As I hopped on the iconic 5 AM flight from Redmond on Monday, June 9th, my mind was spinning with goals, hopes, and expectations. I've been practicing my casting for the last six months, learning as much as I thought was possible, and I was starting to feel some confidence. I had two goals I wanted to accomplish on this trip: the first being to land a big Tarpon, Bonefish, and a Permit. A very ambitious goal for my first-ever saltwater trip. The second was learning and retaining as much information as I could in the next two weeks while having a blast with my friends and mentors. By the end of my first day on the flats, both of these goals were going to be blown out of the water, and I had zero idea what was going to happen after I got off that dreadful five AM flight. Little did I know, the learning process was just beginning. 

Buena Suerte

Day one in Mexico started with Brett, the most skilled angler I know. Having zero prior experience fishing in the salt, I started with some easy shots at Sabalito in the mangroves. After warming me up and landing some juvenile Tarpon and Bonefish, we headed out to stake out and wait for some larger migratory fish. At this point, I already thought I was having my best day of fishing ever. Little did I know that I was about to embark on a journey of learning.

Within minutes of staking out, a 20-pound Permit happily comes swimming at the boat. Beginners Luck of course, I ended up with an easy 30-foot shot at 9 o'clock. 'Buena Suerte' was voiced by the guide. This was the first time I heard this saying today from the guides, and I learned it means ‘Good Luck.’ I end up hooking this Permit, but watching him spit the hook just feet from the boat because of my improper hookset. This failure was a lesson in itself. About 15 minutes later, three happy Poons, averaging 60-90 pounds, came straight at the boat. This time, I focused and made a good connection with one of them. Within seconds, I was peeling into the backing, holding on to my nine-weight. 'Buena Suerte', Juan says again! Again and again, 'Buena Suerte' Juan says! I spent the next hour with Brett at my shoulder, answering all my questions about what my next move was in the battle.

This was a learning experience. I credit the landing of this fish to all the people around me. I can only take credit for holding the rod, and doing my best to follow the directions given. This was the moment, though. I had been waiting for so long to experience this moment, and it finally happened, and I was instantly hooked. After this fish, I had a couple more shots before we decided to call it for the day. It was in those moments that I realized the challenge of the game I was in and how I had actually had some good luck that day. I botched two more easy shots after that first fish. Still, I didn't care, I had graduated from the minors to the majors, and I don't think I'll ever be able to go back. The learning moments were the most rewarding part of the trip, and I could feel myself growing as a fisherman with each new experience. 

The next day in Mexico, I spent searching for a Permit. April, Brett’s wife, and I chased around a school of Permit for hours. Still, unfortunately, they were much spookier than the happy fish I had drifted into the day before. These fish were funny. You couldn't get within 40 feet of the school before they darted, and on the shots I did make into the school, little jacks kept eating my fly before the Permit could. This was another humbling day of fun. We did have one shot at a Tarpon that day, but it was a bit of a fire drill. We had a large storm roll over, and Tino, our Guide, did not spot the fish until they were about 10 feet from the side of the boat, where they ended up spooking right as we dropped a fly into the water. 

Friday in Mexico was a lot of fun, but the fishing conditions were the worst of our time in Punta Allen. That day, I hopped on the boat with Lindsey, a new friend with whom I had no idea how close we would become by the end of our trip. We staked out for Tarpon for about 5 hours and had one shot before we decided to chase Bonefish because of the rough seas and wind out on the flats. I think this is the day my "Suerte" ran out because we poled through countless perfect Bonefish flats and saw less than 5 fish. We still had a lot of laughs and fun, even though fishing was tough. 

Saturday was just a travel day. After a great week of new friends and experiences, we loaded up and left from Cancun for Belize City. We had a long layover in Cancun as we flew down in a small Cessna, where we had fun laughing and recalling all our funny stories from the week we had just endured. The camaraderie and fun shared with my new and old friends during this trip were just as memorable as the fishing experiences. 

