Unlike South Dakota, lobster is a common dish at Robert's grove. I could
easily get used to the food, but I'm not sure I would like the size of my waistline
after a few weeks. Fresh shrimp, lobster and fish, caught locally, were served
every day; but nobody complained that the food was boring or monotonous.
The coastal sands of southern Belize are tan instead of the white beaches of
the north, but they are just as pretty. Here the barrier reef is 25 miles from
the coast and the waves are higher. The average daytime temperature
anywhere along the coast is about 90 degrees with nighttime temperatures
dipping all the way down to 80. A constant breeze helps combat the heat
and humidity. The only mosquitoes of the trip were encountered one
evening when the wind died down for a few minutes.
Speaking of mosquitoes, Belize has a type of mosquito that survives on plant
protein and doesn't attack animals. I had never seen this type of mosquito
before, but I now know they exist. I managed to capture one on camera
as it sat on the petals of a flower. Considering the fact that it was at least
10 times as big as the type that like to munch on me, I'm glad they don't suck blood.
Palm tree islands are common along the reef and the southern coast of Belize.
If any place looks like a tropical paradise, this is it. Most of our fishing while
at Robert's Grove was within shouting distance of islands of this sort. The
reflection of one of those islands caught my eye on the last day. I just couldn't
resist the urge to take a picture.
Our first day of fishing at Robert's Grove was a quest for permit. The fish
ignored our efforts completely. We saw hundreds, maybe even thousands
of permit, but the best we could do was get a follow. Jason Wood blamed
it on the bananas they packed in the coolers, something about bad luck. I
just think permit are fickle and hard to catch. Eventually, we gave up and
went to the lagoons for tarpon. That wasn't any better. The entire group
went fish-less that day. Ouch, so much for so-called fly-fishing experts!
Our final day of fishing was possibly the best. We fished large schools of
bonefish all day and caught more than we could count. That's the day I
fished with Phil Monahan and Mark Easton. Phil can cast very well, but
Mark is the entertainer. The technique we used is called island hopping.
We would fish near an island and catch fish until they became spooky, then
we'd move to another island and do it again.
The final island of the day had a small bay loaded with bonefish. We beached
the boats and cast to the fish from the shore. There were enough fish in that
bay to keep us occupied for hours. There were some small permit there too,
but they were still on a diet. A couple of jacks were more cooperative, but
we were after bonefish.
Eventually we realized we were in a good place to snap a few final pictures
so we handed the fly rods to our guides and asked them to fish while we
photographed a tropical paradise accented with turquoise water and
coconut palms. I hate to admit it, but the guides could outcast us with
one hand tied behind their back. Their technique was to face the island
like they were going to cast up on the beach; then they would execute
their final cast over their shoulder. They were darn good at hooking
fish too. I think they just wanted to show off.
If a vacation at a top-notch resort that has excellent guides and outstanding
bonefishing is in your plans, you might consider a stay at Robert's Grove.
The atmosphere is more slanted towards a vacation resort than a hard-core
fishing lodge, but the facilities, food and service are great. Even if the lodge's
atmosphere seems slanted slightly towards a vacationland getaway, they do offer
some of the best fly fishing you'll find anywhere. One fishing guest (not from
our group) did manage to land a grand slam (bonefish, tarpon and permit
in the same day) the day we arrived. The guides at Robert's Grove are
young, they know their fish and where to find them, and they aren't afraid
to put in a long day to help you have a great time.
If your idea of a great fishing trip involves luxury accommodations and excellent
fishing, Robert's Grove could be the place you're looking for. If you have a
non-fishing companion with you, this is a perfect place to stay. They also
have a web site. You can look at their facilities and check their prices
at www.robertsgrove.com.
Next week we'll finish this up with a few observations, comparisons, and
a few tidbits of information I haven't passed on. ~ Al Campbell
|
The facilities at Robert's Grove are new and modern. I didn't see all the
rooms, but the suites they put us in were the nicest rooms we stayed in
on this trip. They were also for sale as condominiums at a price four times
what my house cost, per suite. I think I'll be forced to just visit when I can
afford to rent a room for a few days. That might be a while.
