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Grand slammin' in the flats of Belize: need a respite? Try casting flies at this idyllic Caribbean fishing hub. But don't expect the tarpon to be easy. Just ask Intel's Craig Barrett

Chief Executive, The, Jan-Feb, 2004 by Scott Henjum

Catching bones, tarpon and permit can be an unforgettable experience. "These grand slam fish are really something," says Dave Parker, director of Orvis Travel. "When you hook one of them, it's like tapping an electrical line from the Grand Coulee Dam. It sure isn't anything like casting a dough ball into the Mississippi."

The roster of fly-fishing pilgrims to Belize includes Yvon Chouinard, the chairman and founder of Patagonia, the high-performance outdoor clothing and technical gear company. Chouinard has fished in Belize more than a half-dozen times. Even though he has caught all three grand slam species, he hasn't pulled off the slam in a single day. "But I've come awfully close," he's quick to say.

Both the nature of the grand slam fish and the unique fishing techniques they require make saltwater fly fishing special. Unlike fishing for bass, trout, steelhead, salmon or other North American species, saltwater fly fishing is a visual experience: You spot the fish--or, more accurately, your guide spots the fish--and then you cast to them. "Sight fishing is really a combination of hunting and fishing," says Intel's Barrett. "It's very different from fly fishing in North America, where you cast where you think the fish might be."

Will Casella, a sun-weathered enthusiast who runs the fishing program at El Pescador Fly Fishing Resort, one of the top lodges in Belize, would agree. "You get to see the whole transaction, from finding the fish, hooking them up and landing them," he says. "It just doesn't get much better."

Like the local fishing options, Belize has a range of accommodations for visiting fly fishers. You can book a trip aboard your own private 58-foot yacht, complete with a guide, crew and chef. You can stay at some of the high-end resorts and smaller properties, or you can visit the properties that cater to hard-core anglers. In November, I fished from El Pescador, on Ambergris Caye. The lodge has an impressive fishing operation, run by a stable of longtime guides. The resort has new stand-alone villas that cater to discerning guests, with private pools and verandas that overlook the Caribbean.

No matter where they fish or stay, fly-fishing purists keep returning to Belize year after year. Given the caressing, subtropical breezes, the soothingly warm waters and the bleeding, saturated colors of saltwater and sky, there may be few better places to wet a fly, twitch a line and unwind. Nearly all of the time, you're either alone with your guide or purely on your own with no other boats or anglers--much less analysts, shareholders or directors--in sight.

If You Go: Belize

Fishing Lodges

El Pescador

Fly Fishing Resort

800.242.2017

www.elepescador.com

Turneffe Flats

800.815.1304

www.tflats.com

Punta Gorda Fly

Fishing Resort

800.242.2017