DIY Bonefishing at Glover’s Atoll Resort in Belize

Still on the subject of do-it-yourself bonefishing, subscriber Don Jenni says he is going to Glover’s Atoll Resort in Belize this coming January, where he plans to look for bonefish on his own. He has promised to file a report when he returns. In the meantime, he dropped us this short note: “There are five ‘resorts’ on Glover’s Atoll, I have discovered. The resort I am going to is Glover’s Atoll Resort (www.glovers.com.bz). It is not really a resort in any sense of the word, as it has no running water or electricity. Actually, it’s a rather primitive facility, and reviewers either hate it or love it. I’ve heard the bonefishing is good, but there are no guides unless you consider Warren a guide. He fishes for the kitchen and you can go fishing with him if you agree to pay him for the fish you catch. What I plan to do is rent a kayak and use that to access the entire inner lagoon, which appears to have hundreds of pancake flats. The lagoon also provides access to the reef. Glover’s Reef may or may not turn out to be a great DIY destination.

“I have bonefished several resorts in the Bahamas, as well as Los Roques, the Caymans, and the Florida Keys, so I should be able to provide a useful report for fellow subscribers when I come back. The resort is dirt cheap compared to the other four resorts on the atoll, by the way. It is the only resort on Northeast Key (which is ironically on the southeast part of the atoll); the other resorts are along the reef south of Northeast Key. The cost per person for a week stay there, including the round-trip boat trip from Sittee River to the island and back, is $299 for an “over-the-water cabin”; $249 for a “beach cabin”; and $149 for a “dorm room.” You can camp for a week for $99. Typically, you buy most of your groceries on your way to Glover’s Reef, I’m told, and you store them in a six-day cooler that you can buy or rent in Sittee River. Baked bread and fruit and vegetables can be bought on the island. If you don’t want to do your own cooking, meals bought on the island cost $12 for breakfast and lunch and $18 for dinner. I’ll have much more to report when I get back.”

Postscript: The Glover’s Reef Web site says there are guides on the island, but it is a safe bet they are not fly-fishing guides. The resort is certified to provide dive service. Stay tuned. . . .