Garbutt's Fishing Lodge

Accommodations

Private Cabanas // Capacity - 10 Anglers

Season

Year-Round

Species

Primarily Permit With Opportunities For Tarpon, Bonefish & Snook

Ideal for

Permit-Focused Anglers

Permit Fishing in Punta Gorda, Belize with the Garbutt Brothers

For over fifteen years, the Garbutt Brothers – Scully, Oliver, Dennis, and Eworth – have been guiding the waters from Punta Gorda, east to the Sapodilla Cayes, and north to Placencia. After years spent working for other lodges throughout the region, they finally built a fishing lodge of their own in 2008 – a centrally-located, fishing-focused operation with the best permit fishing in all of Southern Belize. Located on a small point of land on Joe Taylor Creek, the Lodge sits directly in the town of Punta Gorda. You can walk or ride a bike to several bars or restaurants, or you can wander the small fishing village, meet locals, see the sights, and take in the culture of Southern Belize.

Lodging Details
The Main Lodge overlooks Joe Taylor Creek on the backside and the Caribbean Sea to the front. Guests will stay in one of three separate and private cabanas – each built on stilts overlooking both the creek and ocean. The rooms are spacious and clean. Basic but comfortable, each cabin features A/C, two beds, a private bath, shower, and plenty of space for your gear and equipment. Each morning and evening, guests will load onto and unload from the boats off the main deck of the Lodge – only a few feet from the nearest cabin. Every aspect of the lodge – from the location of the dock area to the rooms and the bar – is a testament to the fact that this operation was built BY anglers, FOR anglers.

Food and Beverages
Upstairs in the Main Lodge is the Garbutt’s “Grand Slam Bar” – an eating and drinking area with great character, décor, and photos from the brothers’ years of guiding. Meals are mostly home-cooked and prepared by the Garbutt Family. Breakfast and lunch are usually taken on the boat each day, and dinner is served in the dining area or on the expansive upper deck. The menu is a combination of fresh seafood dishes and traditional Creole cuisine that includes stewed chicken, pork, rice and beans, and fresh vegetables. On some nights, guests will be taken to town to dine at one of several local restaurants. Just like the meals at the lodge, these “in town” meals are included in the package.

Typical Length of Stay
Since there are daily flights to and from Belize City to Punta Gorda, packages of any length can be arranged, and trips can start and end on any day of the week.

Non-Angling Activities and Options
For non-anglers visiting the lodge, the Punta Gorda area and this region of Southern Belize do offer a host of activities such as biking, canoeing, bird watching, kayaking, jungle tours, snorkeling on the outer islands, visiting Mayan ruins throughout the area, reef trips, and manatee watching. The Lodge will be happy to arrange a river trip on the Rio Grande and Moho Rivers, a visit to a local Indian village, or a tour of the Nim Li Punit or Lubaantun Mayan ruins.

Internet / Communications
Wi-Fi is available free of charge for Lodge guests. Please bring your own laptop or mobile device to access the internet. Depending on your service plan, some cell phones will also work in the Punta Gorda area.

Travel Tools
– Airline Ticketing
– Moon Phases
– Rent This Rod
– Trip Insurance and Emergency Evacuation

How To Get There
International flights to Belize City’s Philip Goldson International Airport (BZE) go through Miami, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Denver, Newark, Chicago, and Charlotte. The major airlines that are currently servicing and will be flying to Belize in the immediate future are American Airlines, United, and Delta.

Arrival and Departure Details / Times
It is best to arrive into the Belize City’s Philip Goldson International Airport (BZE) before 3:00 PM in order to make your necessary domestic connections and allow ample in-country travel time to Punta Gorda. Your round-trip flights from Belize International Airport to Punta Gorda are NOT included in your trip package, but Yellow Dog will be happy to arrange these for you. On your departure day, you can book a return international flight at any time, as flights from Punta Gorda back to the International Airport begin as early as 7:00 AM each day of the week.

Documents Required
All U.S. citizens are required to have a valid passport that does not expire within six (6) months of trip dates. Please be sure that your passport has at least two blank, unstamped pages remaining in the back, and that it is not torn, delaminated, or damaged in any way. Citizens of the U.S., the British Commonwealth, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, and the European Community are NOT required to have Visas.

Minors Traveling To Belize Without Both Parents
If you are planning on traveling with minors, remember that all children 18 years of age or younger entering Belize accompanied by only one parent or legal guardian must have a NOTARIZED letter of consent from the other parent stating the child/children have his/her permission to enter the country. Single parents need a notarized documentation of divorce decree or death certificate of spouse. Minors unaccompanied by either parent require a NOTARIZED letter of consent signed by both parents. Please visit the Embassy of the United States website for Belize to obtain more information.

Travel Arrangements
Yellow Dog provides airline reservations ad ticketing assistance through etcTravel Group, and a full-service airline logistics agent that can help book airline tickets, hotels, rental cars, and more. You can click here to request a quote or contact Yellow Dog for more information at 406-585-8667. etcTravel Group offers dedicated support services for all Yellow Dog clients. Service fees may apply when booking or researching tickets, and etcTravel will discuss this with you before sending quotes.

Travel Tools
– Airline Ticketing
– Moon Phases
– Rent This Rod
– Trip Insurance and Emergency Evacuation
– Global Rescue Membership

General Information
For those wanting to focus specifically on permit on the fly, the waters of Southern Belize are arguably the finest in the entire world of saltwater fishing. While other species are found throughout the area, it should be understood that the fishing in Punta Gorda is focused almost completely on permit. This means that as a stand-alone trip, this trip may not be for everyone – unless of course, you’re someone who really wants shots at permit on a fly! There are hundreds of prime permit flats in the area, many less than thirty minutes from the Lodge.

