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Greetings!
 This is Craig Sutton with FishingNosara January 2013 report. We are in the midst of the high season in Nosara and I am pumped to report that the action has been out-of-sight! On the flagship Wanderer the Master Captain William and the super First Mate Alex have found their stride and that spells trouble for the packs of Sailfish and Marlin roaming our area.  They had a pair of Marlins with Becky Hogan and double Sailfish releases on several trips (see left). The blue beauty has backed up the billfish releases with some memorable catches of Snapper and Dorado. The Super Panga Explorer continued her reign as the best mid-sized vessel in Garza with lots of productive trips and satisfied clients. Captain David has matured into a master boatman and with Carlos in the cockpit, the sky is the limit for the Explorer.  Speaking of Carlos, the sneaky 23-foot Adventurer has blown away all of our expectation and is a true fish-fighting weapon. Check out Ivan Sebastian's Sailfish release less than two miles from shore...this little boat has big fish in her sights, and Captain Carlos has the tools to bring them in. Lastly, work is progressing nicely on The Discoverer Project plus Javier has some great catches to report from the Nosara River. Make sure to read past the fishing reports for more on these stories. Looking forward we are have tons of top-notch anglers including the legendary Triple-Hall of Famer Dennis Paul coming to town in February. Keep an eye on the FishingNosara Blog for the world class results as they happen, and if you want to get a shot at this world class fishing don't delay; Book today! Tight Lines y Pura Vida!
-Craig Sutton (904) 591-2161 Craig@FishingNosara.com
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Catch of the Month - December 18, 2012
 Becky Hogan is famous in Jacksonville for running the legendary charter vessel The Mayport Princess, but her performance on the Wanderer stands out as one of the great fishing feats our team has ever witnessed.
Along with her family and the crew, Ms. Hogan laid the smack down on a whole mess of Pacific billfish. Topping the scorecard is two massive Marlin releases, both Stripeys and both bad to the bone.
Between Marlin bouts Becky also suplexed four Pacific Sailfish including a awe-inspiring Double Sailfish Release.
Amazing work by First Mate Alex to safely handle and release all of these wonderful billfish.
Now don't go thinking that these anglers went away hungry...Becky and the boys backed up the trophy releases with seven Dorados ranging between 20lbs. - 30lbs.
That's a legendary performance from a legendary Jacksonville angler!
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Captain Carlos of the legendary Adventurer has rewritten the record book when it comes to extreme panga fishing. His well-armed 23 foot panga ran more trips than ever this month and shows no sign of slowing down. 
On December 31 Greg Watson and his daughter joined Captain Carlos on the Adventurer for an fridge-packing harvest of tasty fish.
The Dorados swarmed the 23-foot pocket knife and Carlos put these Canadians in the heart of the fight.
It's great to see shared fishing experiences between parents and their kids, and from the looks of these pics this will be a fishing memory that lasts a lifetime for the Watsons.
They added a nice White Tuna to the Dorado haul and called it a day. Another outstanding trip from the sneaky Adventurer.
We should hang a sign on the Adventurer reading:
"Under Construction: Great family fishing memories"
Dan and Kristine brought their young son aboard for a quick excursion just outside Garza Bay on January 2 and they hauled in two nice-sized Dorados.
Looks like the kid had a ball and everyone should have a full belly to show for their efforts with over 50lbs. of fish on ice by trip's end.
Our new friend Ivan Sebastian fears no fish and he found the perfect boat for him the in Adventurer. On January 3 Captain Carlos set the trolling spread up with big fish in mind, but when this monster Sailfish tore off a rigged ballyhoo even he was surprised at the force of this fish.
Only three billfish have been released on the 23-foot panga, but Ivan was determined to be lucky number four.
Fantastic boat handling and fish handling skill were displayed by the crafty Captain Carlos as Ivan Sebastian (and his brand new FishingNosara hat) bested this blue water beast.
The Adventurer has surpasses all of our expectations to date and we are super excited to see what is in store for this 23-foot fish-fightin' weapon.
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 Captain David and the Explorer are back in action! The performance of the unstoppable Super Panga has set a new standard for mid-sized vessels. The Explorer has a reputation for taking down fish reserved for vessels twice her size, so look for a big year from Captain David and the fearless Carlos in cockpit!
