Placencia/Northeast Caye, Belize
Placencia/Northeast Caye, Belize
This is a permit-focused operation. If your goal is to catch your first permit or your 50th, Blue Horizon is a really great bet. The lodge is located smack-dab in the center of “Permit Alley,” offering its guides and clients first shots at several of the most productive reefs and flats in the world. This is a comfortable, fun, hard-core, fishing-oriented program with short runs to the flats and dawn-to-near-dusk fishing day after day after day.
Blue Horizon is located on a 7-acre island in the middle of “Permit Alley,” one of the most fabled permit fishing grounds on Earth. Anglers her enjoy short runs to the best flats and reefs, sometimes beginning to fish only a few minutes after stepping into the boat. Guides from other lodges on the mainland arrive sometime later in the day, if at all. This is wilderness fishing for permit that grow to 20 pounds or more, with opportunities for bonefish, tarpon, barracuda, and jacks. If you’re like us and fishing comes first, you’ll love the Blue Horizon vibe: anglers fish all day then talk fishing around the open-air main lodge where shutters can be opened to enjoy the marine environment or closed during bouts of inclement weather. Music, cold drinks, corn hole, awesome Belizean cuisine, and camaraderie abound. Bonus: legendary guide Lincoln Westby runs the guide staff and he is on-site and always available to improve your permit knowledge. He’s landed or guided anglers to more than 2,000 permit in his career, so there really isn’t anyone anywhere who knows these fish better.
You won’t get shortchanged on fishing time at Blue Horizon; it’s common to eat breakfast between 5 and 6 a.m. and be on the water shortly after. And you won’t waste time making long runs to distant grounds; some of the most famous reefs and flats in Belize are located within a 10-minute boat ride. Blue Horizon’s guides get their boats on the flats each day during the best tides, well before any mainland operations can get there. You may have landed a permit before ever seeing another boat.
This is classic sight fishing for permit in thin water, often looking for tails when there’s chop or glare on the water, other times spotting fish in or near breaking waves on a falling tide. You’ll mostly fish from a boat, but there are wading opportunities, too.
Once the group locates a permit, guides pole the boat into position to give you the best casting angle based on the fish’s direction of movement, the angle of the sun and, of course, the direction and strength of the wind. Other times, the guide will gently park the boat on a sandbar to allow you to stalk these famous fish on foot. You’ll get your shots at permit at Blue Horizon, sometimes many, many, many shots each day. But it’s still up to you to make the cast.
While most anglers who stay at Blue Horizon Lodge are focused on fishing for permit, there is an abundant population of tarpon nearby, sometimes rolling directly in front of the lodge, sometimes plainly visible from the dinner table. Bonefish are also presently and willing to eat a properly-presented fly any day of the year, making this fishery a great place to get your first Grand Slam.
Fishing Schedule
To maximize your chances of success, there is no hard-set fishing schedule at Blue Horizon—this lodge and its guides emphasize fishing during the best tides, no matter the time of day (so long as there’s daylight). That means you might leave before sunrise to start your day, or you might sleep in then fish very late into the day if that’s when the best water levels and opportunities occur.
The typical routine sees early morning starts with a mid-day break at the lodge or lunch on the water, then back after the permit once the tide turns, fishing until dark. During a midday high-tide cycle, your day will start between 6 and 7 a.m. and you can expect to fish until at least 3 p.m. before returning to the lodge. The Blue Horizon team works smarter—not harder—to find feeding fish and give you the best chances for success.
Boats and Equipment
Anglers fish from guide-owned pangas, which are extremely stable and ideal for running through open water between reefs and flats. These boats have very shallow drafts, meaning they can drift over shallow reefs without crunching and scraping bottom. You’ll enjoy the stability of these boats, the spacious casting decks, and ample deck space to store your gear.
Blue Horizon is located on a private 7-acre island in the heart of “Permit Alley,” with a small flat and tarpon hole out front and a calm lagoon behind. Mangroves and palms dot the island—one reason why private yachts often anchor in the lee of this caye—it’s nothing short of paradise.
The lodge offers five double-occupancy guest cabanas, all with two plush full-size beds, hot showers, soap, shampoo, and conditioner, plus air conditioning and a big deck where you can kick back and get your gear in order. Two of the rooms stand alone from the others and offer outstanding privacy. Three units are under one roof in a new two-story triplex that offers great elevated views from the deck.
The lodge was completely refurbished in 2020, built from reclaimed and new lumber. It offers a pleasant, modern, nautical feel and has all the amenities that modern traveling anglers desire. Guests can hang rods on racks in their rooms, on their deck, or at a common rod rack outside the dining/gathering room.
The open-air main lodge is a perfect location to take hors d’oeuvres and cocktails, followed by dinners at the dining table. Flies and other items, such as sun screen, tippet, and fly lines may also be purchased here. A bathroom is located in the main lodge, which means you don’t have to trudge back to your own room. An open bar temps the taste buds and a refrigerator holds an unlimited supply of soft drinks, wine, and the delicious local Belizean beer, Belikin.
Cuisine
Prepare to feast. Belizean cuisine is influenced by diverse Caribbean cultures, and at Blue Horizon you’ll enjoy genuine home cooking with the flare of modern cuisine. These wonderful meals incorporate fresh local seafood along with fresh, organic produce and meats (chicken, pork, and beef) from Muy’Ono Farms, located on the mainland. Meals may include seafood stew/soup, conch fritters, grilled lobster, and ceviche. Breakfasts are served continental style so anglers can enjoy at their convenience. Self-serve coffee is available starting at 5 a.m., with the breakfast buffet opened shortly after. Breakfast consists of coffee or tea, fruit juice, fresh tropical fruits, pastries, muffin, or sweet bread, and a savory option of quiche, stuffed fry jacks, or other to-go items. Lunch can be served on the island when low tides occur mid-day. During a mid-day high tide, you’ll take lunch to go and enjoy it on the boat. Dinner is a three-course experience starting with appetizers, followed by the main course, and finished off with a fresh, homemade dessert.
