Seasons

Just one of the good things about fishing at Turneffe Island Resort is that the fishing is year around.

Bonefish can be found in good numbers throughout the year. The vast flats both inside the atoll and on the leeward side of the reef offer the bonefish food and comfort. The occasional cold front or an extreme low pressure weather system might push bones off of a cooled flat for a few hours or maybe a day or so until the flats warm up again, but this condition rarely lasts very long and it is very seldom indeed that you can’t find some fish at which to cast a fly.

Permit are also found most of the year around the resort with the Spring through Fall period being the best times to look for them. There are schooled fish roaming the interior flats and in the deep water outside of “the Elbow”. Both places offer anglers a chance at hooking the prized permit. They are also found just inside the reef on the flats, tailing in singles and doubles. This is exciting stuff trying to stalk quietly to get close enough to get a shot and put a fly right in front of its nose. Spook em or hook em seems to be the flats mantra for permit.

Tarpon are definitely seasonal, migratory fish. There are a few resident tarpon around all year, but most of them (including some really big fish over 100 pounds) start showing up in mid to late Spring, build in numbers through the summer (prime time) and taper off into the early fall. A lot of grand slams (bonefish, tarpon and permit in one day) are taken during this time.

Other species found all through the year are barracuda, snapper and a few Jacks.
In summary, the winter has higher odds of cold fronts out of the north, storms and cloudy skies, but it is the best time to get a break from the winter blues and shoveling snow. Good winter weather at the resort will show you fantastic fishing and a great attitude adjustment. The springtime is probably the safest time, because it is after the cold fronts and before the hurricane season. It can be a little windy during this time, but very fishable. The summer will find more fish and less people. Perfect ingredients for a great fishing trip. The fall is a transition period with very good fishing early on, getting a few more storms later on towards winter.