Coastal Angler Magazine - November / Costa Rica

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COSTA RICA EDITION

Travel

Destinations

VOLUME 23 • ISSUE 285

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

F R A N C H I S E

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O P P O R T U N I T I E S

A V A I L A B L E

W O R L D W I D E

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RADAR

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Target AnalyzerTM function, facilitated by Doppler technology, immediately alerts you to targets (displayed in red) that pose a threat to your vessel. Simultaneously track up to 100 moving targets, displaying their speed & course vectors.

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One trophy deserves another.

No fishing competition offers the cash – or cache – of a tournament in The Florida Keys & Key West. Win a trophy here and you’re one step closer to angling fame and fortune. And with offshore and backcountry tournaments every month of the year, and tournamentproven captains to put you on the action, the chances of topping the leaderboard are better than you might think. fla-keys.com/calendar/fishing 1.800.fla.keys 4

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Veteran’s Program Announcing Our New

for

Franchise Ownership!

EDITOR IN CHIEF : Ben Martin • camads@coastalanglermagazine.com COO : Tracy Patterson • tracy@coastalanglermagazine.com ART DIRECTOR : Rebecca Snowden • graphics@coastalanglermagazine.com EDITORIAL COORDINATOR : Nick Carter • editorial@coastalanglermagazine.com WEBMASTER : Nick Barna • webmaster@coastalanglermagazine.comw ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: Corporate Headquarters info@coastalanglermagazine.com • 888-800-9794

FRANCHISE DIRECTORY FLORIDA BIG BEND : Mike McNamara • (850) 510-7919 • captmike@coastalanglermagazine.com BREVARD : Chris Milner • (321) 631-1001 • cmilner@coastalanglermagazine.com DAYTONA/NEW SMYRNA/DELAND : Amy Chibbaro • (386) 478-3812 • achibbaro@coastalanglermagazine.com

Chris Chibbaro • (386) 478-9234 • cchibbaro@coastalanglermagazine.com

FLORIDA KEYS : Cliff Lumpkin • (305) 849-9093 • cliff@coastalanglermagazine.com FORT LAUDERDALE : Gene Dyer • (954) 680-3900 • gene@coastalanglermagazine.com FORT MYERS : Nadeen Welch • (239) 595-8265 • nwelch@coastalanglermagazine.com GREATER ORLANDO : Phillip & Giselle Wolf • (407) 790-9515 • phillip@coastalanglermagazine.com GREATER MIAMI : Gene Dyer • (954) 680-3900 • gene@coastalanglermagazine.com

If you’re a veteran, love the outdoors and have been looking for a way to own your own business, we believe we have the perfect fit for your next professional endeavor. We have franchise locations available thoughout the continental U.S. and Hawaii.

LAKELAND & SUMTER : Mary Brasher • (352) 598-4219 • maryf@coastalanglermagazine.com NAPLES : Nadeen Welch • (239) 595-8265 • nwelch@coastalanglermagazine.com NC FLORIDA/NATURE COAST : Cary & Lynn Crutchfield • (352) 372-4237 • crutch@coastalanglermagazine.com NE FLORIDA : Danny Patrick • (904) 742-4696 • danny@coastalanglermagazine.com PANAMA CITY/DESTIN/FORGOTTEN COAST : Randy Cnota • (229) 834-7880 • randyc@coastalanglermagazine.com PALM BEACH COUNTY : Barbara Ryan • (561) 373-8040 • barbara@coastalanglermagazine.com SARASOTA : Phil Prevoir • (239) 257-4684 • pprevoir@coastalanglermagazine.com TAMPA BAY : Chuck Atkins • (239) 464-5153 • chuck@coastalanglermagazine.com TREASURE COAST : Misti & Gary Guertin • (772) 285-6850 • treasurecoast@coastalanglermagazine.com

Our success with helping veterans to learn to publish their own localized fishing/outdoor magazine leads us to believe that our franchise opportunities are a perfect fit for a wide variety of veteran talents and training.

flahama@coastalanglermagazine.com

SOUTHEAST ATLANTA : Bob & Brenda Rice • (706) 614-8231 • bobr@theanglermagazine.com CHARLESTON : Sam Buckareff • (843) 607-8629 • sam@coastalanglermagazine.com CHARLOTTE/PIEDMONT : Doug Simmons • (704) 361-6189 • simmons@theanglermagazine.com

Juli Simmons • (980) 333-7273 • simmons@theanglermagazine.com

COLUMBIA/MIDLANDS : John Lux • (803) 807-6885 • jlux@theanglermagazine.com MYRTLE BEACH : Mike Masiero • (732) 674-3019 • mmasiero@coastalanglermagazine.com TIDEWATER/OUTER BANKS : Brenda Riggs • (757) 409-7518 • brenda@coastalanglermagazine.com

Now, with our special Veteran’s Program, owning a Coastal Angler or The Angler Magazine franchise has never been easier.

Mike Riggs • (757) 681-5001 • mriggs@coastalanglermagazine.com

WESTERN NC : Debra & Joe Woody • (828) 775-9663 • woody@theanglermagazine.com

NORTHEAST BOSTON : George Regan • (617) 488-2842 • boston@coastalanglermagazine.com LONG ISLAND : Lisa & Michael Danforth • (203) 321-7635 • lisad@coastalanglermagazine.com CONNECTICUT/RHODE ISLAND : Lisa & Michael Danforth • (203) 321-7635

If you love the outdoors and have ever considered owning your own business, you owe it to yourself to check out our Franchise opportunities and our new Veteran’s Program.

lisad@coastalanglermagazine.com

GULF COAST MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST : Adam Nelson • (228) 627-5903 • anelson@coastalanglermagazine.com

Toby Nelson • (228) 623-1761 • tnelson@coastalanglermagazine.com

ALABAMA/PENSACOLA : Paul Caruso • (239) 980-7738 • paul@coastalanglermagazine.com

GREAT LAKES WEST MICHIGAN : Phil Belsito • (616) 957-1714 • phil@theanglermagazine.com

INTERNATIONAL

For more information on our franchise opportunities call

(321)777-2773 or email info@coastalanglermagazine.com

VIRGIN ISLANDS/PUERTO RICO : Ace Bassue • (407) 285-9453 • ace@coastalanglermagazine.com COSTA RICA : Mike Erickson • (561) 262-2242 • mike@coastalanglermagazine.com © 2018. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Disclaimer: Coastal Angler Magazine / The Angler Magazine will not be held liable for injuries incurred while partaking in activities described herein, or for claims made against products or services provided by advertisers.

Cover photos courtesy of (clockwise from top left) Dan Bailey, Mikey Erickson, Phil Wolf, Rosemary White, Nick Carter and Victoria Watts.

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

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AUTUMN SALES EVENT JUST IN TIME FOR THE FALL BOAT SHOW SEASON Your Suzuki Marine Dealer has exceptional deals in store for you when you purchase a new Suzuki outboard from 25 to 350 horsepower this fall. Get Suzuki’s 3-Year Limited Warranty plus 3 years of Extended Protection at no extra charge.There are Instant Savings on select models, and Low-Rate Financing is also available.

SIX YEARS OF PROTECTION 3 Years Limited Warranty + 3 Years Extended Protection

Six Years of Protection at no extra charge on all new outboards 25 to 350 HP.

INSTANT SAVINGS Instant Savings of up to $800 on select models. See your dealer for details.

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If you’re in the market to buy, we have the deals! See your participating Suzuki Marine dealer today for all the details or visit www.suzukimarine.com.

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Gimme Six Extended Protection promo is applicable to new Suzuki Outboard Motors from 25 to 350 HP in inventory which are sold and delivered to buyer between 10/01/18 and 12/31/18 in accordance with the promotion by a Participating Authorized Suzuki Marine dealer in the continental US and Alaska to a purchasing customer who resides in the continental US or Alaska. Customer should expect to receive an acknowledgement letter and full copy of contract including terms, conditions and wallet card from Suzuki Extended Protection within 90 days of purchase. If an acknowledgement letter is not received in time period stated, contact Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. – Marine Marketing via email: marinepromo@suz.com. The Gimme Six Promotion is available for pleasure use only, and is not redeemable for cash. Instant Savings apply to qualifying purchases of select Suzuki Outboard Motors made between 10/01/18 and 12/31/18. For list of designated models, see participating Dealer or visit www.suzukimarine.com. Instant Savings must be applied against the agreed-upon selling price of the outboard motor and reflected in the bill of sale. (Suzuki will, in turn, credit Dealer’s parts account.)

There are no model substitutions, benefit substitutions, rain checks, or extensions. Suzuki reserves the right to change or cancel these promotions at any time without notice or obligation. * Financing offers available through Synchrony Retail Finance. As low as 5.99% APR financing for 60 months on new and unregistered Suzuki Outboard Motors. Subject to credit approval. Not all buyers will qualify.

Approval, and any rates and terms provided, are based on credit worthiness. $19.99/month per $1,000 financed for 60 months is based on 5.99% APR. Hypothetical figures used in calculation; your actual monthly payment may differ based on financing terms, credit tier qualification, accessories or other factors such as down payment and fees. Offer effective on new, unregistered Suzuki Outboard Motors purchased from a participating authorized Suzuki dealer between 10/01/18 and 12/31/18. “Gimme Six”, the Suzuki “S” and model names are Suzuki trademarks or ®. Don’t drink and drive. Always wear a USCG-approved life jacket and read your owner’s manual. © 2018 Suzuki Motor of America, Inc.

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Travel Destinations Mexico

Mexico Ecuador Trout

Photo by Justin Uga

DESTINATION: El Salto, Mexico FISH: Largemouth Bass PEAK SEASON: September-July THE FISHING: There might be a few lakes out there that produce larger largemouths on occasion, but none are as consistent as Lake El Salto at producing huge catches of quality sized bass with the ever-present potential to catch a true giant.

For more than 30 years, El Salto has been one of the world’s best bass fisheries, and it remains right at the top of the bucket list for travelling bass anglers. It is a place where 100-fish days are normal, the average fish weighs 4 to 5 pounds, and 7- to 10-pound fish are a regular occurrence. The best day on El Salto? Well, the lake record bass weighed 18 pounds, 6 ounces. The record for most bass caught in a day stands at 607 fish.

El Salto is a 25,000-acre impoundment of the Elota River. It sits in the foothills of the Sierra Madre Mountains in the Mexican state of Sinaloa. A yearround growing season and the introduction of Florida strain largemouth bass in the 1980s helped build this big-bass factory. Abundant tilapia as a forage species as well as varied habitat and lots of sunken timber maintain it.

If all this doesn’t pique your interest, it’s worth mentioning that many of the biggest fish caught each year from El Salto are victims of topwater tactics.

INFORMATION: www.anglersinn.com

Mongolia

DESTINATION: Khentii Aimag and Khovsgol Aimag, Mongolia FISH: Siberian Taimen PEAK SEASON: June 15-October THE FISHING: Imagine fly fishing a river for trout that can weigh 20 pounds

or more. Now imagine these giant trout surface feed on ducks and rodents instead of insects. Sounds like a fairytale, right?

Well it’s not. Fish like this actually exist, but the behaviors of Mongolia’s Siberian taimen are more aptly described as the stuff of nightmares than fairytales. The taimen is the largest, most ferocious salmonid in the world. Tactics for catching them include chugging giant topwater poppers on 9-weight fly rods, and the violence exhibited on a taimen’s take can only be matched by the ensuing fight.

Anglers can expect to tangle with good numbers of taimen in the 6- to 15-pound range on a week-long camp-and-float through gorgeous Mongolian canyons. A trophy longer than 40 inches and weighing 25 pounds or more is a definite possibility.

But the fishing is only part of what makes a Mongolia so special. The warmth of Mongolian hospitality, the skill of its guides and the beauty of its scenery make for an unforgettable expedition. Taimen fisheries in Mongolia are catch-and-release, fly fishing only with a single barbless hook.

