Guatemala - Blue Marlin on the Fly

Wild Mango Trees!

Shrimp farms. Every place we went had guards armed with shotguns.

Dinner was perfect every night.

Cam Sigler flies

After years of talking about it we decided to pull the trigger and try our hand at sailfish on the fly. We stayed at Sailfish bay lodge and were greated by the friendliest staff that did everything they could do to make us feel at home. The fishing was unusually slow. The first day we raised one sailfish that turned jet black as it attacked Phil's Cam Sigler fly. The strike was head on, which is nearly impossible to get a good hook set on billfish, and the hooks missed their mark twice before the fish vanished off into the blue. The second day I was up to bat and didn't raise a fish. The last day I was up to bat again at least until I had a fish strike the fly. early on we raised a blue marlin that swam under the teasers forever and never showed any interest in the fly but inhaled a bonito thrown to it. Unfortunately the hook broke and never set on the fish. We had a quick visit by another sail on the inside teaser that vanished as quickly as it showed. Phil and I decided that we would switch after lunch and he would try his luck the remainder of the day. As lunch was being cooked a Blue Marlin crashed the teasers. In slow motion my fly hit the water, I popped it and moved my rod tip from side to side and held the most retarded pose as the marlin inhaled the fly. The hook set perfectly in the side of the mouth and the fish tailwalked and porpoised for 100yards before the reel fight began. The fish sounded and I began the longest tug of war of my life. 2..5hrs. Line was gained and line was lost and the same 80ft of flyline was fought over for an hour. The shooting head finally appeared, then the fish glowing electric blue. The deckhand had me back off the rail as he began guiding the line and the fish up. The leader and the yellow line appeared and the deckhand and captain and Phil all cheered and as quickly as it began, it was over and the Blue Marlin swam off. I was left with cramping arms, a sweat soaked shirt and the biggest smile I've ever had on my face. The crew estimated the Blue at 300lbs.

Going Coastal

Of course we stopped and have now decided that it will be a tradition to stop in on every trip to the coast. The shop was exactly what it should be and the owner was perfect. Everyone should stop on their way down and say hi to Amber and stock up on booze for the trip.

Food is kinda a big deal.



Good Old Fashioned "Fat Boy Breakfast."

Redfish Flies

Finally a Good School

Sand bass run is on. Finally a good day. Fished several holes before I found a good school sitting in an eddy just under a tree. Had to make the perfect cast to get the strike, count it down 10 seconds, strip and set. The tree they were sitting under now holds three of my llama clousers, dangling from the limb along with other lures. I wish I could get those flies back.

Sandbass

The weather is not cooperating. I can't seem to hit a day with nice weather and green water. Today I finally saw the flash of the sandbass. The weather again didn't cooperate and the barometric pressure was rising and it was drizzling most of the morning. Sacraficed a few clousers to the creek and finally got the take on chartreuse and white with a sinking line. Those sandies are in there and I'm going to catch more.

Bad Weather = Time to Tie

When the fishing is slow there is always something to see and do. The pelicans and sea gulls were everywhere and bait was all over the shore. Please forgive the camera phone pics. I no longer allow myself to carry cameras near water. Phones are easier to replace.

The sexy black llama clouser.

Winter Bass

Tater and I hit Preston's Pond to see if we could figure out how to catch winter bass. Super slow retrieves with a black llama Clouser dropped about 6ft below a thingamabobber seemed to do the trick. Those bass don't stand a chance.

Slow retrieves require patient pups.