FISHING THROUGH APRIL 19th

We just finished a 16 day straight run from April 3rd through the 19th. Overall it has been very good fishing, the best day being 53 releases from 83 sailfish bites, plenty of tunas out wide with mahi's and the odd blue marlin in the spread to keep you on your toes.....Good times. We started the month with the Zingula group...

ZINGULA GROUP

Paul Sokol, Hollis Perkins, Jon Sokol and Doug Zingula.

April 4th through 6th we welcomed back Doug Zingula for his second trip with us this season along with the crew who we last fished a couple of seasons ago as above, Paul and Jon Sokol and Hollis Perkins, all Guatemala regulars for many years now. First day out proved a little slow trying to find the remains of the eastern bite so we ran out wide to the west to the next day finding nice blue water and a good sailfish bite in the morning session. Things slowed midday though we finished strong with the guys hooking all their own fish going 19 from 32 bites. Our last day out back to the west slowed a little though still very good fishing with 10 from 17 bites and the last fish on the fly for Jon. From 6 raised the one we got teased in from a double header that came hot all the way with one biting the fly. Nice way to finish Jon! The guys finished up the trip with 34 releases from 58 bites, we're looking forward to fishing them next year, they're already planning a return trip which says it all....

HELPS INTERNATIONAL 

 Luis Garcia, Jorge Corona, Clay Quinn and Hunter Bost

April 7th we hosted Hunter Bost and the above group of Dr's who had been working the week in San Cristobal, Coban for Helps International. They were part of an overall group of around 50+ Dr's who had flown down from the US with a large amount of medical supplies and performed over 100 operations. Great work for those in need, hats off to you. We took the guys out for a shortened day of fishing before the last night with their group in Antigua and we're glad we got them into some with 20 sails raised and 10 releases from 18 bites. Also a couple of mahi's for fresh fish tacos for lunch. A great day on the water, good on you Dr's...

FANTA FAMILY

David, Laura and Dianne Fanta.

April 8th-10th, we welcomed in Guatemala first timers the Fanta family from Houston. First day out we chased the bite that we had been fishing, pushing off further we eventually caught up with it and had some good activity with 9 releases from 14 bites. The next day we had an unseasonably late front push through making conditions tough with a stiff  ENE wind blowing against a hard W current making very confused seas, rough and tough to get on the fish. We did have 8 bites for the day and were happy for it. Next day out the morning was back to same sea conditions and the green water had pushed down to the west. We did find a large group of spinners in the morning stacked with yellowfin tunas, David and Laura were keen to try the fly today and with the tunas attacking the teasers we had a fun morning casting to the tunas under the teasers from a stationary boat. Some incredible surface bites on the Cam Sigler popper fly and blistering runs giving the Sage 13 wt flyrod, and anglers a real workout. A good way to forget the conditions!!

 Laura putting the heat on and the results....nice tuna on the fly!!

The rest of the day we tried teasing the sails in to the fly though getting them to come in all the way was hard work. From the 10 sails raised 4 teased in all the way and 2 bit the fly and we were a little unlucky with them both jumping off throwing the hooks. We did get 2 on the bait for the day and for the trip we raised 33 sails and released 14 from 24 bites on conventional tackle with 8 tunas on the plugs with 3 on the fly. Plenty of fun and hope to see you guys back down here in 'normal' Guatemalan conditions!!

JAMIE DISHMAN CLAN

 Annie Dishman, Briklynd Briggs with Cindy and Jamie Dishman

April 11th and 12th. Good to see Jamie, Cindy and Annie back down here this time introducing Briklynd to our Guatemalan fishery! What a difference a day makes....still a little left over wind in the morning though we were on the fish right away a few miles in from the edge to the west. As the day wore on the wind laid down and the fishing was very good till around 1300 when it kind of shut down. We raised 27 sails today with 12 from the 23 of them biting released, some very finiky bites it has to be said, a tough time making them stick!! The next day flat conditions and fish were playing the game a little better, 37 raised with 17 from 31 bites, a great day with steady action right through. 29 from 54 bites for the trip...Good fishing Team Dishman....

Annie and Bud with a nice one...

STALLION GROUP 

Chief Tauzin, Craig Johnson, Dennis Eubank, Joe Segulja and Don Gann. 

