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 Greetings!
This is Craig Sutton with the February 2013 Costa Rica Fishing Report. This is the season where the world sees what "Dialed-in fishing" is all about. February 2013 was the most consistent and productive month of Sailfish releases and Dorado scores we have ever seen and the credit is due to our fantastic crews. These guys have their tactics, tackle, and approaches dialed-in to perfection and the results are clearly world-class!  Captain Carlos with the nimble panga Adventurer just keeps the results coming over the gunwale and into the fish boxes. It's all smiles for Carlos' clients and he has really done a superb job. There is no stopping him now. The giant killer Explorer with Captain David has covered lots of ocean this month with great catches reported both offshore and inshore. Get a look at that awesome Rooster fish released by Ronnie Soud (above). Captain David just keeps the foot on the gas and his variety of catches prove his prowess.  The big blue beauty Wanderer with the skilled Captain William and the world class First Mate Alex can't seem to put a line in the water without catching a Sailfish. They look to exceed last years total Sailfish releases by a wide margin if the pace keeps up. Don't miss Javier's incredible Snook catches from the Nosara River and this month's update of The Discoverer Project where we answer some reader feedback. All that and more is below after the fishing reports. Of course you can always keep an eye on the FishingNosara Blog for the world class results as they happen. March is going to be busy but we still have a few dates open. You don't want to miss out on this fantastic fishing. Feel free to call me and let's get you down here! Tight Lines y Pura Vida!
-Craig Sutton (904) 591-2161 Craig@FishingNosara.com
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Catch of the Month - January 23, 2013
Carey Rumba and his group had a pair of highly-memorable releases January 23 on the mighty Wanderer: a 100+ lbs. Sailfish and a magnificent 200+lbs. Striped Marlin.
Check out this high flying action:
Another great day from the undisputed king of Garza Bay, the Wanderer!
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We all knew that Captain Carlos of the Adventurer was the perfect guy to take extreme panga fishing to the next level; what we didn't know was how popular his 23 foot panga would be with kids and and families. Lets take a look at some highlights:
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.
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 Captain David and the Explorer are rocking and rolling in the 2013 season! The performance of the unstoppable Super Panga has set a new standard for mid-sized vessels in the area and the sky is the limit for this boat and her crew. The Explorer has a reputation for taking down fish reserved for vessels twice her size and the month of February brought lots of diverse action from Captain David and the fearless Carlos in cockpit!
The evening of January 19 was a time for family and friends on the Super panga Explorer.
Captain David was joined by his wife Betsy, Head groundskeeper of Nosara Paradise Rentals Grevan Hernandez, and our newest employee Marino.
Marino has distinguished himself as the master golf cart mechanic in the area after many years working with our buddy Mike Eisenhower of Island Buggies.
It is a treat to add such a skilled member to the team and especially nice to see him haul in this nice snapper on the evening tides.
As usual the hot rod belonged to Betsy as she filled the fishbox several times over.
Awesome evening of fun and fishing with friends and family...Pura vida!
January 23 was a fantastic day of all around action from Captain David on the unbeatable Explorer!
Carlos was on duty over on the Wanderer, Garza local Steven stepped up to the mate position and the mighty super panga didn't show the slightest letdown.
Client Michael LeChance and his honey laid a beating on several Dorados early in the trip, then set their sights on Sailfish.
They had three bites and one wonderful Sailfish release during the mid-day bite, then Captain David headed inshore to mop up on Snappers.
Once again good things came in threes with a trio of Snappers in the fishbox.
Looks like everyone had a great time on the baddest super panga you've ever seen.
Michael Reed and his posse had a whale of a good time on the Super Panga Explorer on January 28. The highlight of the fishbox was this trio of perfect-eating sized Mullet Snapper:
These fellas lose their meat density when they grow over 25lbs., but these pan-sized morsels are ideal for table fare. They also added a 40+lbs. Dorado which tastes great big or small.
Later that day o ur good pal Mike Young took to the Explorer and Captain David headed right back to where the fish were in the morning with similar results. No Snapper in the afternoon, but a nearly identical 40+lbs. Dorado was found on the end of the line
 
The Explorer continues her mission to deliver consistent, fun action for all of her clients. Great work as always by Captain David and Mate Carlos.
