Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
We left BP in Aruba, flying to Costa Rica, via Panama City. We stay with Warick and Susan Leeming overnight at the Intercontinental Real, San Jose.
We have a good meal in the hotel, then early to bed as we are up next morning at 4 am for a light plane flight to 'Barro Colorado' (Colorado River mouth). This is northeast from the capital of 'San Jose',near the border of Nicaragua.
Even though it was fairly cloudy we could observe the high volcanic mountains and dense tropical forests. There are about 5 active volcanoes in Costa Rica and many large rivers, therefore it is very fertile and grows many fruit and vegetables, especially pineapples which is their main exports.
We are met by the manager of the 'Silver King Lodge' and ferried a short distance to the lodge, which was surprisingly good, set in a beautiful garden on the wide brown river.
After unpacking and breakfast, we are off fishing. There are 2 anglers per boat with our guide 'Ralph'. As it is the beginning of the rainy season the river disgorges muddy water into the Caribbean Sea for quiet a large distance. Where the muddy and clear water meets, Ralph jigs for Sardines to use as bait. We get about 10 which MB endeavours to keep alive in 2 buckets. Ralph sees 'Tarpon' breaking the surface of the water looking for bait. He sets two lines and in 5 minuets we have a hook up with this massive fish leaping out of the water several times, while JB fights to reel it in, which takes about 20 minuets. We are told at this time of the year, the fish can be up to 100 pounds plus. This first fish was about 50 pounds and we said 'bloody hell'. They are stunningly beautiful with large silver scales. MB gets the next one at 65 pounds and all we can say is 'bloody hell'. We then return for a healthy lunch. JB is worn out after her travel and first fish, so she takes the afternoon off for a rest. MB and Ralph venture out and get a 110 pound fish, taking 45 minuets to reel in, wow!
The next day we are up at 5 am, our new daily routine. Breakfast is 5.30 am then fishing just after 6am. We catch new sardine baits for the day. JB hooks a 120 pound beauty. We return for lunch and a rest, then out for fishing at 1.30 pm. JB is exhausted from the a.m. but keen to go out still, but MB takes the next 3 fish while she photographs the catch. We finish the day with a massage of our aching arms and backs.
In the lodge there is a group of 10 Mexicans and an American man and his son from Florida. The Mexicans are having their own fishing comp. They are a very jolly bunch of guys who love to drink Tequila. Everyone is catching plenty of Tarpon and having lots of fun.
We fished for 5 days, hooked 23 fish and landed 16, with 4 over 100 pounds.
On our 4th day we started the morning with a river excursion through the jungle. We saw howler monkeys, lots of birds, large sloths, crocodiles and we are told there are many varieties of large fish in the river system. We are also told by Ralph, that in the jungle there are many large lethal snakes, such as the 'Bushmaster', and other exotic animals such as Jaguar and Panther.
We finish the morning off with more fishing. JB brings in a comfortable 80 pounder, then MB hooks a monster. For 2.75 hours we are hauled around by this large fish. We get it to the boat at least 7 times, only to see it take off and we stat the reeling in process again. In the end Ralph has to take a spell so we can get it close enough to Gaff it, but it is too large to lift up to take a good photo, in the process of trying to lift it the Gaff bends and breaks. We are totally stuffed. We arrive back at the lodge an hour late for lunch. We tell Ralph no more for today and we have a massage each in preparation for our final day of fishing tomorrow.
There are some fellow Aussies staying at another lodge down river who are making a film of fly fishing for the monster Tarpon. Ralph heard and tells us they have caught one which shattered their fly rod into six pieces.
Our final day, the fishing is becoming quieter, but we do land a few medium size fish before lunch. Our final afternoon we hook 6 fish and land 2 to the boat.
What an amazing fishing experience we had over 5 days, in a beautiful part of the world.
The next morning we are up early for an early flight in our small plane back to San Jose. We have some spare time before we leave to visit down town San Jose. It is an interesting city of about 800,00 people, who appear overall quiet prosperous. There is a good local market where we buy fresh cheese and a hammock. We then visited the National Museum within the old army barracks. It has an outstanding display of Pre-Columbian artefacts and gold treasures of the Ameri-Indians, dating back to 2500 BCE through to the 16th Century CE. The gold jewellery is amazing so we see why the Spanish got excited when they arrived here.
We fly back to Panama City to board BP, for our next adventure through the Panama Canal.
JB and Mick
- comments