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Tuesday, 27 December 2011 10:37 |
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Well friends and fishing buddies, we are off to a great start down here in sunny, warm, Costa Rica. My father came back south with me after my annual Oregon salmon fishing I take each September and October; it was a great season by the way. Since I was not guiding this trip, I was able to relax and enjoy taking my family and friends out angling for some awesome king salmon, some of which is stocking my freezer here for some great fresh salmon BBQs.
My dad had never caught or let alone seen a tarpon before, so we decided to see about heading over to the Caribbean to hook-up with my friend and long-time fishing buddy, Eddie Brown. I called Eddie, and he assured me the tarpon were still on the bite, so off to Tortuguero we went. After one day, and not even a full day, dad had hooked five 100 pounders and released every one of them at the boat. I had a good day with two at 100 or more lbs. and another under 100lbs hooked and to the boat. He sure took the bragging rights with five to my three, which was perfect because we wanted him to have the chance to catch the most and the biggest we could find. At 80 he did complain about his left arm not coming up though, but what an experience.
In addition to the tarpon fishing, I also wanted to get my dad out with Captain Bobby McGuiness, another great captain I work with down here. So we decided to drive down to Golfito and we took our good friend Tim Randolph along. We spent a day on the water with Bobby and we scored six Dorado and nine yellow fin tuna. While we could see some 100+ pounders free jumping, we couldn't get one hooked up, but the smaller 25 pounders were great for dad.
Now... For all of you that have fished down here in the past 4-5 years and got used to my old office, I wanted to let everyone know that we have moved to a great new location at Cocal Hotel and Casino which is beachfront downtown Jaco. One of the great things about Hotel Cocal is that they have Vista Mar a high rise condominium complex on the grounds which offer luxury 2 and 3 bedroom units in addition to the great rooms available in the main hotel. We have three very large pools, a great restaurant where you can look out on the surf as you dine. The food is great and this hotel offers very affordable rates. For those looking to do a bit of gambling, Cocal's casino is located adjacent to two of the three pools and the entire complex is very new and well maintained.
Again, all of this with great rates too. We can accommodate single rooms, double rooms, or 2 and 3 bedroom 3000 sq. ft. condos with a great ocean view. If you have family or a larger group coming down, the condos are definitely the way to go as all bedrooms have their own bath and either a king or queen bed, and I can get them booked for you at very reasonable rates.
The Hotel is only half a block from the downtown Jaco strip and is located very close to grocery stores, restaurants, and everything else that Jaco has to offer, including my favorite restaurant, Poseidon, where the girls now know how to grill fresh mahi mahi like no one else.
So, as soon as you are ready to start planning your Costa Rica vacation this winter, get ahold of us and we can help you with all of the details that will make your trip the best possible and an awesome experience that you will never forget. We focus on getting you to the right places and staying within your desired budget. Over the years here, I have found many other favorite areas to travel to and enjoy. I can definitely hook you up with several of them and you enjoy the back country of Costa Rica. Places like Arenal Volcano, Manuel Antonio Park, Corcovado National Park, Tortuguero National Park, on the Caribbean side, and the beautiful Osa Peninsula in the southern zone.
For those of you already booked, we are excited to see you here, and for those of you thinking about Costa Rica for a vacation out of the cold this winter, we are definitely here to help. Call, email, or visit us on the web.
With the holiday season upon us, I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. |
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Monday, 23 May 2011 15:22 |
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Reports are finally good here in Costa Rica! Dan went out with some clients this past weekend and said the yellowfin tuna were everywhere! They got 10 to the boat, some in the 100-150 pound range, some they enjoyed for dinner! Friday's report were great as well, with 9 boats out of Los Suenos getting 22 sails, 7 marlin, wahoo, tuna, roosters, dorado, snapper, you name it! Looks like that green water finally moved away after a slow past few weeks. The Northern Pacific continues to be great as well for billfish, and the Caribbean side keeps hauling in tarpon! |
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Tuesday, 10 May 2011 10:35 |
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I always have people ask me; what does a day of fishing include? Let me outline what a typical day of offshore fishing in Costa Rica consists of for those of you who don't already know. We will pick you up and bring you to the dock/fishing grounds at 7 AM. You will get on the boat, meet the captain and mates, and away you go. Depending on where the fish are, you will run somewhere between 30 minutes to an hour out (15-35 miles). The mate, having rigged up the bait on the way out, will put the lines out somewhere around 8 or 8:15. Around that time, they will probably serve you some fresh fruit. You will troll for about hours, hopefully being interrupted by fish on the line. During this time, you will be able to help yourself to whatever ice cold drink you may want (beer, water, Gatorade, juice). Around 12:15, lunch will be served, usually a sandwich with some potato salad and fruit. You will continue trolling and catching fish until around 3-3:30, then head back into the beach. For the fish you catch, you will have photo opportunities, and if you catch dorado, yellowfin tuna, wahoo, or others, the mate will filet those up for you and you can bring them back to have them cooked at a local restaurant or cook them yourself. These days are full service, but fighting the fish is up to you! |
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Monday, 09 May 2011 11:19 |
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Although Los Suenos Marina isn't the only area that our clients fish out of, it is the most popular. To give you an idea on the typical types and sizes of boats fished in Costa Rica. The most popular boats are Maverick Yachts, a beautiful cold-molded boat made 5 miles from Los Suenos Marina in Costa Rica. Those boats are typically in the 30-45' range, and seem to always catch fish because of their quiet and smooth ride. 30-50' Hatterras boats are the next most common, followed by Cabos and Bertrams. You will also find Pro-Line, Regulators, Luhrs, and custom-made boats, among others. Almost all of these boats are inboards, with 250-400 horsepower twin diesels. All boats make for a smooth ride and offer plenty of fishing room to battle those big blue marlin. Come fish in Costa Rica to get a look at the beautiful fleet, it is truly impressive. |
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Thursday, 05 May 2011 12:21 |
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Fishing in the Northern Pacific has been great, as boats are seeing double digit sailfish days. The blue water has given that area some great fishing, but I cannot say the same for the Central Pacific. Green water is everywhere, and this colder greener water is not the most popular place to find sailfish. Some boats are heading 40 miles out to get past the green. Fish are still being caught, with one boat out of Los Suenos catching 8 dorado the other day, and other boats finding some sails. The Caribbean side stays hot, as more tarpon are being caught. What a year this has been for tarpon fishing in Costa Rica! |
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Tuesday, 03 May 2011 15:43 |
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The majority of fishing down here is done with bait, dead or alive. Live bonito are great for roosters, as are live blue runner. Mullet, bonito, small yellowfin and sardines are the bait of choice for marlin and sails. But what about artificial lures? From what I have seen, artificial squid can be effective. Bigger deep diving rapalas are also commonly used, something I use back at home a lot back in the northeast. A lot of inshore fishing is done with surface plugs, such as Yozuri or Rapala. People swear by Yozuri and Rapala swimmers inshore, but the most popular I have found are small curly-tail white plastics. When I say small, I mean very small, usually in the one-inch range. These seem to be most effective for snook and jack. To combat the wind, many people put split shot weights on their rig to be able to throw them a good distance. The best bet is always live bait, but if you can't find that, throwing a small metal spoon or Hopkins works as well. |
