Crocodile Bay Resort, Costa Rica
Costa Rica Fishing Report
December
21, 2001
There is nothing like a missile lit up in a purple hue charging
towards the stern of a boat. A super charged sailfish or marlin
is a sight to behold. Peter Ahluwalia traveled to Costa
Rica all the way from England to spend a week with
us fly fishing for billfish.
He totted with him an arsenal of big game gear and has traveled
the world to do battle. After taking several sailfish
on the fly he had his chance to throw to a big blue bruiser.
The marlin estimated at close to 300 lbs
crunched his fly and backing burned off his reel. Peter stood
his ground and did not panic. Three hours later after many
acrobatic runs and extreme pressure, the fish rolled over
on its side. As he coaxed it to the boat the line parted and
the fish, larger than the world record, disappeared in the
cobalt sea. That fight is a memory to be embedded in that
angler's mind forever.
Gail Houpt brought her crew back to Costa Rica
for another visit this year and as usual caught lots of fish.
Six was their best day on sailfish, and added
to that were several inshore species as well. The last couple
of days though, the fish have moved offshore
and the catch rate has dropped.
Those opting to stay inshore have been rewarded with non stop
action on roosterfish, jacks, mackerel and snapper.
Bob Barclay took top fish with a solid sixty
pounder.
Todd
Staley
Fishing Director
Crocodile Bay Resort
Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica
Read
the current costa rica fishing report
---------------------------------------------------------
Crocodile Bay Lodge Costa Rica Fishing Report-December
11, 2001
Something to crow about:
Probably our most popular inshore Costa Rica fishing
species is the roosterfish. Its
seven combed dorsal fins and iridescent hue, along with its
shear power make a combination that has 95% of our anglers
spending at least one day of their trip on the calm waters
of the Golfo Dulce.
Historically in Costa Rica they have been fished
along the beaches and rock formations in the Pacific. We have
found they also roam deep into the gulf and hang around the
inside reefs and river mouths. Our fleet of “flats”
boats allows us to cast for snook in the mangroves on a high
falling tide and then fish roosters a few hundred yards away
at the drop-off.
We also find them on top of the Tiger reef where sometimes
the water is less than 3 feet deep and a larger boat can’t
enter this area. While filming with O’Neill Williams,
Dave Burkhardt took a fifty pound Roosterfish over this skinny
water.
I must repeat last week’s report of Graig Zoly taking
30 roosters in a day. Our average roosterfish
is about 15 lbs. Most everyone takes a few over 35 lbs. Dave
Vedder from Southwest Flyfishing magazine
fished a few hours yesterday after a late arrival. He found
a giant school of roosters working within a half mile of Crocodile
Bay Resort and bagged a couple over 40 lbs. “In all my
years of traveling and fishing, I have never seen a concentration
of roosterfish like I’ve found here.”
Offshore it is more of the same with more sails showing up
and dorado and tuna stretching lines.
A few marlin are coming up to the teasers
but only a couple around 300 lbs. have been landed. The Vernon
Sanders family from Missouri had a good outing landing seven
sailfish!
Todd
Staley
Fishing Director
Crocodile Bay Resort
Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica
Read
the current costa rica fishing report
---------------------------------------------------------
Crocodile Bay Lodge - Costa Rica Fishing Report- December
6, 2001
Billy O’Sullivan and John Metz from NYC teamed up for
a grand slam the other day, fishing with Captain Eduardo Villalobos,
when they landed a mixed bag that included a 420 lb. blue
marlin, 3 sails, yellowfin tuna 126 and 85 lbs., and 13 dorado.
They were part of a group hosted by Graig Zoly. The group
saw lots of action offshore, and Zoly took 30 roosterfish
on an inshore trip.
Jerry Kechter’s group from California also had good action
with a blue close to 500 lbs that was taken on 30lb line after
a 3 1&Mac218;2 hour battle. They also had agood number of
sails and tons of dorado.
Jeff Clark from Tampa took the top fish with a 56 and 50 pounder.
R.C. Kennington made his second trip to the lodge and topped
his personal best rooster by 25 lbs. The monster taken while
fishing with Captain Alex Gonzalez went 70 lbs.
Todd
Staley
Fishing Director
Crocodile Bay Resort
Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica
Read
the current costa rica fishing report
---------------------------------------------------------
Crocodile Bay Resort - Costa Rica
Fishing Report- November 25, 2001
A few more sailfish are starting to show
up in the area. The blue marlin are still
around and cooperating. The seas were uncommonly bumpy this
week with a storm front working offshore.