DESTINATION: San Cristobal, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador FISH: Striped Marlin, Blue Marlin, Black Marlin, Wahoo, Yellowfin Tuna PEAK SEASON: January-April THE FISHING: Everyone has heard of the tortoises, diving iguanas and other strange wildlife that made the Galapagos Islands famous. The incredible bluewater fishing is not as well publicized.

Deep sea currents carry warm waters and plentiful baitfish past this underwater mountain range about 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador. Blue, black and striped marlin congregate to feed around banks that rise to 300 and 600 feet from more than 2,000 feet of water. It’s some of the best fishing in the Pacific, and it’s only about an hour’s run from the docks at San Cristobal.

The striped marlin bite might be the best in the world, with fast action for fish that average 200 pounds and get up into the 350-pound range. Blacks and blues are less frequently encountered than striped marlin, but they are plentiful and big. Fish from 500 to 800 pounds are the norm.

Topwater popper fishing for yellowfin tuna is off the chain for fish up to 150 pounds. Big dorado, African pompano and Almaco jacks are bonus fish.

And the wahoo fishing is good, as well.

INFORMATION: sportfishgalapagos.com

Florida Keys

DESTINATION: Florida Keys, U.S.A. FISH: Tarpon PEAK SEASON: April-June THE FISHING: Although the Florida Keys aren’t as remote as many of the marquee fishing destinations this planet offers, the fishing is second to none. On the southern edge of the continent, where the Gulf Stream carries fecund waters from the Gulf of Mexico through the Florida Straits to the Atlantic, this chain of islands is perfectly situated to create one of the most productive marine environments in the world.

Big-game sportfishing and backcountry fly fishing arose from the outstanding and diverse fisheries of The Keys. Year-round, there is excellent fishing inshore, nearshore and offshore. One of the most iconic of these fisheries is for big flats tarpon.

There are always tarpon present in the Florida Keys, and nowhere else in the world do they run so thick through clear, shallow waters during their migrations. In ultra-clear water, sight fishing for these beasts from a flats skiff has to be the ultimate shallow-water experience. The size and raw power of tarpon are unmatched among flats species. The aerial displays of fish heavier than 100 pounds are part of what makes fishing in The Keys legendary.

INFORMATION: fla-keys.com

INFORMATION: www.fishmongolia.com; 8 NATIONAL I NOVEMBER 2018www.mongoliarivers.com I COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

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s Hawaii

Franklin County, Florida DESTINATION: Franklin County, Fla. FISH: Tarpon, Redfish, King Mackerel, Wahoo, Jack Crevalle, Amberjack, Gag Grouper, Pompano PEAK SEASON: June-December THE FISHING: Take a step back in time to experience Florida’s Forgotten Coast. Every cast could produce something different in one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world. Last month, Hurricane Michael lashed out on this beautiful slice of the Panhandle, but the fisheries should bounce back as strong as ever.

You’ll find offshore species like wahoo, grouper and sailfish, as well as inshore species like pompano, redfish, tarpon, jack crevalle and speckled trout.

In early spring, look for cobia and Spanish mackerel nearshore, while inshore you’ll find trout and redfish crushing topwaters. In summer, the king mackerel bite can be non-stop and tarpon are big and plentiful. Several species of snapper and grouper are always on the menu while offshore, blackfin tuna, wahoo, sailfish and more can be had. As we get into fall, big jacks will be tearing up tackle and the delicious flounder will be found as they spawn.

False albacore or bonito can warm up a cool day in the blue water, also.

From the mouth of the Apalachicola River to Carrabelle, you’ll find some of the hottest action anywhere! Redfish, trout and flounder abound, and you can cast for freshwater species like bass and stripers the same day.

INFORMATION: www.floridasforgottencoast.com

Santee Cooper, South Carolina

Russia

Pike Mongolia

DESTINATION: Kona Coast, Big Island, Hawaii FISH: Pacific Blue Marlin PEAK SEASON: April-September THE FISHING: If a giant marlin is on your bucket list, there may be no better place in the world to check it off than on the Kona Coast of Hawaii’s Big Island.

On the southeastern end of a 1,500-mile archipelago in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, massive shield volcanoes protect the leeward side of the Big Island from wind and rain, resulting in nearly perpetual calm seas off the Kona Coast. Three miles from land, the bottom drops into 6,000-foot depths while winds and topography create miles-wide cyclonic eddies that funnel nutrient-rich water up into the warm surface layers. These localized patches of biologically productive water attract big pelagics.

Within sight of land, there is the opportunity to catch six species of billfish, six species of tuna, ono (wahoo) and mahi-mahi, among others. The main drawing card is blue marlin… big ones. Kona lays claim to more than 80 blues heavier than 1,000 pounds over the years, and that doesn’t include all the granders that were released. More than half of all the granders ever recorded from the Hawaiian Islands were caught off the Kona Coast.

INFORMATION: www.gohawaii.com

Photo Courtesy of James Bradley

DESTINATION: Kamchatka, Russia FISH: Rainbow Trout PEAK SEASON: July-September THE FISHING: Some scientists believe the Kamchatka Peninsula is where rainbow trout originated in a web of cold-water rivers on Russia’s eastern coast.

With very few roads and little human population to speak of, this roughly 100,000-square-mile slice of land across the Bering Sea from Alaska is as remote as it gets. In fact, the only feasible way to access its hundreds of miles of trout water is by helicopter.

Kamchatka is a place that makes even the Alaskan tundra seem overpopulated with humans. It offers a wilderness experience unlike any other, and the fishing isn’t too shabby, either. Trout that eat dry flies, streamers and deer-hair mice skated across the surface average 20 to 22 inches. Each short season, anglers catch 30-inchers that are aggressive and as hot as they come.

And while the rainbows are the headliners, there are also several species of Pacific salmon that make annual runs into the peninsula. Huge kundzha, a close relative of Dolly Varden, weigh into the teens. And trophy grayling round out a diverse fishery that’s one of the most unspoiled on the planet.

INFORMATION: www.thebestofkamchatka.com

DESTINATION: Santee Cooper Lakes, South Carolina FISH: Striped Bass, Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Shellcracker PEAK SEASON: Year-round THE FISHING: For a world-class freshwater fishery, the Santee Cooper lakes in South Carolina are as accessible as it gets. Interstate I-95 crosses Lake Marion and I-26 flanks the twin-lake system to the south. The lakes are connected by a 7-mile-long diversion canal, which provides another unique fishery.

Lake Marion’s 102,400 acres of water are a timber-studded, aquatic vegetation-laden fish factory, while Lake Moultrie’s 59,900 acres have an incredible diversity of underwater cover and structure. This twin-lake system provides unmatched freshwater diversity.

Marauding striped bass provide surface-schooling triple-digit catches per boat in peak season. The state record blue catfish was taken in 2017 and topped 113-pounds. Catfish in the 50- to 70-pound class are reasonable targets, and the big-fish population is on an upsurge. The system currently holds the world record channel catfish at 58-pounds.

Need more? Crappies are abundant and commonly exceed 2 pounds, with 3-pound-plus fish distinctly possible. The system holds state records for black crappie at 5-pounds, largemouth bass topping 16-pounds and the former world record shellcracker that tipped the scales to 5 pounds, 7 1/2 ounces.

Santee Cooper is the living legend of freshwater fishing.

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM I NOVEMBER 2018 I NATIONAL 9 INFORMATION: www.santeecoopercountry.org

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By Mike Erickson

F

ifteen years ago, a friend and I flew into San Jose and took a small plane to Quepos, Costa Rica, where we fished offshore on a 42 express boat called Fishing Frenzy. It was my first fishing trip to Costa Rica, and I didn’t know it at the time, but the over-the-top offshore experience was typical for this tropical Central American paradise. It consisted of plenty of tuna, sailfish and dorado, and the never-ending chase for marlin.

The trip had such an impact that it became an annual event. Then, four years ago everything changed. I started some business dealings in Costa Rica, which allowed me to begin splitting time between Costa Rica and my native south Florida. It has been the adventure of a lifetime.

I’m not sure I can say what specifically drew me to Costa Rica. I think it’s a little bit of everything. The people, the adventure, the fishing and the beautiful scenery are all truly amazing. The people are always happy and definitely live the national slogan “Pura Vida,” which translates to “The Pure Life.”

The diversity and magnificence of the scenery is over the top. Delivering Coastal Angler Magazine throughout the country has exposed me to different and varying locations. Within a four hour drive I can be exposed to the volcanos and hot springs of Arenal, the gorgeous beaches and surfing of Guanacaste, the beautiful and exotic jungles of Golfito and the Osa Peninsula, the quiet beauty and fishing of the Nicoya Peninsula, the world class surfing and fishing of Herradura, Hermosa and Quepos, and even the cooler climates and cultural centers of the Central Valley.

The tourism of Costa Rica is truly an adventure. From ziplining through a jungle canopy to four wheeling up a mountain, from white water rafting to rappelling down a waterfall, and even seeing sloths and monkeys in their natural habitats, the adventures are endless.

Adventure definitely exists in the fishing of Costa Rica. In 2017 the Herradura Quepos fishery was named the No. 1 billfishing area in the world by the Billfish Report. Offshore fishing easily offers the complete line up of pelagic fish and often includes double-digit catches. This is one of the few countries where catching an offshore billfish grand slam can be accomplished in one day.

Last month, Coastal Angler Editor-in-Chief Ben Martin came down and we managed to squeeze in one day of fishing on my 32 Luhrs, Dream II out of Los Suenos. Where else in the world can you catch two blue marlin, two sailfish, and 15 dorado in a day of fishing?

The inshore fishing for roosterfish, cubera snapper, snook and even tarpon is also world class. The freshwater fishing offers everything from rainbow bass (guapote) to machaca, and trout to largemouth bass.

I have been to many places in the world, and Costa Rica stands out as one of my favorite bucket list destinations.

Mike Erickson is co-publisher of Coastal Angler Magazine Costa Rica.

For more on fishing in Costa Rica, go to

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Destination Fishing!

By Tom Schlichter

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t’s 2 p.m. on a bright, sunny day and I’m pitching pilchards in the shadow of a small bridge not 50 yards from a marina. As my bait turns and swims momentarily into the sunlight, a sudden swirl connects me to a solid slot-sized snook.

My line has been in the water for less than a minute.

“It can happen fast,” chuckled Capt. George Gozdz, who in 2019 is scheduled to host a new fishing show on The Sportsman Channel called Unfathomed. “There’s quality snook under almost any significant structure around here.”

“Around here” would be the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) and St. Lucie River system, an estuarine wonderland on Florida’s southeast coast that stretches 155 miles and dishes up everything from monster snook, gator trout and delicious pompano to king-sized tarpon, jacks and a variety of grouper. The city of Stuart sits dead-center in this expansive maze of fishing heaven, and makes the perfect launch point Capt. George Gozdz shows off a monfor learning these waters. ster St. Lucie River snook. Look for “The diversity in this area is 8- to 10-foot depths with good current something special,” explained Gonear structure to find the big ones, he zdz, “Two systems converge here, said. Photo courtesy of George Gozdz. the St. Lucie River and Indian River, and St. Lucie Inlet provides access for ocean pelagics like sailfish. Inshore, snook is the most popular target on a year-round basis. From December through March, you’ll find the best action up inside the St. Lucie River because the water is warmest there.

The stretch from Rt. A1A (aka: 10 Cent Bridge) west into the north or south fork of the St. Lucie River is the prime winter snook area. I throw Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnows and Hydro Poppers in low light conditions and pitch pilchards once the sun gets up in the sky.”

Generally speaking, tidal stage doesn’t matter much for these snook, as long as the water is moving. Look for heavy structure near 10-foot depths with good flow and you’ll eventually connect. “Keep in mind this isn’t finesse fishing,” advised Gozdz. “There’s no way to haul a big snook— they can top 40 inches in length—out of heavy structure with light lines.

I use 80-lb. test Yo-Zuri Super Braid with an 80- to 100-lb. test Top Knot fluorocarbon leader.”

If you are looking to stay overnight in Stuart, Pirate’s Cove Resort and Marina (www.piratescoveresort.com; 772-287-2500) is a great choice with affordable rooms, wet slips and free launching around the corner at the Sandsprit Park. To fish with Gozdz, email: ggozdz@bellsouth.net.

