ANGLERS on the Pacific coast could hardly miss this past week, with boats from Flamingo in the north all the way south to Golfito reporting ideal conditions and plenty of fish.
The water has been clear and blue, running 82-84 degrees, and there is every indication the action will continue to improve in coming weeks.
In the Golfito region, Roy’s Zancudo Loge reported 89 sailfish and eight marlin releases in four days for 14 of their boats on the water late last week, along with 20 tuna and plenty of roosterfish. The largest of the tuna weighed in at 160 pounds, and the largest rooster went over 60 pounds. Except for the roosterfish, which favor inshore structure, the lodge reported most of the action has been about three miles off Matapalo.
QUEPOS-based J.P. Sportfishing reported that its fleet has been averaging eight sailfish a day per boat for the past week or more, with plenty of dorado and tuna mixed in the catch. Only two marlin releases were reported, however. On the northern coast, Gamefisher II skipper Richard Chellemi reported by cellularabout noon on Monday that his anglers already had three sails up, adding that the boat also accounted for three sails for five raised on Friday the 13th.
A funny thing happened to angler Bill Peer, from Huntington, New York, while attending the big New York Boat Show Jan. 7. Someone tapped him on the shoulder while he was making the rounds of the exhibits, and he found himself looking into the lens of a TV camera while being asked if he would like to go fishing in Costa Rica, all expenses paid.
It’s not too hard to figure what his answer would be, but the catch was he had to leave right away and would be allowed only two telephone calls, one to his wife and the other to his employer.
He made his calls, was hustled to the airport and the next day was on the water at the Río Colorado Lodge, on the northern Caribbean coast, where, with cameras grinding away, he got a big tarpon. Peer elected to fish another half-day at his own expense and jumped eight more, according to lodge owner Dan Wise.
This was the first of a new ESPN TV reality fishing show called “So You Want to Go Fishing,” scheduled to be aired April 16.
For more info on fishing or assistance in planning a trip to Costa Rica, contact Jerry at jruhlow@costaricaoutdoors.com or visit www.costaricaoutdoors.com. Skippers, operators and anglers are invited to contact Jerry with fishing reports by Sunday of each week. Call or fax 282-6743 within Costa Rica or write to the e-mail address above.
