El Pescador welcomed its first guests in September, 1974 and hasn’t stopped fishing since. The current owners, the Gentry family, took over operations in 1997 and have continued to expand and improve upon an already famous fishing resort. Today El Pescador features 13 deluxe rooms in the main lodge and eight new spacious 3-bedroom villas. The rooms in the main lodge are equipped with AC, private baths, and two queen beds while the new villas feature AC, full kitchen, living room with cable TV, and a large private balcony overlooking the pools and Caribbean Sea. The villas are great for those looking for more space and luxury or for families & groups that wish to remain under the same roof.

It isn’t really accurate to refer to El Pescador as a fishing lodge as that often implies basic accommodations and roughing it, which will be far from the truth here. In addition to the deluxe accommodations El Pescador features amenities like three pools, a sand volleyball court, exercise room, bar, game room with pool table, TV lounge, and complimentary use of their kayaks and bicycles. You’ll be located on Ambergris Caye, one of the most popular and beautiful islands in the world, so you’ll have plenty of outside entertainment at your fingertips as well. Either by boat taxi or bicycle you can visit the busy town of San Pedro to try local restaurants, shopping, or enjoy their famous nightlife. You are also literally minutes away from the Hol Chan Marine Reserve and less than a mile to the Mesoamerican Reef so the snorkeling and diving opportunities here are world class.

Last but not least, what makes El Pescador so famous is of course the fishing. They boast a 400 sq mile fishery that runs as far north as the Mexican border to as far south as Belize City. With plentiful bonefish, a resident tarpon population, and the reputation of being the “Permit Capital”, your chances of a Grand Slam here are as good as you’ll ever find. El Pescador has over 12 full time guides on staff, some of them spanning three generations! They also have a full time fishing instructor that will give free casting lessons every evening on the dock. While they recommend you bring your own gear to the lodge, if you are not able to they do have demo gear available as well as a full fly shop to pick up whatever you need. If fishing for eight hours a day still doesn’t quench your thirst feel free to wade the shallows right in front of the resort and fly fish for bonefish among the turtle grass.