January 20, 2009
The Zancudo Lodge Big Tuna and plenty of Sails on the Fly Report
Fishing this year so far has greatly exceeded our expectations. Since December our boats had caught over 25 marlin. The sails have shown up in good numbers and tuna being caught daily.
To start the week we had Dr Craig Stemmer at the lodge. He purchased his trip from an IGFA auction. His expectations were high but his goal was simple. Catching a sailfish on the fly. Day two he had what he was looking for his first Sail.
After Dr Stemmer departed a large group Doctors and Dentists from the Midwest arrived. The group consisted of mostly fly fisherman. Fishing could not have been better every boat raised at least 20 sails daily. The fishing was so fast and furious that after day one everyone had hooked and landed a sailfish. Inshore fishing also picked up with one boat catching 10 roosters. The big story was from the two orthopedic surgeons. On day two they hooked and broke off, two very large marlin. Day three however there luck was going to change. Right off the bat with not a boat in sight 7 miles out a large school of spinner dolphins were located. Under feeding with the dolphins were very large tuna. A live bait was thrown with a small weight attached to the top of the leader. This was done so the bait would swim at 50 feet. Sure enough a few minutes after being set up a very large tuna hit. After 1 hour and 45 minutes the 6’2 tuna was boat side.
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January 11, 2009
I've been trying to catch a monster Snook here for 3 years now, and they're here. Unfortunately heavily fished on by commercial netting, the challenge is greater than ever, but no less enjoyable. Having said that, it should be known I have thrown every plug in the box countless times in every rip and Snook hole within 5 miles. My vast plug collection includes all the best, over fifty plugs and swimmers in all. I've dragged live herring around in my battery powered aerated bucket live well . Still waiting for the really big bite.
So…
I was on the dock last week while the boats were coming in, checking out the catch. Meanwhile the gardener at the lodge, Paulino, takes a live bait from one of the boats that just came in puts it on a shimano tld 15 that's already rigged for sailfish. While we are talking I see a huge snook jump out of the water and sure enough his rod bends over and when its all done including him jumping into a passing by boat, to get a better chance to land it, that just happened to be passing by, he lands it. A 30 lb snook caught by the gardener off the dock! All the while the anglers watch in awe, myself included. Check out the picture and join the crowd.
……………………………….......
Jerry came down this week from Boston to get in on the action. He said the last few reports just put him over the edge and he couldn't wait any longer. His first email to me was on a Monday and 3 days later he landed in San Jose. We pulled out of Golfito, Sabiki bait rigs in hand, looking for live Herring and Blue Runners. The bait came easy and by 7:30 Jerry was fulfilling a dream, now on his first ever offshore big game fishing trip.
Its only fair to tell you that one day before he left New England he said " I just want you to know that if we catch nothing that's ok. I just want to go for the adventure." Of course I did guaranty him an adventure, but I was so excited he said that and meant it. For those who don't know the power of the fish gods, just ask the Hawk, the famous Tuna fisherman and Zancudo Lodge angler. Last year the Hawk, a true believer , said those same words and landed over 30 Tuna, 12 Dorado, 9 Sailfish, and a Blue Marlin with me in just 3 days. Not needing a fish to enjoy his day of fishing, Jerry too was pleasing the fish gods.
Sure enough, before we even got the lines in the water, still only 3 miles from the beach, we saw our first Sail. Not warmed up yet, but ready nonetheless, we flipped 2 live herring over the side and waited. The giant fish wouldn't eat. We pulled the baits back in, spread the outriggers, set 2 plastics long and 2 flat lines close and started trolling. Jerry asked if we always fish this close to the shoreline. We were in four thousand feet of water.
The live baits flapped in the tank, bridled with circle hooks, just swimming patiently. I wish I could tell you we waited long with anticipation for Jerry's first ever big game fish, but we didn't. Or that it was due to my great expertise that he caught his first monster, but it wasn't. It was the sandwich he pulled out of the cooler at 8am!! He took one bite and all he could hear was: JERRY!
