Flats Trip: Belize, Bahamas, Keys, or Mexico????

[feild patten]

Well the long and short of it is I am planning a flats trip with fellow board members Ian Crabtree and Matt Jones for mid to late September, possibly early October (yes I know we are throwing it together last minute…but, hey, better late than never!). We are currently looking at Belize, the Bahamas, Mexico, and the Keys as possible options. We are in need of some help in narrowing down our destination.

We are planning on spending a week at the destination. We want to do everything as cheap as possible. For accommodations we were thinking camping, or a run down motel/hostel. We will basically be fishing on our own (hopefully renting a boat/kayaks as well as wading if access is possible), but we do want to hire a guide for one or two days (beginning and end of week).

Belize:
We were thinking of fishing out of Caye Caulker. Any other ideas?
Any opinions on the fishing at this time of year?
Any guide recommendations?
Any idea on fly shops?
Any idea if boats/kayaks are available for rent?

Bahamas:
Zach has given us some good info here, but other ideas are certainly welcome.
Where can we camp?
Any idea on renting boats?
Will the fishing be good/ok/poor?

Keys:
Ian has fished down here a couple of times, but at different times of the year. Any idea how the fishing will be this time of year?
Anyone have any guide recommendations?

Mexico:
If we fish here, we definitely want it to be in the Yucatan. Can you “do it yourself” in Mexico, or is fishing basically restricted to the lodge operations?

Any and all ideas will be GREATLY appreciated!

Thanks,
-Feild

[Carter Simcoe]

Alternatively, if all that falls through, you can come down to Louisiana and sight fish for reds.

[feild patten]

Tempting Carter, tempting….

Ian and Matt are in AK finishing up guiding and I have been delegated as the “information gatherer” for this adventure since they have limited internet access, and basically zero phone privileges….

I will pass on your offer in my next email…it sure sounds fun!

-Feild

[Carter Simcoe]

By all means do but I wouldn’t neccesarily pass up the tropics trip and it’s gin clear water if you can swing it.

It’s cheap saltwater sight fishing but it’s kind of redneck and industrial, what with all the oil industry around the area.

[Jeff Morasco]

There is basically no camping permitted in the Bahamas.
In the Freeport area you might be able to find a room in the $100 per night range, rental boats would be expensive and limited for your purposes, guides are about $400 per day. There used to be house rentals in the Abaco out islands that came with a small boat. If that is of interest I can look around and see if I can find an ad for you.

[Carter Simcoe]

there was an entire article about that houseboat thing in one of the mags a while back, probably six months or so ago.

[brian dunigan]

I was in Belize a few years ago in November.

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