El Pescador Lodge and Beach Resort

Tarpon Time in Beautiful Ambergris Caye

For over 25 years, El Pescador Lodge has been the choice of the world's top anglers. The Spanish name "El Pescador" means "the fisherman" and they cater to all types of angler. Belize's shallow water contains the only classic tarpon flats outside South Florida and their flats are world renowned for offering the opportunity to site cast to Tarpon 12 months a year. At El Pescador, you too can achieve the angler's ultimate dream- a Grand Slam, Bonefish, Tarpon and a Permit all in one day! You can cast the lagoons for ladyfish or snook, go outside the reef into the deep water for billfish and Wahoo. Troll the reef for king fish or barracuda. Jig the bottom for snapper and grouper. The choice is yours.

El Pescador also offers you a choice of accommodations. But whether you opt for rooms in their gracious, mahogany colonial lodge, or the privacy and comfort of the El Pescador luxury Villas, you'll be right on the beach, facing the sea, surrounded by the fragrance of tropical flowering plants and the whisper of shady palms. Not only will find the serenity and seclusion you are looking for, you'll have the convenience of being within walking distance of San Pedro Town and its gift shops, restaurants, bars and night spots.

The Belizean staff will help you make the most of your vacation and select from a wide range of adventures available in the area, from scuba diving and snorkeling our world famous Barrier reef to exploring caves and Maya archaeological sites inland, to visiting a natural habitat zoo or ecological park.

Your hosts live on the premises to ensure warm, personal service around the clock. El Pescador's courteous, English-speaking guides are trained to assist every type of angler at every skill level. They are proud to introduce El Pescador's Fly Shop, the only Scientific Anglers, Mastery Series Fly Shop in Belize.

ACCOMMODATIONS at El Pescador

The El Pescador Lodge is an intimate, 12-room, one suite hotel set in a colonial style mahogany building with a long verandah overlooking the beach and barrier reef. All rooms have private baths, overhead fans and air-conditioning and are just steps away from the swimming pool adjacent the beach. All rooms face the sea.

El Pescador Villas are a collection of four luxury multi-bedroom Villas, set in tropical gardens, surrounding a private pool. You may enjoy the entire Villa as a home-away-from-home, or request only a portion since each suite can locked-off into a private unit. Reserve one master suite, or a master suite and the Great Room-just tell Worldwide Angling what configuration works best for you! El Pescador lodge and villas are on the Bahia del Punta Arena, 2.6 miles north of San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. The spot is remote and private, yet close enough to reach town on foot, bicycle, shuttle, water taxi or golf cart.

DINING AT El Pescador

The El Pescador restaurant is intimate and the meals are served family-style. They serve an American breakfast, offer a lunch buffet of seafood and local Belizean cuisine along with a dinner buffet. You can join the other guest for hors d'ouvres at 5:30 pm in the bar, the perfect place for swapping stories after a day's activities. The house specialty is tropical rum punch but they also offer a full selection of top shelf liquors, wine and beer. Many international cigars are available in San Pedro and are sold upon request.

FISHING AT El Pescador

The name, El Pescador, means "The fisherman" and their specialty is light tackle, salt water angling. The guides are English speaking and experienced in guiding both fly and spin anglers alike. The majority of the guides have been working with El Pescador for over 15 years. The guides stalk the fish in clear water using shallow draft skiffs for getting onto the bonefish flats and they know how to position the boat to give the angler the best possible casting opportunities. The guides themselves are skilled fly anglers and therefore can help novice fly angling guests with their casting and technique.

BONEFISH: The bonefish grounds are 10 to 20 minutes from the lodge and the tarpon flats begin 20 minutes from there. Most of the bone fishing is done from the bow of a boat but there are 4 or 5 flats that can be waded. The bones run from 2-5 lbs. and are plentiful. The tarpon flats are 3-8 feet deep and are quite extensive, approximately 35 miles long by 15 miles wide.

TARPON: Not all the tarpon flats are fishable everyday due to changing weather conditions and currents, but generally speaking, they have good tarpon fishing all year round (for the "El Pescador Monthly Fishing Guide" click here.) The tarpon run from 10 to100+ lbs.; the average winter fish is about 50-60 lbs. with the average summer fish being 90 - 150 lbs.

PERMIT: are found on the bonefish flats, some of the shallow tarpon flats as well as in waves coming over the reef. Our permit range from 4-30 lbs. with the majority being about 8-10 lbs. and found in large schools. Jack crevalle, barracuda, cobia and snook are also found on the flats and in the surrounding mangrove lagoons.

Jack crevalle, barracuda, cobia and snook are also found on the flats and in the surrounding mangrove lagoons. Reef fishing is another activity our clients enjoy. The reef sports snappers, grouper, wahoo, mackerel, jacks, cobia, barracuda, kingfish, rainbow runners, trigger fish and during mid May to mid August, tarpon. A great day on the reef might include catching snappers, grouper, etc., going to shore and having the guide prepare a freshly caught shore lunch while you relax or wade for bonefish. After lunch you can go for a snorkel and/or trip into San Pedro town for a little sight seeing, bar hopping, whatever.

El Pescador Monthly Fishing Guide*

*As weather and seasonal variations can occur, please refer to the above ratings as a guide, factored over many years of fishing.