Ronnie and Patty Soud of Jacksonville have long been friends of ours here at FishingNosara, and it was a real thrill to see these great folks capture a true fish of a lifetime with Captain David on February 2.
This 40+lbs. Roosterfish release is a bucket-list item for many anglers yet the Souds made it look easy. Safe fish handling and release by Captain David and a great memory for Ronnie and Patty...all in a day's work!
Recently Albert Aucoin and his sons took to the blue water like only a bunch of good old Tampa boys will: 3 days, 3 trips, all on the super Panga Explorer with Captain David.
They earned many tasty filets highlighted by this 25lbs. Dorado caught on February 6 and 15lbs. Mullet Snapper caught on February 7:
Excellent work by a group of hardcore CCA anglers and the 26-foot Explorer.
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 The mighty Wanderer is the FishingNosara flagship and has distinguished herself as the best boat in the bay.
The Master Captain William provides the experience of 30+ years on the water while the fiery First Mate Alex brings the energy of ten men to bear on our behemoth billfish.
Together they have built a sterling reputation for quality, safety, and results that can not be duplicated.
Ted Thompson and his group had an outstanding day on the Wanderer on January 7 releasing two Sailfish and putting a pair of Dorados on ice. 
The Dorados should keep the posse fed for the week, but these Sailfish releases are memories to last a lifetime.   
Richard Melito and his Virginia-based posse of anglers booked the flagship Wanderer for a full day blue water fishing trip on January 15 and their investment of time paid off with high-flying dividends.
These are some of the bigger Sailfish we've had so far this season, with the big one (above) estimated well over 140lbs.
They had three Sailfish releases, plus added a tasty Dorado for the dinner table.
January 18 brought client Laurie Richards and her group. First Mate Alex was in San Jose for the week to handle some family business, so mate position was filled by the very versatile Captain Carlos of Adventurer and Explorer fame.
There was no let down on the blue beauty as the Sailfish swarmed her throughout the trip.
Captain William turned the big flagship on her heels to kept these fish guessing as the clients golden reels spun with razor precision. Carlos saw to the safe release of all these billfish after reviving them in the water.
Reviving the clients? Well that required a more nuanced, old-school approach:
Great trip as always from the Master Captain William and the flagship Wanderer.
Things got off to a fast start with a MASSIVE Wahoo on the line; this monster is conservatively estimated to weigh 30lbs. but I think it is fair to say that this fish is closer to 40lbs. Excellent eating fish, too!
The action peaked around noon when a pair of Sailfish torpedoed the baits and the stage was set for the legendary Double Sailfish release. 
As always Captain William's superb boat handling skills were on full display as he maneuvered the Wanderer in a way to keep both anglers in a position of strength. Carlos ran the show from the cockpit and saw to the simultaneous safe release.
The next day Kathy and James continued their strong offshore performance with a second trip on the flagship Wanderer. First Mate Alex was back in the cockpit, and it is clear that the fish missed him because they swarmed the boat like moths to a flame.
Kathy nailed this excellent Dorado around 10am, then the a Sailfish frenzy ensued that would see three successful releases out of five hookups.
You think Alex is pumped to be back on the water? Check out the "Superman Pose" on this release shot.
It's not all looking pretty in pictures for this crew! On January 23 it was time for another installment of the FishingNosara maintenance odyssey. This time, the crew of the Wanderer replaces mooring point in Garza bay that we have used for over 3 years to tie off the beloved flagship.
You can see here that the rope itself has begun to fray and stretch:
Not pictured are the four 55-gallon drums filled with concrete that serve as the anchor point for this rope at the bottom of the bay. Captain William and Alex prepared a new floating ball system and affixed it to a hefty length of 2-inch diameter marine-grade rope.
Next up the boys strapped on the re-breathers and dove down to the bottom. Let's hope no vengeful Sailfish find their way into Garza and exact revenge on the two most productive fisherman in the area!
Everything went smoothly below the surface and the Wanderer is sitting pretty on her new leash. Excellent work by the best crew in Costa Rica on the water, on land and even under the water!
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After Carey Rumba's Striped Marlin release (see Catch of the Month, above), the crew welcomed Carl Hammond of California for a 6.5 hour excursion to Sailfish City and the mighty flagship strutted her stuff as usual.
