It has been a while since I’ve done a fishing report, so I hope I am not too rusty. There are some changes in the fishing department at Crocodile Bay.

Captain Allan Smith has decided he missed the cobalt blue waters of the Pacific Ocean and the wide variety of finny creatures that live there. Allan will be returning to his role of captain of one of our Strike Boats. He has been with the operation for 17 years, so he knows the waters well. Many of his former clients that are returning to Crocodile Bay will now be able to fish with him again.

I am returning to Crocodile Bay as the Fishing Director. As most of you know, I have spent nearly two decades here at Crocodile Bay, and I have always held this place and our guests close to my heart.

My commitment to FECOP (Sport Fishing Federation in Costa Rica) and marine conservation will not change. I have also recently been appointed to the International Game Fish Association’s (IGFA) of Central America. I will be working on the youth program called ‘Passport to Fishing’ where the IGFA will introduce responsible sport fishing to 100,000 kids.

Here at Crocodile Bay, we have a team that is very experienced in delivering the type of service that made this resort the top fishing destination in Costa Rica. Sport Fishing Magazine also vote Crocodile Bay the second-best family fishing destination in the world.

Diego Camacho will hold the position of ‘Fishing and Fleet Director’. He is a native-born Costa Rica who moved to the states at nine years old and spent 20 years cutting his fishing teeth in Marathon and Key West. What makes Diego unique is that he completely understands both cultures, therefore he manages employees and the expectations of our guests equally well.

Working by his side will be Silena Ceballos who has been secretary of the fishing department for the last eight years. To be completely honest, she has made me look good over the years. She has been promoted to Fishing Administrator and will help Diego manage the fleet. She is a no-nonsense tough cookie and will have no problem managing men in this macho society.

Now for the reason that you opened this announcement… how’s the fishing?

The big news is that the dorado (dolphinfish) finally showed up. They historically arrive in good numbers around the 1st of November, but they kept us in suspense till after the 15th, when they showed up in significant numbers. Marlin in the 150 to the 300-pound range have been caught regularly, with several hook-ups recorded daily.

I spent last week at the resort and now have a new hero. Eighty-four-year-old George West has been traveling with good friend Joe McDiarmid for many years. On his first day offshore, he tied into a big tuna but unfortunately lost it after a long battle. On his second trip to the blue water, he tied into a 150-pound marlin. I really wish I could have been on board, but his blow by blow description of the comedy of errors of landing and releasing that fish was fantastic. He did admit he needed a little help from fishing pal Joe, but this guy made me feel good about growing older.

Tuna have been hanging in around 20 miles and have been a challenge to fool as they have been feeding on baby lantern fish, but enough are coming into the dock to keep sushi, sashimi, and fat tuna steaks on the menu. We are catching a few sailfish, but they have yet to arrive in significant numbers.

Roosterfish have been on a constant bite, and several boats have taken more than a dozen or so in a day’s outing.

What to expect coming up:

With no weather phenomenon like El Nino predicted for the near future, the next several months should supply lots of excitement for anglers wanting to stretch a little string. Marlin will continue to provide action well into January as we begin to move into our full-blown summer. Soon the forest surrounding the Golfo Dulce will turn into a vibrant yellow as the trees come into their annual bloom. That is the signal for the sailfish to move in. Tuna has turned into a year-long success story as better protection for them went into effect in 2014 here in Costa Rica. The last couple of years dorado were available most of the year rather than seasonally, though the jury is still out for this year. But it now looks promising. As the rain stops and the water clears, snapper will get a better view of the poppers or bait, and the roosterfish and jacks never leave. We are looking forward to an excellent season that is coming fast.

Glad to be back and hope to see you here!

Tight lines,

Todd Staley