On Sunday, we started fishing in Belize. Acquainted by John and Mikey, our guides for the week, we set out in search of large migratory fish. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had a slightly different plan for us. After staking out on a flat for about two hours in 30 mph winds, we decided to explore some other waters. We migrated up the Saboon river where we were met with rainforests, monkeys, and fresh water, Full of juvenile Tarpon feeding on Tilapia and other baitfish. If I had not had the opportunity to experience the larger fish in Mexico, I would have thought this was heaven. The beauty of the natural surroundings was a constant source of joy, even when the fish were elusive. While it was amazing, we were being defeated by nature in our hunt for large migratory fish. 

The Highest Highs and Lowest Lows. 

Monday and Tuesday were long and grindy days of searching for that moment once again. We staked out many different flats and managed to get two shots in over these days. One shot was a connection, but the fish spit out the hook about 300 feet from the boat in an acrobatic jump from the water. One shot was a fire drill, and unfortunately, the fish got spooked and ran off. These were the days that humbled me the hardest on the flats. These were the days when I learned just how challenging saltwater flats fishing is. 

Wednesday marked a new day for our group, and we decided that a tournament was in order. We designed a straightforward format that would be easy to follow and track, and then set out to fish.

Unfortunately, fishing got even tougher. My team would lose this tournament by a couple of points, but I learned a lot that day. I learned a lot about how Tarpon behave and how, when they jump, it is terrible news. We fished miles of river through storms and sunshine, but we still enjoyed every minute of it. 

Thursday was a very tough day as Nate and I decided to give the flats one last hurrah and get a whole perspective of the area. The weather had once again become worse, and we battled it all day long. A very cold day in the hot saltwater flats. 

On our final day, we decided to have another tournament. Nate and I fished upwards of 20 miles up the Belize River and saw so many amazing things like monkeys, crocodiles, and of course more Tarpon. We landed 5-6 fish and must have jumped around 20 this day. While they were not the large migratory fish we hoped to find on our trip, these fish fought hard and fast. Coming from a heavy Northwest background, most of the day felt eerily comparable to steelhead fishing aside from freezing our asses off ha-ha. We found ourselves fishing large shelves and snags in slow, steelhead-green waters, waiting to get ambushed by a Sabalito.

Food and Lodging

At Kay Fly in Mexico, getting to the lodge was a bit of a journey, but it was rewarded with friendly staff, good food, and new friends. When I arrived and walked through the lodge's wide French doors, I was quickly handed a cold beer and a quesadilla as I made my way to the back patio area.

Here I was met by a beautiful view of the ocean and Palm trees just feet away. My room was decorated in a pleasant Spanish style and with an open concept. The best part about it was the AC, which was almost too cold. Overall, I was very comfortable and pleased with the lodging at Kay Fly. 

When we arrived at the Belize River Lodge, we were quickly picked up at the airport and transported to the lodge in just a few minutes. Here we got to meet Mike and Margaret, the Lodge owners for the last 46 years.

We walked into a room full of history. The walls are lined with Grand Slam trophies and photos of fish going back decades. After gaining some wisdom from these two, we headed out to Long Key to stay on our own private island, about 20 miles east of Belize City.

The minute we arrived, we were all speechless. It was a beautiful little house just feet from the ocean. We spent five nights in Long Key before returning to the River Lodge for our last two evenings. At the home and lodge, we were treated to private chefs who cooked amazing food. Every meal was made from scratch by these talented ladies.

We were treated to a variety of dishes from Italian night to traditional Belizean cuisine on Sunday. Throughout the whole trip, at the Lodge and Outpost, we all joked about how we ate better out there than we did at home. The lodging and staff at the Belize River Lodge were exceptional. 

Have fun, and the fishing will take care of itself.

My time in Mexico taught me how cool Plan A can be when you go fishing, and things align perfectly. My time in Belize taught me that even when Plan A doesn't happen, Plan B, C, and D are still pretty cool. I also learned how important the people you travel with are. Having the right people around sets you up for success and a good time. I had a lot of firsts and fun on this trip, and I can't wait to go on my next trip with Stillwater Travel.