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

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Capt. Alex, of the Harvester, ran more than 200 charter trips during the last year, so it’d be understandable if he wanted to take some time to recuperate. But Alex is a pure fisherman, so instead of kicking back he loaded up for a trip to Puerto Calero off the coast of Morocco. There he served on the crew of the Lydia and topped the scoreboard with the first marlin release of a tournament. This was a great experience for Capt. Alex to fish on a different boat in a different ocean. It was also great to see our local hero make big waves on the big stage!

Back in Costa Rica, Capt. William, of the Wanderer, and Capt. Francisco, of the Explorer, oversaw maintenance of the boats. Keeping a fleet of sportfishing boats running in such a remote environment requires patience and ingenuity, but these legendary captains have both traits in excess.

In mid-October, the Nosara area was inundated with historic flooding. The Rio Nosara swelled to 30 feet above its usual level and left many residents stranded. The FishingNosara team sprang into action and used the 23-foot Adventurer to save multiple neighbors from the floods.

Videos of this “Tico Navy” in action quickly went viral (check the FishingNosara Facebook and Instagram feed to see for yourself). All credit is due to the crews and staff for their bravery and selflessness.

All in all, it’s been an interesting off-season.

We can’t wait to get the boats wet in November for another great season of the best sportfishing in Costa Rica!

D

uring the off-season in northern Costa Rica, the FishingNosara team spent the last two months gearing up for the new season. Their five boats were completely disassembled, sanded, repainted and reassembled.

After another 800-plus-trip season, the crews earned some much needed R&R. The problem is these guys have a love of fishing so deep in their bones that they will not be kept away from the water.

Capt. Carlos, of the Discoverer, finished his maintenance early so he could run trips in September and October, which is almost unheard of in Costa Rica. He got out to the blue water, nabbed an awesome blue marlin release and backed it up with big dorados and big numbers of yellowfin tuna.

FishingNosara ran a few dozen trips during the so-called offseason and saw the fishery has reset itself into the winter patterns, which bring more dorado and fewer yellowfins. There are a lot of sailfish and marlin feeding on the mahi-mahi.

This pattern typically lasts into late March when the big schools of yellowfin tuna move in from the north. The El Nino blew through two years ago and disrupted this pattern, but we anticipate things will return to normal this season and for the next few years.

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W

elcome to the sixth issue of Costa Rica’s only magazine dedicated exclusively to the country’s fishing and watersports tourism industry. This is also our one-year anniversary of publishing the magazine in Costa Rica. What an adventure its been. You will want to check out my Costa Rica adventure article in this issue of the National Section.

November and December in Costa Rica brings us out of the “green season” (better described as the rainy season.) This time of year, known as High Season, brings the best weather, with plenty of calm seas to enjoy all kinds of water activities. It’s the time of year when the tourist numbers grow exponentially in Costa Rica, along with the number of fish in the waters off Costa Rica. With a weaker El Nino arriving, the November December bite should be even better than last year.

This issue is filled with great information about fishing in Costa Rica. It’s also the bucket list and destinations issue with lots of exotic destinations and fishing experiences. The magazine’s format consists of a United States National section on the outside pages, with a robust thirty-six-page Costa Rica Section in the center.

Every two months look for our new issue as we bring the world class Costa Rican Fisheries to the forefront of tourism.

As we continue to grow the magazine, we continue to add more editorial sections. I would like to welcome Sean Hascup to our family of writers with his new series on free diving. With our amazing waters in Costa Rica, the country has some of the best free diving experiences found throughout the world.

Coastal Angler magazine Costa Rica has coverage of all the fishing tournaments in Costa Rica, and you won’t want to miss the information on Samantha Johns first Women’s Only Pescadora Fishing Tournament taking place at Marina Pez Vela in February.

Don’t miss the Bragboard catch pictures either. Get involved with our bragboard where you have the opportunity to show off your catch in print with all the bragging rights that come with it. Send your photos to mikey@coastalanglermagazine.com to get your catch in future issues. You can also see the digital version of the magazine at www.coastalanglermag.com/costa-rica.

If you’re interested in fishing while you’re in Costa Rica the regional directories are filled with the best of the best charter operations for each area, and the contact information will put you directly in touch with the operators. Tournament calendars, tournament results, fishing club news, along with bait and tackle shops, marine service providers, resort destinations and much more can be found throughout these pages.

I hope you enjoy the read.

Tight Lines and Good Times Fishing Costa Rica!

Mike Erickson Publisher

Contact Us Mike Erickson • Publisher

Mike@CoastalAnglerMagazine.com Costa Rica Office 506.4700.6622 Costa Rica Cell 506.8444.8792 Costa Rica Office (US) 561.427.2137 US Cell 561.262.2242

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D R A O B G A R B Johnny on “Hadadream” with a monster dorado out of la Marina Pez Ve s po ue Q in

Charlie Ch avarria w n the Fly’ aboard G ith his first OOD DAY out of Q

‘Sailfish o

uepos

500lb Bahia Rica Adv marlin caught on entures in Nic oya Peninsula

Jorge Quesada’s first blue marlin aboard Tres Niñas Dream II out of Los Suenos Marina

MAHI GANG

ilchrist in a for Scott G Wicked tun ard GOOD DAY! Quepos abo

on Tres Niñas Dream II out of Los Suen

os Marina

ing up a !” Work g in Quepos r e n in d r hin ’t wait fo Spor t Fis “We can r with Jackpot e ung werful h

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I NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2018 I COSTA RICA Send us your catch photos:COASTALANGLERMAG.COM mikey@coastalanglermagazine.com

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Approximately 17,086,800 Women Went Fishing In 2017!

Pescadora Billfish Championship February 21st – 23rd 2019

Q

uepos, Costa Rica: “Some Women Fear The Fire, Others Simply Become It” is the tag line that the Pescadora Billfish Championship used on their billboard announcement in Costa Rica’s, Marina Pez Vela.

This tournament is bringing experienced and non-experienced female anglers, of all nationalities, together to compete for the title of the World’s Top Lady Anglers!

Two top lady angler awards will be presented… one to the female who reels in the most fish (hook & hand), and the other to the female that hooks and reels in her own fish (per IGFA rules) along with overall team awards. “There is no other billfishing tournament in the world with this new competitive ground-breaking format, it gives every skill level the ability to be competitive!” says Samantha Mumford, Tournament Director. “Pescadora means “Lady Angler” in Spanish, so it’s a perfect fit.”

The Pescadora Billfish Championship has also teamed up with the Gray FishTag Research Program and is excited to announce the Pescadora Tagging Program. A recent study done by the Outdoor Foundation found that women accounted for 34.8% of the 49.1 million Americans that went fishing in 2017.

“Women from around the world have played significant roles in conservation, but few are aware of the tagging aspect of fishing and how much fun it can be” says Samantha Mumford “this program is a great way to educate and promote the tagging of fish which helps produce data that is desperately needed in the scientific community. We need to guarantee that our future generations can experience the love of fishing as we do now.” What will you name your tagged fish?

Organizer of the tournament The tournament will be held in Quepos, Costa Rica at Marina Pez Samantha Mumford and friends Vela on February 21st-23rd, 2019.

Join them for a fun, champagne filled weekend… catered to women, by women. Come be The Pescadora!!

A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Seeds of Hope. This organization works in Costa Rica on the national and local level to combat sexual exploitation, drugs, violence and trafficking of minors. www.SeedsOfHope.com For more information and registration visit the tournament website: www.ThePescadora.com Entries are limited, so don’t delay! For more information: #ThePescadora • info@thepescadora.com • (772) 266-0063

THE MOST UNIQUE LADIES BILLFISHING EVENT IN THE WORLD

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FREEDIVING • SPEARFISHING 101

By Sean Hascup

Spearfishing & Travel Guide at Hascup Hunts International

P

lease take a seat if you haven’t already. I’m going to prepare you for a Freedive.

I want you to concentrate on your heart rate, listening carefully to your breathing (you want to hear it) and get your breathing cycles in sync.

Start with slow inhales, even slower concentrated exhales.

Try filling your belly with your inhales, not your chest, keeping your shoulders low. Relax your your neck, your legs, your arms, your back and the rest of your body.

Once your breathing feels relaxed and in sync close your eyes and focus on your breathing.

Do four breathing cycles as explained above before slowly opening your eyes.

Close Your Eyes: Once you have opened your eyes keep up the relaxed breathing, it should be easier and easier to have your cycles in sync.

Now I’m going to show you a simple cycle for a longer breath hold. See if you can hold your breath for the rest of the article after you combine what you have focused on from above with the next breathing cycle below, it should feel more natural to you by now.

Are You Ready???

(If your not feeling comfortable don’t worry that is normal. See how long you can last, but don’t push it, if at anytime you start feel uncomfortable or are just ready to breath do it! This is all about fun!

So You Want To Be A Freediver?

Follow This Simple Cycle: Inhale...Slow Exhale...

Inhale...Slow Exhale...

Inhale..Slight Hold...

Exhale...Inhale.....

Hold....Read!

Slowly roll and break below the oceans surface, with wide leg kicks bringing you down in a perfect line to the sea floor. As you descend, the slower and less powerfully you need to kick, you can feel your body compress as the ocean hugs you in her arms. You gently land on the bottom concealing yourself behind a sea fan. Your wetsuit acts as camouflage blending you in with the surrounding.

Grabbing onto rocks you slowly pull yourself across the bottom, next to colorful corals teeming with life.

As you approach the ledge you spot a sleeping sea turtle on the edge of the reef, it’s arms folded in and its eyes resting. When you get closer, you see how detailed and almost like a painting it’s ornate armored shell is. You gracefully lay in the sand a few feet from your new friend.

As you stare in awe at its beauty it begins to feel your presence.

Opening its eyes slowly, it looks you right in the soul and gives a slight roll, as to say “good morning pal, what the heck are you doing here”. Then it takes its time to slip away from the reef across white sands as it carves effortlessly into the never ending sea.

You realize the moment is fading and you must return to the surface. You too slowly slip away from the reef losing sight of the smaller fish as you ascend. You can feel the warmth of the day light on your shoulders and the release of pressure on your body as you reach the surface.

Inhale...Slight Hold...

Exhale...Inhale..

Slight Hold...Exhale...

Inhale...Relax High Five’s to your Freedive buddy who was close by watching your whole dive and saw your experience. What an epic experience to share with your friends! And that was only the first dive of the day!!

Now it is your turn to keep an eye on your buddy for their turn to take a drop into this incredible world, while you catch your breath.

Always Freedive with a buddy and always watch each other’s back!

For More: Experiences, Adventures, Gear Selection, Safety, Travel Insight, Freedive & Spearfishing Instruction, International & Local Spearfishing Trips, Pro Tips and So Much More Stick Around! I can’t wait to show what I have in store for y’all! And to bring more light into this beautiful sport!

I look forward to guiding you to your freedive and or spearfishing dreams!!

For more info visit Hascup Hunts International at SpearfishingGuides.com or email HascupHunts@Gmail.com

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On The Water with FECOP

By Todd Staley

Illegal Fishing Campaign to Begin

F

ECOP staff recently met with longliners in Puntarenas and Quepos to discuss the state of Costa Rica’s ocean and talked about “greenstick” fishing. Greenstick is a method of trolling for tuna with almost zero bycatch of other species. Fecop completed the technical studies required

by INCOPESCA, the governing body of Costa Rica fisheries to license greenstick fishing this year. Tuna is the most valuable of fish taken by the commercial flight.

What we heard was the same story at both meetings. There is still not enough tuna available for the commercial fleet to switch gear to greenstick to be profitable. They also stress that illegal and overfishing by the foreign tuna sein net fleet is taking fish that could be available to Costa Rican fleets. It is reported that upwards towards 25% tuna taken by sein boats is unreported or taken by boats not licensed to fish in Costa Rica with no benefit to the country.

