Costa
Rica Fishing Archives - 2006
by
Fishing Director Todd Staley
Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica
Note:
Several Spring/Summer reports from 06 are
missing as Todd Staley was recovering from open heart surgery
- please refer to reports from the 2007
archives to view the recent Costa Rica fishing action
during spring & summer months.
Crocodile
Bay Resort:
Costa
Rica Fishing Report, Dec 2006
By Todd Staley
There
have been more ladies strutting their stuff down a cobalt
runway than you could see watching the Fashion Channel
for a week straight. Marlin are everywhere. We had the
best November in our 8-year history as far as marlin go
and the first week of December showed no signs of slowing
down. Anglers landed marlin every day since my last report
except one and on that day most anglers opted to fish
inshore.
Some of the highlights the last two weeks were, Bill
Liljemark’s 500 pounder who kept him out
till dinner time winning the battle, Trapper Rudd’s
175 lb marlin caught on a fly, and Garth Carlson
who brought a group of buddies down before heading back
to Iraq and caught a 200 lb and the littlest bruiser to
date here, a 60 pounder on the same day.
Mike Pizzi was down with his wife Tracey. Although he
had his chance and the marlin eluded him once again his
annual Thanksgiving turkey dressing and meatballs and
sausage were much appreciated.
Some may disagree with me, but the only games of inches
I know are American football and snapper fishing. If you
don’t get them turned in the first few seconds of
the battle, it’s ‘Adios Gringo.”
Jason Cohn had a snapper experience many only dream of.
While reeling in a small snapper a giant pumpkin of a
cubera snapper swallowed Jason’s fish headed for
the depths. It nearly brought him to his knees but of
course the hook didn’t grab. His next bait down
was gulped up rapidly and when the dust settled a 49 lb
cubera snapper was in the boat. Jason said the first fish
that ate was much bigger than the monster just shy of
50 pounds. Roosters have been a little picky but snappers,
African pompano, trevally and jacks have filled the void.
A 60-pound rooster topped off the list of inshore catches.
Trapper
Rudd of Cutthroat Anglers had this to say:
"Todd,
Jeff,
Thanks a ton for the opportunity to come down.
My family and I were blown away by the hospitality!!
The entire staff was so polite and wonderful.
My wife and children want to move there. The crew
of Edgar, William and Francisco were the best
"Big Game" crew I have ever fished with.
Without their expertise in "teasing"
and boat handling, this Blue Marlin could not
have been landed on a fly rod. Edgar estimates
the Marlin to weigh around 150 to 175. It was
by far the strongest fish I have ever battled
on a fly. Even big Tarpon cannot match the muscle-power
of this magnificent blue water creature. I believe
it took between 30 to 40 minutes to land it. Of
course, it was released."
Todd
Staley,
Fishing Director
Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica
Crocodile
Bay Resort:
Costa
Rica Fishing Report, March 2006
By Todd Staley
Even though February started
off a little slow, the fish decided to
cooperate and make it an excellent month. 3,731
sailfish came up into the teasers and anglers
bagged just over 30% of those which is a fair number considering
the number of fly fisherman we saw. Marlin inreased a tad
since January with 76 making an appearance.
Dorado is starting to thin out as usual
for this time of year and the tuna haven't made a good show
as of late. This hasn't bothered anglers though as most
boats are double digits on billfish. We continue to take
a couple of roosters every week over 50#,
and the snapper have been coopertive but
not large as of late. Some prime dates are still available
in March so come on down and get your line wet!
Todd Staley,
Fishing Director
Crocodile Bay Lodge
Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica
Crocodile
Bay Resort:
Costa
Rica Fishing Report, May 2006
By Todd Staley
Lights,
Camera, Action!
4 Major Shows Visit Crocodile Bay!
ESPN, Gander Mountain, On the Hook and Cabela's
Give
a fishing director of any lodge a cold front, a full moon,
and four TV fishing shows all at the same time and they just
might end up on a shrink’s couch.
Tom Ackerman from New American Sportsman was shooting with
country star Trace Adkins, who flew straight in from the CMT
awards. Mark Maus was filming for Cabela’s. Mike Schoby
was here with Gander Mountain’s new show "We live
Outdoors", and David Sloan was with Boston Whaler filming
his show, On the Hook.
