Lazy days, wild nights - u betta Belize it (complete report)

[MuskieBait]

Tarpon fishing was definitely a defining moment of our trip. They are extremely difficult to get to bite, hook, and kept them hooked. Especially for Eli who jumped 10 of them already, it was such a relief for him to finally land one. And I'm truly lucky to go 1/1 so far on tarpon. Eli said with my luck and (lack of) skills, he wouldn't be surprised if I land a good size permit from the docks. Well, I didn't...so luck can't help to save the lack of skills.

Sabiki + snorkeling = bad idea...lots of barracuda in the area...you're asking 1) get a fish stolen off your line 2) get the line tangled with you with a hot cuda and getting 5 other hooks stuck on your skin 3) while removing a fish off the hook a cuda may attack and severe cut your hand. Don't EVER even think about a stupid thing like that.

We did throw lures to barracuda and jacks. It was okay during the day, but Eli said the night bite is much better. Water is very clear and fish are very line shy during the day...but you HAVE TO run wire because even a small 2lb cuda will cut through 40lb fluorocarbon like butter with a hot knife. To be honest, I didn't really care to catch cudas or more snappers (unless it was a Mutton, Dog or Mahogany). I've caught loads of them before...they just becomes a distraction in my species hunt. You know how I operate.

I was more interested in fishing bait for porgy species, those other snappers, smaller grouper species like Coney, Graysby, Red Hind and Rock Hind, and parrotfish...but damn bait thieves!!! Have to rethink strategy a bit...or maybe just suck it up and feed the fish until the target species jump on the hook by way of elimination (eventually you'll catch all the bait thieves? LOL)

There were some little "charters" where you go with local fisherman. It was something like US$200 for 4 hours up to 4 people...so not a bad deal at all. Most local guys are hook and line fisherman or spearfishing...there is a bit of netting but not much. They really like barracuda as a food fish (I think it's silly since barracuda in the Caribbean Sea has such a high Ciguatera toxin occurrance). Most cudas are caught trolling. They are mostly solitary so netting is just a waste of time.

For other fish, bottom fishing with hand lines or rod/reel is most common.

Too much netting and it will completely damage the reef system.

I was fishing the snappers with light lines...8lb main with 15lb mono leader for the dropper loop. They were cutting me on the 15lb mono. There were a lot of conch shells in the area so it is not unexpected to be cut off here and there.

All the fish caught were cool...but I really hated losing the Shortnose Batfish, Striped Parrotfish, Princess Parrotfish, Stoplight Parrotfish and couldn't hook the Sharksucker. This entire trip, getting the bait past the bait thieves was extremely difficult...and making the parrotfish bite after getting past them was even harder...but to have the fish you want bite, hooked and then flopped off the hook after it's already on the dock...that stings really bad!