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Captain William and the Wanderer are absolutely on fire! After delivering a billfish bonanza for their clients in late January and early February, the blue beauty stayed inshore around the full moon and scored big on reef dwellers.
There were six Marlin releases this month and almost too many Sailfish releases to count for the FishingNosara flagship.
With First Mate Alex rocking and rolling in the cockpit and Captain William hunting the elusive beasts from the wheel, the Wanderer sets the bar for high-end Costa Rican Sportfishing.
Bruce Sabine, Joe Ronnlof and John Harbord narrowly missed getting inducted into the FishingNosara Hall of Fame back in November 2010 when they destroyed about 500lbs. of Yellowfin tuna on a single day.
On January 14 they kicked off their fishing trips with Captain William for an fridge-filling fishing frenzy.
They caught a Yella fella and a white tuna, plus this nice Amberjack.
On January 15 these Tampa boys stayed inshore and if you think that means they settled for small fish, then you have no clue about the kind of monsters that live on the reefs in Costa Rica.
This Broomtail Grouper appears to weigh over 50lbs. which would make it the largest Cabrilla caught since Matty's monster back in November 2010. Sheesh, the lips on this fish probably weigh five pounds:
Joe followed up the largest Grouper we've seen this year with the smallest grouper we've seen ever! You might be able to get half a sandwich out of this little fella, but instead we threw this one back...maybe in another ten years he will resemble his departed big brother.
The blue water beckoned and the boys to headed offshore early on January 16, so let's cut to the chase:
Bruce Sabine, Joe Ronnlof, John Harbord...Welcome to the FishingNosara Hall of Fame!
You know it's a good trip when it starts with a Striped Marlin release. This was the second Stripey of the season and is a Hall of Fame fish all by itself.
Then the boys added six Sailfish releases to the scorecard including the unheard-of TRIPLE HEADER SAILFISH RELEASE!
That's right folks there is a mean Pacific Sailfish on all three lines. Great teamwork by the clients and supervision by First Mate Alex to keep this thing from getting out of hand.
Maybe it was the blue water moving close to shore. Maybe it was the years of fishing experience that John, Bruce, Joe and the crew bring to the water. Maybe it was First Mate Alex' lucky white sunglasses. Whatever happened out there, all the tumblers fell into place and unlocked the perfect day of fishing.
Of course all 7 billfish were released alive and well and ready to be caught again. Excellent teamwork by Captain William and First Mate Alex to maintain the safety of the billfish, anglers, and equipment.
How would John Harbord, Joe Ronnlof, and Bruce Sabine fare after a seven billfish day? Would they have anything left in the tank after three excellent days of fishing both offshore and the inshore reefs? Would the billfish finally evade their crafty capture?
Striped Marlin, Black Marlin, and Sailfish released!
This is the classic Grand Slam and is by far the rarest feat in billfishing. Less than a dozen Grand Slams are reported worldwide in a given year and this performance will serve as the high water mark for years to come for Costa Rican sportfishing.
The Stripey was the first one to get snared by the mighty Wanderer's spread and John did great work to make this fight quick and efficient. Captain William kept the boat in perfect position for the contest and the angler kept tension like a pro.
Fantastic work by First Mate Alex who is always pumped up when big billfish come calling.
Next up was a very nice Pacific Sailfish which would be a highlight on any other day with any other anglers; for these hombres this Sailfish release was as routine as a free throw.
The final piece of the Grand Slam came in the form of this MASSIVE Black Marlin that came calling late in the day.
This monster was huge and the look on Alex's face tells the tale.
What a fantastic release photo...magazine cover anyone?
Once back in Garza Bay the Tampa-based fishing team was elated and added this 145lbs. Brown Marlin release:
Legendary fishing by these FishingNosara Hall of Famers!
The Wanderer got back to her roots on January 18 with a relaxing sunset family fishing trip with client Patrick Dollard and his family. The group caught three Jack Crevalles and four Bonitos on a sun-drenched three hour cruise.
Blend the tranquil conditions with some rod-bendin' action and you have the recipe for a perfect Costa Rican evening. The big smile on her face says it all:
Respect to this young man who can handle his own fish for the picture, thank you very much.
January 20 brought our new friends Mark and Melody Mukon for a full 8 hour day on the big blue battlewagon. These Connecticut anglers were looking for billfish and meat for the cooler; frankly they got all they could handle!
The day got off to a slow start but the 1pm Sailfish bite was like clockwork this month and sure enough this mighty Pacific Sailfish challenged Mr. Mukon and the Wanderer to a fight.