On December 2 Brian Vetrone and his friends had a landmark day on the Explorer. First up was the standard ration of Dorados:
They boated four tasty greenies ranging from 25lbs. - 40lbs.
In the early afternoon the long shotgun line ripped off as a beautiful billfish took the bait. Brian stood tough in the face of this 180lbs. Sailfish and Carlos executed a safe release after a 25 minute fight.
Excellent work as usual by Captain David and the Explorer!One day after catching a nice Dorado on board the Adventurer client John Hicks and his lady stepped up to the Super panga and repeated their performance with another healthy Dorado on December 7. 
Things really took off for John the next day, when the Explorer encountered a mean 110lbs. Sailfish about 7 miles from shore. It took every ounce of strength to bring this monster alongside for the release. Great work by Captain David on the wheel and Mate Carlos on the safe release. 
John continued the strong fishing by dropping another 20lbs. Dorado and a 25lbs. Yellowfin Tuna into the icebox. 
On December 9 the Super panga struck again! Gary Cook and his lady booked the Explorer for a nice half day hunt and came back with a variety of tasty table fare. First up with a White Tuna which isn't a scale-tipper by any stretch but still yields sushi meat that is truly world class. Later in the trip the big Dorados swarmed the Super Panga and this group nailed a pair of big greenies: 
 Captain David took his wife Betsy and their kids for an evening cruise. After so many trips run it figures that David would want to relax, so it's a good thing that Betsy and the kids are just as good on the reel as the old man. 
Excellent Amberjack pulled off the reef by the Barrantes family, probably weighing 25lbs. Even on the Captain's day off the Explorer catches fish! Thing haven't slowed down for Captain David yet! January 4 brought an excellent Sailfish release from the Jennifer Jones group on the unstoppable Explorer.
Captain David coaxed the monster into the spread and Carlos executed a textbook release. Great catch for this youngster on the boat that has yet to meet it's match. 
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Captain William and the FishingNosara flagship Wanderer have taken their seat at the head of the class and they plan on holding the top spot in the 2013 season.
With First Mate Alex running the spread, the mighty blue beauty has earned the title of the best boat in Garza. Great work by Garza's best battlewagon the Wanderer!
Sarah Chiapetta and her friends from New York City had a blast fishing on the Wanderer. Their afternoon half-day on December 19 brought lots of action highlighted by a pair of 25lbs. Dorados.
You can tell from the photos that this was a fun trip as the whole party was all smiles.
Becky and Andy Hogan just won't give these fish a break! After shattering expectations with her six billfish release day on the Wanderer (see catch of the month) she and her group were back on the blue bomber for another run at the offshore game on December 21.
Young Andy just graduated from Med School and is about to begin his internship, and on this fishing day the waiting room was stacked up with Dorados. These Northeast Floridians put three in the box with the largest tipping the scales over 30lb.
They also hooked up a 90lbs. Pacific Sailfish and released her after a vigorous 15 minute battle. Andy already fulfilled his bucket list with the Sailfish and Marlin releases on the 18th, so when this beast came calling he felt confident in performing the release himself.
From hoping to see a billfish to handling a release...that's quite a turnaround in only 3 days. Incredible fishing performances by Becky Hogan, Andy, and the mighty Wanderer.
Lisa Daigh and her buddies kept the good times rollin' on the Wanderer as Captain William put them out in front of two 90lbs. Pacific Sailfish on December 23.
Once again the big blue beauty would not be bested as both fish were safely released.
Hugh Jessiman brought his family aboard the Wanderer for a fun family day on December 24. It wasn't long before the line popped off and the fight was on!
Christmas came early in the form of a beautiful billfish. Estimated at 85lbs., this Pacific Sailfish was cleanly released after a 15 minute fight.
Hey Mom, you're blocking the picture!
Much better! Excellent fish by the Jessiman crew and another outstanding performance by the mighty Wanderer.
Jim Kramer and his group are big time anglers who hail from the hard-fishin' state of Delaware.
These First Staters booked up the Wanderer for a billfish hunt on the afternoon of December 24.
Just like the Jessiman group, these anglers were rewarded with excellent Sailfish releases.
These fish fight hard, but Jim and his ladies fought a little harder.
Excellent second trip of the day for the blue bomber with a total of four Sailfish released on Christmas eve.
Jake Winchester brought along his girlfriend Laurie and his brother Dave for a very fruitful day of offshore trolling. The mighty Wanderer put on a show for the Sailfish swarm and gave this group a great trip on December 27.