I tossed the live guy over and by the time Jerry reached the back of the boat the line was screaming off the Accurate 870. Jerry grabbed the rod, looked down and began to tell me what I already knew; the line was going out. His first offshore pelagic, an 80 lb Sail, jumped 5 times, made 3 big runs and was released unharmed after a 20 minute battle. Check out the photo, Jerry was all smiles. And still is.
It was only then that I told Jerry of my pleasure that he had sacrificed everything to the fish gods in only wanting to go fishing and not actually needing to catch anything. The payoff was only starting.
Big balls of bait clouded the surface everywhere, while the birds picked away at them. We trolled alongside an Orca Killer Whale, 2 Humpback Whales, chased Spinner Porpoises, White Bellied and Spotted Porpoises that swam with the Yellow Fin Tuna and casted plugs and live baits on spinning tackle. Enjoying the whole adventure and great fishing Jerry caught and released 4 Sailfish up to 150 lbs, 2 Bull Dorado up to 40 lbs, and fought a tuna for 15 minutes that was big and would have rang the bell. But the hook pulled on the Tuna while making a run for the bottom. I must admit I was disappointed we didn't land the Tuna. Jerry seemed happy all the same only saying "That was a big one."
Long live the fish gods.
Enjoy the photos
Capt. Sloan
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Jan.1,2009
We pulled out of the Lodge on the 32' Catermaran, my favorite Zancudo fishing boat. It was 6am and we were in Costa Rica heading for The Inner Bank.
It was to be a fun filled trip with myself, Gregg (Zancudo Lodge CFO, Chief Fishing Officer) and our VIP guest angler, former Black Rock deck hand and my brother, Darren. ake DJ.
We scooped up 20 live goggle eyes and headed 12 miles out into five thousand feet of water. At 28 knots we made it in short time. It was only 40 minutes before we found a 10 foot floating log. Sure enough it was loaded; we could see the Trigger Fish and Dorados in the clear blue water, down 50 feet. The three of us flipped our live guys over, circle hooks bridled thru the eyes and then the reels screamed. we were all on, but before we could celebrate, Gregg and I had both pulled the hook. DJ was the only one still on. The fish came to the boat quickly, but before we could give him a helping hand with the gaff, the fish was gone. what way to start the day. But like I said it was only the start.
We trolled for Marlin for the next two hours only to come upon 3 sailfish in the 100 lb class, they were just sunning and would not take the bait. So still remembering those that got away we punched in out saved coordinates of the log and high tailed it at 28 knots, the twin Suzuki 250's were humming. With some luck and some skill, I had figured for the half knot southerly current flow and our two hour hiatus, sure enough Gregg spotted the log. Still there were the Dorado, we thru our live ones again, but came up empty, they would not eat. After only a short time of trying feeling anxious that we had not got our VIP angler even one in the box, we continued South.
It was a school of Pilot Whales and Spinner Porpoises tearing up the water, birds working everywhere. We chased the Spinners, named for the great leaps they make while spinning like a top, while they seemed to heard the Tuna. On the Gregg and DJ dropped the live ones while I casted my favorite and best popper on light tackle. It was my very first cast and I was on, and so was DJ! It was no quick fight, but when it was time, the gaff hit them both, one at a time, just bellow the peck fin. We had two 30 lb Yellow Fin Tuna. Gregg cut them both just after the heart, and it was great, Tuna blood everywhere. The 32 Cat has a big fish box and we buried them on ice as we knew they would be our trophy dinner later on. (check out the pix of the sashimi)
Well, it wasn't over. After packing away the tuna and making ready to head for the Lodge, we could see it under the boat, a fast moving Dorado. Still with his bait intact, our CFO pitched his Goggle Eyed "livey" right under her nose and she took it. It peeled out a quick 50 yards on his favorite light tackle set up and after a few jumps and quick cranking we had her, a nice Cow Dorado. We all posed for our picture with the two Tunas and Dorado as you will see and headed for the lodge.