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Friday, 29 April 2011 10:13 |
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Kevin and friends from Canada had a great day with Captain Henry and mate Rafael. They spent part of the day fishing inshore for roosters. They ended up hooking up on three and getting one to the boat, and also found 2 dorado. They took those dorado back to their condo and cooked it, and as always, it was delicious. The other half of the day they spent on Tortuga Island. Henry caught a bunch of bait while the clients snorkeled and enjoyed the beautiful white sand beach. Tortuga Island is a beautiful getaway within a close ride from Jaco, which we usually send clients to on an all day boat tour with music and drinks. Just another one of the beautiful getaways in Costa Rica! |
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Thursday, 28 April 2011 16:12 |
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On the trips I have been on, captain's have fished a variety of ways, some using more teasers than others, some fishing with flat lines, some having all bait out at once with no flat lines, and so on. Teasers are the artificial baits, usually taking the form of a squid, and they come in all variety of colors. Many captains say that brighter teaser colors are better on brighter days, while other captains keep trying their favorite colors until something works best. Teasers are used to attract the fish from the depths, and once attracted, used to lead the fish to the bait. In IGFA tournament fishing, each team is allowed to use four teasers, generally with two on each outrigger. In this case, the teasers do not have hooks, so the only way to catch the fish is to get them to eat the bait rigged up on three other rods. Once the fish is attracted to the teaser, the tricky part is getting its attention from that teaser over to the bait itself. Sailfish and marlin will generally pursue and whack at a teaser for a few seconds, depending on how finicky or how hungry they are. During those few seconds, the anglers must put their bait right beside the teaser. The captains or the mates must get the fish's attention off of the teaser and onto the bait. Pull the teaser away to fast and the the bait won't be in the correct position to get the fish, pull it away to slow and the fish will lose interest after realizing that it isn't food. Pull it away just at the right moment and the fish will immediately smell the bait and take the hook. And when I say pull it way, I mean really pull it away. If the bait and the teaser are side by side, the captain or mate needs to yank that teaser far away from the fish, so that the fish forgets about it and focuses on the bait. If the teaser isn't yanked far enough and remains in the fish's face, the fish will become confused and/or spooked, and probably won't eat the bait. This may sound confusing to some, but is an intricate process that can be observed on any offshore trip here in Costa Rica. The pace, color, timing, and location of teasers are all important. Other factors for fishing with teasers include their distance from the boat itself, and their location in relation to the "dirty water", or water churned up by the boat. It is not as easy as putting out artificial bait and waiting for the fish to come to you. Fishing in Costa Rica with teasers is an art form, and something that can only be mastered by those who have been practicing for years. |
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Wednesday, 27 April 2011 08:11 |
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The first things we are going to remember about a fishing trip that we went on were the fish we caught and how the boat was. But after going out on trips myself and hearing reviews from clients, what cannot be underestimated is how the captain and the crew performed. Were they changing up the baits on a regular basis, were they doing their best to try different spots and find the fish, were they attentive to the clients' needs, did they provide great service and food, were we comfortable with them, did they keep us entertained? All these are important questions, and may be the most important aspect of a day of fishing. If the fishing is slow, they should be doing their best and working even harder to catch whatever fish they can find. With the nature of offshore fishing, there is occasionally some down time waiting for those fish to strike. Having a crew that will chat with you, answer your questions, tell you funny stories, or serve you fresh fruit in the morning can make all the difference between a good or bad day on the water. We here at DRSportfishing do our best to put you on boats with the best fishing crews in Costa Rica. If we ever have negative reviews about a captain or crew, we will not put our clients on that boat again. Now if you are catching and releasing 10-15 sailfish, marlin, and dorado in a day of fishing, you probably won't be thinking so much about the crew because everyone will be in great spirits. But on those slow days, a mate who goes out of his way to offer you a cold drink and bring out some great pineapple while sharing a story about that 700-pound marlin they caught and fought for 6 hours last week always helps. If they are not entusiastic and working hard to catch fish, that will rub off on the clients. Those crew members that jump up at the first sight of a billfish are the crew members you want on a boat. Those captains who snap the photos and are hooting and hollering while that marlin is soaring out of the water are the type of fishermen you want to fish with. Fishing in Costa Rica is always exciting, but is made that much better with a great crew! |
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Monday, 25 April 2011 10:56 |
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On a recent trip to Corcovado National Park, "the most biologically diverse place in the world" according to National Geographic, I passed through the Sierpe River. This river system looked like somewhat similar to parts of the Florida Everglades as we cruised through miles of mangrove-filled coastline and murky brown water. Along the way, we spotted crocodiles, egrets, herron, and a few fish rising on the surface. What caught my attention were the amount of locals trolling the shore, and the size of the rods they were using. They weren't throwing little hand lines, but instead were trolling some heavy duty rods made for bigger fish, which made me wonder what they were fishing for. It turns out that the Sierpe River System, over 60,000 acres in total area, is home to snook, grouper, corvina, and snapper up to 50 pounds. The world record black snook of 57-pounds was caught nearby, and goliath grouper can be caught in the 100-200 pound range. The largest fish are usually found near the mouth of the river systems, and will even include roosterfish from time to time. This river system is very unique and offers different fishing from the majority of offshore trips, and is something definitely worth looking into on your next fishing trip to Costa Rica. |
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Monday, 18 April 2011 11:57 |
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Well fishing really picked back up around us this past weekend, just look at the numbers from the Los Suenos fleet these past few days. April 16th fishing numbers for 19 Boats: 151 Sailfish, 13 Dorado, 15 yellowfin Tuna, 1 Snapper, 2 Roosterfish. April 15th fishing numbers for 14 Boats: 128 Sailfish, 2 Marlin, 6 Dorado, 1 Tuna, 1 Rooster, 1 Wahoo. Finally a wahoo! Good sign, hopefully more keep coming! After a slow past few weeks around the Central Pacific, sail fishing has made a strong comeback! |
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Saturday, 16 April 2011 14:47 |
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This past week, I had the chance to get on a half day fishing trip in Panama. As non-residents of Costa Rica, we are required to leave the country on a "border run" every 90 days to renew our visas, and Dan sent me down to his friend Martha's in Puerto Armuelles, Panama. Puerto Armuelles is an old banana-growing town that was left behind by Chiquita banana, but retains a lot of charm and beautiful coastline. Martha runs a bed and breakfast type place called Finca Oso, and was very gracious and fun while hosting us on her farm.
