From the Crocodile Bay Lodge, Puerto Jiménez
by Todd Staley, Fishing Director
Give a fishing director of any lodge a cold front, a full moon, and four TV fishing shows all at the same time and they just might end up on a shrink’s couch.
Tom Ackerman from New American Sportsman was shooting with country star Trace Adkins, who flew straight in from the CMT awards. Mark Maus was filming for Cabela’s. Mike Schoby was here with Gander Mountain’s new show "We live Outdoors", and David Sloan was with Boston Whaler filming his show, On the Hook.
No one told the sailfish how much money these guys invest to put out a good show, nor do I think they would care if they did. Can’t blame it on the moon because they bit right through the full moons in February and March. The front brought with it some rain, but they don’t call it a rainforest for nothing.
It is an honor to have these guys down here because they choose their destinations carefully. They want a place that’s interesting to their millions of viewers as well as a place they stand a good chance of catching lots of fish. In our seven years of operation, 53 shows have been filmed here. We thank all of them for having the confidence in us at Crocodile Bay and our fishery.
They are all looking for the shot that separates them from the rest. We have had them riding whale sharks, touching humpback whales and swimming amongst a school of a thousand porpoises with 200 lb yellowfin tuna underneath. Mark Sosin won an award for his show when the airline lost his fishing equipment and he went to the jungle to film the animals. This “B” roll footage made the difference. Babe Winkleman filmed his wife Chris catch the lodge record roosterfish at 106 lbs. O’Neill Williams took a 55 lb roosterfish on 10 lb freshwater bass gear on film.
Ackerman and Adkins opted for roosterfish and bagged 8 that hadn’t yet heard of the Screen Actors Guild before zooming through the canopy of the rainforest on our new zip line tour. Sloan found a few sails that didn’t get the word on the strike and George Hetzel from Boston Whaler joined in the fun. Mark Maus had the most luck number wise, taking 7 sails and got some great footage of the “bait and switch”, and cameraman Bo Newsome got some great underwater stuff.
Tike Schoby’s feet probably hasn’t touched the ground yet. Based out of Minnesota, Schoby doesn’t get a chance to venture out into the ocean much and blue water fishing was new to him. An avid “fly guy” he wanted to chance big saltwater game fish. He captured his girlfriend Doris take a couple of nice sails on film and decided it was time to try the fly rod. Next fish up………….a blue marlin! Many an angler has dreamed of this opportunity for years and never have had the chance to cast to a marlin.
The fish didn’t hesitate and gulped the big pink fly. When it felt the sting of the hook set, it took off like a big blue bottle rocket with fins, skipping across the surface. Finally the fish slowed and after a two hour tug of war, the 200 lb fish was released. A magic moment in fishing televison.
The front and the moon has passed, fishing is picking up again. Each boat on the water had 15 to 20 fish up in the teasers yesterday.
Todd Staley,
Fishing Director
Crocodile Bay Lodge
Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica
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