Then came the above crew, 'El Jefe' Craig Johnson with Chief and Joe from Stallion hosting clients Don and Dennis fishing April 13th-15th. 7NM inside of where we had been fishing the previous days one of the fleet found sails balling baits in an area of green bordering blueish water. Things got a little hot and heavy when we got there and it was 'Sancocho City' in the morning session for the guys with the log-book saying we were 15 from 32 bites at just after midday. To be fair it was a little chaotic for 2 hours with multiples the norm.....Things slowed a little and we had time to cook and eat lunch, after lunch the bite took off again with a couple of back to back quintuplet hook-ups, triples, doubles, pack attacks....awesome to see!! The guys redeemed themselves in the afternoon session with 38 from 48 bites and we finished the day with totals of over 90 raises, 53 releases from 83 bites and a couple of large mahi's that were in the feeding frenzy on the bait balls...

Birds picking and sailfish cutting bait with mahi's in the mix.

An awesome day on the water! Next day back at the same numbers/area we were greeted with the same sights, fish cutting baits and pack attacks in the spread, by 1100 we were looking at a good day ahead with 15 from 27 bites......then it shut down, fish on the surface but we couldn't get them off what they were feeding on. We finished the day with 19 from 36 bites and another couple of large mahi's. The group split up into both boats the last day out with El Jefe Craig Johnson requesting a yellowfin tuna haul on Allure II, Chief and Dennis with the pilots went on Allure with Capt Julio in search of the sails. Out wide we got into the tunas pretty good with a couple of groups of spinners found out there. 19 tunas later we ran back to the sailfish bite for the last 2 hours of fishing. 5 from a dozen bites with the guys on Allure releasing 19 from 31 bites. Great trip!! 95 sails released, 19 tunas and 4 mahi's boated!!

CHIEF AND AMBER TAUZIN 

Chief and Amber 

 Next couple of days April 16th and 17th we hosted these two. Good fishing as well, over the 2 days we got into them pretty good, 18 from 32 the first day and second day out they were biting right through the day with 29 released from 45 bites with 53 raised. Also a couple of tunas boated and a couple of midget sails...some of the smallest I've seen here.

Sashimi for Amber 

Good trip with these 2!!

 STALLION GROUP # 2

Joany Sylvester, BJ Poole, Corrine Kudlock, Keith Ogdee with Amber and Chief

April18-19, Chief finishing off a marathon trip here hosted the above group for 2 days on the water. First day out we chased our bite finding a strong off-shore current and green water, we kept pushing out looking for the nice stuff though couldn't find it. Still pretty good in the green water with 8 sails released from 12 bites, 7 tunas boated and a nice blue marlin for Keith Ogdee that came up on the short teaser and an awesome going away bite right off the transom. What a sight.... 

 First marlin for Keith!! Pushing 300lb's...

Looking for something new the next day we covered a lot of area and found some fish out wide with  couple of the other boats scouting, lots of jumpers and a late afternoon pick ended up with 7 from 13 bites. A strong current pushing in and from the east has things changing. Hopefully for the good!!

We will be out there fishing the next few days and into next week and into May. We have some openings in May and look forward to getting out there, get in touch with us get a group together and get into some of the best billfishing around....



LATE MARCH REPORT-THE BITE GOES ON......

TEAM CHICI-POW!! 63 RELEASES

 

L-R: Mike, Drew Donalson, Keith, Scott, Cone, Dan Wheat, Hill Dishman, Erik Hansen, Brad Klein, Matt Rotan and Jay Hanna

March 20th-22nd we hosted the above, 'Team Chici-Pow', which is the local term for a backlash and probably a bit harsh as for the most part they fished well, though there was some mention of a mono-filament surcharge.....

Fishing aboard Allure with Capt Hill and Allure II both boats veered to the west the first day 'looking' as the bite to the east was pushing too far out and dying off (apparently). On Allure II we made it all the way down to western corner catching a few tunas and sailfish. Allure made the run across the top of the pocket and got into better action back on the eastern side so it was to the east for both boats for the next 2 days. The fishing was great, we raised plenty and had plenty of practice, there were a few missed though that's part of it and to be fair the fish were biting a bit 'soft' (hence the backlashes) the second morning. Our last day out both boats were smoking in the morning session and expectations were high though the bite shut down like someone hitting the light switch and the afternoon was slow. In the 3 days the guys released 63 sailfish from 114 bites with plenty more in the spread that did not bite. Throw in a couple of 35lb+ mahi's and a few YF tunas and it was an awesome time had by all. Good crew, plenty of laughs and good times on the boats and back at the Lodge.

