Greetings!

This is Craig Sutton with FishingNosara.com for the December report. Myself, Jack (my right hand man) and Matty (my left hand man) went back to Costa on the 16th to finish the Explorer and I am super pumped to announce that the Explorer is in the water and Captain David is catching fish.

The Explorer came out great and it is a very fun boat to fish. If you are ready for a true test of angler skill, make sure to book this newest weapon in FishingNosara's arsenal. Trips on the 27' Super Panga start as low as $250.

While November was a little slow on the billfish it more than made up with BIG Yellowfin Tuna and lots of them. Captain Eduardo is top boat again with a ton of trips scoring on the Nice n' Tight and the big Sportsman. Captain Eduardo is on pace to be top boat for the year again.

Captain Vibert got the Cabo back in the water in late November and immediately got the decks bloody with some great catches. Captain Vibert is the master!

We should have Captain Vibert's battle wagon Amiee Marie ready for action by January 1st.

Captain William and crew on the Wanderer had some outstanding Yellowfin Tuna catches. What an amazing site to see 50+ lbs. Yellowfin hit a top water lure. Good eatin' too!

Also a big congrats goes out to the Wanderer crew for the first marlin of the year and their giant 80 pound Grouper. Take a look:



Even though we've had some good catches this month, the blue water still has not come in close to shore. Once the blue water arrives the fish will start chewing the bottoms out of the boats.


Finally, check out the brand new FishingNosara Blog. In addition to our archives of monthly fishing reports, this blog offers fishing tips, videos, and daily updates throughout the month. Check out blog.fishingnosara.com to stay informed on all things Nosara.

Enjoy the December fishing report and remember that lots of dates are booked but if you want score some great action come on down!!!!
 
Tight Lines y Pura Vida!
-Craig


Captain Eduardo is having a ball on the water so far this season. Between the legendary Nice n' Tight and the 31' Sportsman Eduardo has all the tools and tricks to bring in the big fish.



On November 18th these clients had an absolute blast on a half-day fishing trip on the Nice n' Tight. They caught several tunas and enjoyed fresh sushi served up by Captain Eduardo. These clients also reported seeing schools of spinner dolphins and a small pod of gray whales.
 



Captain Eduardo has stayed busy this season. He is fishing so much that you can barely find him on land since the season started in November.

If you want to fish with Eduardo you need to get your dates reserved soon...much of his schedule is already filling up, so don't miss out on fishing with the hardest working man in Garza.



Captain Vibert along with First Mate Vibert Jr. are the most experienced crew on the FishingNosara team. This month they finally got the Cabo back on the water and I am proud to report that the fish have responded to the Master Captain.

In fact, the very first trip out on the Cabo was a great success; by the end of the trip the clients had pulled in 5 black tunas and a meaty Ceda Snapper.


The Master Captain continued to dial in the freshly-rigged Cabo throughout the month of December, all the while keeping the fishboxes full for his clients.



Our most recent report from good Captain Vibert has client Dick Stacey catching a white tuna, a porgy, and 7 black tunas on December 23. Then on Christmas Eve Mr. Stacey caught six 30lbs. Yellowfin Tunas on a full-day trip. Great work!

Captain Vibert should have his big battle wagon the Aimee Marie in the water any day now. Keep an eye on our Daily Fishing Updates section of the blog for all the details on the new boat.


Captain William is off to a fantastic start this season on the Wanderer with lots of great trips, full fishboxes and happy clients. The great month of December ends on a slightly bittersweet note as Captain David assumes the helm of the Explorer; David is part of the original crew, but I am happy to say that his last month on the Wanderer was truly one for the record books.



On November 21 I was joined on the Wanderer by Matty, Pat, Paula, Craig Jr., Sylvia and Charley Barnhart and we did a full day of work on the offshore Yellowfin Tuna.

The big Yellas were chowing down on Williamson Jet Poppers and slow-trolled cedar plugs. Even though these catches were great, we still left a few big fellas in the water.


Overall, a great day fishing with some great folks.




Also clients John, Joe, and Bruce Sabine finished their week of fishing in Nosara by making life miserable for the big Yellowfin Tunas.

Jet Poppers and ceder plugs were the hot lures, and the trio of Tampa anglers had a legendary good time. The fishboxes were so stuffed that they released this 70lbs. Yellowfin.



In late November we made a great new friend named Jeff Grosshandler from New Jersey. Jeff is a very interesting fellow who is currently organizing a new development in Nosara's K section. A financial wiz and an avid surfer, Mr. Grosshandler will surely become a familar face around Nosara for years to come.

He has booked several trips in the last few weeks with the FishingNosara Team, and this 35lbs. Dorado and tasty white tuna are just a sampling of his great catches. Pura Vida Jeff!
 



Even though we are still waiting for conditions to settle down and the blue water to move close to shore, there has been a nice surprise coming to the shores near Garza: the Ciero Mackerel.

These fish are the total package for fun angling: good fighters, hard biting and great tasting. A genetic cousin of the King Mackerel, the Ciero makes for fantastic sushi.




On December 4 clients Peter and Wilmar had a field day on the football-sized Yellowfin Tunas. They caught fourteen total fish weighing 12lbs. to 30lbs.



