarpon will often frequent the same area, and it’s therefore a good idea to be prepared for a
couple of possibilities.
Flies
Bright colours are by far the most effective for snook flies. Yellow, yellow and red, and yellow
and black are very productive, whether your casting blindly to snook along the mangroves or
running your fly across sand and grass flats where snook will be hiding in the depressions. If
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