We have all seen the change in the first 45 miles off the coast when sein boats were banned from fishing in 2014. The tuna catch by sport fishing boats has improved many times over. Marlin, a bycatch in tuna nets has also improved greatly for the sport fishing fleet in the coastal waters.

You will soon be hearing more about this campaign and the unbalance of the tuna stock. Both sport fishing and commercial fisherman as well as other NGO’s are expected to participate.

Satellite Tagging

D

r. Larry Crowder was down recently and interviewed captains from the southern zone, Marina Pez Vela, and Los Suenos, who will assist him in placing 50 satellite tags in billfish in Costa Rican waters. The plan now is to place 25 on marlin and 25 on sailfish. Some marlin will be tagged on FADs and others on open water.

When the data is later collected it will be analyzed with data from weather and oceanic conditions to determine a pattern when the fish are in different areas.

Similar studies changed the way swordfish are managed off the coast of California.

As Dr.Crowder explained, sometimes a fixed protected area doesn’t work because the fish are moving. In California they have a moving no take zone which actually offers more fishing area with less bycatch. Tagging will start in January.

Tarpon Study Washed Out Again?

W

e will see what the last tropical depression that recently dumped rain across the country for three days will do to finding specimens for the Pacific tarpon study. Tarpon has set up an increasing population on the Pacific coastline. It is believed they originally made their way through the Panama Canal and set up shop in Pacific waters. October through December usually holds fish in the rivers that run to the coast.

FECOP will send an exploratory crew out to see if they can find numbers needed for the study. Last year the study was delayed because torrential rainfall washed out the rivers. Biologist Didiher Chacon will head up the study. Having

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lots of tarpon sounds like a great thing for the Pacific side but it is yet to be seen what effect they will have on river ecosystems.

Social Economic Study Complete

F

ECOP’s project manager Henry Marin has completed his study on how the sport fishing industry has affected the quality of life in 8 coastal communities. One of the main things it showed is where there was improvement in the infrastructure of an area, the quality of life for Captains and Mates improved greatly. Marin is available to do a presentation of this study for interested groups in the sport fishing and tourist communities as well as government entities. He can be reached at hmarin@fecop.org

Join FECOPS’s Friends of Conservation

I

f you haven’t been to Fecop’s website in a while drop by take a new look and upload your business logo to let people know you support sport fishing and proper management of our oceans. There is no cost and it is easy do. Click under membership and we will link to your site. www.fishcostarica.org. The site will soon be mirrored in Spanish at www.fecop.org.

A Pacific tarpon taken recently by Capt. Luis Kraemer off of Pavones in the Golfo Dulce. Photo courtesy Luis Kraemer

Todd Staley has managed sportfishing operations in Costa Rica for 25 years.

He has been involved with FECOP since its inception and is former President of the group and was co-recipient of IGFA’s Chester H. Wolfe award in 2015 for his conservation efforts in Costa Rica. He is currently Fishing Columnist for the Tico Times and works full-time with FECOP as Director of Communications. Contact Todd at todd@fecop.org

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PAPAGAYO REPORT

By Rick Graham • Dream On Sportfishing

Greetings anglers!

The local Green-Season fishery has been great for 2018, the best I’ve experienced November and December get drier and hotter and mark a change in the local catch for our tourism high season.

In November and December we see a bit of a slow-down in sailfish, wahoo and dorado beginning in December as they migrate. During this time we have strong catches in the snapper, roosterfish and the other Pelagic species fishery.

Blue marlin have been plentiful up to this point of the year and we have also seen some blacks and striped. This should remain steady through November and December before they too migrate away for a few months.

There’s about a 70% chance of El Nino this year. The impacts may be significant at regional levels. El Nino tends to lead to excessive rainfall on Costa Rica’s Caribbean Coast while where we are on the Northern Pacific Coast remains hot and dry. With increased water temperature we will likely have to head out a little deeper for the billfish.

Also looking towards November/December 2018, we should see the roosterfish pick up from their usual October lull. 2018 has been an awesome rooster-fishery with plenty being caught over 75 pounds!

These are usually the final months of our local yellowfin tuna fishery as well but November has produced some of the biggest yellowfin in past years. And, last year we never did see a slow down of the yellowfin fishery. We’ve had some big days for tuna this year and boated several in the 65 pound to 90 pound range.

At Dream On Sport Fishing we’re pleased to announce the addition of another 35’ Cabo Express. We have made her our lead vessel and have flagged her “Dream On”. Our Blackfin is being re-flagged “Loretta” and is undergoing some reconditioning in preparation for the high season. Should be a great year.

This year Dream On competed in the Presidential Challenge Flamingo

Fishing Rodeo. I caught the tournament’s Heaviest Dorado but the big cheers go to Merin Pardoe. She cleaned up and you should have seen the looks on some of the fellas faces! She won “Top Lady Angler”, “Top Offshore Angler” and “Top Angler Overall”!

Way to go Merin! On day 2 Merin caught 7 sailfish and 2 qualifying dorado having the biggest day of the tournament. Huge congratulation to my entire team . . . Capt.

Angel Garcia, 1st Mate (Super) Mario Marin, Top Angler Merin Pardoe, Adam Bennett and Ari Salas Bennett. #DreamTeam You can stay on top of what’s happening in the Northern Pacific region by following our Dream On Fan Page on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/ DreamOnSportFishing ) You’ll see tons of cool pictures posted by us and our guests as well.

Until next time Anglers, Tight Lines & Pura Vida!

Rick Graham represents Dream On Sport Fishing in Playas del Coco. After a lifetime of fishing as a hobbyist Rick decided one day to live his dream.

He sold everything, quit his job and bought a sport fishing business in Costa Rica. Rick has a full time crew with a combined 60+ years experience fishing these local waters. He also represents several other top notch local operators through his website www.

DreamOnSportFishing.com. Dream On ranks #1 in area boats by TripAdvisor and Rick personally responds to every inquiry received. Contact Rick at dreamonsportfishing@gmail.com

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FLAMINGO REPORT

By Captain Skeet Warren • “Bushwacker Sportfishing”

N

ovember and December should be the start of some good marlin fishing in the northwestern part of Costa Rica. November is a great month in the Guanacaste area.

The Papagayo winds are not blowing yet and everything is still green because the rainy season is getting over with. It is a transition month so the fishing can be hit or miss. December starts to settle into the dry season where the winds start blowing a little more and the fishing gets a little more consistent. The best day that I have ever had on blue marlin in Costa Rica was during the month of December.

To avoid the winds we just have to fish a little farther south, where the deep water comes in close to Punta Guiones and the tall mountains block the offshore winds. I always recommend that my clients book their fishing date as early in their vacation as possible so that in the event of high winds, we can push it back in hopes of better weather. I also recommend Transderm Scop patches and have never seen anyone get sick when they were used as instructed.

We should expect to see mostly blue marlin, with some striped marlin, an occasional black marlin and the ever present sailfish. The wahoo bite always picks up in the winter and we have been consistently catching more tuna since the ban on the purse seine boats was implemented.

The mahi have been around for a long time so I would expect that they should be here November-December also. The roosterfish and snapper bite should be steady inshore as well as jack crevalle, rainbow runners, bonitos and houndfish for the kids.

You might want to book a bigger boat this time of year because of the weather but get on Google and do your homework and get out fishing because it should be good.

Captain Skeet Warren owns and operates the Bushwacker, a 42’ Bertram out of Flamingo, Costa Rica. After graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1980 he captained boats, fishing extensively, including Hawaii, the Caribbean, Central and South America, Australia, New Zealand, Madeira and Bermuda. He won the 2013 Top Tagging Captain in the Pacific Ocean for Sailfish. Some other notable catches include 13 blue and black marlin over 1000 lbs., 51 giant bluefin tuna in one day and 53 sailfish in one day. Contact Skeet at captskeet@bushwackercr.com or visit www.bushwackerCR.com

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NICOYA WEST REPORT

By Rick Ruhlow • Kingfisher Sportfishing

NICOYA EAST REPORT

By Thomas Jones • Bahia Rica Fishing & Kayak Lodge

A

L

s of this writing we are well into our Green season( first of October), a time when many of the boats in the country haul out for their annual maintenance and to make any repairs that were not absolutely necessary during the high season.

This is not to say that the fishing is bad, far from it, it’s just rainy. If you don’t mind a little rain you can find some great fishing. The boats in our zone and further north continue to see schools of porpoise, many loaded up with yellowfin tuna. Marlin are being seen regularly, there were even reports of boats seeing marlin in the double digits, although this may have been due to a nice piece of float some found floating offshore. The dorado are everywhere and this will probably continue into the new year. The point is there are still plenty of fish around, but with fewer boats scouting sometimes they are harder to find.

By the time the readers see this we will be at the beginning of our high season, the sails, marlin, tuna and dorado will all be in attendance, the weather turns sunny, the water blue and more boats will be fishing. If some of that beautiful clean water pushes in close to shore, I imagine we will see a few wahoo as well!

ots of rain has turned the water into the color we like bring with it good amounts of bait. Rooster fishing has been on a high with double digit bites on several trips and fish up to 50 lbs.

Apart from this jacks, mackerels, snappers and even the odd yellowfin tuna have been around.

Originally from California, Rick Ruhlow moved to Costa Rica over 33 years ago. While exploring the country he fished Playa Naranjo (gulf of Nicoya), Quepos, Drakes Bay and Flamingo, before discovering Playa Carrillo almost 28 years ago. He was the Fishing Manager/Captain for the newly re-opened Hotel Guanamar for three years, before venturing off on his own.

He has been owner/operator of Kingfisher Sportfishing since 1995. Contact Rick at kingfish@racsa.co.cr

As the rainy season dwindles, bait should stay available and the fishing should pick up an extra notch as well. Roosterfish should be gorging on bait and the dorados are already showing up making it very promising for the rest of the year. Any kind of technique will draw attention if you find the fish. More mackerels, jacks and snapper will also join in on the fun The offshore has been a little slow but we pick up a sail or two on almost every trip. Also the odd marlin is around but expect this action to get red hot as we get into December.

Sailfish normally begin to show in bigger numbers at the end of the year as well.

Paul Morrell of West Bloomfield, Michigan enjoyed a day out in mid-September about 4 miles offshore from Herradura. Fresh bait served up 4 mahi mahi and 2 sailfish released while nearby whales and mating sea turtles were sited. Dinner with fresh mahi mahi was delicious!