A self-serve bar and drink cooler is open at all times of the day. The bar is well stocked with local rum and mixers. Each evening hosts feature a different happy hour cocktail, but be sure to try the Pesky Permit. If you prefer other libations such as bourbon, Scotch, tequila, or specialty wines, please bring those to the island. A duty-free store in the Belize City airport is a great location to purchase liquor and cigars. Drinking water is supplied in each guest room and in the main lodge in 5-gallon jugs of purified water. Drinking water is supplied on the boats in large reusable coolers.
Connectivity
The island has wireless internet access covering the majority of the property. Your room and the main lodge are 100% covered. Cellular service is limited but available with most U.S. carriers. Blue Horizon has installed a next-generation internet system that allows access at fiberoptic speeds. WiFi calling, emails, browsing, text messaging, social media, and even high speed streaming TV and movies is standard. You will be pleasantly surprised by the speed and consistency of internet access in such a remote location. Want to fish hard then kick back, but still got a little work to do? Blue Horizon is the perfect location.
We’ll be perfectly honest: If you are looking for other activities, we can send you up the “Alley” to Thatch Caye or to the mainland jungle to stay at Copal Tree Lodge. When visiting Blue Horizon you fish and you talk fishing, and then you get up the next day and do it all again.
Arrival
Guests fly into Belize City no later than 3 p.m., which allows enough time to clear customs and make your domestic flight to Placencia. The last commuter flight leaving Belize City, via Tropic Air or Maya Island Air, departs at 4:45 p.m. daily. If your intentional flight is delayed and you miss the last flight to Placencia, you will need to stay in Belize City for the night. The first flight to Placencia leaves at 7:45 a.m. The cost of meals, lodging, and/or services in Belize City are not covered in your fishing package.
The flight to Placencia makes a short stop in Dangriga. The total flight time will be about 30 minutes from Belize City to Placencia. Once you arrive in Placencia, you will be greeted by a Muy’Ono Resorts representative who will help you gather your luggage and transfer you to The Placencia Resort where our boat and captain will be waiting. Depending on the schedule of other arrivals, you may need to wait a short time while other guests arrive. During your wait, you will have access to the resort’s bar and restaurant, as well as the pool. Once all guests arrive at the resort, you will all board a boat to the island lodge.
Blue Horizon Lodge is a quick 30-minute boat ride from The Placencia Resort, included in your travel package. We suggest you keep your rain gear handy in case the weather requires it. Your luggage will be stowed in a covered storage area and/or covered with waterproof tarps. Once you arrive on the island, staff will warmly greet you a welcome drink, brief on the check-in process, and show you to your room.
Departure
On departure day, breakfast is adjusted to start slightly later in the morning and we ask that your bags are packed and ready to travel before you arrive for breakfast. The boat transfer to the mainland departs at either 6:45 or 8:30 a.m., depending on flight schedules for the departing group. International flights from Belize City to your destination should not leave before noon. This ensures enough time to get from the lodge to Belize City and onto your plane.
Midcurrent’s services are completely free. Clients will not pay more than if booked directly with a lodge. All rates are per person based on double occupancy, and listed in U.S. dollars.
2023 Rates
Double Occupancy/Shared Room and Boat
4 Nights/ 3 Days: $2,625
5 Nights/ 4 Days: $3,325
6 Nights / 5 Days: $3,970
7 Nights / 6 Days: $4,725
8 Nights / 7 Days: $5,150
9 Nights / 8 Days: $5,760
Single Occupancy/Private Room and Boat
4 Nights/ 3 Days: $3,940
5 Nights/ 4 Days: $5,110
6 Nights / 5 Days: $6,280
7 Nights / 6 Days: $7,350
8 Nights / 7 Days: $7,890
9 Nights / 8 Days: $8,820
Single Occupancy/Private Room/Shared Boat
4 Nights/ 3 Days: $3,010
5 Nights/ 4 Days: $3890
6 Nights / 5 Days: $4,750
7 Nights / 6 Days: $5,565
8 Nights / 7 Days: $5,935
9 Nights / 8 Days: $6,615
Included
Accommodations and all meals, snacks, local beer, local alcohol, and non-alcoholic beverages
The number of full days of fly fishing in the package
Ground transfers between airstrip and marina
Boat transfer to and from the island
WiFi and hotel taxes
Not Included
International flight, in-country commuter flights, or ground transfers from BZE
Extra tours or purchases in the pro/gift shop
Fishing guide and lodge staff gratuities
Fishing license
Bookings are confirmed with a 50% deposit, made no later than seven days after booking a trip. Balance must be received no later than 90 days prior to the first day of the trip. Notification of cancellation must be received 90 days prior to the first day of the trip in order to receive partial or full credit for an alternate date. All payments are final and nonrefundable, with the exception of a medical or family emergency, deemed reasonable at Midcurrent’s discretion.
Booking a trip or making a deposit represents that the client accepts all terms and conditions. Midcurrent’s terms are in addition to any terms and conditions of each individual lodge that Midcurrent represents. Please read those terms carefully—lodge terms, which may differ from Midcurrent’s terms, supersede any agreements between Midcurrent and a client.