It was a great day of fishing with Tuna Sashimi and Dorado Ceviche that followed.
Enjoy the photos
Capt Sloan
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The Costa Rican summer has just started, 85 and sunny, and the fish seem to love it. Its impossible to write this weeks report and not think of George. George is on the trip of a lifetime, down from California for six days of fishing. Every morning he's all pumped and in the evening he's all smiles. And he should be, he's had nothing but insane fishing and bloody decks.
We had three boats out Saturday, George, the boys from Clevland, and Mike and Ron (the man with a new notch in his belt). It was just after 10 in the morning when the other two boats got the call from George's boat with Capt Ebilio. He was on a floating tree seven miles out, and it was loaded! To get to the point: when it was over, all three boats had hooked up an estimated 60 (that's right Sixty) Dorado, most 20-50 lbs. The guys were having a ball throwing everything they had at them, lures, light tackle, live bait, everything was working, it didn't matter. It was a slugfest. Capt. Javier screamed "no more Dorado there are Marlin here", but he may have had a mutiny if he pushed it as his crew just kept bailing the big bull Dorado. Ron would have to wait some more, the notch he had been waiting a lifetime for.
Sunday it was George and Capt Ebilio on their boat and I was on the filming mission with the help of Capt Javier, Ron, and "The Diving Fisherman" Mike Laptew, famous for his shots of fish in the wild. Finding a school of about thirty Pilot Whales, I knew it was going to happen….Soon enough we hooked up three Sailfish and a Dorado. Mike jumped over the side with his camera as the Sailfish approached the boat. The Sailfish with its giant bill was going crazy, jumping madly in the air and zigging and zagging; Mike was in the water filming. Better him than me! Those fish are out of control! Ron ended up with three Sails and a Dorado.
But………
all along George was having the second greatest day of his life with more Dorado, Yellow Fin Tuna, and jumping Sailfish. (Check out the photo I got with him at the dock).
Today if you can believe was even better. We left the lodge a bit late with only one goal in mind, the notch of all notches for Ron all to be captured on camera by The Underwater Fisherman. There they were, the birds, not really working only cruising around but we laid out our lines; 2 short teasers, 2 long plugs in the out riggers and a shotgun down the middle a boat lengths past the long rigger. We worked the current lines both up current and down current. Ron had the fighting belt ready, but not on as many believe that's bad luck like bananas. I don't know if any of these superstitions are for real, but there are no bananas on my boat and no fighting belts on in advance either.
The right long popped out of the rigger clip, the line went tight and the clicker could be heard for miles. We had a Marlin on!!! Now hurrying to get his belt on, the line screaming out, Ron had no idea what he was in for. Ron started his battle in the back of the boat, the fish was greyhounding to left, jumping like crazy, Mike fired up the cameras and Javier and I wound the other lines in. We moved Ron to the bow and the Blue Marlin started pulling the boat as it pleased, much to Ron's chagrin the fish kept taking line. 45 minutes later, 2 bottles of cold water over Ron's head, a lot of grunting and a very determined angler who had been waiting his whole life(his own words), the pelagic beast came to the boat. A 200 lber, Javier grabbed the bill, I tagged him pulled the hook, the fish thrashed like mad, all the while Mike paddled in the water capturing it on film. Ron claiming the ultimate notch all captured by "The Diving Fisherman" . We released the Marlin, got Mike back in the boat and if all that wasn't enough, the vhf radio screamed in spanish "Hay Atun! Hay Atun!". It was our sister boat of Capt Ebilio and George, only ten miles away. George was on a Big Tuna.
Javier's new boat with the big twin Suzukis was cranked up to 30 knots, I turned my hat around backwards. Of course we only hoped they would still be chewing when we got there.