Captain William spun the Wanderer into a position of power while Mark put a swift 15 minute beating on this billfish. First Mate Alex executed a perfect bill and release, and this monster swam away free and will be ready for another scrap soon.
That awesome fish turned out to be the plug in the dam because once it was released the Wanderer was beset on all sides by hungry Dorados. Perhaps they were lured in by Melody's freshly-purchased Pink FishingNosara hat...hmmmmm that particular color of hat always seems to bring good luck to a boat.
The feeding frenzy that followed brought in four nice Mahi-Mahis ranging from 25lbs. to this 60lbs. whopper pictured with Captain William.
Melody and Mark Mukon added a feisty little Wahoo to the shopping cart just as they checked out from the fish market. Great way to start their week in Nosara with a full fridge of filets!
After a slow day on January 20, Mark and Melody Mukon finished their week of fishing on January 22, 2012 with "His and Hers" Sailfish releases. Mark was first up and his monster Sailfish put on a tailwalking show on his way to the authoritative Wanderer. 
Melody Mukon was next up on the reel when the second Sailfish came barreling through the spread. The hypnotic power of her Pink FishingNosara hat worked on this billfish as First Mate Alex coaxed him alongside for another safe release. 
Great work by this Connecticut couple of bill collectors to cap off a great week of fishing in Costa Rica.
The Wanderer played host to client Michelle Guiliano and her friends from California for a very memorable 6.5 hour trip out to the blue water on January 23.
They started the day by taking care of dinner in the form of this 20lbs. Dorado; not the biggest Mahi we've seen around recently but certainly enough to put some meat on ice and still gnosh on fresh sushi.
You can set your watch down here by the 1pm Sailfish bite and this day was no different. A half-dozen majestic Sailfish came ripping through the spread and was tearing off baits left and right.
Michelle hooked up the first one, and the group finished with three awesome Pacific Sailfish releases.
Captain William delivered a banner day for these nice folks from the other Sunshine State!
Brian Bickel and his boys from South Georgia lit it up on January 25 with nice Sailfish and Dorados. The spinning porpoises led the famous Wanderer out to a full-on feeding frenzy. 
They had three Sailfish in the spread throughout the day with two successful catch and releases. 
This hungry posse also put three meaty Dorados in the fishbox which should keep them pleasantly plump for the rest of the week. 
Great start for these fellas who still have more fishing planned this week.
We were stoked to host a wedding fishing fiesta with Rob Anderson and his group from Dallas, TX on January 30. They split the party between the Wanderer and the Explorer. Both boats saw consistent action, but the Wanderer had the edge when it comes to good eatin' keepers.
Captain William and the big blue beauty accounted for 10 Yellowfin tunas and five Jack Crevalles on ice, while over on the Explorer Captain David's group got a bunch of Bonita and a few feisty reef Snapper.
No matter how you score it, Mr. Anderson and his group certainly caught enough fish for the wedding party. Great work team!
We closed out January with an excellent day of fishing on the Wanderer by client Dave Ulev from Illinois. His group wanted to specifically target Yellowfin Tuna so Captain William chased the dolphin schools while First Mate Alex deployed a spread featuring the undeniable Cedar plug.
The fish came in hot and heavy, one after the other, and Dave didn't stop until the box was filled with Yella fellas and Jack Crevalle.
Great filets for Dave Ulev and another outstanding effort by the famous Wanderer!
The first of February became a legendary day for the mighty Wanderer and the Zach Condon group. This New Hampshire-based angler had seen the results put up by Captain William and First Mate Alex for other New Englanders (most recently the Mukon family) and he immediately booked a full day on the on the flagship. Zach said they wanted billfish...Fishin' Accomplished! 
As usual the big blue beast delivered the goods for these clients who released a MASSIVE 300+lbs. Blue Marlin and backed that up with a 180lbs. Striped Marlin. They also had a Sailfish but lost it right next to the boat, literally inches from the second Grand Slam of the young season for the Wanderer. First up was the bad Blue Marlin...this guy is a monster even by Costa Rican standards! Amazing teamwork to safely land this monster and set up a safe Marlin release. 
Looks like we need to get a wide angle lens for the camera! 
We talk a lot about successful billfishing being the result of combining the right boat, angler, and tackle for the job. This dedication to teamwork and precision was on display an hour later when another bodacious billfish beckoned. Look at this picture from the Striped Marlin battle, and take careful note of everyone's eyes: 
- The angler's eyes are on locked on the fish and she is focused on maintaining tension and winning back line from the Marlin.
- Her assistant is baling the line back on to the spool properly, thus freeing the angler from worrying about the tackle.
