When I first decided to travel to Belize, I must admit I was a bit nervous. I’m young, inexperienced, and alone. Luckily, I had met a couple of family members who own and operate a fishing lodge located on the Belize River one month prior at The Fly Fishing Shows here in the States. These two people were Misha and Morgan Miles. They showed me and my coworkers nothing but kindness from the first moments we met. After a few long days as booth neighbors at one of the shows, I could sense a friendship beginning to form.
Take the Jump
I decided to go for it. The coordination was simple and worry-free. Next thing I knew, my plane touched down on the Belize international airport tarmac and I was ready to begin my adventure. Morgan was there waiting for me as I arrived and the good times began. After a quick car ride and an even quicker boat ride to cross the river, we arrived at the lodge.
The Lodge
The lodge was located in a semi-remote area only accessible by boat. The green lodge buildings blended very well with the surrounding jungle to make for a natural environment. There, I had the pleasure of meeting Mike and Marguerite Miles, the owners, managers, and hosts at the lodge. They purchased the lodge back in 1986 and have been running it every day since. After a few short conversations with the two, I began to see why they were so successful. The hospitality was unmatched. You could tell both had years of experience in the business and the knowledge to go with it.
Eat Good, Feel Good
After having some time to settle in it was time for dinner and some appetizers. Aside from fishing, this was my favorite part of the trip. ALL of the food was extremely fresh and homemade. You could taste it. I said it many times throughout my time there and I’ll say it again, I did not have one bad meal the entire duration of my trip. Everything I tasted was of the highest quality and that alone is worth the trip back.
Reel em’ in
Now, onto the fishing. The biggest advantage Belize River Lodge has over any other outfitters in Belize is right there in the name, the Belize River. They are the only fishing lodge on the river and when the wind is blowing on the flats that is right where you want to be. You can see tarpon rolling from the boat dock and within five minutes you can be right in the middle of them. Along with Tarpon, we proceeded to catch massive snook less than two miles down the river.
As the wind began to calm down, we targeted the flats for our remaining fishing days. A short boat ride out and we were surrounded by different cayes full of bonefish, permit, jacks, and snook. I could not keep track of all the different territories we covered. Luckily, our guide Pedro has been guiding for over 35 years and knew the area like the back of his hand. Full of knowledge and good stories I couldn’t recommend Pedro more as a guide. He put me on seven different species of fish our first day out, including a Belize River Lodge grand slam consisting of Tarpon, Bonefish, and Snook. I couldn’t have asked for more.
Thank you
After some wonderful fishing, great food, and amazing people my time in Belize came to an end. I truly couldn’t recommend this lodge more to anyone searching for their next fishing adventure. Whether you’ve been to Belize or it’s your first time, Belize River Lodge is the place to be. I want to extend a BIG thank you to the Miles family for my unforgettable time in Belize and to encourage anyone reading this to get out there and Never Stop Living.