From the Crocodile Bay Lodge, Puerto Jiménez
by Todd Staley, Fishing Director
February 2003
I had this picture in my mind right out of "Happy Days," as Barbara Graf described catching the 50 lb roosterfish. Big Bopper blasting on the juke box, teenagers dancing around the booths and a young couple each with a straw sharing a chocolate malt. Forty five years later Dick and Barbara Graf still like to share. After a week of inshore fishing which included a mixed bag of jacks, roosters, snappers and some nice grouper they ventured offshore on day and took some sails before finishing their trip with one last day inshore.
The lines came tight simultaneously and they each set the hook. Line buzzed from the reels as captain "Mochilla" hollered, "good fish, good fish." Suddenly it appeared the lines were crossed and everyone was afraid one fish would cut off the other. It seemed as both fish were swimming together until after 15 minutes when the action changed to right next to the boat, they all realized that a huge 50 lb roosterfish had eaten both their bait and they had caught it together. Just like a chocolate malt.
Bill Martin's group were not disappointed when he promised Costa Rica had good fishing. The group caught lots of sails, Ed Palm took a 130 lb tuna and the lady in the blue dress came knocking on the door. As a host though Bill could have been a bit more congenial. He caught both of them one going 500 lbs and the other 125. Shep McCook pleased everyone at the lodge as his 57 lb wahoo hit the grill. He can also shave now because he finally got his sail on a fly. Feather throwers have been getting fair numbers with Byron Johnson taking three afte a couple days of missed shots.
February 26, 2003
Things were off to a bang when Danny Young's group of four raised 59 sails in two days of fishing and then things went a little nutso. The fish got finicky. They would lazily come up and take a look at the bait or swat the fly but would not eat. Fortunately that changed and things are getting back to normal with most boats seeing a dozen or so sails per day. Ted Moody from Orvis banged three on the fly yesterday after a couple days of aggrevation. The big news offshore was a 700 plus pound black marlin that broke off after 7 hours of back straining and line stretching.
Tuna and dorado have been a little scarce but a few football tuna hit the grill the last couple of days. Carl McCants's 80 pound roosterfish was top dog on the inside. Not many roosters are falling to anglers offerings but most that did went over 50 lbs. Bjour Odenbro from Sweden had a big day on the water when he bagged 11 roosters and 9 big jacks. A couple of nice African pompano hit the dinner plates as well as cubera snapper.
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