They nabbed and released three Sailfish early in the trip, then switched over the spread to target table fare.
"Laurie caught the first fish," Jake wrote in an email . "It was the largest of the Dorados. My brother Iron Dave and I snagged 2 dorados at the same time."
"In total we each caught a Dorado and Sailfish. Awesome fishing trip. William and Alex were awesome. Thank you so much!"
On December 29 Rose Swarbrick and her family came to Nosara from the little town of New York City and they took a Big Apple-sized bite a big red Cubera Snapper.
The Wanderer kept to the coral green waters less than three miles from shore and stirred up the necessary feeding frenzy.
When the big brute hit the fight was on. Looks from the picture below that it may have been side hooked, put that much more pressure on the tackle and the angler to perform.
This Cubera Snapper weighs every bit of 40lbs. and should definitely keep the freezer full for the Swarbrick's for quite some time.
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After a very productive morning inshore with the Swarbrick family, the Wanderer picked up Reed Guice and his group for an offshore billfish hunt. Reed fished inshore with Captain David earlier in the week and this was his first shot at offshore fishing action:
Fishin' Accomplished! Yet another excellent catch and release by the flagship.
David Ribas and his posse took Garza by storm on the 30th, booking both the Wanderer and the Explorer for full days of blue water action. The flagship and the brawler stuck close together early on and found a pod of Whales sunning offshore.
Later they split up and the Wanderer released this gorgeous Sailfish estimated at just under 100lbs.
The next day, Brian Justice and his family enjoyed a full day on the Wanderer and since the billfish were scarce early in the trip, Captain William pointed the flagship inshore and cleaned-up on a wide array of species.
They started with a handful of Jack Crevelles, then graduated up the tastiness scale to the delectable White Tuna.
Finally their effort was rewarded with a world-class hunk of table fare known as the Mullet Snapper! The meat on these fellas looses its density once the fish grown over 25lbs, so we usually don't get excited about them.
However these little fellas yield a flaky, lobster-like meat that it hard to top.
Looks like some folks have a few awesome meals in their future thanks to the unshakable Wanderer.
Jeff Lamark and his family hauled in a half-dozen Dorados on the Wanderer and had a whale of a fun time doing it! Check out this celebratory horseplay:
Things got more serious once the Misses got on the reel, and her and the boys finished off the trip by harvesting some tasty White Tunas.
Sam and Karen Guthrie capitalized on the swarms of Sailfish that have been blowing through our area like locusts. The mighty Wanderer put these clients in front of several super Sailfish. 
After Sam fought and released the first one, it was Karen's turn on the reel. 
Wouldn't you know that a second sail took the bait and set the table for another legendary Double Sailfish release. 
Lucy Edgerton booked a trip for her dad and together they bested a pair of beautiful Pacific Sailfish. First up was this beastie estimated to weigh 95lbs.
Then it was Lucy's turn on the reel and she kept up her end of the bargain by battling another nice fish. This monster was wore out after a vigorous 15 minute fight.
Great fish handling by First Mate Alex and boat maneuvering by Captain William to ensure a safe and fun experience for all involved, fish included.
Bruno Reber and his posse had a nice little sunset fishing trip on the Wanderer and brought home dinner in the form of this nice White Tuna.
Either sushi or steaks the White Tuna is always a welcome treat. MMMMmmmm good!
Karen and Sam did big work on the Pacific Sailfish on the 3rd, so for this trip they switched it up and target Dorado. Take a peek at some of these big bulls they found less than 10 miles from shore.
These Dorados are much larger than the ones we have seen so far this season which is a good sign not just for this species but all the other fish that depend on them (Sailfish and Marlin).
Our old pal Henry Doggrell joined client Richard Belgaske for an afternoon half day on the Wanderer and scored big. For a warm up Henry boated this White Tuna, which is eerily similar to his day with us back in 2011:
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The left the reminiscing for later because 1pm means one thing in these waters: Sailfish Time!
This beauty fought Henry for about 20 minutes before being safely de-hooked and released. Great fishing from one of our favorite clients.
Great results on a sunset cruise from angler Miriam McDonald's group. They started off with a few small Dorados, including this one that got chewed up on the way into the boat by a larger mystery fish. 
