Crocodile
Bay Resort:
March 08 Costa Rica Fishing
Report
By Todd Staley, Fishing Director
“Come
on down, they are jumping in the boat,” and “you
should have been here yesterday,” are two phrases I
never want to use. One brings bad luck and the other can get
you punched in the face.
Last
month as soon as I reported that the fish were biting like
crazy, masses of bait moved in and full bellied fish don’t
have much energy to chase brightly colored lures trolled overhead.
Then guests and captains reported seeing many groups of three
or four sails up on the surface with their sails open, lazily
cruising. When this happens, there is usually one female followed
by two or three males and when they are thinking about making
babies they don’t think a lot about eating.
What
is the purpose of a fishing report? In my opinion it is to
keep informed old friends that have already visited with us,
some many times, and to attract new clients as well. It is
in the case of the latter we as “reporters,” must
resist the temptation to act like used car salesman. I recently
read a report from a new operator in this area where a boat
landed a 700 lb, an 800 lb and followed by a 900 lb marlin.
In my nearly ten years at Crocodile Bay, I have seen only
one marlin over 800 lbs. In my seventeen years in this business,
I have yet to see any Marlin larger (or any legitimate proof
from the other companies) than that single 800 lb bad boy
caught here in Costa Rica. What we do have is marlin that
can be challenged by fly equipment and some that will turn
a fly reel into a smoking pinwheel. With all that being said,
“how’s the fishing?” Well to be honest it’s
good, not great, but certainly not bad. We have had to work
a lot harder for what we have caught but there have certainly
been some highlights. Peter Damp pulled in an almost 200lb
shark, took a dozen jack and a couple dorado inshore and lost
the big one. “ A giant angry cubera snapper that took
a popper!” Sometimes the most lasting fishing memories
are the ones that got away. The explosion as the fish hit
the top water bait and then muscled its way to the rocky volcanic
bottom will be forever imbedded in memory.
Five time visitor, Duane Dunn and his family
of 7 had a bang up day, taking one of several grand slams
this month (A grand slam is catching a marlin, sail, tuna,
and dorado in the same day). Duane topped off his stellar
day by stopping inshore and picking up a 56 lb rooster on
his way home.
Robert
Waltrip who passes his time between Texas and Colorado,
dug out of a Colorado snow drift for his second visit this
season. He managed to fool a few sails on the top by casting
live bait and then reeling fast past them as if the bait was
in escape mode. He is one of those anglers who makes fishing
a study, not just a pastime.
Alison
Swearingen poses with a nice sailfish
First
timers Hunter and Alison Swearingen
from Tampa found the uncooperative fish aggravating until
their last day a when 350 lb marlin made it all worthwhile.
They got some amazing footage of the fight and are still waiting
for the photos.
Hunter
Swearingen
and the lady in the blue dress doing the dance.
Kirk
Dill had his fishing club down for their fourth visit
from Bermuda for a roosterfish tournament. A 45 pounder took
top prize and our friend “Spider” ranked number
one for having the most fun and even taught us some new tricks
while he was at it. We cannot wait to have those guys back
for class to begin again next year!
To wrap it up- Andy Starling and
Brian
Czawlytko
had a 10 rooster day, and proved that you can never have enough
of a good thing!
Full bellied, mating fish. New moon, full moon. I guess Neil
Armstrong didn’t notice the little sign that said, “Fisherman,
figure me out” on the lunar floor. I suppose the bottom
line is …… You should have been here tomorrow!
Todd
Staley,
Fishing
Director,
Crocodile Bay Resort
Puerto
Jimenez, Costa Rica
Steve Chatterton
of Saint Petersburg Florida won the Florida
Sportsman Magazine photo
contest with this great shot of a jumping sailfish
(pictured above) he hooked at Crocodile Bay.
What
can I say? After I said fishing slowed down in my last report
it shot right through the roof and then dropped off again.
These fish have been driving me crazy. The only problem in
Puerto Jimenez is that there is not a building tall enough
to jump off.
Once
again the fishing has bounced back and is red hot with Graig
and Brandon Jacobsen going 10 for 21 two days ago on sailfish.
Dave Walsh landed 1 and 3/4 on fly out of 16 and the Luckay
family, Scott, Frank, Bryce, and Chris went 13 for 39 on sails
the last three days. Things are back to normal.
Felix
del Barrio had a great trip catching sails
and a variety of inshore species. He also had the special
treat of getting up-close and personal with a whale shark.
(see photos below)
I
am done trying to second guess the fish and no truer words
were ever said than when the phrase, “a picture is worth
a thousand words” was coined.