Dr Alexander Rubin and son Milo made a return trip to Costa
Rica this week and were rewarded with a 300 plus
pound blue marlin. Dr. Rubin planned his
trip for Thanksgiving again this year due to Chef Joe’s
turkey dinner last year. Well Joe, you did it again!
Todd Bluechel and Valentina Cugnasca had an angler’s
dream day on the water. At dinner the night before Todd rattled
off his wish list for the following day's fishing.
“Who wouldn’t”, I thought to myself. They returned
to the dock with big smiles and sore arms, the result of a
blue marlin over 300 lbs., a yellowfin
tuna 168 lbs., and a sailfish. The
tuna made for grilled tuna steaks for all.
The Nakaki’s from southern Ca. took advantage of the
inshore action this week with two roosterfish
over 50 lbs and several smaller ones. They added many amberjack
and cubera snapper to their inshore mixed
bag.
Todd Staley
Fishing Director
Crocodile Bay Resort
Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica
Read
the current costa rica fishing report
---------------------------------------------------------
Crocodile Bay Resort - Costa Rica Fishing Report-November
19, 2001
This is a good news bad news kind of report.
I always like to get the bad news out of the way first. The
sailfish are slow to bite.
The good news is… The lady in the blue dress isn’t.
Blue marlin have been stretching some string
around here making for some happy customers and captains alike.
Michael Nueman brought down a group of Georgia boys who started
their trip with a 400 lb. blue. The Casper family from Minnesota
took a 300 lb. blue as well as Guss McFadden from New Mexico
whose fish also went about 300 lbs.
Dorado are everywhere going up to 50 lbs.
Boats are catching as many as 13 each with some football yellowfin
tuna mixed in as well.
Inshore has been all roosterfish. Two anglers
both enjoying their 8th decade took top honors. Constantine
Gober who fished with McFadden is an 80 year
old light tackle buff. He returned to the dock with a whale
of a story. Something took the bait on the “three thread”
line he was fishing and began peeling drag.
Soon McFadden’s rod doubled over and they were both doing
battle. Line screamed from Gober’s reel until it was
gone. It parted at the reel with a loud snap. McFadden continued
to battle his fish and when it was boatside, a 60 lb. roosterfish
had both hooks in its mouth. Gober is claiming an assist on
the catch.
Irv Baker from Novata, Ca. is 82. His 50 lb. roosterfish
took second biggest for the week. No assist here he says with
a heavy breath!!
Todd
Staley
Fishing Director
Crocodile Bay Resort
Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica
Read
the current costa rica fishing report
---------------------------------------------------------
Crocodile Bay Resort - Costa Rica Fishing Report -November
8, 2001
Holy Mackerel. . . !
"There' more Tuna out there than I have
ever seen" says Capt. Lindor Jimenez, who joined our
staff this year and captains one of our Strike 33 footers.
That is quite a comment from a guy who has spent the last
30 years cruising Costa Rican waters in search
of big game fish.
John Beath of Western Outdoors Magazine and
friend Tim Lloyd enjoyed some of this line stretching action
as they caught a boat load of Yellow Fin mixed in with Dorado
to 50lbs.
Bob
& Melanie Pereira of Pioneer, Ca. had a field day on Dorado,
catching 13 and raising 7 Sails in the process.
Inshore the action has been big Roosters and Cubera Snapper.
Beath & Lloyd found out how strong these fish are as snapper
over 30 lbs hollered "Adios Gringos", busting off
in the volcanic reef below. Sid Carlson chased roosterfish
in front of the Tigre River and took several between 35 and
50 lbs.
Todd Staley
Fishing Director
Crocodile Bay Resort
Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica
Read
the current costa rica fishing report
---------------------------------------------------------
Crocodile Bay Resort - Costa Rica
Fishing Report-August 23, 2001
Plenty of life cruising offshore with marlin,
sailfish, tuna, and dorado,
all taking baits. Jason Lickel had a group of compadres from
California down with him, and they all left happy with lots
of fishing tales. Jason took a blue
marlin while the rest of the group mixed it up with
some nice yellowfin tuna and sailfish.
Chad and Susan Pratt came down from the “bigger and better”
state of Texas. Chad proved it with a huge cubera snapper
and Susan tagged a marlin. (Thanks for the roosterfish pin
Chad.)
I had the pleasure to fish with Dave Petzel,
from Field and Stream Magazine the last couple
of days. We stretched some string on yellowfin tuna,
rainbow runners and sailfish.
The highlight of the day yesterday was watching the arrival
of the humpback whales. We counted no less
than 50 of them. Several will call Golfo Dulce
their home the next couple of months when they enter the gulf
with their calves. We also saw a giant school of pilot
whales that numbered close to 1000.
