Catching a true grand slam—a permit, bonefish, and tarpon in a single day—is the epitome of saltwater fly fishing. Many anglers go their whole saltwater careers chasing a slam, traveling to far-off destinations in search of pristine habitat and abundant opportunities. One common destination to check off a grand slam is Belize. The abundance of bonefish and permit, combined with juvenile and migratory tarpon, dramatically improves your odds of catching all three. However, even in the best destinations, the wrong flies will leave you struggling to complete this monumental task. After our time spent in Belize, we’ve put together a list of some of our top flies for each species.
Bonefish Flies
Bonefish are by far the most abundant and willing-to-eat fish in Belize. While they don’t grow to giant sizes, large schools of fish weighing 3-5 pounds are fairly common. As a result, most patterns are tied on smaller hooks, size 6 to 8.
Gotcha
The Gotcha is a well-known bonefish fly pattern developed by Jim McVay. Though it was originally created for the Bahamas, its subtle profile and touch of flash work wonders on Belize bonefish. This pattern lends itself well to being tied in smaller sizes, such as a 6 or 8. The lightweight bead chain eyes make it a great pattern for shallow water flats fishing. Best of all, it’s a simple tie, so if you prefer to whip up your own bugs, be sure to have plenty of Gotchas on hand.
Christmas Island Special
The Christmas Island Special, as its name implies, was developed on Christmas Island. The pattern has a sparse profile and a moderate amount of flash, like most bonefish patterns. What makes this pattern highly effective, however, is the dumbbell eyes. The sparse profile paired with a good amount of weight makes this fly an excellent choice for fishing deeper flats or reef edges. Around these deeper edges, larger bonefish and permit can be found, so it’s always smart to have a few Christmas Island Specials in your box.
Permit Flies
Many slams have been foiled by the infamous permit. Stack the odds in your favor with these tried and true permit patterns.
Merkin
The original merkin fly pattern was created by legendary permit angler Del Brown and guide Steve Huff to fish for Keys permit. Soon after, it changed the game and quickly grew to a fan favorite not just in Florida but across the globe. Today’s versions, like the strong arm merkin, are updated with features such as a chenille claw for added realism, but the fly’s foundation remains the same. Cast this pattern near a permit, let it sink, and pop it off the bottom. The key here is to make the fish think it’s a fleeing crab trying to get away. If you can do this consistently, sooner or later you’ll hook a permit.
Avalon Permit Fly
The Avalon Permit Fly was created in Cuba as a shrimp imitation pattern to fool wary permit. It’s designed to imitate a spawning shrimp, but it doubles as a decent crab imitation. The trigger point of this fly is the mono keel, stacked with three weighted beads. This system keeps the hook point riding up in addition to adding a rattling noise that can trigger a permit to strike. While it’s designed to catch permit, don’t be afraid to throw it at bonefish or tarpon. Its shrimpy profile will draw strikes from just about anything, making it a great option for tackling a slam with one pattern.
Tarpon Flies
Belize has two populations of tarpon: juvenile resident fish and migratory fish. Choose your flies according to the type of tarpon you are targeting.
Tarpon Toad
The tarpon toad is a proven fly pattern created in the Florida Keys. While it doesn’t exactly imitate anything, the combination of movement and where it sits in the water column consistently draws strikes. This is an excellent pattern for anglers targeting larger migratory fish. It’s hard to go wrong with the chartreuse color pictured above or a black and purple. Either slide this fly past a fish with a two-hand retrieve or slowly strip it with long single-hand strips for the best results.
Clouser Minnow
The Clouser Minnow is arguably the best saltwater fly pattern ever created. From striped bass to snook, everything wants to eat a Clouser. For juvenile tarpon in the mangroves and lagoons, the same is true. The most common colors used are chartreuse or white, although tan can double as a good shrimp imitation. Strip these fast to imitate fleeing baitfish or a shrimp, and juvies won’t be able to resist your offerings. We recommend bringing a variety of colors and sizes for whatever you come across in the backwater lagoons of Belize.
Last Updated on August 12, 2026 by Max Inchausti