Trace Adkins (above) flew straight in to Crocodile
Bay, Costa Rica from the CMT Music Awards.
No one told the sailfish how much money these guys invest
to put out a good show, nor do I think they would care if
they did. Can’t blame it on the moon because they bit
right through the full moons in February and March. The front
brought with it some rain, but they don’t call it a
rainforest for nothing.
It is an honor to have these guys down here because they choose
their destinations carefully. They want a place that’s
interesting to their millions of viewers as well as a place
they stand a good chance of catching lots of fish. In our
seven years of operation, 53 shows have been filmed here.
We thank all of them for having the confidence in us at Crocodile
Bay and our fishery.
They are all looking for the shot that separates them from
the rest. We have had them riding whale sharks, touching humpback
whales and swimming amongst a school of a thousand porpoises
with 200 lb yellowfin tuna underneath. Mark Sosin won an award
for his show when the airline lost his fishing equipment and
he went to the jungle to film the animals. This “B”
roll footage made the difference. Babe Winkleman filmed his
wife Chris catch the lodge record roosterfish at 106 lbs.
O’Neill Williams took a 55 lb roosterfish on 10 lb freshwater
bass gear on film.
But to have four here at the same time and Mother Nature in
a bad mood!
Ackerman and Adkins opted for roosterfish and bagged 8 that
hadn’t yet heard of the Screen Actors Guild before zooming
through the canopy of the rainforest on our new zip line tour.
Sloan found a few sails that didn’t get the word on
the strike and George Hetzel from Boston Whaler joined in
the fun.
Mark Maus had the most luck number wise, taking 7 sails and
got some great footage of the “bait and switch”,
and cameraman Bo Newsome got some great underwater stuff.
Mike Schoby’s feet probably hasn’t touched the
ground yet. Based out of Minnesota, Schoby doesn’t get
a chance to venture out into the ocean much and blue water
fishing was new to him. An avid “fly guy” he wanted
to chance big saltwater game fish. He captured his girlfriend
Doris take a couple of nice sails on film and decided it was
time to try the fly rod. Next fish up………….a
blue marlin! Many an angler has dreamed of this opportunity
for years and never have had the chance to cast to a marlin.
The
fish didn’t hesitate and gulped the big pink fly.
When it felt the sting of the hook set, it took off like
a big blue bottle rocket with fins, skipping across the
surface. Finally the fish slowed and after a two hour tug
of war, the 200 lb fish was released. A magic moment in
fishing televison.
The front and the moon has passed, fishing is picking up again.
Each boat on the water had 15 to 20 fish up in the teasers
yesterday.
Todd Staley,
Fishing Director
Crocodile Bay Lodge
Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica
Crocodile
Bay Resort:
Costa
Rica Fishing Report, Sept 2006
By Todd Staley
We had a big
run on Yellowfin tuna this week with schools hanging
in the area most of the week. Eight anglers from the
Miami Billfish tournament were down and connected
with tuna from 30 lbs to over 200
lbs and had a bonus of a 500 lb blue marlin.
Several marlin have made a showing this week. I guess
they are in munching on the tuna.
Eric
Pirie had a group of friends from New Jersey with him
that combined inshore fishing with surfing. They hit
the jackpot at Matapalo Rock one morning with 4 roosterfish
over 50 lbs with the largest going 65 lbs.
Most
of our rain has been falling at night so the daytime
fishing conditions have been good.
Todd
Staley
Fishing Director
Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica
Crocodile
Bay Resort:
Costa
Rica Fishing Report, Nov 2006
By Todd Staley
November
Kickoff at Crocodile Bay Resort:
Starring "The Lady in Blue"
Just
about everyone left with a smile that passed through here
the last couple of weeks as our 8th season got off to a
fishy start. The girls dressed in blue are here and averaging
200 to 350 lbs. We
have been landing almost one or two marlin everyday with
others giving anglers their run for the money. Why are the
marlin here now. Dorado and tuna are plentiful and the marlin
are slurping them up like me when I get around Pizzi's Italian
meatballs. The
sails haven't moved in real strong yet but should be soon.
There is enough stuff out there stretching string that no
one has hardly noticed.
Inshore the snapper and bluefin trevally have been real
cooperative while the roosters have been finicky. Big snapper
this week went 35 lbs
Todd
Staley
Fishing Director
Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica
