The top spot to look for billfish lately continues to be the northwestern province of Guanacaste, where the Presidential Papagayo Cup took place last week out of Marina Papagayo. Sea Angel took top spot with 18 sailfish, edging out team Zara who also had 18 sails, but Sea Angel took their 18th fish first. Right in the heap was Dragin Fly with 17 fish.
The family team of Greg and “Mamalu” Angel, fishing with son BC at the helm and son Austin working the pit, also took firsts in the Presidential Challenge of Costa Rica and the first leg of the Los Sueños Signature Series earlier this year.
A total of 136 sails were released during the three-day event, with most fish caught the first two days of the tournament. According to tournament officials, “a natural phenomenon” slowed fishing on day three, when Zara took four fish and Sea Angel needed only two to capture the win.
Costa Rica’s own Maverick Boats sponsored the Anglers Division. Hansel Méndez took first place with 11 sailfish, followed closely by Hugo Angulo with 10. Third place went to Cliff Mountain with eight sailfish.
We want to welcome Dave Embry from Costa Rica Dreams Sportfishing out of Los Sueños on the central Pacific coast. Embry reports fishing has been good, with a variety of fish to choose from. Boats are taking a couple of sails a day and have been finding tuna, checking in with three to five yellowfin each. Bottom fishing has been decent for grouper and snapper, and people have been crowing about a good roosterfish bite.
Down south, it looks like the marlin are starting to make their much awaited appearance. Patrick, Tim, Ted and John Durkin fished out of Golfito on the Typhoon with captains Darren McClave and Donald McGuinness. Over the course of a few days, they put the hook in five marlin and spent enough time inshore to catch and release a boatload of roosterfish and amberjack up to 70 pounds.
Over on the Caribbean coast, Eddie Brown reports that the tropical storm in southern Mexico has sent some bouncy water down south, but those willing to ride it out are hooking a fair share of tarpon. It should take only a day or two for the ocean to settle back down and things will be back to normal.
Skippers, operators and anglers are invited to email fishing reports by Wednesday of each week to todd@crocodilebay.com. To post reports and photos on The Tico Times’ online fishing forum, go to wordpress-257819-2837440.cloudwaysapps.com/Weekend/Fishing/Fishing-Forum.