Leo Lamont from D.C. celebrated his birthday with a 60 pound
roosterfish. The weather is good with nightime
showers and sunny mornings.
Todd
Staley
Fishing Director
Crocodile Bay Resort
Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica
Read
the current costa rica fishing report
---------------------------------------------------------
Crocodile Bay Resort - Costa Rica Fishing Report-
August 5, 2001
For the so-called “off season” the fishing
in Costa Rica has been fantastic. August of last
year also produced a good number of fish.
We’re thinking we might have to re-evaluate when exactly
“off-season” really is. This week, the marlin
and sailfish have been stretching lines for
many happy anglers. Several blue marlin over
400 pounds have come up to the boats, and the sailfish are
running at about 120 pounds. Roosterfish have been at about
35 pounds.
Kris Vutpakdi, a guest at Crocodile Bay, Costa Rica
this week, brought his mom with him to enjoy the fishing and
atmosphere at the Resort. The two of them teamed up to do
some inshore Costa Rica fishing. They ended
up landing 30 yellowfin tuna! They are both
very satisfied with the fishing, not to mention,
they got to take advantage of our “green season”
special pricing, a savings of over $600!
The weather has been great, with light showers at night, and
sunny skies during the day. Last week, the owner Robin Williams
and his brother, were down at the Resort as well. There was
a lightening light show during one of the late night rains.
Some people stayed up to watch the naturally provided entertainment.
By morning everyone was rested and ready for fishing under
clear blue skies.
Todd
Staley
Fishing Director
Crocodile Bay Resort
Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica
Read
the current costa rica fishing report
---------------------------------------------------------
Crocodile Bay Resort - Costa Rica
Fishing Report-
July 5, 2001
Offshore fishing really picked up the last
week with marlin, tuna,
wahoo, dorado, and sailfish
all taking baits. Mike Goodrich took a 500 lb. blue
marlin and Irv Daniel's blue was estimated at 400
lbs. George DeLoach from Champion boats brought down a couple
of friends and had as many as 13 sailfish
in a day up in the baits. Most of the wahoo
have been small and the tuna's ranged from
60 to 100 lbs.
Inshore the roosterfish have been on vacation,
but the snapper have been taking a few baits. Chico from Chaos
Lures took three dozen plate size snapper on
light tackle and the top cubera of the week
went 35 lbs. All the guests enjoyed some great ceviche and
fried snook that Chef Fernando whipped up from a 30 pounder
that came from the mouth of the Rio Tigre.
Todd
Staley
Fishing Director
Crocodile Bay Resort
Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica
Read
the current costa rica fishing report
---------------------------------------------------------
Crocodile Bay Resort - Costa Rica
Fishing Report
-June 11, 2001
A storm system slowed the Costa Rica billfishing
the last few days and boats were working hard to find them.
Sailfish would come up into the baits but didn't
seem interested enough to eat. Kay Walker from Austin and
Terry Jackson from Jacksonville managed to fool a couple with
the largest going 125 lbs.
Things have not been so slow inshore with big roosterfish
hitting close to the Resort. Milton Crossway from
Tucker, Ga., fishing with his son and a friend
got into some fish over 40 lbs. Bill Carter, also from "Jawja"
and a group of friends got into a dozen roosters
with the largest going over 60 lbs.
The weather is clearing and billfishing should
get back to normal soon.
Todd
Staley
Fishing Director
Crocodile Bay Resort
Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica
Read
the current costa rica fishing report
---------------------------------------------------------
Crocodile Bay Resort - Costa Rica Fishing Report-June
4, 2001
Lady anglers have taken the spotlight here at Crocodile Bay,
Costa Rica lately. Ella Gunst (who happens
to be my mom) is near 80 years old. She was down for a visit
from Largo, Fl with her friend Nancy Coady. Mom took an 85
lb. Sailfish on a 20 lb. line with no help
from the crew. Nancy also took a sailfish
around the same size.
Kate Ivory, the new director of Costa Rica
for Frontiers Travel, was down for a visit. She had an angler's
dream of an "inshore trip" where she landed a nice
20 lb. Snapper, followed by a roosterfish and
jack, and then bagged a dorado and a sailfish that were cruising
the inshore reef.
Offshore picked up yesterday with each boat taking 4 sails.
Inshore has been consistent with many roosterfish
biting. The top boat took 9 roosterfish
with the biggest being 62 lbs
Todd
Staley
Fishing Director
Crocodile Bay Resort
Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica
Read
the current costa rica fishing report
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Costa
Rica Fishing Archives - 2001