The Wanderer is the best choice in the whole area for family-style fishing because of the friendly English-speaking crew, private bathroom and the legendary stability of the T-Craft hull. This party from Hermosa Beach, CA had a fantastic day on the Wanderer and caught some great fish.




All the kids got time on the reel and caught fish. Captain William's fatherly manner is a real plus when it comes to fishing with the kids; everyone has fun and everyone gets to participate.






The highlight of the month for the Wanderer was welcoming Rick and Mary for a magical week of fun, fishing, and taking the plunge (into marriage that is, not the water). The happy couple and their families spent the week at Nosara Paradise Rentals and enjoyed five days of fishing on the Wanderer.



On December 17 they got things off to a hot start with a few white tunas and Yellowfins, then they nailed this meaty 20lbs. Cuberra Snapper. With the fishbox already full of these tasty fish, Captain William pointed the Wanderer offshore in search of the big billfish.




Using our High-Speed Marlin Spread they pulled in this beautiful 250lbs. Black Marlin. Despite the moisture on the camera lens, you can tell this is truly the fish of a lifetime...and this was only the first of five days fishing!

As always, this big billfish was live released unharmed.




The next few trips brought the bridal party on board the Wanderer and, not to be outdone by the boys, they piled up the fishbox by catching a wide variety of tunas, groupers, and Amberjacks.

With the big day looming on Tuesday, the soon-to-be-newlyweds knew that their were still some big fish waiting for them.


There is an old saying in fishing that "Great catches start with a lot of problems." Well on December 20 the Wanderer spent most of the day offshore looking for more billfish, but by days end were staring at the humbling reality of striking out.

As a last ditch effort, Captain William took the wedding party trolling over the inshore reefs looking for the giant lunkers that dwell in the sandy coral bottoms. With only minutes left on the full-day trip, the line screamed as it was nailed by this 70lbs. Broomtail Grouper.




From strikeout to sandwitches, these kind of catches are what make fishing so much darned fun. I think that John's face (Right, blue visor) says it all.

The wedding went off without a hitch on December 21, but their final trip on the Wanderer the next day would be the final test of the newlyweds' luck.

Clearly the heavens smiled on the couple as their last trip was the most productive of all: 12 yellowfin tunas (10-25lbs.), a 30lbs. Dorado and a beastly 50lbs. Amberjack.





I am proud to say the wedding was a great success. Everything went smoothly and the families had an unforgettable experience in Costa Rica. On behalf of the entire FishingNosara and Nosara Paradise Rentals family, congratulations and good luck in your life together.

Most recently, client Steve Mears and his son joined Captain WIlliam and Alex for a day of billfish hunting, and the trip was a great success. Check out this 250lbs. Blue Marlin!




These majestic fish are incredibly challenging to catch and release, but the Wanderer is well-equipped to safely handle these marine monsters. Hopefully the blue water will continue to approach the shore and these kind of catches will become more frequent as the season rolls on.

If you want to catch the fish of a lifetime in Costa Rica, go with the best boat for the job: Captain William and First Mate Alex are ready to make your dreams come true on the Wanderer.


The Explorer represents a new concept in Costa Rica Sportfishing by combining the swift maneuverability of a Panga boat with the fishing tools of a boat twice her size. The result? A smooth-riding craft that is capable of offshore trolling and inshore reef casting with all the right tackle to bring home the big boys.

Captain David Barrantes has been with FishingNosara for several years now; his most recent post was as Spotter Mate on the Wanderer. You may recognize him as the guy holding the billfish on many of the Wanderer's  great catches.

Regular readers of the report have watched this boat take shape, but here is a quick retrospective in pictures:



The Panga Boat hull is the trusted workhorse in bays, harbors, and marinas throughout Costa Rica. Many have been rigged for sportfishing before, however the Explorer is a new take on the concept of panga fishing.

Adding the 'Client Console' in addition to the 'Captain's Console' allows our guest to get neck deep in the fishing action

These are the original sketches that would become the Explorer. Made by Craig Sutton in May 2010, the final product bears a very strong resemblance to the these sketches





July 2010 - Hull Fabrication nearly complete at Nicaraguan Boat Works




August 2010 - Hull complete, awaiting delivery to Nosara for Rigging



October 2010 - Delivered successfully to Nosara Paradise Rentals.




November 2010 - First Water Test. Motor and Steering install complete.



Radio Arch built by Blue Water Towers and delivered to Nosara. Installed by Matty, Craig Jr., Grevin, and Comi during late-November 2010.

December 19, 2010 - Launch Day


Comi watches the tide and waits for the proper moment to launch.

Captain David finalizes the last details.

Captain Jack observes the Explorer from Playa Garza.

Captain David, Captain Jack, and Captain Craig on the Maiden Voyage.

'Client Console' has it's own bottom machine and a great view of the action. The Explorer was booked for the first five days she was in the water, and her schedule is filling up fast. Look at all these clients getting their first taste of 'Extreme Panga Fishing'...Do you have what it takes?








Craig Jr. and Matty explore a 16th Century Spanish Shipwreck

Garza Point

Regresso - Baby Sea Turtles prepare for a mad dash to the beach.

Success-o!

Low Tide in Garza

'Common' Iguana in the Nature Preserve

Bianca at home in the Nature Preserve

Nosara Paradise Rentals Office, 2011

Merry Christmas and a Happy 2011 to you all. Pura Vida!
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