SHINKLE GROUP 32 RELEASES

L-R: Vern Smith, Tony 'Red' Crain, Brian Shinkle and Andy Coultas

March 24th-26th we welcomed back Brian, Vern and Andy from St Louis, (and with good timing dodging a late spring polar blast), back to Guatemala this time introducing Tony Crain from the Florida Keys for 3 days. Once again the eastern bite seemed to be on the down so we scouted out the western edge, and came up empty. We did get into the YF tunas thick and a nice mahi though no billfish. Back to the east the next 2 days and we got into some great late afternoon action the 2nd day out with a few cover-ups in the spread. The bite was steady the last day on the water and overall it was a very good fishing with the guys doing well for their part releasing 32 sailfish from 48 bites from the 54 raised. A couple of mahi's and a bunch of tunas topped it off. Good to see the crew back here and timing their trip well for the weather and the bite.

 

3 GENERATIONS OF MIKELLS

Jenkins JR, Jenkins III and Isaac IV

March 24th and 25th we hosted 3 generations of the Mikell family to the OASIS fishing aboard Capt Hook. Jenks III fished with us years ago out of the old Fins n Feathers Lodge aboard Coyote II, so it was great to see him back here after all these years....even wearing the old F'n F Coyote II t-shirt....on ya Jenks!! He introduced his dad and son to this fishery and the guys timed it well. 7 releases from 11 bites the first day out and 19 from 31 second day. Isaac was into it baiting them like a pro by the end of the second day, plenty of multiples in the spread and an awesome family trip. Looking forward to seeing the Mikell's back here soon!!

Isaac with a  beauty...

TODD JOHNSON CREW

March 28th-29th we hosted Todd Johnson and Steve Goodchild along with Todd's son Will and College buddies Jay Crawley, Zachary Sims, Luke Nixon and Taylor Mullen. Fishing was a bit on the slow side and fleet was spread out and looking, we found some reasonable action the last afternoon and for the trip we raised 23 sails, got 18 of them to bite and released 9. We had another good haul on the YF tunas with over dozen boated so all in all another good trip out with Jay, Zach, Luke and Taylor getting into their first billfish releases.

 

On Allure John Goodchild hosted a Stallion crew of James 'Jimbo' Matheny, Troy Brownmiller, Michael Ray and Chris Buchanan over the same dates and the guys got into some big mahi's a few sails, missed a blue marlin on a live bonito and generally had a large time down at the Oasis...

Chris Buchanan....

Great underwater shot from John Goodchild

 

 March 31st we were lucky enough to fish with Sage Rods CEO Travis Campbell for the day. Travis and family from Bainbridge Island was in Guatemala visiting family in Antigua and took time out for a day trying to get his first sailfish on the fly. Along with daughter Samantha and cousin Walker Spoor we ventured off-shore with a 30NM run to get to the blue water. 10 yr olds Samantha and Walker were real troopers in choppy conditions and both released their first sailfish on the conventional tackle....

Samantha doing battle and with the results...

And Walker with his first sailfish..

 

As well as sailfish Samantha boated a nice mahi. For the day we raised 15 sails and released 3 from 6 bites on the conventional, we teased in 9 to the back of the boat though it was tough as they were not coming in strong on the teasers. We did cast to 4 and got 3 to bite the fly with one throwing the hook, the other missed on the bite though Travis did a fine job on the Sage 13 wt flyrod with this nice sail released...

 

Good stuff and another fun day on the water.

 

We have a couple of days in though are back out there this Friday and are looking fairly booked right through April though we do have 20th-22nd open if anyone is interested. Allure has some availability through April and May is starting to book up, it is another great month down here as mentioned previously with plenty of tunas, mahi's, sails and marlin in the mix. Lots of beautiful dark blue water pushing in right now so it is all looking good for the weeks ahead. We're anticipating a great April and beyond here in Guatemala....