Featured Belize Fishing Guides, cont.

Julian Cabral

From the time he was a young boy, Julian was wed to the sea. Using his family's home on the cayes as the jumping off point, he spent many hours fishing with and learning from his dad, honing his instinct and skills. Today that passion for the sea has become his life.

Using Whipray Caye (which he now owns and operates since his dad retired) as a fly fishing  base and home, Julian is usually the first one on the nearby flats when he is guiding.

Some of his customers are the same ones who knew him when he was just starting his fly fishing career over 18 years ago. Some are grandchildren of his first customers.

It was curiosity that got Julian into fly fishing, when two fishermen from Montana came to town with their fly rods looking for someone who knew the area.  He took them to the flats, watched what they were doing, swapped a few stories, and a career was born.

With his personable smile and salty language, Julian engages his customers and guests in lively conversation while stalking those elusive permit, tarpon and bones on the hunt for the Grand Slam.

But, Julian is a purist, so don't expect to have a quick fix with bait on your line. He still feels that with game fishing the thrill is in the stalking, the catch, maybe a quick photo, and the release.  No one works harder than a good fly fishing guide, and Julian is no exception - thinking nothing of getting up to catch a 4AM tide, and stalking the flats until dusk, then having a lively discussion for the next few hours over a hearty Belizean meal and a nice cold Belikan in his restaurant (and he's also a great cook).

Julian ties his own flies and has created some that are reliable workhorses -- but he uses whatever he feels will work that day to catch fish - the real reason he's out there with his clients, anyway. 

What does Julian like about being a fishing guide? Fishing is his life, and as long as he's fishing, he's happy.

Perhaps the most telling comment about Julian's guiding ability are the clients who have fished with him for years, as attested by Donne Moen, who says of Julian:

Over the past 13 years it has been my pleasure to fish with Julian.  During this time he has shown great patience and skill in instructing two of my sons (me too!) in the art of flyfishing. To complete the family cycle I have introduced my grandson and granddaughter to Belize, so I now have no shortage of fishing pals to share my annual 2 week visit.  During these many years with Julian, he has demonstrated not only a knowledge of where the fish are, but how to catch them, in all types of conditions. Based on my own personal experience, it also important to note that Julian is not only hardworking and resourceful, but also a great cook and medic.

And then there's R.K. Belt, who has fished Placencia since 1986, many times with Julian, and who calls Julian the "mentor" of the clan Cabrals of Placencia fly fishing guide fame.

The infamous pirate Cabral that hid out in Placencia during the 1600s was probably responsible for the large clan of Cabrals who live in Placencia Village.  At least 4 are fishing guides, and Julian is the mentor.

I have fished the Belizean waters once or twice a year every year since 1986.  Thirteen times Julian has guided my wife and I.  He is an excellent fly fisherman, boat handler and no one works harder. There are hundreds of flats and cayes but only so many are habitat for permit, bone fish and tarpon.  Julian knows them all and considering the tides, wind velocity and direction can locate the right area to fish.  Skillfully poling the boat or wading through the coral or sand flats Julian is able 9 out of 10 times to spot the elusive fish before his client.  My thrill is wading close to the fish, and without spooking it with the fly line, present a fly that the fish takes and powerfully funs with.

Fishing with Julian is enhanced by staying at his caye 8 miles off the coast of Placencia.  The location allows early dawn fishing and fishing local flats and cayes in weather that  keeps other guides from leaving Placencia.

It is a marvelous experience staying at Whipray Caye, cared for by Julian and his lovely, friendly wife Beverly, enjoying very good food, trade winds and snorkeling and fishing around their caye.