They released six beautiful Pacific Sailfish on the trip ranging from 75lbs. to 100lbs. Look at the lights on this monster:
Caution: Low flying Sailfish!
They also KO'd a nice 50lbs. Dorado round out their day of trophy releases.
On January 30 the Wanderer released eight beautiful Sails with clients Jim and Scot Bates. The action started strong early in the half day trip and held fast all the way until sunset. 
This perfect day was underscored by Captain William's keen billfish hunting skills and safe releases by First Mate Alex to ensure the safety of angler and fish alike. 
Usually we don't stay offshore this close to sunset, but when the bite is this strong it is hard to resist squeezing every minute of good fishing our of the trip. 
After a great day with the Brothers Bates, the mighty Wanderer welcomed Mike Reed and his group. They had piled the fishbox high with Dorado and Snapper filets earlier in the week with on the Explorer so on this trip they set their sights directly on billfish!
They caught and released five Pacific Sailfish ranging from 70lbs. - 90lbs. Masterful boat work by Captain William spelled doom for these beauties; seems like every time a line hit the water a billfish was ready to pounce.
Our old pal Derrell McCrary returned to Garza for his first of two fishing days on February 1. The blue water escaped back out to the 15 mile mark so Captain William and the Wanderer headed way offshore looking for billfish.
The action was slow by our standards but the greenish water did yield a nice Sailfish release late in the trip.
Safe release as always by First Mate Alex on this Pacific Sailfish estimated at 75lbs.
These guys are tough fisherman and know that billfishing is waiting game. Their patience would be rewarded on there next trip.
They started off their second trip on a good note by icing this 40lbs. Dorado:
In the mid-afternoon the billfish bite turned on in a major way and Derrell stepped up to the challenge, releasing this gorgeous 80lbs. Pacific Sailfish:
This hardcore group of anglers finished off the trip with a 70lbs. Pacific Sailfish and put the memories of their slow first day far behind them.
On February 4 Travis Blackwell of South Carolina brought his group to the Wanderer in search of blue water beasties, and Captain William reports that they found exactly what they were seeking. They released a pair of lovely Pacific Sailfish and added a dinner-sized Dorado to boot.
Of course these beauties were safely released and we look forward to fighting them again really soon.
Like a true Southern gentleman, Travis let the ladies fight the trophy fish while he took care of the meat.
Joel Kean and his lady had a fun day of offshore harvesting on February 5...the only thing bigger than the Dorados were these clients' smiles.
Both anglers caught some impressive specimens as once again the Wanderer delivers a great day on the water.
Dennis Seltsam is a returning Hall of Famer who absolutely lit it up last February with a wonderful Marlin and Roosterfish release. This time he arrives to our shores with an empty bucket list, so let's see what was biting for Dennis.
Mr. Seltsam got off to a quick start with this respectable 25lbs. Dorado on ice.
After as few missed strikes, Dennis was rewarded later in the trip when a mighty Sailfish ate the wrong ballyhoo.
Another safe clean release by the Wanderer and a nice star for Dennis Seltsam. The next day Mrs. Seltsam took the bull by the horns with the first fish in the box; This tasty Dorado is just a little bigger than the bull bested by Dennis on the 7th.
 
 Not to be outdone, Mr. Seltsam released another 80+lbs. Sailfish to match his effort from the previous trip.
Also of note it that Alex is revealing that our first shipment of FishingNosara Dri-Fit Fishing Jerseys have arrived!
These shirts are designed for maximum fishing comfort and incorporate state of the art SPF and wick-drying technologies.
All told the week brought lots of fun action for this Kentucky-based fishing couple!
Steve White booked up the Wanderer for a pair of sunset cruises and though conditions were great the fish were a tad uncooperative. The blue beauty did manage to snag this nice 25lbs. Amberjack and lost a few other mystery nibbles.
Still a slow evening of fishing beats just a busy day at work!
Three-time Hall of Famer Dennis Paul has done it again! This guy is an unstoppable angler who has quench his thirst for blue water action many times in our stretch of ocean and his performance on February 9 is surely another day for the record books.
Dennis righteously released four total Pacific Sailfish and as usual he was neck deep in the action; this ain't the kind of client who watches William and Alex do all the work!
Check out Dennis on the solo billshot:
As expected Dennis Paul turned in another noteworthy performance as the only solo angler to release four billfish on one trip this season.