That mystery was solved an hour later when this MASSIVE Cubera Snapper hit a vertical jig. These monsters fight hard but this group of anglers was up to the challenge. 
Nice filets in store for this group after another fantastic sunset cruise for the Wanderer. Speaking of big bottom fish, check out this Snapper caught by client Eddie on a January 7 sunset cruise:
See that dazed look on his face? That is the standard expression after fighting one of these bad boys. Estimated at 40lbs., this is a great catch exemplifying the jaw-dropping power of the reef fish in Costa Rica.
Adrian Archuleta is back for more, and this time he brought a posse! Last year he fished with us on the Explorer but with a larger group came the step up to the flagship Wanderer.
The Sailfish have been on fire recently and this trip was a perfect example. Five total releases, including the very challenging Double Sailfish release.
Great work by the anglers and by Captain William to prevent a line-cross tangle. Next up the ladies put on a show for the fellas with some Sailfish releases of their own.
All fish were released safely as usual by the incomparable First Mate Alex. The Wanderer is dialed in and making memories for her clients almost everyday.
Make sure to book early so you don't miss your chance to go out on the busiest boat in Garza!
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December 27, 2012 - Day 262
Craig rolls into the office the day after Christmas and throws the fishing calendar down on the table. "We need another big boat!" he exclaimed, pointing at the line for the Wanderer.
He's right! A quick look shows the blue beauty fishing every single day except Christmas (and that wasn't due to lack of demand) and clearly the market is primed for the arrival of the next great Costa Rican Sportfishing vessel.
The only thing standing between the Discoverer and the blue water is about 1000 hours of labor and God-knows how many dollars.
Nothing to it but to do it, so Craig got back to work on the new front deck of the Discoverer. Here is how we left things before the break:
The high spots have been block sanded down to the same level of the rest of the foredeck, and the spots that are still shiny are lower than the surrounding level. Craig applies liquid resin / hardener with no additives (also called a 'hot-coat') to the low spots, then we add another layer of fiberglass tape over top of the resin.
The idea is bring everything up to the level of the foredeck, and if we accidentally build it up too much that's no problem because we can always bring it back down with the sanding block.
After an overnight cure and some early morning sanding, Craig returned to repeat the process; there are no shortcuts when it comes to building up levels of glass like this, just lots of time spent on a sanding block.
Finally the entire deck is at the proper level. All that is left to do is a final touch with the block sander, then clean it up and add our final layer of chopped strand.
Here is last bit of this deck that will ever see the sunshine:
Craig is fired up to keep this thing moving so he began forming the chopped strand sections even though Matty had one more round of block sanding to go:
Meanwhile Charlie came around and added another coat to his hole repairs by the bathroom and the rear transom. He moves like a ninja and makes this stuff look easy, but trust us this is high-level detail oriented work:
We are stoked for the final coat of chopped strand and you can find the updates at the FishingNosara Blog or the Florida Sportsman Boat Building Forum.
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Nosara River Fishing
The action at the Nosara River mouth has been intense this month with many reported catches of Permit, Corvina and Snook. Also the Fuppernos are doing great work keeping the river clean and healthy. Check them out on Facebook for all the up-to-date catches and news from the Rio Nosara:
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Horseback Safari Tour
Turtle Safari Tour
 
Snorkel Safari Tour
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  - Entry level package for up to 3 anglers.
- 1 week (7 nights) in Casa Tranquilo, Casa Surfeando or Apartemento (sleeps up to 3 persons)
- Three Half-days (5 hours) of fishing on 27' Explorer. Each trip includes water, fruit, snacks, and tackle. Choice of morning or afternoon start time.
- $2100 Total
- $700 per person
- Entry level package for 4 anglers.
- 1 week (7 nights) in Casa Bonita, Casa Caribe or Casa Jardin (sleeps up to 6 persons)
- Three Half-days (5 hours) of fishing on 31' Wanderer. Each trip includes water, fruit, snacks, and tackle. Choice of morning or afternoon start time.
- $2800 Total
- $700 per person
- Fully-loaded package for 6 anglers.
- 1 week (7 nights) in Casa Capitan (sleeps up to 9 persons)
- Three Full days (8 hours) of fishing on 31' Wanderer. Each trip includes water, fruit, snacks, lunch, and tackle.
- Include Four Passenger Safari Cart for 7 days.