The outer reef islands (the Sapodilla Cayes) also offer opportunities for bonefish and can be well worth the hour-long run from the lodge. Relatively untouched and numerous, the bonefish on the outer Cayes average two to three pounds, with four to five-pound bonefish occasionally found. The rivers of the Punta Gorda region can offer seasonal (and somewhat spotty) fishing for snook, large jacks, and tarpon that can run anywhere from 10 to over 100 pounds. Over the years, the Garbutt Brothers have also located numerous flats along the reef where tarpon can be found throughout the year. If you’re serious about wanting to catch permit on the fly, however, this is a great all-around destination.

Boats and Equipment
The Garbutt Brothers fish from 23-foot super pangas, boats that are ideal for both poling the flats and running over open water. All of their boats have poling platforms and are designed for fly fishing, with spacious casting decks and clean interiors. While a limited number of loaner rods are available, it is advised that anglers bring their own tackle, equipment, and flies.

Package Rates
Remember that Yellow Dog’s services are completely free! When you book a trip with Yellow Dog, you never pay more than when you book directly with the lodge or outfitter. All prices listed below are per person and quoted in US dollars. Trips of any length can be arranged, so please call Yellow Dog for details and custom package pricing.

2023 Rates
Double Occupancy (2 Per Boat / 2 Per Room)
3 Nights / 2 Days = $1,340.00
4 Nights / 3 Days = $1,755.00
5 Nights / 4 Days = $2,170.00
6 Nights / 5 Days = $2,585.00
7 Nights / 6 Days = $3,000.00

Single Occupancy (1 Per Boat / 1 Per Room)
3 Nights / 2 Days = $1,895.00
4 Nights / 3 Days = $2,495.00
5 Nights / 4 Days = $3,095.00
6 Nights / 5 Days = $3,695.00
7 Nights / 6 Days = $4,295.00

What’s Included:

Transfers to and from the Punta Gorda Airstrip and the lodge
The number of nights lodging and days fishing specified in your package
Daily guided fishing as specified
Three meals per day
Local Belizean beverages (beer, alcohol, and soda)
9% hotel tax and 12.5% sales tax
Marine park entry fees

What’s Not Included:

International flight to and from Belize City
Round trip Tropic Air flight to and from Belize City and Punta Gorda
Belizean fishing license (can be purchased at lodge)
Gratuities for guides and lodge staff
All equipment, flies, and terminal tackle

Garbutt’s Lodge (Punta Gorda, Belize)
TERMS AND CONDITIONS – CANCELLATIONS
A non-refundable deposit of 50% per person is due at the time of booking to hold both space and guides on all packages. No space or guides will be held without receipt of deposit. Full pre-payment is due 90 days prior to date of trip, and both deposits and refunds are non-refundable. All cancellations must be received in writing, sent to Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures, LLC. Yellow Dog strongly recommends that anglers and guests purchase travel insurance for your trip. Trips cancelled or shortened as a result of inclement weather and/or acts of nature including hurricanes or due to airline delays, strikes or political unrest are not refundable. Any unused portion of these packages by guest’s choice are not refundable. Receipt of deposit and/or final payment is acknowledgment that registrant has read and accepts the deposit, cancellation, refund and responsibility clauses for these packages. Once again, Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures strongly recommends that anglers and guests purchase travel insurance for this trip.

For cancellations received outside of 90 days from arrival date / start of trip, 100% of deposit and/or final payment may be transferred to another date (within one year) or to another angler. There will also be a $100 per person fee charged by Yellow Dog Flyfishing.
For cancellations received between 45 and 90 days from arrival date / start of trip, 50% of deposit and/or final payment may be transferred to another date (within one year) or to another angler. There will also be a $100 per person fee charged by Yellow Dog Flyfishing.
Inside of 45 days from start of trip, deposits and/or final payments are non-refundable and no credits will be issued.

Payment Terms For All Yellow Dog Trip Bookings
In order to lock in your trip reservation, we ask that you please remit payment at the time of receipt of invoice. For your convenience, Yellow Dog accepts on-line payments via a direct and secure ACH platform – a quick and easy way to complete your trip reservation. Note that all Yellow Dog invoices include a live link that takes you directly to the Yellow Dog ACH platform for fast and easy payment. For open and existing invoices with a remaining balance, payment reminders also include this easy link to the ACH page.

Other customary forms of payment that are accepted are checks or wire transfers. If you would like to pay in a different way or have any questions about alternate payment methods, please contact Yellow Dog at (888) 777-5060 or (406) 585-8667. We are available Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Beginning September 1st, 2020, Yellow Dog will apply a 3% convenience fee for all credit card transactions.

Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures Standard Forms For Payment

ACH online payments (for US banking institutions only).
Traditional checks (sent via mail)
Electronic wire payments (client is responsible for any wiring fees)

*Please contact us if you prefer or require a different payment option. Convenience fees may apply for other payment methods.

**Please be aware that the ACH platform is only available for US financial institutions and bank accounts. International payments can be made via wire or with a credit card.

“I thought it was a great being at a place where all staff loves fishing and wants to share their beautiful place with others. I felt very welcome from the beginning and I would recommend it to anyone.” – Beau G.
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“This was my second trip here. I returned, and I will continue to return, in spite of my poor luck with the weather and with the fish. I find the people and the lodge very much to my taste. I enjoyed myself thoroughly even though the fish were uncooperative and the fishing was a challenge to my skill level. I expect my luck with the weather and the fish will improve and my skill will be ready when that happens.” – George S.
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“I caught a permit! That’s the bottom line. Awesome.” – Kendrick M.