Puerto Armuelles also is home to the start of a huge oil pipeline that runs from the Pacific coast of Panama across to the Atlantic. The road that leads to the oil pipeline also eventually leads to Hooked on Panama, a fishing lodge on a beautiful piece of property with 10 cabins, a large bar and lobby area, swimming pool, basically all that you need for an amazing fishing experience in paradise. Dan and Rex, two brothers from Florida and California, have been operating the lodge for the past 5 years. Did I mention the lodge was paradise? The beauty of Panama is the fact that a lot of it is untouched, and Hooked on Panama picked out a great spot to enjoy the peacefulness and serenity of such an amazing country.
Let's get to the fishing! My new friend Robert from Steelhead BBQ Catering Co. in California invited me out to fish with Dan, and Dan also brought out his great mechanic Richard for the ride (editor's note: anyone having any type of event in California needs to get in touch with Robert, he is one hell of a cook who will do nothing but great things for you and your event.) Robert wanted to get a rooster, so Dan took us and his live bonita to his favorite rock piles in his 32' Blackfin. The scenery was amazing as we crossed back and forth through Panamanian and Costa Rican waters in search of roosters. Robert hooked up early on a nice rooster that put up an awesome fight. The fish turned out to be around 45 pounds, but fought like it was 70. Later on in the day we hooked up on a blue travally, a member of the jack family, which unlike Robert's rooster, didn't put up much of a fight. For such a flat looking fish, it had some huge filets, which we enjoyed on the grill later on that night for dinner. Other than that, we missed 2 or 3 fish, but didn't have too much action. Along with slowly trolling the live bonita, we were also throwing some huge topwater plugs right by the rocks, which resulted in a few looks from fish but no strikes.
The spots we were fishing looked great but just weren't producing that day. The guys looking for sails and marlin weren't having much luck that week either, but hey, that's fishing. One guy there told me that he's been on trips like these a handful on times, and sometimes they produce the best marlin and sailfishing days imaginable, while others produce close to nothing. Fishing isn't automatic anywhere, even in some of the world's best waters in Costa Rica and Panama. For those of us who love to fish, days like that only make you want to get out there the next time and fish harder. |
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Monday, 04 April 2011 14:22 |
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 Monty's Giant Sailfish!
The full moon and after effects of the tsunami slowed things down a little bit, but we have not stopped catching fish down here in Costa Rica. Our last two trips with Fabio and Monty were a little slow, but Monty managed to land a monster 150-pound sailfish after a tough fight. The Los Suenos boats hooked into fewer sailfish than usual this past week, but made up for it by getting into some dorado and yellowfin tuna. The tuna and dorado are beginning to show up more and more, and boats have been finding inshore action on grouper, snapper and roosters. Our one boat last week had a day of 2 roosters and 20+ grouper and snapper, while my neighbor brought back a 55 pound monster of a cubera snapper. Don’t get me wrong, many boats are still releasing 6+ sailfish each day, but not as consistently as last month. Marlin are still around, with one of the Los Suenos boats releasing a 500-pound black last week. Overall, fishing in the Central Pacific was a bit slow, while the Northern Pacific heated up after a slow past few weeks. On the Caribbean side, tarpon fishing continues to be excellent, with boats out of Barra del Colorado jumping on average 6-15 fish. I don’t expect this lull to last for very long, let’s hope the sails start coming back in huge numbers this week! |
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Monday, 04 April 2011 12:52 |
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Last weekend, I had the privilege of attending the Presidential Challenge in Carrillo, Costa Rica. The Presidential Challenge is a string of billfish tournaments spread across Central America, with this year making stops in Carrillo, Papagayo, Aruba, and Guatemala. The first stop in Carrillo was overall a great tournament. Although there was not too much action on sailfish, a large number of striped and blue marlin were caught by the competitors. I had the opportunity of being an observer at the tournament, which was a lot of fun. The observer’s role is to head out on the boats and judge when the billfish are successfully released. A successful release occurs when the lider touches to rod tip, and after that point, the observer yells out “RELEASE”, and the billfish are cut free from the line. The Presidential Challenge aims at safe and enjoyable fishing, and donates the majority of the entrants’ money to the Billfish Foundation and to local organizations in Costa Rica who aim to conserve and protect the local billfish population.
The tournament was a blast, and I met and observed for some pretty amazing people, including the editor in chief of Saltwater Sportsman Magazine, last year’s overall Presidential Challenge winner, and many others. The festivities were held at Villas Playa Samara, a beautiful resort between Playa Samara and Puerto Carrillo. The entire event was well-organized and based out of one of the most picturesque areas of Costa Rica. Most of the boats were from the Flamingo and Tamarindo area, along with some boats out of Los Suenos. Each of the 11 boats had 3 anglers per team, along with the boat captain and mates. The tournament rules were based on the International Game Fish Association Standards, which allows for 3 baits to be in the water at a time along with 4 artificial “teasers”, which attract the billfish. Joan Vernon was a gracious host, and the whole thing ran very smoothly. The Sea Angel out of Los Suenos took home the crown, with 3,200 points. They caught 26 sailfish and two blue marlin over the three days of fishing (sailfish were worth 100 points, marlin species were worth 300). Between the 11 boats, 20 blue marlin were caught, along with 5 striped marlin and 90 sailfish. The next stop of the tournament is Papagayo, and that will be taking place June 22-25 in Costa Rica.