Thomas Jones is a marine biologist with an extreme passion for sport fishing. Born in Norway, Thomas have been fishing since the age of 6. His fishing experience encompasses fly fishing, trolling, popping, jigging and bait fishing. Currently Thomas is the owner of Bahia Rica Fishing and Kayak Lodge on the Nicoya Peninsula. Contact Thomas at post@bahiarica.com or visit www.bahiarica.com

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Peninsula and Gulf of Nicoya Fishing Nosara “Explorer”

Fishing Nosara “Wanderer”

(CR) 506-2682-0606 (US) 904-591-2161

(CR) 506-2682-0606 (US) 904-591-2161

craig@fishingnosara.com

craig@fishingnosara.com

www.fishingnosara.com

www.fishingnosara.com

Fishing Nosara “Discoverer”

Fishing Nosara “Harvester”

(CR) 506-2682-0606 (US) 904-591-2161

(CR) 506-2682-0606 (US) 904-591-2161

craig@fishingnosara.com

craig@fishingnosara.com

www.fishingnosara.com

www.fishingnosara.com

Samara Deep Sea Fishing “Ballyhoo”

Pura Pesca Tours “Pura Pesca 1”

(CR) 506 8683-8743

(Cell) 506-8718-2802

samaradeepseafishing@gmail.com

purapescacr@gmail.com

(CR) 506-2289-5257

www.samaradeepseafishing.com

www.purapescacr.com

“Reel Deal”

Peninsula Fishing “Spike”

(CR) 506-8396-9894

cbarrantes1411@hotmail.com

(CR) 506-8437-0744

peninsulafishingtours@gmail.com

www.reeldealcostaricasportfishing.com

www.facebook.com/peninsulafishing

Kingfisher Sportfishing

Costa Rica Reef Adventures

“Kingfisher”

“Cowboy 38”

506- 8358-9561

(CR) 506-8575-4112 (US) 540-908-3237

kingfish@racsa.co.cr

info@costaricareefadventures.com

www.costaricabillfishing.com

www.costaricareefadventures.com

Bahia Rica Fishing Lodge

Bahia Rica Fishing Lodge

“El Mono Congo”

“The Conquistador”

(CR) 506-2641-0811

(CR) 506-2641-0811

post@bahiarica.com

post@bahiarica.com

www.bahiarica.com

www.bahiarica.com

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www.crprimo.com

100 mts. before Los Suenos Herradura, Costa Rica (506) 2637-6111 www.crprimo.com

mts. north Hotel Kamuk 5050 mts. north ofof del Hotel Kamuk Quepos, Costa Rica (506) 2777-1110 www.facebook.com/quepostackle

Marina Village Golfito, Costa Rica (506) 2775-0800 www.golfitobaitandtackle.com

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Marine Services Directory • Outboard Motors • Inflatables & Kayaks • Trailers • Fishing Accessories • Maintenance & Service

Samantha Johns

506-2223-7880 www.promarinacr.com

manuel@promarinacr.com

Skype: 772-266-0063 US Cell: 979-575-7118 CR Cell: (506) 8703-2615 Samantha@pmprops.com

Cody Johns

Skype: 772-214-3444 US Cell: 979-676-1016 CR Cell: (506) 8702-9824 Cody@pmprops.com

Justin Seyler Yacht Yard Project Manager

Carter Takacs Harbor Master & Manager Yacht Yard

justin.seyler@MarinaPezVela.com

carter.takacs@MarinaPezVela.com

Tel (506) 2774–9074 Cell (506) 8423–6391 Toll Free (866) 739–8352

Tel (506) 2774–9000 Cell (506) 8998–6161 Toll Free (866) 739–8352

Your Boat, Our Passion • Cockpit Covers • Helm Chairs • Shades • Metal Fabrication

• Exteriors • Enclosures • Interiors • Covers

All Techs Advanced NMEA Certified

Will Swanson OWNER

506-8924-6832 Costa Rica Cell 506-2637-6252 Costa Rica Office 954-903-0832

US Direct Number

willswanson@ricaboats.com

Ronald Cambronero M. Asesor de Ventas Tel: 2222-3737 • Ext. 120 y 130 Whatsapp: 7195-0178 repuestos@borbonmarino.com

Daniel Espinosa Principal 707 320-2459 Costa Rica Shop Daniel@MaverickCostaRica.com 011 506 8363-3562 Costa Rica Cell www.MaverickCostaRica.com

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LOS SUENOS OFFSHORE REPORT

By Captain Daniel Espinosa • Maverick Sport Fishing

W

ell, here we go. The “high season” is on again, and we look forward to another great year of fishing off shore Los Suenos.

Unbelievable fishing, world class resort. It never gets old. How could it? We live to fish. The problem with calling December through mid-April the “High Season” is that means the rest of the year is the “low season”. This year during the low season was an epic display of marlin fishing and not just on the seamounts.

Day trip marlin were frequent with several Grand Slams and even double-digit day trips.

Spanish Fly recorded a one single day trip releasing over 30 Blue Marlin.

With this kind of fishing, it is not surprising that the big fishing publications are drawn to our neck of the woods. Check out the October/November edition of “In The Bite” for a great rundown, and “Anglers Journal” Magazine editor-in-chief Bill Sisson and AJTV host John Brownlee reported its authors best fishing day ever. They fished the Sea Fly. Check out the story in the September 2018 issue. Add to that a “Marlin Magazine” on the new Maverick 36’ Walk Around, and you get the idea of what is available in Los Suenos.

As we predicted here, the past few months have seen lots of not only marlin, but also tuna and mahi.

The number of tuna available to our anglers has increased since the Costa Rican government moved the tuna purse seine boats further off shore a couple of years ago. In addition, we are seeing increased numbers of mahi on the docks.

It is always good to bring home a some eating fish.

Lots of local places including those in the Los Suenos Resort will cook your catch. Those of us who fish are the lucky ones. We get to eat really fresh fish which is

TOURNAMENT CALENDAR November 9-12, 2018 24TH EL SALVADOR INTERNATIONAL BILLFISH TOURNAMENT 2018 Bahia del Sol • Kilometro 78 Ave.Costa Del Sol, Costa Rica Entry Fee Complete: $2,500.00 Entry Fee Funfish only: $1,250.00 Contact Paco Saca Email: paco@farmaciabeethoven.com For info visit: www.facebook.com/ESIBT November 16 & 19, 2018 1ST INTERNATIONAL ROOSTERFISH TOURNAMENT For more details contact BenBlegen@USAPreatorTeam.org or todd@fecop.org November 17, 2018 DORADO DERBY Marina Pez Vela, Quepos, Puntarenas Costa Rica Contact: tournaments@marinapezvela.com November 17 & 18, 2018 TORNEO DE PESCA PLAYA SAMARA 3 Categories - Hosted by Pura Pesca CR SA Playa Samara, Guancaste, Costa Rica Contact: purapescacr@gmail.com January - March 2019 LOS SUENOS SIGNATURE TRIPLE CROWN COSTA RICA The triple crown consists of three annual tournaments, in January, February and March each year, and is fished out of the world class Los Sueños Resort and Marina in Costa Rica.

LEG I January 16 – January 19 LEG II February 27 – March 2 Email: info@lossuenos.com For info call: 506-2630-4000 LEG III March 27- March 30

an experience not readily available to land lubbers.

Coming up? It looks like conditions are favorable for a great sailfish bite with marlin, tuna and mahi in the mix over the next few months. Of course, there are always the more shallow areas like the “26” reef where you have a great shot at good size wahoo.

As the water clears of the rainy season runoff which always causes the water to be a little more green with more debris, the baitfish should move closer to shore which will bring the game fish with them. Runs have been longer over the past couple of years, and we all hope this year will bring those run times down saving a lot of time and fuel.

Improvements in facilities and upgrades to several of the charter boats calling Los Suenos home will add to the experience. Same with some of the newly introduced electronics incorporated on more and more boats.

Another note. The weather and the sea state are both the best in the early months of the year on the Central Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. No one can remember losing a day of fishing to the weather during this season of the year here at Los Suenos. Not one. At Maverick for instance, we did suffer ONE weather day in the past 3 years, but that was during the “off season”.

Calm water is most appreciated by those doing bottom and in-shore fishing. With the bait moving closer to shore, these opportunities should be very good as well.

Predicting the future for fishing is always a risky thing, but it is a lot easier when the fishing experience is as consistent as it is in our local waters.

Captain Daniel Espinosa has been fishing these waters for almost 30 years, starting at the age of 14.

Born in Quepos, Daniel first fished as a Captain at age 17, and has not finished yet. Currently General Manager of Maverick Sportfishing Yachts, Daniel is owner of the Spanish Fly which he ran full time for 12 years, releasing a documented count of over 10,000 bill fish releases. His lifetime total exceeds 22,000.

A pioneer in sportfishing in Costa Rica, Daniel has captained tournament winning boats in several Central American countries. His wins include the Los Suenos series and the WBS World Championship. He lives with his wife and family in the Los Suenos area.

January 12 & 13, 2019 PELAGIC ROCK STAR Marina Pez Vela, Quepos, Puntarenas Costa Rica The PELAGIC Rockstar! Offshore Tournament is a team event with cash, prizes, and awards estimated to over $200,000.

2 Day Tournament Big and Small Boat Divisions Contact: jerry@ifishquepos.com February 22 & 23, 2019 NEW PESCADORA BILLFISH CHAMPIONSHIP 2 Day Ladies Only Tournament Marina Pez Vela, Quepos, Puntarenas Costa Rica Contact: tournaments@marinapezvela.com March 14 - 17, 2019 37 INTERNATIONAL SAILFISH TOURNAMENT 3 Days - Hosted by Club Amateur de Pesca Marina Pez Vela, Costa Rica Contact: clubamateurpesca@gmail.com March 15 & 16, 2019 8TH ANNUAL QUEPOS BILLFISH CUP 2 Day Tournament Big and Small Boat Divisions Marina Pez Vela, Quepos, Puntarenas Costa Rica Contact: tournaments@marinapezvela.com April 26 & 27, 2019 MARINA PEZ VELA OPEN 2 Day Tournament Marina Pez Vela, Quepos, Puntarenas Costa Rica Contact: tournaments@marinapezvela.com May 3, 4 & 5, 2019 4TH GUATEMALA BILLFISH INVITATIONAL $3500 per person - 4 per boat (light tackle) $3995 per person - 3 per boat (fly fishing) For info visit: www.guatemalainvitational.org August 9-11, 2019 PRESIDENTIAL FLAMINGO FISHING RODEO

The tournament’s mission statement is to publicize Flamingo as the fishing destination that it used to be by helping charter captains book clients to fish this event. It will also create an increased awareness of Flamingo and the northern Pacific region of Costa Rica as a world class fishing destination. Charter Boats are Encouraged! For more contact info@preschallenge.com or visit www. preschallenge.com

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LOS SUENOS INSHORE REPORT

By Captain Carlos Arguedas • Wing Man

Los Sueños Marina is still experiencing some amazing catches. Good numbers and good sizes on roosters like the ones caught for Christine Zangl Mick and Craig Mick from Florida, along with some good size rock snappers.

Some nice cubera snapper has also been around the reef. The good amount of bait in the area has made the job just a little bit easier to catch them like the one Tac Ralstan got 0n September 28. We’re also catching good numbers of roosters including doubles.

And just recently the snappers kept coming. Two nice guacamayo snapper for Dennis Ronmie along with three roosters on the same day on October 3.

One more time on the Wing Man and number 10 catch a nice goliath grouper using a spinning reel with 65lb test braided line and a 25 minute fight for Scott Gettle from Florida. An amazing battle between angler and fish.

Captain Carlos Arguedas of the Wing Man and been fishing the area of Herradura Bay since 1990, fishing along the shore for roosters, bluefin trevally, etc. and the reefs near us for big Cubera, Goliath groupers, Amberjacks and Broom Tail groupers. Now based at Los Sueños Marina, the Wing Man boasts being the boat with the most trips inshore, making Carlos a specialist when it comes to keeping track of inshore bait and fish. Along the years he has found a knack to being very productive catching big fish, including goliaths and broomtails. Contact Carlos at hihook1@ hotmail.com or visit www.wingmancr.com

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Los Suenos / Herradura Wing Man Charters “Wing Man”

Maverick Tours “Spanish Fly”

(CR) 506-8305-5051

(CR) 506-8787-9314 (US) 866-888-6426

hihook1@hotmail.com

www.wingmancr.com

christian@maverickcostarica.com

Maverick Tours “Sweet Dreams”

Maverick Tours “Geaux Fly”

(CR) 506-8787-9314 (US) 866-888-6426

(CR) 506-8787-9314 (US) 866-888-6426

christian@maverickcostarica.com

christian@maverickcostarica.com

Tres Amigos Sportfishing

“Tres Amigos”

Maverick Tours “Sea Fly”

(CR) 506-8898-5323 (US) 508-720-0077

(CR) 506-8787-9314 (US) 866-888-6426

gggiampapa@hotmail.com

christian@maverickcostarica.com

www.maverickcostarica.com

www.maverickcostarica.com

www.tresamigossportfishing.com

www.maverickcostarica.com

www.maverickcostarica.com

Maverick Tours “Real Fly”

Maverick Tours “Open Fly”

(CR) 506-8787-9314 (US) 866-888-6426

(CR) 506-8787-9314 (US) 866-888-6426

christian@maverickcostarica.com

christian@maverickcostarica.com

Epic SportFishing “Epic”

Maverick Tours “Super Fly”

(CR) 506-8718-2357 (US) 561-459-5355

(CR) 506-8787-9314 (US) 866-888-6426

epicfishingcr@gmail.com

christian@maverickcostarica.com

Tres Niñas Tours “Los Suenos”

Tres Niñas Tours “Dreams II”

(CR) 506-8305-0041 (US) 561-427-1306

(CR) 506-8305-0041 (US) 561-427-1306

www.maverickcostarica.com

www.epicfishingcostarica.com

info@tresninastours.com

www.tresninastours.com

www.maverickcostarica.com

www.maverickcostarica.com

info@tresninastours.com

www.tresninastours.com

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IN THE NEWS . . .