The giant school of white bellied Porpoises, a good sign of Tuna, had to be one hundred strong, leaping into the air, some 15 feet high. Anticipating their approach I rigged a live blue runner and flipped him over the side, peeled off 50 feet and waited, but not long. My first Yellow Fin Tuna of the season, spiraled up to the boat, found the gaff and a 40 lber was on its way back to the kitchen where my favorite chef at the lodge, Shirley, turned it into a platter of sushi rolls.
At the dock, George, "The Happy Fisherman" told of his own 2 Yellow Fins and 9 Sails he raised. I fish again tomorrow. If I am lucky George will leave some for me.
Capt Sloan
enjoy the photos
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Fishing Report Nov,20 2008
A client and personal friend of mine, John Sisak came down for one day of fishing. The Dorado fishing has been totally wide open for the last month or so. The sails have also started showing up as well. I think it’s a good sign of things to come.
Weather has been a little stormy, in most places a moderate chop is a typical day on the water so no big deal. John has been coming to the lodge every year for the Past six but has yet to catch a Marlin. One year his group caught 23 marlin in 4 days of fishing.
Once they found the blue water 17 miles from the gulf they started trolling. After an hour they came up on a bunch of birds diving on a school of bonito. They immediately had a marlin come up and hit a lure on the inside. John had his first marlin on but it did not last after 10 minutes the marlin jumped and pulled the hook. His second marlin that he raised was on for about 2 minutes John was now 0-2. After loosing the second fish they knew they were in prime Marlin territory. They bridled up a bonito and as soon as it hit the water it ran directly under the back of the boat. The line was now twisted 20 times around the prop. Tito his captain starts yelling wholly crap there is a huge sailfish behind the boat. John threw a live bait. The fish had no interest. Tito proceeded to untangle the mess wrapped around the prop. After twenty spins of the prop the line was free.
John started reeling in the rod that was just wrapped around the prop. He turns to Tito and says it feels as if there is some thing on line. Fish on, an explosion behind the boat as a 300lb+ starts running. After an hour the fish was to the boat. John finally caught his first Marlin. They finished the day with a sail a marlin and a few dorado.
 
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Fishing Report Oct,5 2008
Fishing is still very good in the Southern Pacific regain of Costa Rica. Its called the green season now. Not many fisherman but still plenty of good inshore and offshore action. We herd of reports of some good action just outside the Gulf of Dulce both dorado and tuna.
We fished on Sunday. We were 18 miles from Mataplo when we had our first hook up. It was a marlin it hit our lure on the outrigger and then dropped back and grabbed our shot gun rig which is a trailer rig that trails the rest of the lures down the middle of our spread but it did not stick.
One hour later a nice 250lb-275 marlin hit our shot gun rig again. After 25 minutes on stand-up gear we had the marlin to the boat. On our way in we stopped and caught a few groupers for dinner.
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Fishing Report 19 - 22 May 2008
19 May.. outbound at mouth of bay, hit a few skipjack tuna.. picked up 4. Trolled for bill fish – no luck. Tried rooster fish - no luck
20 May.. Headed towards Panama,.. trolled for about 2 hours for bill fish – nothing. Saw some birds working and got a few skipjack tuna. Tried Rooster fish, no luck. Tried bottom fishing for grooper - no luck!; Tried for Snapper - caught two very small ones.
21 May.. As we were headed out, saw hundreds of porpoise and a couple of pilot whales; Excellent went app. 35 miles off shore.. immediately picked and bated up a nice sailfish of app. 90-100#. Saw numerous groups of porpoise. Trolled for a little while and picked up another sail but it didn't stay on long. Ran into a bad rainstorm on the way in and trolled thru it. Shortly after the rainstorm, raised a 450# marlin.. he didn't stay on long but was way exciting to see him jump. At 18 miles out, found a huge floating log loaded with fish. Immediately hooked 3 large Dorado - largest was app 55# and was 58" long. Quickly ran out of baitfish (because of sharks and missed Dorado) and began using artificials. Yellowfin Tuna began hitting around the logs and once they began.. we were having tripple and double hookups. Throw a line in the water and you didn't wait longer than 15 - 30 seconds for a hit! Fishing was so awesome, the captain (Rafial) Radioed the lodge and told them we were staying out longer. Filled all ice chests with fish before racing back to the lodge! Headed back to the lodge, saw some killer whales and more pilot whales along with turtle and numerous porpoise.