For
that reason, I’ll let the photos speak for the highlights
since my last report.
Don
Amsden of Lafayette used the whole family to tackle
this beautiful 500lb Marlin (below). "Dave, Sandy, Renee
and mom fought it for over an hour - next, dad (Jerry
Amsden) fought it for another 3 hours and 20 minutes.
Fifty feet from the boat the 30lb line snapped and the 500lb
monster escaped.
Pictured
above: Art Goodlick
of FL had some great inshore fishing bringing in a prehistoric
looking 20lb congria followed by a 60lb cubera snapper (pictured
below) falling just 3lbs shy of the lodge record.
Sam Brenner of Okuma Fishing
poses with a nice grouper caught while deep jigging
in 400ft of water at the mouth of the Golfo Dulce.
Hope
to see you soon in Costa Rica!
Todd
Staley,
Fishing Director,
Crocodile Bay Resort
Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica
Crocodile
Bay Resort:
May 2008 - Costa Rica Fishing
Report
By Todd Staley, Fishing Director
Everyone
has a hero, somebody they want to be like when they grow up.
Well, after his second visit here I decided I met mine in
the likes of Charles Frank. The 86 year old was just here
with his wife Jean and family celebrating their 65th wedding
anniversary. That’s right 65th.
Charles has published six books, is famous for carving duck
decoys and is comfortable in any swamp whether with a fishing
rod or a shotgun. He has fished all over the world with his
favorite spot being deep in the Amazon. The long trip became
a little tiring so he took up fishing in Costa Rica.
He had marlin on his mind and unfortunately
didn’t get his shot this time but he helped his granddaughter
take a 55 lb dorado. A good sign the marlin are on their way.
Jean
is as big as a sport as Charles and at 85 became our oldest
customer to do all seven platforms of the Rainforest
zip-line tour. They are coming back in November for
the fall marlin bite.
Paul
Shields and Heather Amity, Safari Club International
members happened to be here when we had a flurry of marlin
come through. They stayed busy with a mixed bag of marlin,
dorado, rooster fish and
jacks. The avid fly fisherman
then fished across the country with Capt. Eddie Brown and
battled some silverkings on the fly.
Mike
Grace, President of Cummins
Atlantic, got the surprise of his life when an
Orca paid a visit to the wake of his boat! He was lucky enough
to capture the series with his camera....I've sent this series
of photos to several people and most still can't believe it.
Mike's father-in-law Jim Babb also landed this beauty of a
marlin.
John
and Pequita Sissom were after a roosterfish. Pequita is probably
one of the nicest people you will ever meet and her roosterfish
brought her some bragging rights around the bar at night.
We are right at the transition stage when the sails thin out
and the marlin move in. The dorado have started
to move in an the rain in the mountains has pushed cover for
them out of the rivers. June and July bring good numbers of
marlin, averaging 150 to 300 lbs
Inshore fishing has been steady with roosters
to 45 lbs coming off inshore reefs. Snapper and a few grouper
as well as dorado have been enhancing the dinner plates at
night.
Crocodile
Bay Fishing rates this summer & start at only
$1,995 (all inclusive - three full days fishing) per angler
based on a group of four ! Click Here
To Check Availability!
Todd
Staley,
Fishing Director,
Crocodile Bay Resort,
Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica
Virtual
Crocodile Bay - Nokia Chooses Crocodile Bay Resort
as the backdrop for their new "Creatures of the Deep"
cell phone game!
NEW:
View and Post - over one hundred action fishing photos at
Crocodile Bay Resort!
Hear
it from our guests!! Read blogs from recent guests who recap
their fishing adventures at Crocodile Bay
Check
out testimonials from major fishing tv hosts, magazine reviews,
guest comments and more!
Famous
Faces: See some our celebrity guest including Robert Duval
and Wade Boggs
Read
the Monthly Ecological Report by Our Eco Tour Director
If
you have a Crocodile Bay vacation experience to share with
us, submit your story and photos to webmaster@crocodilebay.com!
RESERVE
TODAY!
Allen
Ryals, who spends his non-fishing hours installing space
aged lavish entertainment systems in the homes of the
rich and famous added yet another marlin
to his fish belt. Honeymooners were also rewarded with
marlin. Brian Tooms spent his honeymoon here with wife
Patricia. It was also the first time he fly fished in
saltwater. His 200 lb blue marlin will be a hard act to
follow the next time he casts a fly in the ocean. Not
to be outdone, Johnathan and Liz Fine took 3 blue in one
day. I think we might see them on their anniversary.