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Wednesday, 23 March 2011 12:30 |
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Working for Dan, I have had some opportunities to go out and do some "real " fishing with some of our clients aboard some beautiful boats out of Los Suenos. Nothing beats offshore fishing in Costa Rica, but if I can't get out on the boats, I will head out to the rocks after work and do some fishing from shore. Jaco beach, where our office is, has rock piles on either side of the beach, more of which are exposed during low tide. Walking along those rocks can be tricky, and rogue waves often come and can knock you right down, so you need to be careful. Other people fish at the mouth of rivers flowing into the ocean, as all the bait and nutrients from the rivers get washed into the ocean at high tide and fish gather around to feed. It is difficult at times because the surf is so strong, but it can be done. I generally throw either a small YoZuri swimmer at them or a little white curly-tailed jig, both of which will catch about anything that swims. It's best if you can find a mullet, sardines, or some bait that you can live line out there and maybe get lucky on a rooster fish or a 30-pound snook. The locals usually throw out live bait, using line wrapped around a piece of wood because they cannot afford rods and reels. I have seen them bring in a snook or two by hand, which is pretty cool. Other than snook, you can catch needlefish, grouper, spanish mackeral, jack, and if you're lucky, a nice rooster. Rumor has it someone got a 40-pound snook last week by the river mouth, so I'm headed out today to find some more! |
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Wednesday, 23 March 2011 10:49 |
 Golfito is an old-fashioned Costa Rican town, which used to be full of banana exportation. That was the main way of life until a disagreement between the labor force down there and multinational corporations, the United Fruit Company being the biggest, along with tough market conditions led to less banana production. In order to stimulate the economy and gain support for the building of a railroad and larger port, the Costa Rican government established a huge depository of tax free stores and shops. There is also a Coast Guard academy there, along with a small port for imports and exports. The town has a certain type of charm and quintessential Costa Rica feeling, unmatched by other Costa Rican beach towns like Jaco, Papagayo, and Quepos. What will blow people away is the sheer beauty of the Golfe Dulce, an incredible bay with a picturesque backdrop of mountains. This bay is unmatched in its beauty by anywhere else in Costa Rica, and the trip to and from Banana Bay Marina is astonishing. I have never seen a backdrop of mountains, little village shacks, palm trees, and natural beauty like that in Golfito. It is also host to Casa Roland resort, an architectural masterpiece with gorgeous rooms, a great patio, pool, and bar area, and all at an affordable price. A trip down to Golfito along the coast and through the banana plantations is as authentic and magnificent of a trip that one will find in Costa Rica.
I went down along with my boss Dan Ross and his friends Timmy and Phil. Timmy is the owner of the Cazador boat that we went to fish on, and Phil is the creator and owner of Pro Cure out of Oregon, one of the top natural bait scent companies in the US. All three are very experienced fishermen, and all were in for one heck of a day with Captain Bobby McGuinness. Dan and Timmy have both known and been friends with Bobby for years. Bobby has been running charter boats for decades, since he was 13 years old, and he learned the trade from his father, who was running his own charter since the days that the only way to get to Golfito was by one rough and long dirt road. Some people say fishermen are born, others say they are made through a lifetime of practice and acquiring knowledge; Bobby is both. This coming weekend, Bobby is accepting an award from the International Game Fishing Assocation in Miami for setting the most line class world records this past year. The most incredible thing about that; this is the third year that he is receiving that award! Having fished all over the western hemisphere, Quepos, Golfito, and up and down the east coast in the US, Bobby has mastered the art of finding and catching fish. Now, Bobby has come back to his roots, and is a leader amongst the community in Golfito. You cannot sit in a bar with Bobby for more than a minute without people coming up to say hello, ask about his family, and see how the fishing is. He could be fishing anywhere in the world, but remains in Golfito because it is his home. The following day after fishing, Bobby and his family were headed to San Jose to fight for more funding and to voice their opinion about the lack of planning and organization in the building of a new elementary school for Golfito. To be able to fish with a man so loyal to his people and so influential was an honor, and it was a joy to see just how passionate he is about his hometown and country.
Now, let’s get to the fishing. The day started with us heading straight for a commercial fishing boat who had anchored a giant log to the ocean floor. As we approached the boat, Bobby said hello to his friends, giving them a bag full of bread to thank them for the tip, later telling me, “It’s always great to have friends out here”. That other boat even asked if one of their own crew members could come with us so that he could learn just how Bobby the master fishes. The other crew member came along for the ride, and we started messing around along this log. This log attracted a school of fish that to me seemed like an aquarium out on the open ocean. After about 20 minutes of throwing the fly and dropping back live bait, we had 3-4 dorado, a few small yellowfin tuna, a nice rainbow runner, and a few albacore.
We could have stayed there all day a caught hundreds of fishing, but we were after bigger game. Bobby and his mates Fernando and David artfully put out the teasers and ballyhoo, and we were on our way to find some sailfish. Within minutes, we found them. Overall, we got 11 to the boat, only missing one, which Bobby kicked himself for. While trolling, I asked Bobby about some of his best days. He tells me that one day they landed 18 marlin, and another day they had 57 sailfish to the boat. A day of 20 sailfish, he tells me, is a common place for him. He maneuvered the boat like a magician on each hookup, effortlessly pushing forward, backing down on the fish, or doing whatever needed to be done to get all of them to the boat. Over the course of the day, Dan and the mates taught me how to drop back the bait on the pitch rods to the hungry sailfish that were chasing the teasers, something that was both informative and very exciting. Having a boat so organized and with such experienced fishermen was incredible, and Bobby and his mates made the process of catching sailfish look so easy. Of course it is not, but the Golfe Dulce is so full of life that there is almost guaranteed action. Over the course of the day, we saw sea turtles, pockets of fish feeding on the surface, manta rays, and a few dolphins.
The highlight of the trip came at the end, after we hooked a few bonito to use for live bait. We went back to the spot with the log, only because Bobby had a strong gut feeling. “I just know something big is down there, and I am not leaving until I find it”, said the very cool and confident captain. Bobby has instincts that only come to a natural fishermen. He paid extra attention to the teasers seconds before we hooked up on the sailfish, as if he knew exactly when and where he would find the fish. After a little while of trolling the live bonito, we hooked up on a fish that very few people will see in a lifetime of fishing. A few hundred yards behind the boat, a massive dorado erupts and leaps 10-20 feet out of the water and inhales the back left bonito. Phil took the rod and began hanging on for dear life. A few seconds later, the other line is tight, and I grab that one, thinking we are doubled up on two big fish. After crossing back and forth with Phil a few times, ducking over and under each other trying to get our lines out of the way, we realize something strange is going on. We look at each other and Phil says to me, “I think this fish ate both bonito!” This massive dorado was so big and powerful that after eating one bonito and realizing he is hooked up, he still went over and at the other one. Phil and I begin simultaneously pumping and reeling for a good 10-15 minutes, and finally get this beautiful creature to the boat. Fernando gaffes it, and was almost pulled overboard by its weight if it wasn’t for Phil grabbing a hold of him. We get it into the boat, and the beast starts wrecking havoc. To calm it down and put it out of its misery, Bobby pours some diet coke into its gills, a trick I had never seen before, and the fish is ours to eat. What a fish it was, a 78-pound bull that one truly had to see to believe.
We decided to end the day on a high note, and went in after what to me was an incredible trip. We ended the day without a marlin, only because we decided not to run out to go after marlin and instead wanted to fish hard for sails and dorado. After getting back to the beautiful Casa Roland resort, we head to the bar to rehash our day. Boat owner Timmy, who has been fishing on his boat dozens of times, says to me, “Yea, that was just an average day for Bobby”. Average day?!?! That was one of the most remarkable days of fishing in my life, and a day I will never forget. We sit around enjoying a few drinks and going over the day. Our final conclusion: why don’t more people come down and fish with Bobby? He should be booked everyday, but very few people have ever heard of Bobby McGuinness or Golfito, Costa Rica. Dan has been pushing Bobby’s boat to all of his clients who want to come down to Costa Rica for some serious fishing. After a day like that, I realized we have to push harder, because people who are serious about fishing and serious about seeing the beauty of Costa Rica need to experience Golfito and fishing with Bobby McGuinness.
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Wednesday, 23 March 2011 10:38 |
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Golfito is an old-fashioned Costa Rican town, which used to be full of banana exportation. That was the main way of life until a disagreement between the labor force down there and multinational corporations, the United Fruit Company being the biggest, along with tough market conditions led to less banana production. In order to stimulate the economy and gain support for the building of a railroad and larger port, the Costa Rican government established a huge depository of tax free stores and shops. There is also a Coast Guard academy there, along with a small port for imports and exports. The town has a certain type of charm and quintessential Costa Rica feeling, unmatched by other Costa Rican beach towns like Jaco, Papagayo, and Quepos. What will blow people away is the sheer beauty of the Golfe Dulce, an incredible bay with a picturesque backdrop of mountains. This bay is unmatched in its beauty by anywhere else in Costa Rica, and the trip to and from Banana Bay Marina is astonishing. I have never seen a backdrop of mountains, little village shacks, palm trees, and natural beauty like that in Golfito. It is also host to Casa Roland resort, an architectural masterpiece with gorgeous rooms, a great patio, pool, and bar area, and all at an affordable price. A trip down to Golfito along the coast and through the banana plantations is as authentic and magnificent of a trip that one will find in Costa Rica.
I went down along with my boss Dan Ross and his friends Timmy and Phil. Timmy is the owner of the Cazador boat that we went to fish on, and Phil is the creator and owner of Pro Cure out of Oregon, one of the top natural bait scent companies in the US. All three are very experienced fishermen, and all were in for one heck of a day with Captain Bobby McGuinness. Dan and Timmy have both known and been friends with Bobby for years. Bobby has been running charter boats for decades, since he was 13 years old, and he learned the trade from his father, who was running his own charter since the days that the only way to get to Golfito was by one rough and long dirt road. Some people say fishermen are born, others say they are made through a lifetime of practice and acquiring knowledge; Bobby is both. This coming weekend, Bobby is accepting an award from the International Game Fishing Assocation in Miami for setting the most line class world records this past year. The most incredible thing about that; this is the third year that he is receiving that award! Having fished all over the western hemisphere, Quepos, Golfito, and up and down the east coast in the US, Bobby has mastered the art of finding and catching fish. Now, Bobby has come back to his roots, and is a leader amongst the community in Golfito. You cannot sit in a bar with Bobby for more than a minute without people coming up to say hello, ask about his family, and see how the fishing is. He could be fishing anywhere in the world, but remains in Golfito because it is his home. The following day after fishing, Bobby and his family were headed to San Jose to fight for more funding and to voice their opinion about the lack of planning and organization in the building of a new elementary school for Golfito. To be able to fish with a man so loyal to his people and so influential was an honor, and it was a joy to see just how passionate he is about his hometown and country.
Now, let’s get to the fishing. The day started with us heading straight for a commercial fishing boat who had anchored a giant log to the ocean floor. As we approached the boat, Bobby said hello to his friends, giving them a bag full of bread to thank them for the tip, later telling me, “It’s always great to have friends out here”. That other boat even asked if one of their own crew members could come with us so that he could learn just how Bobby the master fishes. The other crew member came along for the ride, and we started messing around along this log. This log attracted a school of fish that to me seemed like an aquarium out on the open ocean. After about 20 minutes of throwing the fly and dropping back live bait, we had 3-4 dorado, a few small yellowfin tuna, a nice rainbow runner, and a few albacore.
We could have stayed there all day a caught hundreds of fishing, but we were after bigger game. Bobby and his mates Fernando and David artfully put out the teasers and ballyhoo, and we were on our way to find some sailfish. Within minutes, we found them. Overall, we got 11 to the boat, only missing one, which Bobby kicked himself for. While trolling, I asked Bobby about some of his best days. He tells me that one day they landed 18 marlin, and another day they had 57 sailfish to the boat. A day of 20 sailfish, he tells me, is a common place for him. He maneuvered the boat like a magician on each hookup, effortlessly pushing forward, backing down on the fish, or doing whatever needed to be done to get all of them to the boat. Over the course of the day, Dan and the mates taught me how to drop back the bait on the pitch rods to the hungry sailfish that were chasing the teasers, something that was both informative and very exciting. Having a boat so organized and with such experienced fishermen was incredible, and Bobby and his mates made the process of catching sailfish look so easy. Of course it is not, but the Golfe Dulce is so full of life that there is almost guaranteed action. Over the course of the day, we saw sea turtles, pockets of fish feeding on the surface, manta rays, and a few dolphins.