22 May.. Went out to find the log .. and began trolling where at the last known location of the log, quickly raised a 250+ # Marlin and cought him for 40 min before he decided to leave us and go home! That was the only fish for the day, but WOW, what a blast.
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Fishing Report February, 2008
This past week, Bob also known as The Hawk, flew into Golfito Bay, Costa Rica where I picked him up by boat. 20 minutes later we were at the lodge enjoying a cold one.
The Hawk fished 3 days, the first day we had 2 Yellow Fin Tunas, 3 Sailfish, 3 Dorados, a quick bite by a big Blue Marlin that we never hooked, and we lost a 40 lb Rooster fish at the boat on light tackle. That was the first day!
Day 2: We had countless Sails on light tackle including 2 at one time, so of course I had to catch one myself (check out the photo its a good one). At 1:30 or so we found the "Jackpot" a 55 gallon metal drum floating along with thousands of fish all around, it was incredible. The small bait fish were hiding under the can, the mid size fish were eating them, and so forth. There were Triple Tails, Yellow Tail Snappers, Sharks and fish tearing up the surface everywhere for 100 yards,but best of all the Tunas both Yellowfin and Big Eye were chewing, the Dorados were everywhere like F-16s in formation(to quote the Hawk). We grabbed the light spinning rods(12 lb test) and using a swimming plug from Long Island we went nuts. When we couldn't take it anymore, we had over 30 Tunas and 12 Dorados. Fish were everywhere, every cooler full and overflowing, fish all over the deck and the Hawk and I wiped out. The trophy that day was Hawk's 47lb Dorado on my favorite Shimano spinner (check out the photo).
Day 3: If you can believe we had anything left in us, we went out looking for the great Blue Marlin. We fished most of the morning with a by catch of a Sail and tasty Dorado, but at just past 1pm when all was quiet, the 30 Gold Penn International which was in the rod holder of the tuna tower started screaming off like we hooked a train going the other way. It was a Blue Marlin. It jumped from the water and peeled off line at full speed. When it was all said and done and the Hawk had the fight of his life, we brought him to the boat.
The snapswivel popped open when the mate had the leader in his hand, then I jumped in to put the loop of the leader back onto the snap clip, all while the Marlin was thrashing into the side of the boat. The pressure was on! At the exact moment I got the snap closed the mate, who was trying to unhook the fish , pulled the hook and released the fish and the plug/hook snagged the monster in the side and he took off again, peeling off 150 feet in seconds. The Hawk caught him twice. He did jump clean out of the water 10 feet high only 15 feet from the boat, but it was just madness.
We fed the whole town with Tuna and Dorado. Everyone in Playa Zancudo now knows The Hawk.
Enjoy the photos
Capt Sloan
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Fishing Report January, 2008
Fishing has been fantastic the last few weeks. We have been raising blue Marlin daily with two black marlin mixed in the 350lb-400lb range. Most boats are raising 4-5 sails daily and are catching 4-6 Dorado's per day up to 50lb.
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Fishing Report December 10, 2007
We had a group in from Miami and had 7 boats for the past four days. I was only able to get the pictures from one of the boats. The past few days have been a little slow with the blue water pushing out. I checked Terri fin and a few boats made the 35 mile run to blue water with mixed results 5-6 sails a day and a few Marlin raised.
On the other hand the inshore action has been wide open. Yesterday one of the boats caught 3 roosters a bunch of Jacks and a few snappers. Today one of the boats had wide open roosters with mutable double hookups. They ended the day with 15 roosters the biggest being 52lb.
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