Presidential Flamingo Fishing Rodeo Scores Big in Costa Rica

F

lamingo, Costa Rica: With a record fleet of 17 boats and 71 participating anglers, the third annual Presidential Flamingo Fishing Rodeo posted some amazing numbers. Held August 11, 12, 2018, the tournament’s anglers released 147 sailfish and seven blue marlin amid perfect weather conditions. There were also 13 family teams participating in this year’s event, thanks in large part to a very family-friendly format that favors lady and junior anglers in a low-stress fun environment.

Taking an early lead on the first day of fishing was Team Hub International 2, fishing on Permit III. They won the first annual event and

The Presidential Flamingo Fishing Rodeo features a low entry fee and a family-friendly atmosphere that’s perfect for ladies and junior anglers to experience the fun of tournament fishing without the stress associated with a big cash prize. The event also highlights the outstanding summer fishing in the northern Pacific around Flamingo.

The participants were also excited to learn that construction is scheduled to begin on Marina Flamingo as of the first of 2019. This will greatly expand the opportunities for fishing and boating throughout the region.

The 2019 dates of the Presidential Flamingo Fishing Rodeo are August 9-11, 2019 so make plans now to attend. For more information, visit www.preschallenge.com. were looking good to repeat this year, releasing two blue marlin and five sailfish. However, Team On Line came on strong on the second day with seven sailfish and two dorado at 31 and 25 pounds to take the lead with 360 release points. Rick Graham aboard Dream On scaled a 48-pound dorado to win that category while Al Chatterton on Runaway had a 65-pound yellowfin tuna to win largest overall game fish.

The tournament’s social functions were also well-attended this year, from the great kickoff party at Marie’s Restaurant in Flamingo, complete with live music. The awards celebration, auction and party was hosted

by Flamingo Paradise Hotel and Casino. The Presidential Flamingo Fishing Rodeo benefits several important charities, including Abriento Mentes, a group that assists local residents in the Guanacaste Province with employment opportunities and continuing education, as well as The Billfish Foundation, promoting conservation in Central America and throughout the world.

OFFICIAL RESULTS

Top Overall Boat - On Line 18 Sailfish, 35lb Mahi Heaviest Mahi - Rick Graham, Dream On 48 lbs.

Heaviest Tuna - Al Chatterton, Runaway 65 lbs Most Billfish Releases - On Line 18 Sailfish Top Offshore Angler - Merin Pardoe, Dream On, 7 Sailfish 2 Mahi Top Inshore Angler - Allan Suarez, Yellowfin, 36lb Tuna Top Lady Angler - Merin Pardoe Top Family - Britt & Lance Baker Top Inshore Boat - Yellowfin 36 lb Tuna Top Junior - Parker Jones, Georgiarican 3 Sailfish 2nd Place Junior - Oliver Helman, Good Times, 3 Sailfish 3rd Place Junior - Allan Suarez, Yellowfin, 35 lb Mahi

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Marina Pez Vela Quepos, Puntarenas Costa Rica www.marinapezvelatournaments.com

FRIDAY & SATURDAY MARCH

15&16

The Quepos Billfish Cup is a two day billfish team event with top-team honors going to the team that tallies the most billfish points during the tournament. Prizes pay down to third place (1st, 2nd, and 3rd). The tournament will award trophies, cash, and prizes to the team(s) that score the most accumulated points for marlin and sailfish.

Thursday, MARCH 14TH 3:00 – 6:00 pm Final registration 6:30 pm Captain’s meeting Friday, MARCH 15th 6:00 am Shotgun Start 7:30 am Lines in • 3:30 pm Lines out Saturday, MARCH 16th 5:30 am Boats are permitted to leave 7:30 am Lines in • 3:30 pm Lines out 7:00 pm Awards Party

“HOOK N PASS” Scoring Billfish: Blue, Black, or Stripe Marlin • 500 points Sailfish • 200 points General Entry (Mandatory) Big Boat $3,000 Small Boat $1,000 Total All-In (Including Jackpots) Big Boat $6,200 Small Boat $2,800

8th ANNUAL QUEPOS BILLFISH CUP 2019 Marina Pez Vela • Quepos, Puntarenas Costa Rica 2019

FRIDAY & SATURDAY APRIL

26&27 THURSDAY, APRIL 25TH 3:00 – 6:00 pm Final registration 6:30 pm Kickoff and Captain’s meeting

FRIDAY, APRIL 26th 6:00 am Boat Parade 6:30 am Shotgun Start 7:30 am Lines in • 4:00 pm Lines out

www.marinapezvelatournaments.com

SATURDAY, APRIL 27th 6:00 am Boats are permitted to leave 7:30 am Lines in • 3:30 pm Lines out 7:00 pm Awards Presentation and Dinner

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Quepos Tres Niñas Tours “Tres Ninas I”

Jackpot Sportfishing “Good Day”

(CR) 506-8305-0041 (US) 561-427-1306

(CR) 506-8458-4997

info@tresninastours.com

info@jackpotsportfishing.com

www.tresninastours.com

www.jackpotsportfishing.com

Tres Niñas Tours “Dreams II”

Frenzy Sportfishing “Frenzy”

(CR) 506-8305-0041 (US) 561-427-1306

(CR) 506-8851-0935

info@tresninastours.com

willy@frenzysportfishing.com

www.tresninastours.com

www.frenzysportfishing.com

Idra Fishing “Idra 2”

Tres Niñas Tours “Tres Ninas II”

(CR) 506-2777-1774 (Cell) 506-8881-9494

(CR) 506-8305-0041 (US) 561-427-1306

booking@idrafishing.com

info@tresninastours.com

www.idrafishing.com

www.tresninastours.com

iFish “Sea Hag”

Tranquilo Charters “Tranquilo”

(CR) 506-2774-9006/9010

info@ifishquepos.com

www.ifishquepos.com

(CR) 506-6208-7620 (US) 910-338-3474

info@tranquilocharters.com

www.tranquilocharters.com

Tres Niñas Tours “Los Suenos”

Costa Mar Fishing “Fishing Machine”

(CR) 506-8305-0041 (US) 561-427-1306

(CR) 506-8396-5092

info@tresninastours.com

fishraulquepos@hotmail.com

www.tresninastours.com

www.costamarfishing.com

G-Fly Sport Fishing “Chloe Frijole”

Maverick Tours “Pacific Fly”

(CR) 506-6426-3964

(US) 866-888-6426

(US) 419-349-8069

captainkozak@gmail.com

info@mavericksportfish.com

www.maverickcostarica.com

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QUEPOS INSHORE / OFFSHORE REPORT

By Benn Gilmour • Jackpot Sport Fishing

N

ovember & December are our transition months from wet to dry season and are perhaps my favorite months of the year for fishing out of the Marina Pez Vela, here in Quepos. After a wet few months, our afternoon rains start to subside, water temperatures steadily warm back up again and the volume of baitfish in the area increases with Pelagic predators not far behind them.

We have had an awesome dorado/mahi mahi bite for the past few months which should peak during November, just in time for our first ever Dorado Derby here at the Marina Pez Vela which takes places on November 17th. Good Luck to all those fishing the tournament!

There have been some HUGE dorado caught these past few months with several Quepos boats catching 70lb plus dorado, not a million miles away from the longstanding 87lb IGFA World record which was also caught here in Costa Rica!

We get some great dorado fishing 8-15 miles out on the huge weed/current lines that form during the rainy season as trees, branches and other debris wash out of the rivers and November often brings the peak of this style of fishing. Further Offshore in the 25-40 mile range Captains will be searching for megapods of spinner dolphins that yellowfin tuna accompany. Bucktail jigs, tuna bullets, bass works and similar artificial lures typically produce tuna in the 20-60lb range while livebaits are the preferred method for the larger fish with 80-100lb fish common and the occasional WICKED TUNA sized fish landed!

There should be good numbers of sailfish during Offshore trips and double-digit releases can be possible if your captain finds a good concentration of fish. If you want to target marlin, November and December are perhaps the best months of the year

to catch a marlin during day trips out of Quepos. Blue marlin in the 150-300lb range are the most common at this time of year, however, there will be some striped marlin mixed in, and black marlin can be targeted over the Offshore Reefs.

Our Inshore fishing was a little slow during the past couple of months due to the seasonal rains, but as water visibility increases over the next month or two, you can expect some excellent Inshore fishing.

Roosterfish, snook, mackerel, jacks, corvina, cubera snapper, plus lots of other species, can all be caught during Inshore trips out of Quepos. A slow trolled livebait using medium weight spinning tackle is the preferred method for Inshore fishing here, or you can try your hand at casting poppers and top water lures, which can provide some epic visual fishing which our visiting bass and musky anglers especially enjoy!

Check out this issue’s Charter Directory for some of the great boats available here at the Marina Pez Vela, with options to suit all tastes and budgets.

Tight lines & hope to see you out there!

Benn Gilmour runs Jackpot Sport Fishing out of the beautiful Marina Pez Vela in Quepos. His boat Good Day is a Costa Rican custom built 31-foot Sport Fisher. Jackpot Sport Fishing specializes in offshore, inshore & fly fishing. They cater to serious anglers who come to fish with them for a week, as well as families and honeymooners looking for a day on the water during their vacation in Quepos/ Manuel Antonio. Benn says hello to you if you are down at the Marina Pez Vela. Look for the British guy! Contact Benn at info@jackpotsportfishing.com or visit www.jackpotsportfishing.com

Commercial Services - Servicios Comerciales Puntarenas Province, Herradura, Costa Rica Bars Condos Hotels Restaurants Tourist Centers Sail Shades & Awnings Patio Cushions Seating & Booths Furniture Bean Bag Furniture

Bares Condominios Hoteles Restaurantes Centros turísticos Vela Tonos y Toldos Cojines para patio Asientos y cabinas Mueble Muebles Bean Bag

Main: 506.4700.6622 Cell: 506.8361.6621 U.S: 561.427.2137 CanvasDesignersCR.com COASTALANGLERMAG.COM I NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2018 I COSTA RICA 27

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FRESHWATER REPORT

Fishing Guapote (Rainbow Bass) in the Arenal Lake

By Alberto Gutierrez Acuña Pura Pesca Costa Rica - Fishing Tackle Shop

T

he famous Arenal Lake exists due to a very extensive artificial dam that stretches from La Fortuna de San Carlos to Tilaran. Arenal Lake is comprised of numerous medium-sized rivers that feed it with fresh water throughout the year.

The sandy lake is very technical to fish, and the techniques to use depends on a fisherman’s preference. You can cast, troll or jig for the guapote, which is a cyclid fish. They can be found near structures of trunks, stones, vegetation, etc. and this fish is very territorial.

To troll it is recommended to use a GPS and fish finder to see the bottom and locate deep structures and channels. To determine the depth to work our lures, for a deep trolling of 20 to 40 feet, we can use the rapala crankbait dt16- dt20. To occupy more depth we have to release more line to go down to 40 feet. Another technique for those who do not know the lake is to use lures for 8-10 and 15 feet and troll parallel to the shore following the contour of the lake.

For casting the level of the lake influences a lot, and this makes us change our decoys. For example, when the level is high the whole bank is full of grass and lilies. Here we have to use chartreuse white-green spinnerbaits in weights of 1/4oz to 3/8oz with metallic silver and gold leaves in the double willow model. When the lagoon level begins to lower it’s good to identify the outlets of the rivers and look for the tips of the hills that fall into the lake. There it helps to use the lure

rapala countdown in 7cm and 9cm rainbow colors. Here we can also use surface lures.

The best moments on the lake to enjoy success is in May when the water level is lower. To perform any technique, the best drops for boats from the lake is in the village, the castle and the new sandy area. I recommend fishing with a trensada rope of 20 to 40lbs green moss. This will withstand the strength of these big fighting fish, as often the fish will cave in and gets tangled in the structures.

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DRAKE BAY REPORT

By Captain Willy Atencio

G

reetings from the beautiful and uncrowded waters of Drake Bay, Cano Island, and the wild Osa Peninsula. As we approach the official end of the “Green Season” we say goodbye to the Humpback Whales for a few months and hello to the tourists. Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner, as well as the blue skies and the end of the rainy season.

If the weather pattern remains the same as the last couple of years, expect some afternoon showers to linger and very pleasant temperatures for the next few months. This is also a good time of the year for fishing as well. Offshore there are not a ton of sailfish yet, but The Watts family with a nice haul of tuna recently on the Reel Escape with Capt Willy. the tuna, mahi and marlin bite should remain strong.

Along the unspoiled rocky coastline, expect good numbers of roosterfish when the water is clear and the tide is incoming. The massive reef system around Cano Island just 12 miles away from our home port always has a good snapper, grouper and amberJack bite. What sets Drake Bay apart from the

more “popular” fishing destinations in Costa Rica is the lack of fishing pressure and number of boats. If you like an off the beaten path experience with a huge variety of species to target, Drake Bay is the place for you. What we don’t have is cars, roads and noise.

Regardless of where and who you fish with in Costa Rica, some research and due diligence is important to ensure a great day on the water. A few things to consider should be; • Are you going with a legitimate Captain who has hundreds of “numbers” or proven fish catching locations, or just a tour operator and a boat driver?

• Does the company have the proper safety equipment, licenses, registrations, permits, insurance and the latest technology?

• Are you able to communicate with the Captain effectively?

• Does the Captian and boat have tournament experience?

• What type of equipment is on board? Low cost operators often have old rusty rods and reels.

The old saying you get what you pay for is absolutely true with fishing charters in Costa Rica.

At the end of the day it’s not worth putting you and your families/friends at risk with an inexperienced Captain or an unsafe boat.

We hope to see you soon in Drake Bay on the Reel Escape or the Reel Time.

Until next time, tight lines . . .

The Captain of Fish Drake Bay, Willy Atencio is a native of the local area. Fish Drake Bay is the premier sport fishing charter service in Drake Bay, the surrounding Osa peninsula and Corcovado National Park. Captain Willy is considered one of the best Captains in Costa Rica with over 20 years experience. Willy has captained sport fishing yachts ranging from 31-47 feet in the USA, Caribbean and Costa Rica. He has also fished in numerous big game fishing tournaments including the Offshore World Championships for 5 consecutive years. Contact Willie at info@fishdrakebay.com

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GOLFITO REPORT

By Captain German Bustos

W

e are finishing up the off season and looking forward to November and December which almost always means good marlin and dorado fishing.

Captain Luis Kraemer has stayed fairly busy during the last month and has taken plenty of snapper and roosterfish inshore and lots of tuna, dorado, and some marlin offshore.

Captain Oscar Villalobos has done well on the offshore Fad’s with marlin and also taken a good number closer inshore, as close as six to eight miles off the beach.

An El Nino is expected to arrive soon but it is not predicted to be as strong as last year. Expect good fishing in November and December

German Bustos has been head captain at Crocodile Bay Resort for the last dozen years after working on prestigious sportfishing boats all throughout Central America for nearly 20 years. He is one of the most requested captains at Crocodile Bay.

Photo by Pat Ford

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Golfito / Osa Peninsula Fish Drake Bay “Reel Time”

Crocodile Bay Sportfishing

(US) 855-372-5322

(US) 800-733-1115

info@fishdrakebay.com

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Thumper Blue Water Expeditions “Thumper”

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Inta Sportfishing “Inta”

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info@americanacr.com

info@fishdrakebay.com

thumperbluewater.com

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Alpha Mikes Sportfishing

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(CR) 506-8834-9124

(CR) 506-8819-7678

donaldmcguinness@yahoo.com

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The Zancudo Lodge “The Zancudo Lodge”

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COASTALANGLERMAG.COM I NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2018 I COSTA RICA 31

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10/17/18 5:04 PM

FLY FISHING REPORT

By Mark Evans

A

s we near the end of rainy season we can all look forward to some epic fly fishing from coast to coast as summer starts to show herself. We are particularly looking forward to chasing yellowfin on the Pacific and for the fat snook run on the North Atlantic.

Many of us switched gears a little the past couple months from our normal routine and started focusing on the elusive guapote and we were not disappointed!

Jesse Males, Micah Baley and myself @506_Outdoors hooked up some beautiful guapote in the canals of Tortuguero and in lakes of the San Carlos region.

Wilmer @Sarapiqui_Fishing and our buddies @ TimingTides have all landed some beauties recently.

Never let a little rain stop you from fishing in Costa Rica!

If you want to search out guapote on the fly you can do so using a green/ chartreuse frog pattern

popper for some awesome charges and also, when conditions dictate, use smaller Crazy Charlies/Clousers in various colors.

Chartreuse, white or purple patterns are all good to have on hand.

I was also treated to my first blue marlins on the fly compliments of @ TimingTides. Myself, along with Tom Enderlin of @ReleaseFlyTravel headed out from Quepos for a beautiful day on the water and raised eleven, hooked six and released two. After a great morning we took a lunch break and had a blast with football size yellowfins before getting back to the marlin!

It’s always good when your fly is in the water ;-) Keep it tight! Mark Having graduated from cane pole fishing as a kid to more technical equipment these days, Mark Evans prefers floating the many rivers of Costa Rica in his kayak, with a fly rod in hand. Mark is one of the founding members of the Costa Rica Association of Fly Fishers (CRAFF) and the Costa Rica Asociación Deportiva de Pesca en Kayak (ADPK) Contact Mark at: Mark@stonemountainoutdoors. com and www.506outdoors.com

Jimmy T’s Provisions & Gourmet Foods • Los Suenos Marina Shop • 011-506-2637-8636 • Cell (Costa Rica) 8682-7090

Recipe Corner T

his issue’s Jimmy Ts Recipe will, for sure, get your mind and taste buds going. We have decided to combine an old favorite with new and local flavors.

Tempura Fried Lobster Bites

with a Buffalo and Sweet Chili Sauce GET AND PREPARE THE GOODS • 1 Pound of lobster meat pulled from the tail • Cut the pieces into 1 inch pieces • Marinate with garlic and Jimmy T’s cajun spice • 1 box of tempura batter • Make the tempura batter mix with sesame oil and add a few ice cubes with cold water, the batter should be liquid, as it rests it will tighten up, let rest for at least 10 minutes or longer • Heat fry oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit • In a separate sauté pan, heat a blend of butter and oil • Slice 2 cloves of garlic • 5 slices of pickled ginger • 1 cup of Jimmy T’s original hot sauce • 1 cup sweet chili sauce

• 2 tbls of butter • 1 tbls of pickled ginger water BRING IT ALL TOGETHER • Sauté the garlic until brown, add ginger and all other ingredients until the butter has melted, and remove from heat.

• Start dipping the lobster in the batter and working one at a time dropping in the oil, only about 5 pieces at the most and allow them to become golden brown, about 7 minutes.

• Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel or drain rack.

• When all is lobster nuggets are fried, move the fried pieces to a mixing bowl.

• Reheat the sauce and spread evenly but not too saucy over all the pieces and serve.

This is new and popular favorite with our fishing groups that have us cater when they return from a full day of fishing, relaxing in the condo or home they have rented! Check out our catering menus on our website. Jimmytsprovisions.com Happy eating Chef Jimmy T

As a former chef on a megayacht, Jimmy T’s owner Jimmy Tancrell, often had difficulty finding local suppliers who could provide the foodstuffs and condiments necessary for the gourmet meals expected by his clients. During long days at sea under star-filled skys, the crew and staff would talk about their dreams of ‘life after yachting’. And for Jimmy Tancrell a dream was born … to provide a service for other ‘yachty’ chefs who were in the same boat as Jimmy so far as the need for adequately stocking their galleys with condiments, spices, good beef, fresh vegetables, fruits and cheeses.

Life after yachting led him to Los Suenos at Herradura on Costa Rica’s Central Pacific coast where Jimmy had already discovered the year ’round availability of wonderful fresh fruits and vegetables offered on Fridays at Jaco’s Mercado Movil or farmers market. A store became available dockside at Los Suenos and Jimmy T’s Provisions and Gourmet foods opened in May 2007.

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CLUB AMATEUR DE PESCA 2019 TOURNAMENT PROGRAM SCHEDULE

Mr. Jaime Molina Chairman of the Board of Directors and Mr. Orlando Soto Chairman of the Tournament are very excited about the excellent sponsors and many activities planned.

XLXIV Minor species Start November 15 2018 - November 15 , 2019 LXVIII Sailfish Tournament

XXXV Marlin Tournament

January 25-26-27

February 22-23-24

GREAT NEWS! The Club has approved for the 2019 Tarpon Tournament to award 25 additional points to anglers who remove the hook of the fish at the time of release. This contributes directly to the conservation issue as we try to minimize the impact on tarpon, and hope that in the coming year this practice becomes mandatory in the Tarpon Tournament.

37 International Sailfish And Marlin Tornament March 15-16-17

II TarponTournament Results Franco Alvarenga 600 points Lionel Peralta L. 450 points Carlos R. Paez. 350 points

LXVIII Tarpon Tournament May 17-18-19 August 23-24-25 September 20-21-22 October 25-26-27 The most important event of CAP is the International Sailfish and Marlin Tournament to be held on March 15-16-17 in the Marina Pez Vela and in which we will have more than 50 participants from USA, Guatemala, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Colombia and Costa Rica.

General position of Tarpon Tournament Franco Alvarenga 1450 points Melvin Rudelman 1000 points Orlando Soto 875 points

For more information: Club Amateur de Pesca de Costa Rica • tel (506) 2232-3430 clubamateurpesca@racsa.co.cr • clubamateurpesca@gmail.com facebook Club Amateur de Pesca

37 INTERNATIONAL SAILFISH TOURNAMENT March 14-17, 2019

Marina Pez Vela, Costa Rica

Thursday, March 14 Friday, March 15 Saturday, March 16 Sunday, March 17

Registration, Meeting and Welcome Cocktail Party First Fishing Day and Cocktail Party Second Fishing Day and Cocktail Party Third Fishing Day, Awards Ceremony and Cocktail Party

Club Amateur de Pesca de Costa Rica

Contact: clubamateurpesca@racsa.co.cr • clubamateurpesca@gmail.com (506) 2232–3430 / 2232–4787 Whatsapp: (506) 8393–1093 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM I NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2018 I COSTA RICA 33

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Caribbean “Bull Shark”

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Silver King Lodge

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info@silverkinglodge.com

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Toucan and Tarpon Lodge (CR) 506-8408-4239

toucanandtarpon@gmail.com

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Archie Fields Rio Colorado Lodge (CR) 506-2232-4063

www.captaineddiebrown.com

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gutierrezelvin44@yahoo.com

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Jungle Tarpon Lodge (US) 866-411-2327

info@jungletarpon.com

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“Wahoo” Wahoo Sportfishing & Tours

(US) 800-243-9777

(CR) 506-8601-5294

tarpon4u@mindspring.com

wahoofishingtours@gmail.com

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B.A.S.S. photo by Seigo Saito

B

y the time Justin Lucas made it to the stage during the weighin for the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship at Lake Chatuge, Georgia, the drama was all but gone.

Lucas entered the event with an eight-point lead in the AOY season standings—and after solid catches during the event, he had stretched that lead to an almost-insurmountable 47 points. His closest competition in the race, Arizona angler Josh Bertrand, decided not to fish because his wife was expected to deliver their second child.

It eliminated all the suspense, but that suited Lucas just fine.

The California native turned Alabama resident caught five bass

CANGL_FIL1-FIL4.indd 3

that weighed only 11 pounds, 14 ounces on the final day at Chatuge.

But his three-day weight of 39-0 was more than enough to give him the AOY title.

“I wanted this so badly,” Lucas said. “The build-up to this tournament affected every part of my life. I haven’t been sleeping because I would wake up in the middle of the night thinking about my game plan for this week. I’ve told my family and friends just to bear with me for a few more days, and everything would be okay—and now it’s all good.”

The gravity of the award hit Lucas and moved him to tears on stage.

“You think about the guys who’ve won this title—Gerald Swindle, Kevin VanDam—it’s unbelievable,” he said. “I’m the 23rd guy who’s ever won this in the 50-year history of B.A.S.S., and that’s humbling.”

Lucas came into the week knowing if he finished inside the Top 8 he couldn’t lose the AOY title—even if Bertrand won the tournament. His Sunday weight helped lift him into seventh place and capped a dominant finish to his 2018 season.

The seventh-place showing marked his fifth straight Top 12 appearance in a Bassmaster Elite Series event, dating back to the regular-season tournament held on the Sabine River in Orange, Texas, in June.

Lucas earned one of the most coveted trophies in professional bass fishing and a $100,000 bonus. Besides the AOY title, Lucas qualified for the 2019 Bassmaster Classic—his fourth time to qualify for bass fishing’s biggest event in five years on the Elite Series.

The Toyota Bassmaster Rookie of the Year award went to North Carolina pro Jake Whitaker, who finished 15th in the tournament and barely edged Arizona angler Roy Hawk for the title.

To hear a word from Lucas after his win, go to

ANGLERSDREAM.CO

10/18/18 9:23 AM

RIGGING & JIGGING

Tim Barefoot

I

f I had to choose one inshore bait over all others, it would definitely be a shrimp.

I can’t name a fish that doesn’t eat shrimp. It’s especially effective for trout, drum, snook and tarpon. Here is a technique for rigging a soft-plastic shrimp with a snelled weed guard that makes it easier to fish through mangroves, marsh grass, docks and all the other thick places that hold fish.

Tools: Needle nose pliers, 80lb. fluorocarbon line for the weed guard, 20- to 50-lb. fluoro for the leader, a red or brown Sharpie marker to color the antennae/weed guard, a pre-rigged soft-plastic shrimp.

Steps:

• Carefully remove the hook from the pre-rigged soft plastic shrimp.

• Cut a 7-inch piece of 80-lb. fluoro. Pinch it at the center with pliers and bend it backward against the natural curvature of the line to create the antennae.

• Push both tag ends of the 80-lb. line through the backside of the hook eye. Leave about 1 ¼ inches of the loop that’s created on the backside of the hook shank.

• Thread a strand of the 25- to 50-lb. leader material through the backside of the hook eye.

This will be your snell.

• Using the leader material on the shank side of the hook eye, make a loop about the diameter of a baseball.

• Take this loop and snell it to the shank of the hook, which secures the antennae/weed guard.

• Trim the tag end of the leader material as well as the closed loop of 80-lb. line against the

hook shank.

• Bend the antennae back along the length of the hook, and trim them just past the barb of the hook.

• Use the Sharpie marker to color the antennae.

This same weed guard can be snelled onto almost any hook for a variety of applications. Substitute heavy-duty hooks to target species like tarpon and large snook.

The 80-lb. fluoro is stiff enough to fend obstacles off the hook point and gives the shrimp a realistic appearance. Fluorocarbon is highly preferred for its stiffness, but some monofilament lines like Triplefish and Ande are stiff enough to use for this

purpose.

This might appear to be complicated, but it is a very simple way to kill two birds with one stone.

By snelling it, you secure the antennae/weed guard to the hook and create a leader at the same time. Check out the video linked below to see the techniques used in this rig.

Visit www.barefootcatsandtackle.com.

For Video on Rigging Shrimp Weedless See:

FORTHELO VEOFFISHING.COM

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hen Bob Sundstrom, of Odin Lure Company, created his Oozzie Jig in 2011, he knew right away it was something special. It worked wonders on the New Hampshire coast for cod, haddock and stripers, and he patented his new technology that allows hard baits to disperse a steady stream of fish-attracting scent.

Odin Lure Company is the evolution of that design. With its line of topwater poppers and jerkbaits, Odin handcrafts high-quality lures that appeal to all a fish’s senses to draw strikes. From largemouth bass to tuna, anything that will hit a plug will slam Odin’s FRIGG lures. And with the added attraction of a scent trail, FRIGGs are proven on the water to out-catch other lures.

“We’ve all had fish follow a lure right to the boat,” Sundstrom said. “You caught that fish’s curiosity through sight and sound, but you haven’t convinced the fish that it’s looking at something to eat.”

That’s where the scent system comes into play. For many species, scent is the most important sense utilized in targeting prey. FRIGG

lures use sight, sound and smell to convince even the wariest fish to feed.

An empty FRIGG will draw strikes as well as any lure out there, but it’s almost unfair to the fish when injected with a scent product called Fish Smack. Fish Smack was formulated by Bioedge specifically for use with Odin lures. It is a 100 percent natural extract of the oils, enzymes and amino acids from baitfish. It has the viscosity of grease, which makes it uniquely designed for Odin’s “bait chamber.”

On retrieve, water pushes through a rubber membrane on the front of the lure and past the Fish Smack in the bait chamber. Scented water exits through laceration points designed to look like gill slits on the lure’s sides. FRIGG lures leave a scented bubble trail that adds an element of realism and triggers strikes. On top of that, the residual baitfish scent in the water acts like chum to attract fish and spur feeding activity.

A single injection of Fish Smack will keep the lure “hot” through more than an hour of casts and retrieves. And FRIGGs are remarkably versatile on the retrieve. A concave face gives the seductive wobbling and walking action of a stunned baitfish. When slowed down, the popper’s loud pops, bubbles and gurgles are like ringing the dinner bell.

Largemouth, pike, tarpon, redfish, snook, trout, mahi-mahi and tuna are just a few species Odin’s FRIGG poppers and jerkbaits have caught in testing. There are sizes and colors to match whatever fishing you do. Fish Smack also matches the hatch with several different “flavors”— from herring to squid—that appeal to your targeted game fish.

All Odin lures are made in the U.S.A. of high quality materials and extra-strong components. Sundstrom hand paints them himself in Odin’s New Hampshire facility, which means he personally oversees the quality of each lure produced.

For more information on Odin Lure Company’s revolutionary new lures, see odinlures.com.

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CANGL_NAT3-NAT26.indd 19

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FRESHWATER

By Michael Okruhlik • Photo courtesy of Controlled Descent Lures

A

laska, the last frontier, is truly a remarkable destination that every angler should experience. Believe it or not, river fishing in Alaska can be done easily without a guide. I like to call it a “do-it-yourself destination.”

The famous Kenai Peninsula is a place I have traveled to for several amazing fishing trips. The beautiful scenery in this area alone is worth the trip, and the number of close encounters with wild bull moose, bears, elk, bald eagles, etc. were truly amazing. While there, I find myself not wanting to sleep, since the summer days are never ending and the fishing is usually catching!

My last trip to the fabled Kenai River was a last-minute journey

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that proved to be one of my most amazing trips to the peninsula. It was mid-July, and I had been watching the salmon counts and monitoring the run charts for a few weeks. This was going to be my first attempt at catching the larger second run of sockeye salmon. Reports told of massive schools in Cook Inlet that were moving toward the river mouth.

Predictions of a record season were starting to fill the nets of the commercial fishermen.

As they started to near the river mouth in the town of Kenai, estimates of their arrival at my anticipated ambush point in the small town of Soldotna began to filter in. It was now time to break the news to my wife of this last-minute fishing trip from Texas to Alaska. Fortunately, she understands my passion for the sport and was in full support. The facts that sockeye is her favorite fish to eat and that I had a free airline ticket didn’t hurt.

Four days later, the salmon and I hit the banks of the Kenai River in downtown Soldotna. Not only was its perfect timing for the arrival of these large acrobatic fighters, Alaska also increased the limit from three salmon per day to six. Jackpot! For some reason, the crowds were also lighter than what I had witnessed on previous trips. I was not complaining. I was fortunate to harvest my limit each day.

With easy limits of salmon in the morning, I found time to head to the Russian River for some rainbow trout on the fly. This is where I had a 15-foot encounter with a momma bear and her two cubs. Fortunately, she didn’t feel threatened as the cubs were crossing the river on a fallen tree. She glanced at me, then to her cubs, back at me, and proceeded to follow her cubs across the river. I will never forget the sheer awe of that experience.

A visit to Kenai Peninsula would not be complete without a hike to view Exit Glacier and the Harding Icefields. I have made this hike three times, and if I ever return I will definitely do it again.

Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Controlled Descent Lures and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.

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Campeche My first experience with Yucatan baby tarpon was the in the Campeche area. The city of Campeche is a wonderful colonial community nestled along the mangrove-lined coast six hours west of Cancun. The city has spec-

t a r p on t o grow up to 40 pounds.

Anglers make casts to large schools of rolling tarpon over shallow eel grass flats early in the morning and late in the afternoon.

The town of San Felipe is quaint and offers some of the best local seafood in the Yucatan.

Rods, Reels And Tackle The tackle set up for Yucatan tarpon is simple. I carry two rigs. The workhorse is a 9-foot, 8-weight rod matched with a large arbor reel that can hold 200 yards of 20- or 30-pound backing. I fish a saltwater taper floating line.

The second set up is a 9-foot, 9-weight rod and reel matched with a 30-foot intermediate sink tip and a shorter leader of 7 to 9 feet. This outfit works great subsurface.

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The fishing is just as spectacular!

Within a short panga ride from your hotel, you can cast flies to rolling tarpon on the open-water flats. Tarpon here are accommodating, often hitting poppers or a well-placed subsurface fly. Once hooked, baby tarpon put on a spectacular show, burning fly line off reels and making their trademark jumps.

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If you’re looking for that first-time tarpon destination and want lots of great sight fishing action, book your trip to the Yucatan peninsula ASAP!

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CANGL_NAT3-NAT26.indd 21

Baby tarpon can be spooky, so keep the fly line out of the tarpon’s field of vision, especially in calm conditions. I suggest a 10- to 12foot leader of 20-pound test with a floating line. You’ll also need a short 40-pound bite tippet.

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NOVEMBER 2018

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10/18/18 9:49 AM

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NOVEMBER 2018

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COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

10/18/18 9:49 AM

WHO CARES ABOUT LIVE SCANNING SONAR? ANYONE WHO FISHES.

PANOPTIX™ LIVESCOPE SYSTEM LIVE, REAL-TIME

2 MODES IN

SEE AROUND YOUR BOAT

RANGE UP

SCANNING SONAR 1 TRANSDUCER SEE BELOW YOUR BOAT TO 200’

WORKS EVEN WHEN

AHRS STABILIZES

BOAT IS STATIONARY SONAR VIEW

EASY TO INSTALL

INTEGRATES SEAMLESSLY

© 2018 Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries.

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10/18/18 AM 10/10/18 10:50 2:01 PM

THE PLANET’S

CLEANEST OUTBOARD *

It’s never been this much of a rush to make the right choice. The new Evinrude® E-TEC® G2® gives you power plus responsibility. Run the cleanest combustion outboard on the planet, period. Not just clean, but lean, with up to 15% better fuel efficiency**. No competitor takes you further on a tank of fuel. That’s more adventures to the gallon, more fish in the boat, more dollars in your wallet. The planet friendly E-TEC G2. No outboard engine runs cleaner.

©2018 Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP). All rights reserved. ®, TM and the BRP logo are trademarks of BRP or its affiliates. * Emissions claim based on reported certified emissions of Evinrude E-TEC G2 250 H.O., Yamaha 250 SHO® and Mercury OptiMax® 250 Pro XS™. Actual emissions dependent on engine model. ** Fuel economy claim based on BRP-conducted ICOMIA testing of Evinrude E-TEC G2 250 H.O., Yamaha 250 SHO® and Mercury OptiMax® 250 HP in a test tank to determine ICOMIA average cycle. Actual fuel economy dependent on engine model.

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