The highlight of the trip came at the end, after we hooked a few bonito to use for live bait. We went back to the spot with the log, only because Bobby had a strong gut feeling. “I just know something big is down there, and I am not leaving until I find it”, said the very cool and confident captain. Bobby has instincts that only come to a natural fishermen. He paid extra attention to the teasers seconds before we hooked up on the sailfish, as if he knew exactly when and where he would find the fish. After a little while of trolling the live bonito, we hooked up on a fish that very few people will see in a lifetime of fishing. A few hundred yards behind the boat, a massive dorado erupts and leaps 10-20 feet out of the water and inhales the back left bonito. Phil took the rod and began hanging on for dear life. A few seconds later, the other line is tight, and I grab that one, thinking we are doubled up on two big fish. After crossing back and forth with Phil a few times, ducking over and under each other trying to get our lines out of the way, we realize something strange is going on. We look at each other and Phil says to me, “I think this fish ate both bonito!” This massive dorado was so big and powerful that after eating one bonito and realizing he is hooked up, he still went over and at the other one. Phil and I begin simultaneously pumping and reeling for a good 10-15 minutes, and finally get this beautiful creature to the boat. Fernando gaffes it, and was almost pulled overboard by its weight if it wasn’t for Phil grabbing a hold of him. We get it into the boat, and the beast starts wrecking havoc. To calm it down and put it out of its misery, Bobby pours some diet coke into its gills, a trick I had never seen before, and the fish is ours to eat. What a fish it was, a 78-pound bull that one truly had to see to believe.
We decided to end the day on a high note, and went in after what to me was an incredible trip. We ended the day without a marlin, only because we decided not to run out to go after marlin and instead wanted to fish hard for sails and dorado. After getting back to the beautiful Casa Roland resort, we head to the bar to rehash our day. Boat owner Timmy, who has been fishing on his boat dozens of times, says to me, “Yea, that was just an average day for Bobby”. Average day?!?! That was one of the most remarkable days of fishing in my life, and a day I will never forget. We sit around enjoying a few drinks and going over the day. Our final conclusion: why don’t more people come down and fish with Bobby? He should be booked everyday, but very few people have ever heard of Bobby McGuinness or Golfito, Costa Rica. Dan has been pushing Bobby’s boat to all of his clients who want to come down to Costa Rica for some serious fishing. After a day like that, I realized we have to push harder, because people who are serious about fishing and serious about seeing the beauty of Costa Rica need to experience Golfito and fishing with Bobby McGuinness.
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Tuesday, 15 March 2011 17:08 |
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Just got an amazing report via text message from Dan. He fished aboard a beautiful 43' Maverick boat out of Quepos with the awesome Grimm family. They raised 51 SAILFISH, released 28, one of which was on the fly rod, which the clients so badly wanted. And just for good measure, they are coming home with 1 dorado for dinner! What a day of fishing in Costa Rica!!! |
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Wednesday, 09 March 2011 22:01 |
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As any good blog should be, this will be a mash of great information about fishing. I'll be sharing ideas, offering tips, and publishing useful content for anglers world wide. Stop by often and stay up to date on the hot Costa Rica fishing action as well as some cold water stuff as well.
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Monday, 07 March 2011 12:05 |
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Most of the excitement this past weekend was about the second leg of the Los Suenos Billfish Tournament. The results of the fishing tournament reflect the recent fishing around here: lots of sailfish, lots of action. Game On was the winner with 5800 points (500 points per marlin, 100 points per sailfish), followed by Big Oh and Gotcha, who finished with 5600 points. A total of over 1,000 fish were caught over the three days, which would average out to be around 10 fish per boat per day. 22 of those fish were marlin, and they are slowly but surely moving in. Double digit hookups are still consistent for sails! |
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Wednesday, 16 February 2011 14:19 |
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The middle of February is picking up the slack for a slow start to the month. So many great days being reported; 10 roosters here, 15 sails raised there, bunches of grouper and snapper on one trip, 450 pound blue marlin on another. How about one story of a captain raising 100+ sailfish in one day this week!? Los Suenos boats have been more consistently raising and releasing sails, with many days of raising at least a dozen, releasing 7-9 consistently this past week. The water temperature is warming up and it appears more and more sails are heading our way. This will make for a great end to the month and usher in March, which is usually our best month for sails. As always, the Pacific is also seeing some dorado here and there, along with bunches of 100-200 pound yellowfin, and some jack crevalle. The Caribbean side is continuing with a stellar tarpon season, which traditionally starts in December and runs through May. The snook season should be heating up as we head into March, with some solid action being seen on fat snook near the river mouths.
What a story we had yesterday, as we took two of our clients out on a day of fly fishing. They have fished all over Florida, but have yet to experience the might and power of a billfish. Within 15 minutes of getting to the fishing grounds and getting the lines out, we see a 300+ pound marlin come ripping through the teasers. As he comes toward the boat, we get our fly out right by him, he sees it, makes a lightning fast turn, lights up in a beautiful fluorescent display, and he crushes it only like a blue marlin can. That was at around 9:15 in the morning. At around 5:00 PM, that fish was still going strong. Our client learned that these fish fight long and hard, and will never give up. After many spectacular jumps and who knows how many furious runs he made, we had to let that fish go. Tomorrow we are going after sails, my client is a bit too tired for another 7+ hour fight with a blue marlin. Let it be known that with more experience and practice, these fish can be landed in a shorter time period, but I guess we learned our lesson!
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Friday, 11 February 2011 11:11 |
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After taking a trip this past Wednesday with two new clients, it is clear to see that the sailfish and marlin are still lurking here in Costa Rica waters in GREAT numbers. We must have seen three dozen sails and a half-dozen marlin a few miles out from of Jaco and Los Suenos in the Central Pacific. We were able to raise a few of those sails and marlin to the teasers, but our client didn’t have much luck getting them on his fly, as it was his first time fly fishing for billfish. He also had a chance at a beautiful dorado, and fortunately we got one of those to the boat so that we could enjoy it for dinner.
Reports on both coasts of Costa Rica have been solid, and the fishing is picking up again after a bit of a lull for part of January. Boats out of Quepos are reporting consistent marlin action every trip, while also running into huge schools of yellowfin, with tuna up to 250 pounds. Some boats are getting 10-12 shots at sails per day and at least 1 shot at marlin, while one of our captains in Golfito reported going 9 for 16 on sails in a recent trip. These marlin coming to the boats are huge, with reports of 300 and 400 pound blues being released a few times a week, along with some nice stripeys and black marlin. Roosterfishing has been very strong recently in Golfito and around the Los Suenos area as well, with one of captains getting 5 to the boat yesterday, one over 80 pounds. Other anglers are also reporting catching a few wahoo, snapper, snook, grouper, and some jack, just some usual suspects here in Costa Rica.
On the Caribbean side, snook fishing has slowed down a bit, but the tarpon fishing continues to be great. The canals in and around Tortuguero as well as near Rio Colorado are very productive, as they usually are. Reports have anglers getting at least 6 shots at tarpon per trip, with one trip having nearly two-dozen on in one day. Snook are being caught, just not as frequently as normal. Even still, some boats are landing 5 or 6 fat snook per trip, along with machacas and jack, among others. The fishing continues to be incredible here in Costa Rica, and we at DRSportfishing are more than happy to help you plan your amazing adventure here. |
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Friday, 04 February 2011 11:40 |
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A few of our clients, the Glasco father and son team, reaped the benefits of hot February fishing on a few separate days. Not only did they enjoy the wonders of Costa Rica when seeing thousands of porpoises jump and dance across the Pacific, the fishing was pretty good as well. They got into a few roosters, landing some monsters of 40 pounds and one over 70+ pounds! Upon seeing a picture of that 70-pounder, another captain was amazed, and told me he’s never seen a rooster that big. They were back at it the next day, with a two-and-a-half hour stand-up fight leading to the landing of a 200+ blue marlin; a fight that Jim claims was a piece of cake! If I were him my arms would still be shaking. The sailfish and marlin are still very prevalent all along the Pacific, with the southern part towards Golfito and Drake Bay producing some of the best numbers as well as around Los Suenos and Quepos. Certain days they have been finicky, some days with more marlin action, others with more sails, but most boats are getting consistent shots at both of them each day. Of course, there have been plenty of yellowfin and jack, along with snapper and some dorado. The Caribbean side has been slow with snook, but tarpon fishing has been incredible and keeping anglers happy.
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Tuesday, 01 February 2011 11:36 |
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The fishing slowed down recently with the full moon, but is still at a level as good if not better than it has been for years. A few New Jersey clients were looking for just one shot at a nice rooster, and this past week they got it, hooking up on a nice 50+ pounder. Sailfish and marlin continue to be biting, with some of the Los Suenos crews consistently bringing in black and blue marlin along with a handful of sailfish everyday. One of the boats had a day with 9 sailfish, while others found some tuna and dorado along the way. Down in Golfito, anglers are raising on average half a dozen sailfish per trip, with most of them getting 2 or 3 shots at some nice blue marlin. Most of the marlin being caught are in the 300 pound range, with a report of one 500+ being brought to the boat last week. I recently fished the GIFT tournament, a fly fishing tournament out of Los Quepos. My friends Bart, Timmy, and I had some great shots at some HUGE marlin and sails, but as many of you know, its not so easy landing some of these giants on your fly. Now onto the Los Suenos Billfish Tournament, which got underway yesterday. All these tournaments can only mean one thing; the fishing is on here in Costa Rica! |
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Thursday, 20 January 2011 11:20 |
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Fishing continues to be strong here in Costa Rica. Sailfishing is consistently great as always, with many boats reporting days of 6-10 sailfish to the boat. The marlin bite is providing for a lot of excitement, with some reports this past week of a few boats releasing 500+ lb. monsters. Inshore action has also been great; a boat out of Los Suenos hooked up on 5 nice size roosterfish, while others having plenty of action catching jacks.
Lots going on around the Jaco/Los Suenos area as the DayStar 2011 Ocean Circuit surf competition comes to Jaco Beach. Join in on the great fishing and everything else that comes with a trip to beautiful Costa Rica. If you have any questions or inquiries, do not hesitate to ask us here at DR Sport Fishing. |
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Monday, 17 January 2011 14:01 |
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Another beautiful day here in Costa Rica; blue skies, 90 degrees, with just the right amount of breeze. The open ocean is relatively rough today, as one can see a few tiny ripples on the water’s surface. The months from January until May bring flat calm seas, and most days the water is truly glasslike. Perfect days make it easier for the captains to get out and find the fish, which they have been doing with regularity this past week.
The Los Suenos crews are consistently having great days as well; one boat having raised 15 sailfish and releasing 12. The rest of the boats out of Los Suenos are averaging around 6 or 7 sails per day, 1-2 marlin, with some bringing in a dorado or two each trip. Not only are these boats consistently experiencing good days, they are consistently having great days. For me personally, just the chance the see the sheer power and beauty of a blue marlin is remarkable. But the feeling of being hooked up and fighting one is indescribable. Every passionate fisherman or woman MUST experience the thrill of catching a marlin at least once in their lifetime. And if you do come down here and become addicted to the excitement of fishing for marlin, you can blame me or thank me; I think you’ll be thanking me.
Comparable to the awesomeness of marlin fishing is that of tarpon fishing. These powerful majestic-like fish will amaze you as they tail walk and shoot out of the water. Anglers on the Caribbean side are back to consistent tarpon bites after a few slow months. Some captains are averaging 6-8 tarpon per day, a day I expect would leave one with a very tired pair of arms. Along with tarpon, fishermen near Rio Colorado and Tortuguero continue to catch snook, barracuda, and jack.
As always, roosterfish action has been great, especially down towards Golfito in Drake Bay. Yellowfin tuna and snapper are also being caught in high quantities, mostly on the Pacific side. Sardines seem to be everywhere along the coast, and are attracting large schools of fish and large amounts of action for the anglers. Costa Rica fishing is on fire, and will continue to be for the weeks and months to come.
Not only are people coming here for the remarkable fishing waters, they are also coming for the great surfing conditions. Recently, surfing on the Pacific has been great for beginners and intermediates, with Playa Jaco hosting some of the best waves for those looking to get into surfing for the first time. Not far down the road is Playa Hermosa, where only hardened surfers dare to go. Just watching the force and power of these waves is impressive, never mind catching one of them. The Caribbean side has offered consistently good surfing over the past month. Larger swells are coming in the next week as winds shift and bring better conditions for the more avid surfers
I would be remised if I didn’t remind all of you of our first FishHardPlayHard billfish tournament, taking place in beautiful Golfito February 9-12. All in all, a trip to Costa Rica is still beckoning. Come down for a few days of fishing, a few days of surfing, and a few days of enjoying the beauty that is Costa Rica. The Costa Ricans have a saying “Pura Vida”, which roughly translates to all is good and well. Come down to Costa Rica and find out why people are constantly exclaiming Pura Vida!
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Monday, 17 January 2011 13:53 |
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Hello all!
Hope you have been able to shovel your way out of your driveways and get on with your lives. Down here in Costa Rica, we have been basking in the 90 degrees and blue skies. With another snowstorm dumping two-feet on the Northeast and a cold front sweeping across the nation, cabin fever must be beginning to take its toll.
Not only is the weather heating up in Costa Rica, but the MARLIN bite is as well. Our boats have been consistently raising and releasing marlin every trip. Last Sunday our boat raised six sailfish and two blue marlin in one of our more exciting days of the season. Captain Henry got us to raise five blue marlin and release three one day over the Christmas break on his 26 foot center console. Our Los Suenos boats are reporting days where they raised over a dozen marlin per boat, landing 7 on one of those trips, averaging a very respectable 300 pounds. No matter the size of the boat, whether it’s fly fishing or conventional fishing, the fish are being caught all along the Pacific coast. Even hotter than the central Pacific is the south, where captains have been on fire. Yesterday Bobby McGuiness, our number one captain in Golfito, had a great day. He reported releasing 22 sails in one day, which made for some very happy clients. Last week, as Bobby was fishing offshore for marlin, he was releasing as many as 8-12 per day, weighing up to 600 pounds.
Not only has the offshore bite been incredible, but so has the inshore bite. Large roosterfish and snappers are being landed consistently in the south Pacific. Delicious dorado and tuna are also being found on a consistent basis. The fishing out of Los Suenos, Quepos, Golfito, and all along the Pacific Coast hasn’t been this great for years, and now is the time to take advantage and leave the cold behind. Both coasts are heating up, with the snook fishing beginning to improve on the Caribbean side and the tarpon fishing at a consistently good bite. Also, we are all looking forward to our upcoming billfish tournament in February, and if fishing continues at this pace, we are in for one amazing weekend down in Golfito. For those of you who aren’t aware, we are hosting our first FishHardPlayHard billfish tournament; a fun and exciting tournament seeking out the world’s best bill fishermen from February 9-12. Please feel free to contact us and we will get you set up and catching fish, either in the tournament or on your next vacation. The fishing is only going to get better here in Costa Rica as we head towards the end of January and into February.
Not only has the weather brought great fishing, but the end of the rainy season means more opportunity to enjoy some traveling around Costa Rica. An excursion to the remote and beautiful Corcovado National Park is awaiting. National Geographic named Corcovado the “most biologically diverse place in the world”, and from the looks of it, they were completely right. The sheer beauty of the tropical beaches and jungle is matched by the hundreds of plant and animal species you are guaranteed to discover throughout Corcovado’s rugged trails. Whether it is the anteaters seeking out food, wild colorful turkeys chasing down their mates, or bull sharks crossing through 10 foot deep rivers, Corcovado is just one of the many destinations in Costa Rica that is simply amazing. After a few days of fishing out of Golfito or Drake Bay, a side trip to Corcovado is awaiting. So, what are you waiting for? With all that there is available to see and fish for in Costa Rica, why haven’t you booked your ticket yet?
Also, our business is growing at a rapid pace, and we would like to continue this expansion. We would greatly appreciate it if you could spread the word about DRSportfishing to friends and loved ones so that they too can appreciate the beauty of Costa Rica and its incredible fishing. Thank you for reading, hope to hear from you soon!
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Last month I had the pleasure of one of my old Alaska client’s granddaughter getting married in Salt Lake. Her new husband to be is like some of the rest of us fishaholics. His longtime dream was to go to Costa Rica fishing. So her grandfather told to her to get in contact with me and see what I could do. As we laying out a 10 day honeymoon vacation for her, there were so many ideas, I simply told her to get on with the wedding and just show up at the San Jose airport as I would take care of them from there.
I met them and off to Jaco we went where they first enjoyed a couple of days relaxing at my house and enjoying the pool and the view of the mountains and the ocean. They definitely need a couple relaxed days, as I now live in Playa Hermosa up on the hill with a killer view it was a perfect place for relaxing. They then fished one day here in Los Suenos and very much enjoyed their first day out on the water catching fish. We took off to the south to Drake Bay out on the Osa peninsula to a place called Ojala Resort or better known to the locals as Fred’s place.
Fred’s is an awesome place to just RELAX and see the real Costa Rica. While they were relaxing some more I took an afternoon and Visited Marleny over at her Resort the drake Bay Wilderness Lodge, she is such a sweet lady and there i spent a few hours with her enjoying her company out on the beach and learning about her wonderful life there. I certainly would recommend to anyone if the real Costa Rica is what they are looking for then highly consider the Drake Bay lodge with Marleny (please contact me and I can set you up). I can't wait to book some clients there and head back for some awesome relax time along with great fishing; the area is well known for its fantastic Rooster fishing.
Marlin, Marlin and more Marlin
The boats that have been going out specifically Marlin fishing have been doing fantastic to even better. Bobby has had as many as 14 up in a single day and never less than 8-10. If anyone of you is hard core set to catch a Marlin you need to be headed our way as Bobby says this is normal for this time of year and will continue right on for the next few months. There is not a lot of sailfish in the mix 2-3 a day but just a lot of nice big blue Marlin anywere from the 250's on up to, we had one on Bobby guessed over 700lb's. David Barnes and his niece Christina just had a blast hooking into to several Marlin in a single day, twice we had 3 Marlin on at once, just an awesome day of fishing. Christina had never in her life imagined a fish this size at the end of a fishing pole. Anyway, you Marlin fishermen need to get with me and book a trip to get in on this magnificent fishing. |
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