In fact the last time a single angler caught more than four on the Wanderer was tournament time last season and we all remember how that went:
Most recently Russell Triplett and his lady had a wonderful day of action on February 10, highlighted by His and Hers Sailfish releases and a monster Dorado. 
Russell caught the first sailfish and just when she swam away freely after the release a second line popped off the report of a strike. 
First Mate Alex switched the spread over from billfish to meatfish in the afternoon and once again the flagship delivered the goods for her clients. Take a look as this monster Dorado estimated to weigh over 45lbs. 
Need some help holding that fish, Russell? I think she can handle it for ya: 
Another super month on the big blue beauty Wanderer! This boat is shattering records for billfish releases and total trips run, yet the flagship shows no sign of letting up!
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Letter from the Forum:
"That's a lot of work, I am curious to know if you have calculated the amount of weight you have added with all that glass and resin? I am also wondering why you did not use non woven biaxial fabrics to save weight and improve the overall strength? You could have also used a light weight fairing putty to fill the low spots on the deck and skipped that final layer of matte. It seems like you guys are doing more work than you need to but I will give you tons of credit for taking on the job. Good luck and keep them pictures coming." -Dave Meyers, Florida Sportsman Forum Senior Member 
January 30, 2012 - Day 296 Hi Dave,  Thanks for the reply! You are totally correct that the approach we are taking with the nose seems extremely overbuilt, and common wisdom tells that a lighter nose / bow means a softer ride, better gas mileage, and less horsepower required to get up to plane.
We currently have a boat almost identical to the Discoverer in service down in Costa Rica and the front deck has been a constant source of concern in our specific application. We keep this boat (the Wanderer) in the water year-round tied off to a mooring point and last year a freak set of waves swelled into our harbor at Garza Bay. The Wanderer incurred serious damage from this event as a rouge wave came over the back, filled the cockpit, and sprung the whole boat up on her nose. When it crashed down, here was the result: 
Also as a charter boat we have come to expect the unexpected when it comes to client behavior. Sometimes we have hardcore anglers want to sight fish off of the bow; other times we have 10 yoga students who want nothing more than to hang off the bow and look at dolphins: 
The Wanderer has taught us the value of having a strong foredeck because the unexpected is always right around the corner for us. Read the details on the whole in-country repair process here: Wanderer repair - September 2011 As for the weight issue, we have a very short ride to the blue water (less than 6 miles) and never need to exceed 25 knots even during tournament time. With the Discoverer I figure we have added approximately 75 pounds to the nose so far and will probably end up just short of 100 pounds added by the end of the process. 
As for the finish work, you are also right that we could use either a lightweight fairing puddy or even a micro balloon mix to fill the low spots rather than fussing with whole sheets of fiberglass mattes. However in this case we are trying to replicate the materials that are available to us in Costa Rica. You see our area is so remote that there are no legitimate boat suppliers. The only materials we can acquire locally for repairs are standard polyester resin/hardener and matte. The best way to make sure that we can easily repair this foredeck with local materials is to only use locally-available materials from the start. 
Another example of this is our choice to spray gelcoat rather than marine paint...you can't find good marine paint anywhere in Costa Rica, but gelcoat is available in almost every hardware store. Here is a link to our last gelcoat spraying escapade: Wanderer Refit - September 2012 It seems like you guys are doing more work than you need to but I will give you tons of credit for taking on the job. You are totally correct, and thank you for the kind support. We will keep the pictures coming and should be spraying gelcoat soon. Here you can see that Captain Jack has plowed ahead with prep-sanding the interior and the cabin. A little more clean-up and a few more repairs and we will be throwing material at her in the next few weeks. 
More updates at the FishingNosara Blog or Florida Sportsman Boat Building Forum.
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Nosara River Fishing
The action at the Nosara River mouth has been excellent this month with many catches of Permit, Corvina and Snook. Senior Javier Hernandez (aka Rey Robalo) has led the way with innovative new tackle mixed with old-school perseverance and patience. Check out these monster Snook caught by the master surf angler this month:     Fantastic catches by Javier, but he isn't the only one working the River Mouth:  Local fisherman Coco with a 4kg. Snook
  Local Legend Luis Pando with a nice 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
- 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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