Bacalar Channels - What flies to tie??

[Richard]

I'm going to the Bacalar Channels in February. I'm new to saltwater fishing so I need some help. Anyone know what the best flies to tie might be? I am already tying Crazy Charlies in tan, anything else? What crab patterns are best for that area and what colors? Anything else I should know? I'm planning on using an 8wt rod wth a Redington Breakwater reel, 200 yards of backing and a SA Ultra IV saltwater floating line. Will that work? Should I go up on the line weight (use a 10 instead of an 8 for the rod like I do for stripers and largemouth)?

Thanks!!

Richard

[Darian]

Hey Richard,.... Not sure where the Bacalar Channels are or what fish you might be targeting.... It'd be easier to answer your query with that info. If you don't get much of a response, here, try posting on Blanton's site as well. Lotsa saltwater fly fisherman/travelers over there.

Good luck

[Richard]

Darian,

As I understand it this is a "grand slam" area on the border of Mexico and Belize. It has bonefish, permit and tarpon. I am pretty sure I will only be fishing for bonefish with a possibility for permit. Hopefully I won't lay into any tarpon with my 8 wt rod.

[PaulC]

Hey Richard,
Never fished there, but crab wise you probably couldn't go wrong with some merkins, and some of the turneffee crab patters with furry foam and some bonefish bitters.
Other things like gotchas, etc. would probably be a good staple in weighted and unweighted/very lightly weighted versions.
If you have a clear intermediate line, I'd bring that also.
Darian's suggestion on the Blanton board is a good one. You may also want to try Gary Bulla's board (www.garybulla.com) as there are some bonefish and belize regulars that may pipe in with some info.
Good luck out there. Would love to see a report when you get back.
-Paul

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I would go up one size to a WF9F. Going two sizes is great for throwing poppers though.

If you are going to be wading a lot that Ultra4 'Saltwater' will be great.

If you are going to be out of a boat mostly I would look at the Ultra4 'Bonefish' WF9F with the stiffer core.

For Bonefish you might want some #6 Bonefish Bitters and Charlies in tan, rootbeer, pink and olive.

For Permit you could take some 'nickel' size #4 Bauer, Raghead, Merkin and Puglisi crabs. Tan and olive/green are popular.

For Tarpon I would take some #2/0 Orange/Grizzly, Red/White, Red/Yellow, Red/Black little tarpon marabou, soft hackle or rabbit strip flies. Take some #2 (or larger if you can find them) Gummy Minnows and #2/0 Clousers too.

Take some small/medium size salt water poppers, Gurglers, Crease flies and Snookaroos too.

Take some long thin green Barracuda flies with some wire bite tippet.

I would take a clear slow sinking tropical WF9S line too.

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I think some of the hurricanes helped widen this channel at the north end of Ambergris Cay which was actually a peninsula many years ago.

Found this on the web:

"Bacalar Chico is a channel, originally (reputedly) dug by the Mayans in ca. 200 BC to connect Chetumal Bay with the Caribbean. It marks the boundary between Mexico and Belize, and makes Ambergris Caye an island. The channel is between 25 and 75 feet wide, and is shallow enough that we have to shift the weight of the boat to the front so that the motor won’t drag in the mud/weeds."

Sounds like a great adventure. Bring snorkel gear and a water proof little camera.

[john]

Richard: Sounds like a great adventure. Where are you staying? Xcalak or Paradise? It's an area devoid of equipment/tackle, so take everything times two.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I was currious where you are staying as well.

To the north is Xcalak and San Pedro to the south.

This is kind of a remote new area that is extreme south MX Yucatan or northern Belize.

Sounds very interesting.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I think I have found it on some maps of Mexico on the web:

http://www.maps-of-mexico.com/quinta...o-map-c2.shtml

Looks like it is between Espirito Santo Bay and Xcalak where the hwy comes out to the coast at Mahahual.

This area is a new frontier south of popular Ascension Bay in the MX Yucatan and north of Ambergris Cay in Belize.

[john]

BILL: There's an even more southern lodge called Paradise Lodge, that fishes both the Bay of Chetumal and Espirito Santo. Bob Marriotts and the Fly Shop have it in their catalogs. There''s a bit of info at tarponparadise.net. Really looks good but the roadtrip down may be a bit much.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Hi John,

Two of my friends have been there on two different trips.

It is Paradise Lodge started some years ago by Dial Duncan of Texas.

One of my friends enjoyed the place. He went into some of the lagoons in from the Caribbean and had good tarpon fishing.