As per the yhooszsh, I could not sleep for crap the night before a guided trip. The hot room (no A/C at our rental, but there is a private pool I skinny dipped in at 5am) and the howler monkeys just out my window didn’t help me sleep either. It sounded like they were IN the room with me. Supposedly the second loudest mammal on earth after the blue whale according to a couple Costa Rican tour guides.
After a small adventure finding the meet up spot, asking directions three times from non-English speakers (and my Español sucks), and driving the rental RAV4 on the beach to save some time, I got a ride out to the Super Panga and we headed straight out, maybe a 30 or 40 minute boat ride before we started trolling gear, teasers and clones and whatnot. We spotted two amazing looking large logs with Booby birds on them (I think that’s what they were, and boobies on them just seems off), but got no hits and nothing on the sonar. Dang, I thought that would have been a chance to cast a fly rod at some fish, but— què làstima.
We followed the radio to life—spinner dolphins and yellowfin tuna, maybe more. Upon arrival we trolled more, including trolling a fly. One of the rods with a Penn International on it hooked a small tuna and I reeled in my first yellowfin, about 10 lbs or so, with no trouble. Nice. Sashimi tonight.
We resumed trolling and trying to intercept the tuna school(s). Captain Frank recommended pink and/or red so that’s what I tried. First small, then large.
The deckhand was casting a pink and silver stick bait (nuovi lure? Sp) and I saw it get hit by a huge tuna that fully breached upon taking it. I reeled up and was handed the rod. It had a large Penn spinning reel strapped to it. Not the greatest for a big tuna. I was given the rod and a gimbal belt. And thus began the suffering.
For three frigging hours I pulled on that fish. I know. That seems insane. It is insane. But as much as I wanted to tighten the drag, or touch the spool just a little on the lifts, and said so, I was counseled not to. And so I didn’t. I saw color once, about an hour in. Hour three felt like hour four. But alas. I was working the fish closer again, it was maybe 45-50 feet away, when the hook(s) just popped loose. I don’t think I erred. I think the hook holes got big and a head shake tossed the lure. Maybe it was on me, and if it was, maybe it’s for not applying a bit more pressure (drag) on the lifts. The fish never seemed to tire but I was applying max pressure and it still took drag, over and over and over. I sure as hell was tired. My back is killing me and the belt left bruises on my lower waist line. That was some Type 2 fun for sure.
This tune was on today’s playlist on the boat and it just seems appropriate.
After spending three hours on that darn fish, a beast which I had some words for during the battle, our day was basically done. I am of course disappointed not to have landed the leviathan (estimated 80-100 lbs), see it, get that amazing photo, but glad to have come home with some fresh ahi from the peanut, and to have had the chance to tangle with such a great fish. That tuna won this one. ¡Que lastima!
At the end of the day, I wanna go back and try again later this week. Maybe we will find something I can cast a fly to! Pura vida!
After a small adventure finding the meet up spot, asking directions three times from non-English speakers (and my Español sucks), and driving the rental RAV4 on the beach to save some time, I got a ride out to the Super Panga and we headed straight out, maybe a 30 or 40 minute boat ride before we started trolling gear, teasers and clones and whatnot. We spotted two amazing looking large logs with Booby birds on them (I think that’s what they were, and boobies on them just seems off), but got no hits and nothing on the sonar. Dang, I thought that would have been a chance to cast a fly rod at some fish, but— què làstima.
We followed the radio to life—spinner dolphins and yellowfin tuna, maybe more. Upon arrival we trolled more, including trolling a fly. One of the rods with a Penn International on it hooked a small tuna and I reeled in my first yellowfin, about 10 lbs or so, with no trouble. Nice. Sashimi tonight.
We resumed trolling and trying to intercept the tuna school(s). Captain Frank recommended pink and/or red so that’s what I tried. First small, then large.
The deckhand was casting a pink and silver stick bait (nuovi lure? Sp) and I saw it get hit by a huge tuna that fully breached upon taking it. I reeled up and was handed the rod. It had a large Penn spinning reel strapped to it. Not the greatest for a big tuna. I was given the rod and a gimbal belt. And thus began the suffering.
For three frigging hours I pulled on that fish. I know. That seems insane. It is insane. But as much as I wanted to tighten the drag, or touch the spool just a little on the lifts, and said so, I was counseled not to. And so I didn’t. I saw color once, about an hour in. Hour three felt like hour four. But alas. I was working the fish closer again, it was maybe 45-50 feet away, when the hook(s) just popped loose. I don’t think I erred. I think the hook holes got big and a head shake tossed the lure. Maybe it was on me, and if it was, maybe it’s for not applying a bit more pressure (drag) on the lifts. The fish never seemed to tire but I was applying max pressure and it still took drag, over and over and over. I sure as hell was tired. My back is killing me and the belt left bruises on my lower waist line. That was some Type 2 fun for sure.
This tune was on today’s playlist on the boat and it just seems appropriate.
After spending three hours on that darn fish, a beast which I had some words for during the battle, our day was basically done. I am of course disappointed not to have landed the leviathan (estimated 80-100 lbs), see it, get that amazing photo, but glad to have come home with some fresh ahi from the peanut, and to have had the chance to tangle with such a great fish. That tuna won this one. ¡Que lastima!
At the end of the day, I wanna go back and try again later this week. Maybe we will find something I can cast a fly to! Pura vida!
