I had arrived from our week with Marlin University in Guatemala only to board a plane for the Orient to visit our vendors and manufacturers. Luckily the long flight is a perfect opportunity to catch up with my reading, answer emails and write this entry for my often neglected blog. After all, this year’s trip was a memorable experience and well worth a good entry.
My yearly trip with my friends from Marlin University (www.marlinuniversity.com) has become a ritual that I look forward to. It is always a great experience and an opportunity to spend time with some of the best in our sport. The ideas and inspiration for many of our products have come from late night discussion with fellow anglers and by observing the crew and captains that call the productive Pacific coast of Central America home.
This year’s StingRay group included staffers John Tobias and Walker Holcomb (a MU staffer), my son in law Mike Kress, his brother in law Orazio Nastase, my good friend and frequent partner in crime Alan Seidel, Reel Candy’s captain and friend Marvin Steiding and one of our favorite customers, Tony Oliva.
From the outside, Casa Vieja looks just like many other walled compounds down the road; non-descript guarded gates and very little indication that this is a place where our four day long adventure will begin. After a three hour ride from Guatemala City’s airport with a stopover in the colonial city of Antigua for a typical (and awesome) lunch, we are ready for action. Although reports from down the pacific’s central American coast are all the same; a slow bite since soon after the Chilean earthquake, we are all hoping for a return to earlier this year, when the average Marina Pez Vela boat was releasing in excess of 50 billfish a day.
The security gate swings open and our first impression of Casa Vieja soon changes. We find a half a dozen smiling senoritas waiting for us with cold ‘mojitos’. A warm greeting from Antonio, casa Vieja’s general manager, assures us this is no ordinary place. Soon we are ushered to the dining room to experience an excellent dinner, consisting of local fish, excellent steaks and an assortment of fruits. Our beginning to the first fantastic meal of many in the days to come. The comfortable rooms with quiet and excellent air conditioners, a ‘must’ in this hot country, and deliver a good night rest.
Next day, with our group divided, my half is assigned to the legendary ‘Finest Kind’, a 44’ Whitaker with a long history of winning tournaments and record catches. The Kind is captained by another legend, Captain Ron Hamlin. Although I have not met Ron, I feel like I know him from the stories I heard and read, always involving big game fishing, skills and a temper of great proportions.
Lucky for our group, friend and IGFA Hall of Famer Capt. Peter Wright is our instructor for the day. Peter is undoubtedly the best in the business. A wealth of knowledge and experience he shares willingly with all. We headed out of Marina Pez Vela and set course west. After an hour’s full speed run, Ron trims back and we are trolling. Five minutes later, Ron screams ‘left outrigger’. Marvin makes a run for the rod and skillfully feeds the ballyhoo, but fails to hook the first sail of the day. As we are in the middle of telling Marvin that captains not necessarily make good fishermen, the sail makes another pass and heads to the freshly deployed left rigger. This time Marvin executes his dropback perfectly and soon is fighting a beautiful Pacific sail. The first action packed day set the pace for a perfect week with 44 sails tagged and released for the week. We had several closed encounters with good sized blues as well during the week, but unfortunately they did not stick for the count.
In subsequent days we fished aboard the Release with Capt Nico Melendez, the Rum Line with Capt. Chris Sheeder and Intensity with Capt. Mike Sheeder.These meticulously maintained boats are awesome fishing machines and deliver every day under their crew’s skillful care.
Every day we arrived back at the Lodge tired but looking forward to the next day and each new day did not disappoint us. Great fishing action, great accommodations and world class food made our Casa Vieja experience one to remember.
If you are interested in joining us at a future Marlin University trip or other fishing outings, let us know by email or signing up for our newsletter.
Totals for our four days of fishing Guatemala: 92 raised, 76 bites, 44 sails released and 9 blues raised, 5 bites
www.casaviejalodge.com
www.marlinuniversity.com
below from left to right: 1: an early tag and release, 2: the boys and the crew of the 'Finest kind'. 3: release No.2, 4: The StingRay boys and MU's staff, 5: Mike sporting a 'cuban' and StingRay's fashionable cap, 6: Orazio showing off his unusual catch, a Mexican needlefish, 7: Peter doing what he does best..sharing his vast expertise.
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