Action Continues on Both Coasts

FISHING continuessteady onboth coasts, with theRío Colorado Lodgeon the northernCaribbean reportingtarpon in the riverand just outside theriver mouth, blueskies and very warmweather.Lodge operatorDan Wise said Chicagoattorney Paul Wharton is at the lodgeon his sixth visit, this time for 12 days.According to Dan, Paul whacked thetarpon hard when he first arrived more thana week ago, then went to Quepos where heraised seven sails in two days on the water.He returned to the Río Colorado Lodge lastSaturday and jumped seven tarpon in theriver in the morning, then went outside theriver mouth after lunch and tangled withfour more.Canadian angler Pierre Colupier andfive friends on Monday jumped seven tarponin the morning, and one of them brokethe line, carrying off the lure. A few minuteslater, another boat caught the samefish and retrieved the Rapala, Dan said.Talked to skipper Rick Ruhlow on hiscellular early Monday morning, and he hadalready gone two sailfish releases for fourhookups, working with flat seas about 10miles off Carrillo, on the northern Pacificcoast. Nearby, the boat Pipe Dream wasbattling a marlin as we spoke.Also fishing off Carrillo, White Magicskipper Forest Zielke reports a steady sailfishbite, with 21 raised on their best dayand angler Don Snyder releasing a 450-pound blue marlin and going eight for 11sailfish releases on his best day.Forest said Garry Rizzo from NewHaven, Connecticut, nailed a 350-poundblack.Fishing the El Cruzador out of Jacó,Alex and Mark Blan, Fred Quercetti andVan Warrington had to go 50 miles offshore,but it was worth the boat ride. Theyreleased 11 sails their first day and saw atleast twice that many in the bits. The nextday, they nailed 12 sailfish including adouble header, with another 20 up, andadded a couple of dorado to their tally.All the way south, Bob Baker atGolfito Sportfishing said return clientFrank Locker from New York celebratedhis 40th birthday catching a monster 52-pound roosterfish on 20-pound string lastweek, along with six sailfish, a 43-pounddorado and some small yellowfin tuna.Alexander Arias reports the NationalFishing Club has a tournament coming upApril 2-3 on the Río Grande del General.The club’s regular fishing outings providean opportunity for residents to get in somegreat fishing at budget cost, and also tomake new friends among the hard-coreCosta Rican fishermen. For more informationand to get on their mailing list, contactAlex at 730-0215 or 393-6020, or [email protected] more info on fishing or assistance inplanning a trip to Costa Rica, contact Jerryat [email protected] orvisit www.costaricaoutdoors.com.Skippers, operators and anglers areinvited to contact Jerry with fishing reportsby Sunday of each week. Call or fax 282-6743 within Costa Rica or write to the emailaddress above.