- $4500 Total
- $750 per person
- Inshore fishing package for 4 anglers.
- 1 week (7 nights) in Casa Bonita, Casa Caribe or Casa Jardin (sleeps up to 6 persons)
- Kayak Safari Tour. Trip includes water, fruit, snacks, guide, equipment, and lunch.
- Horseback Mountain Safari Tour. Trip includes water, fruit, snacks, guide, equipment, and lunch.
- Fishing Safari Tour. Trip includes water, fruit, snacks, guide, equipment, and lunch. Choice of river mouth or beach casting.
- One Half-day (5 hours) of fishing on 27' Explorer. Trip includes water, fruit, snacks, and tackle. Choice of morning or afternoon start time.
- $1800 Total
- $450 per person
 - Mixed fishing package for 2 anglers.
- 1 week (7 nights) in Casa Bonita, Casa Caribe or Casa Jardin (sleeps up to 6 persons)
- Kayak Safari Tour. Trip includes water, fruit, snacks, guide, equipment, and lunch.
- Fishing Safari Tour. Trip includes water, fruit, snacks, guide, equipment, and lunch. Choice of river mouth or beach casting.
- Three Half-days (5 hours) of fishing and/or snorkeling on 23' Adventurer. Trip includes water, fruit, snacks, and tackle. Choice of morning or afternoon start time.
- $1540 Total
- $770 per person
 - Romantic getaway for couples.
- 1 week (7 nights) in Casa Tranquilo or Casa Surfeando (sleeps 2)
- Champagne and Chocolate Check-in
- In-house couples massage for two.
- In-house Breakfast for 5 days includes assorted local breads, fruit, yogurt, coffee, and juice.
- Full service cleaning including wash/dry/fold laundry.
- Private 2 person Horseback Mountain or Kayak Safari Tour. Trip includes water, fruit, snacks, guide, equipment, and lunch.
- Sunset fishing trip (2.5 hours) on 31' Wanderer. Trip includes water, fruit, cookies and champagne.
- $2000 Total
- $1000 per person
 - Nature exploration package for 2 persons.
- 1 week (7 nights) in Casa Tranquilo, Casa Surfeando or Apartemento (sleeps up to 3 persons)
- Kayak Safari Tour. Trip includes water, fruit, snacks, guide, equipment, and lunch.
- Horseback Mountain Safari Tour. Trip includes water, fruit, snacks, equipment, guide, and lunch.
- Snorkel Safari Tour. Trip includes water, fruit, snacks, guide, equipment, and lunch.
- Two bicycles for 7 days.
- In-house couples massage for two.
- $1400 Total
- $700 per person
 - Fully-loaded package for families up to 9 people.
- 1 week (7 nights) in Casa Capitan (sleeps up to 9 persons)
- In-house Breakfast for 5 days includes assorted local breads, fruit, yogurt, coffee, and juice.
- Full service cleaning including wash/dry/fold laundry.
- One Half-day (5 hours) of fishing on 31' Wanderer. Each trip includes water, fruit, snacks, and tackle. Choice of morning or afternoon start time.
- Safari Tour for up to 8 people (Snorkeling, Kayaking, Horseback, Fishing, Surfing, Eco). Trip includes water, fruit, snacks, guide, equipment, and lunch.
- Include Six Passenger Safari Cart for 7 days.
- $5000 Total
 Airport TransportationNosara Transport features top-of-the-line vehicles that are rigorously inspected to ensure a safe and swift trip. Our friendly drivers provide door-to-door service to the major airports. Avoid the hassles of the Taxi Stand by having your transportation arranged ahead of time.
Transportation one way to/from Liberia Airport: $140 (up to 8 people)
Transportation one way to/from San Jose Airport: $240 (up to 8 people)
Water and Snacks included. Beer and wine available for an additional fee
Lodging at Nosara Paradise Rentals 
Located next to the nature preserve Nosara Paradise Rentals is an ecologist's dream. From the monkeys sunning above the pool to the Pizotes wandering through the gardens, Nosara Paradise Rentals brings the rainforest to your doorstep.
Our units come complete with all the necessary amenities to fully enjoy your stay: modern kitchen appliances, utensils, microwave, blender, towels, linens, et cetera.
Nosara Paradise Rentals features a complete support staff (gardener, concierge, cleaning and laundry services) to ensure that your stay is as trouble free as possible.
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