Activities for the non-angler at El Pescador Lodge

For the non-angler, Belize is host to diverse activities and abundant natural beauty. Under the pristine azure sea lies the world's largest living coral reef, acclaimed by the best divers. Speckled with 200 cayes their barrier reef is home to the Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark and Sting Ray Alley. On the mainland, a short flight away, the magic of Belize stretches back for centuries. Explore mighty Mayan ruins, the lush rainforest, exotic wildlife and beautiful orchids. Optional guided trips to these exceptional destinations are available on a daily basis through the lodge. Activities including the rainforest, Maya ruins, snorkeling, visitation to various zoos, sailing, diving and exploring the underwater world of El Pescador.

TRAVEL DOCUMENTS

US citizens need a valid passport

VISA

Not needed for US citizens

MEDICAL PRECAUTIONS

None

CAPACITY

68

LANGUAGE

English is the official language with Spanish being wide spread

CURRENCY

US Dollar

AVERAGE TEMP

88 degrees

MAJOR US GATEWAY CITIES

Newark, Houston, Los Angles, Miami: Anglers depart their home cities and travel to Belize City, Belize.(You will need to arrive at the airport by 15:00 local time.) From Belize City, you will then take a 17 minute charter flight to San Pedro, Ambergris Caye typically via a Cessna Caravan turboprop aircraft. A water taxi ride completes your travel to the lodge. Our in-house travel agency can assist you with your airline reservations. For combination Ambergris Caye / Punta Gorda trips, from the Belize International Airport you will be transferred to EP Ambergris for the first portion of your package. On your transfer day you will fish Ambergris and then fly to Punta Gorda, arriving in time for social hour and dinner. Upon departure from Punta Gorda you will return to Belize International Airport.

FISHING SEASON

Year round

WEATHER

Expect pleasant nights with temperatures in the 70's. The day will heat up into the 90's. July to September is the rainy season but then rain is possible year round so bring sunscreen as well as a rain suite.Because Ambergis Caye is located on an island off shore, it tends to have more of a desert climate and thus escapes much of the rain. For this reason Worldwide Angling uses El Pescador Ambergis Caye on a year round basis.

El Pescador Lodge Ambergris Caye Package Price (2008/9)

Based on two anglers per boat, one room

3 fishing days, 4 lodge nights, $1,720
4 fishing days, 5 lodge nights, $2,145
5 fishing days, 6 lodge nights, $2,570
6 fishing days, 7 lodge nights, $2,995
7 fishing days, 8 lodge nights, $3,420

Solo angler rates (one angler with one guide) are available upon request. Non-anglers rates are also available. Longer stays and customized group packages can be arranged.

New For The 2008/9 Season

new mattresses in all lodge rooms

All lodge bathrooms have been renovated

New air conditioners and fans in all lodge rooms

2nd water heater in main lodge to ensure hot water supply on demand

New in-room informational booklets

New dock

New roof

Poling platforms on Guide boats

New managerial position of Guest Services Manager to ensure that non-angling companions are treated as well as anglers (basically this is Bob for non-anglers)

Foos ball table in bar (this has taken the place of the guest computer). The pool table and dart board are still in the bar.

Wi-Fi access (please bring a laptop due to the foos ball table in place of the guest computer)

Hors d’ourves are now individually “plated” and based on a menu instead of one large snack put out at 3pm daily for all to share

Additional Staff house to accommodate more staff to ensure better service. We are now higher then a 1-to-1 staff to room ration. 42 staff and 36 rooms

Package includes

The number of nights lodging and days fishing specified in your package, boat, guide, land and air transfers between Belize City, EP Ambergris and back to Belize City, 7% hotel tax, sales tax where applicable, 3 meals per day and a welcome drink.

Reservation Policy

A non-refundable deposit of 50% per person is required to hold both space and guides on all packages. No space or guides will be held without receipt of deposit. Full pre-payment is due at El Pescador 90 days prior to arrival. All cancellations must be received in writing at the lodge. Prior to 90 days 100% of deposit may be transferred to another date/angler. Between 45 - 90 days 50% of package may be transferred to another date or angler. Less tan 45 days may not be transferred or refunded. All cancellations have a $100 processing fee per guest.

Fishing

Fishing includes either 1 or 2 anglers per boat for 8 consecutive hours. No fishing gear is included.

Trip Cancellation and Travel Insurance Recommendation

Travel, especially foreign travel, unfortunately has some unusual aspects that need to be addressed. Issues such as lost baggage, missed flights and medical concerns are often over looked until an untimely event happens. You or your traveling partner may need protection from trip cancellation due to events at home such as illness of you or your travel companion, illness while away from home, as well as a host of other travel nightmares. Worldwide Angling strongly recommends all parties obtain trip insurance right after booking a trip abroad. We obtain our own travel insurance with Travelex, a well established, highly recommended, travel insurance company and we recommend it to all of our clients. Travelex specializes in insuring the foreign traveler to far away and remote places. Once a trip is booked with Worldwide Angling, you will receive from us an application for Travelex travel insurance. The cost is quite reasonable, less than $60 per $1000 in most cases. Please review your insurance needs to see if Travelex is for you.