Kaboom1, I was three times fishing Belize in diverse spots. Ambergris, Caye Caulker, Turneffe Flats.
For permit and bones a fast, ultra-fast 8 or 9wt is perfect. 300yards of backing for the permit, which I had the pleasure to catch and on the first run carried away 200yards of my backing. Do not bring fresh water lines but special lines for the salt. Floating line almost 100% of the time. Just used sinking ones for the drop off when I wanted to explore for other species.
For baby tarpon I used a fast 10wt rod, perfectly. Flies for tarpon: you don't need big ones, regular Clouser Minnow and some variations on rabbit strips (diverse colors), Tarpon bunnies (tan-white), Lefty's Deceiver black-white, Black Death.
My most productive flies for bones were Bonefish Bitter, Gotcha, and a Tan chain eyes Woolly Bugger, with white rubber legs (red tips). This is very important...do not forget to bring many unweighted flies with weed guard (mono) because there's a lot of flats with turtle grass with bones inside and impossible to fish with weighted flies. I tied for that, simple scuds on pale green and tan on #4-6 hooks. Tied on marabou for better natural movement.
Flies for permit...just Del Brown's Merkin Crab (best and favorite fly there...I caught two big permit on my first day on those fantastic patterns) on not big size, because can be a pain in the *** to cast on windy days. I would also bring Avalon fly to try or Mantis Shrimp imitations just to experience.
Flourocarbon leaders and tippets always. And yes, you need special flats boots. The coral and occasional but dangerous tiny monsters that live in the sand are a risk without appropriate protection.
You can also fish occasional barracuda and those 4ft brown flats sharks that go into the shallows on high tides.
I hope this help you for a great adventure!!
R.
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