When it comes to saltwater fly fishing, Honduras may not be the first on your list. In fact, it may not even be on your list, but that’s exactly why you should go. The big names are big for a reason, but they face heavy pressure on the fisheries, long wait times and canned experiences with the local towns. 

Knowing that anglers are searching for world-class fishing and an authentic traveling experience, an outfitter like Fly Fish Utila should be on your horizon. They’ve taken a different, long-term approach to protecting and preserving their fishery while still chasing the indescribable thrill from a strip set in the flats. 

Down in Utila, you can have excellent chances at bonefish, permit, tarpon and snook with other species too, like triggers, barracuda, jacks and snapper frequenting the bay and flats from time to time. 

Like many fisheries around the world, the delicate ecosystem that surrounds the island always hangs in the balance. This is why Fly Fish Utila has taken a firm stance on its policies and practices to preserve the fishery and to promote healthy fish populations on the flats. 

They’ve learned over the years that overfishing schools of bonefish and permit cause them to leave the flats in search of new areas with less pressure. The fishery can’t handle lots of pressure due to its small size. That’s why they work with the Bay Islands Conservation Association (BICA) to promote conservation efforts on the island. They ask their guests for a donation to support this group instead of fishing licenses for the week. 

The guides make a concerted effort to move around and rest areas, hooking only a fish or two from a school and then leaving them alone. The result is a quality-over-quantity experience that leaves anglers with world-class fishing while maintaining and growing the fish populations. 

Utila hosts small groups of 4 to 6 angles a week. Not only does this help keep pressure off the fish, but it allows each angler to have a tailored experience to their liking. The people of Utila are welcoming and friendly to visitors – something that seems to stick with every person who ventures there. 

You’ll go out for dinner each night to enjoy the fantastic variety of restaurants Utila offers. Besides allowing guests a more comprehensive selection of menu options and things to try, this also brings you together with the community to enjoy the camaraderie and fellowship of meeting new people in an amazing location. There’s one grill night per week with the guides and their families as a way for everyone to come together. 

The island offers plenty to do beyond fishing too. Despite it being just 11 miles long and 2 miles wide, there’s a lot to do and see. It’s a water lover’s dream with public and private beaches. You can do everything from kayaking through a mangrove canal to paddling on SUPs through the harbor and snorkeling from the outfitter’s pangas. 

On land, the island hosts a jungle full of hikes and freshwater caves waiting to be explored. Scooters, ATVs or tuk-tuk taxis can get you anywhere you need to go or visit the neighboring fishing community on the Utila Cays just west of the island. 

When you’re not trying your hardest to double-haul on a school or bonefish, you can take the time to enjoy a slower pace of life. It is the Caribbean, after all, so sunset, happy hours and time on the beach is on most visitor’s to-do list.

You can come to Utila, Honduras to fish your heart out. And you should. 

Tourists come and go to places. Utila is a place for travelers and anglers. Immerse yourself in an entirely different culture, ecosystem and land ready to welcome you if you’re willing to embrace it, even if you don’t set the hook on a permit.