James Travel

Katie Nelson, Belize and Costa Rica Specialist at Belize TravelPoints, recently visited Belize on an amazing, world-class diving and fishing trip to Turneffe Island Lodge.

Belize is well-known for its pristine reefs that make up the second largest barrier reef in the world and it boasts 3 out of the 4 coral atolls in the Western Hemisphere, with Turneffe being the largest and most diverse.  I stayed at the luxury private island get-away, Turneffe Island Lodge, and experienced some of the best diving I have ever seen, ate delicious food and went fly fishing with world record holder, Cody Kittleman, as my guide. Does it get any better than this? You better Belize-it! Belize is the #1 fly fishing Grand Slam capital of the world!! The “Grand Slam” of the fishing world is when you catch a bonefish, permit and tarpon all on the same day. Cody Kittleman has caught 11 Grand Slam’s which is twice as many as anyone else in the world and he has done it all from Turneffe Island Lodge. He says he rates it number 1 because nowhere else can you find such an even mix of fish plus the lodge has a policy that limits the amount of fisherman at one time to preserve the pristine marine life and they have luxury accommodations and first class cuisine to top it all off! 

As I arrived into the country, I was greeted by a representative from the lodge and transferred to the marina where we boarded the boat for an hour ride to the lodge. The lodge is set on a 14acre private island with beautiful white sand beaches and clear blue Caribbean waters lapping at your doorstep. The rooms are floor to ceiling Belizean hardwood and each has an asian-inspired outdoor shower and oceanfront balcony. There is a de-salanization plant on the island so all the water is safe to drink and they are the only resort in this area with a fresh water pool. With a maximum of 40 guests on island, there is plenty of privacy to relax but you will certainly leave having made friends.

The diving package includes 3 boat dives per day plus a weekly trip to the renowned  Blue Hole. With the visibility at 100 feet, you can clearly see the vibrant colors of the reef and countless species of marine life. During my dives I saw hawksbill turtles, moray eels, eagle rays, nurse sharks, and best of all…the White-spotted Toadfish which is endemic to Belize! The diving here will appease everyone from novice divers to the most experienced with over 70 different dive sites within 15 minutes of the lodge.

The flats of Turneffe have long been touted as the premier flats fishing grounds of the Caribbean. I feel extremely privileged to have been in the company of Cody Kittleman and to have felt the excitement as he introduced me to his passion of fly-fishing. I have always enjoyed fishing and have spent a lot of time fishing with my dad. Fly fishing is truly an art form and although I quickly picked up the fluid motion of the arch, I can certainly appreciate how difficult this sport is to master. Your sight must be trained to hone in on the pushes and feeding fins of the bonefish and you have to be quick and accurate to catch the attention of a permit. Cody hand-made each fly specifically to imitate small invertebrates found in the area. The “Merkin” crab pattern, half & half clousers and “Black death” patterns work best in this area (along with a lot of skill and luck!). Whether you are a beginner or world-class angler, you will certainly find yourself in fly-fishing paradise at Turneffe Island Lodge.    

Call me today to book your next fly fishing trip to Belize! Katie Nelson at Belize TravelPoints 1-800-626-3483 or katien@traveloints.com.

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