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Global Fly-Fishing Spots
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| By
Jørgen Wouters
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| Bonefishing Bonanza |
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 | Turneffe Atoll, Belize |
One wary fish
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Bonefish rank among the most difficult of fish to catch on a fly, but the rewards are enormous. The bend of the rod and scream of the reel as a bonefish sprints across the emerald flats at light-speed explains why anglers trot the globe in search of this matchless thrill. And Belize's Turneffe Atoll offers superb bonefish on par with anywhere else on earth. The atoll, lying about 30 miles offshore, harbors picturesque cays sheltering endless shoals of fish.
Skittish bonefish prowl these emerald waters in schools that sometimes number more than 300. They average about three pounds, and can tip the scales at more than ten pounds. But the odds are stacked against you, since these fish are perfectly camouflaged in the shallowest of water, bolt at the slightest provocation, and don't suffer amateur anglers gladly. Be prepared to fish far off and fine, with a capital "F". But if you do manage to hook into one of these silvery torpedoes, hang on for the ride of your life and pray the fish gives up before your backing runs out.
Editor's Choice: Fishing Trips
Find Belize Destinations
| The Silver King |
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| Rio Colorado, Costa Rica |
The silver king
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Trout fishermen generally consider anything under ten inches to be a baby; fun to catch, but barely worth mentioning. Tarpon fishermen, on the other hand, consider anything under ten pounds to be a baby. Tarpon, a prehistoric-looking whale of a fish, didn't earn the name "Silver King" for nothing. Hundred-pound Tarpon are common, and leviathans pushing 200 pounds have been hooked. Sheathed in an iridescent suit of scaly armor, these brawny fish rule the flats, and the waters off Costa Rica are among the best places to connect with one of these monsters.
Schools of tarpon numbering in the thousands cruise the coast near the mouth of the celebrated Rio Colorado. Despite their jaw-dropping size (we're talking fish with heads bigger than yours), tarpon take to the air when hooked, and few thrills rival that of 150 pounds of angry tarpon shooting out of the water like a trident missile, only to come crashing down again with a salty roar. Better do some curls before you go, because you'll be hurling flies at a dinosaur of a fish that feels more like freight train on the end of your line.
Editor's Choice: Fishing Trips
Find Costa Rica Destinations
| The Ultimate Challenge |
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| Ascension Bay, Mexico |
Permit water
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Permit arguably represent the Holy Grail of saltwater fly-fishing. Tarpon may be bigger and bonefish may be faster, but permit are far, far harder to catch. And isn't that one of the main reasons people fish with flies instead of live bait? It's harder. Bonefish may be wary, but saucer-shaped permit are positively paranoid. Permit are also larger, stronger, and nearly as fast as the more common bonefish. Just spotting a cruising permit qualifies as an event, but that's easy compared to the next part—interesting him in your fly.
Hooking a permit calls for a flawless cast, presentation, and retrieve. There are no second chances against this hyper-cautious fish. One strike and you're out. So, if you're up for a battle of wits with the finickiest fish in the sea, head for the finest permit fishing grounds on earth—the vast flats of Ascension Bay. And if the permit prove too tough for you, there's always the surrounding Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve, a national park crawling with jaguars, pumas, ocelots, tapirs, and monkeys. So don't forget to pack you camera along with your fly rod.
Editor's Choice: Fishing Trips
Find Mexico Destinations
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