- First Mate Alex is watching the tip of the rod for clues on the Marlin's next move. He can tell by the faintest jerk or vibration of the rod tip if the fish is about to take off running, dive deep, or charge the boat...by transmitting this info to Captain William at the wheel he provides the Wanderer with a split-second advantage over the Marlin.
Focused Angler + Proper Tackle + Captain/Crew teamwork = Great Marlin Releases! 
FishingNosara has been working for years to dispel certain myths about fishing in Costa Rica, namely that the fishery is world-class but the boats and tackle are the exact opposite.
Our reputation for top-notch tackle and aggressive fishing proceeded us when we received a call from Derrill McCrary on Febraury 2.
 Mr. McCrary was fishing on another boat in the area back in December 2011 when he noticed that FishingNosara was catching monsters while he was catching minnows.
He booked a full day on the Wanderer and we vowed that his fishing experience this time would be world-class.
Captain William pointed the mighty Wanderer south and found the blue water break just 6 miles offshore. The spread was working early in the day, snaring a pair of nice Dorados (Mahi-Mahi) that weighed 30lbs. each. Here is one of the tasty green morsels:
After a brief spell of nothing biting, the 1pm Sailfish bite lit up and two hungry Pacific Sailfish came tearing through the spread. First Mate Alex coordinated the fights and the releases, notching the Wanderer's scorecard with three more excellent billfish releases including a double header Sailfish release.
This performance certainly exorcised the Costa Rica fishing demons for Derrill McCrary, but FishingNosara's reputation wasn't built on meeting expectations but on exceeding them. That is why after 7 great hours of fishing the relentless Wanderer still had a trick up her sleeve.
This 180lbs. Striped Marlin releases was the third of the month for Captain William and proves that the FishingNosara flagship Wanderer is indeed the top boat in the area; she is a vessel that flourishes where other fail.
Derrill McCrary kept up the amazing fishing as he once again enlisted Captain William and the Wanderer on February 4. After wearing out the billfish, this time they set their sights on good eating fish and what they found exceeded even their wildest expectations. 
The found an eager school of Dorados who fought with predictable vigor but alas were no match for Derrill and the boys. The group is pictured with the biggest of the bunch plus they had smaller specimens on ice. 
"We arrived back home last night and wanted to let you know we enjoyed our fishing time with William and Alex. They are both very professional and know what they are doing." "Your crew shows a lot of concern for the fish and we appreciated their efforts to make sure the fish swimming freely before the let them go." "Thanks again for a very good fishing trip." Derrill McCrary On February 5 the flagship delivered a great trip for Colorado angler John Betz. He and his wife put in the hours necessary for bill fishing success and their temporal investments paid huge dividends. 
The highlight of the trip with this incredible Striped Marlin (Number four of the month, safe released as always) but Mrs. Betz backed up that monster with a beastie of her own: this beautiful Pacific Sailfish. 
This run of awesome multi-billfish days had to run out as the the full moon took effect around February 7. The Wanderer is equal apt for inshore assaults so the decision to stay inshore and hunt reef monsters was an easy one for Captain William
Our new friend Nora Nolan booked the Wanderer for a brief 2.5 hour morning session and the action was incredibly intense, even by the flagship's standards. Captain William anchored up to Pincha Padre and found abundant marine life.
After some small Bonita and Guardias found their way to the hooks, this party got going in the form of two Broomtail Groupers (25lbs. and 35lbs.) plus they added two of the rare and tasty Congrios.
The Congrio is a half-fish / half-eel that yields a tasty white meat and is sought after around the world for use in sushi rolls; of course the amazing taste of the Grouper goes without saying.
Check out the other area boats in the background trying to get in on this pot of fish...the Wanderer is never greedy, she just leads the way for the rest of pack!
Most recently the Wanderer hosted Charles and his family for a fun-filled day on the water on February 9. They had some unique catches over the reef and took a few minutes out for an impromptu Snorkeling trip. 
Charles broke the ice with this fine Red Grouper caught on a slow troll. Notice the spearfishing boat in the background; this is a crafty move by Captain William to utilize the commotion caused by the divers to coax these bottom dwellers up to the surface. Mom followed up with a tasty White Tuna caught on a planer/spoon rig and was the first of two tasty White Tunas. 
White Tuna are incredibly tasty to eat. Don't take our word for it...ask this Red Grouper: 
They capped off their morning trip with a nice swim just outside of Garza Bay. Great fishing and great fun on the Wanderer.
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This is Craig Sutton with the 
The 2012 Ship of Fools Tournament will be held on March 30 - April 1st, 2012 at our home port of Garza and if you want to enter the event we still have the Wanderer and Explorer open. This is the most prestigious tournament in the area and past winners include some current and former FishingNosara captains. 
