That’s Fishin’- January 2018
By Benn Gilmour
January kicks off the peak time in our Billfish season, where our waters off Quepos offer Anglers some of the best Sailfishing on the planet when huge numbers of big Pacific Sailfish (70-140lbs) gather here to reproduce. Anglers flock from all corners of the earth to come and experience our amazing fishery for themselves. There are not many other places in the world where you could be in with a chance of double-digit Sailfish releases in just one day. This is what Quepos is famous for—you have come to the right place!
THE PELAGIC ROCKSTAR—THE WAIT IS OVER!
With the arrival of our Billfish, it is by no coincidence that the first of our major tournaments, The ‘Pelagic Rockstar’ takes place this month from January 11-13. The event promises to throw the entire Marina Pez Vela into party mode for the weekend with Rock ‘n Roll Bands, Pelagic Girls, dockside parties, & your chance to purchase some awesome Pelagic fishing apparel at the tournament village. For the competing teams there are some big cash prizes (and bragging rights!) to aim for but even if you will not be fishing, come down to the Marina Pez Vela and join all the fun. There will be early morning boat parades before the teams head offshore and from sunset onwards you can join us for the nightly bands & entertainment. This event promises to be a blast!
Last minute entries to the tournament can be made by contacting the iFish Quepos team at [email protected].
Pelagic Rockstar Tournament Schedule
January 11 Team registration & 7pm kick-off party.
January 12 6.30am boat parade, day 1 fishing & 4.30pm dockside social.
January 13 6.30am boat parade, day 2 fishing & 7pm evening prize presentation.
OFFSHORE FISHING FORECAST
In addition to Sailfish we expect good numbers of Blue, Black & Striped Marlin to be caught by our Quepos boats in January. There will also be Yellow Fin Tuna Offshore in addition to Dorado (Mahi-Mahi). Trolled ballyhoo spreads with teasers & dredges is the number 1 setup here in Costa Rica for Sailfish, Blue, & Striped Marlin whilst anglers looking to target a Black Marlin or a BIG Yellow Fin Tuna normally favour a slow trolled Bonito live-bait. Depending on your group size and budget, boats in the 30-60’ range are available at the Marina Pez Vela to take you on an Offshore fishing trip.
INSHORE FISHING FORECAST
January is an excellent month for Inshore fishing out of Quepos. With the rise in water temperatures and an explosion of bait (Sardines) in recent weeks, the rocks, islands, and river mouths that we fish during Inshore trips will hold some fantastic potential for a host of different species during January. Many anglers will be in pursuit of a trophy Roosterfish, Snook, or Cubera Snapper but there will be lots of other species to keep them busy including Jacks, Mackerel, Corvina, & several species of Snappers. We have a great selection of 25-35’ Pangas, Centre Consoles or small Sport Fishers based at the Marina Pez Vela, ready to take you on an Inshore Fishing trip.
SUPPORTING THE SCIENCE
The Marina Pez Vela is proud to be an official research centre for Florida based, Gray FishTag Research. Here in Quepos, we assist our visiting anglers with the tagging of literally hundreds of migratory fish every year including Sailfish, Marlin, Tuna, Dorado, Wahoo, Snappers, Snook, Sharks, & many other species. All of the Quepos charter boats have been trained in the proper tagging & data recording methods required and we encourage you to get involved in the research effort should you go fishing during your time here. Small identifier tags with a unique tag number are attached to the fish, which are then released healthily back to the ocean. It is when tagged fish are recaptured that things get interesting and it is always amazing to see where fish have moved to, very often hundreds or thousands of miles from the location that they were first tagged. Truly amazing stuff and we love getting children & families involved in the science and research side of things, allowing them to learn something about the fish and the ocean in addition to having a great time.
COOK YOUR CATCH AT SUNRICE!
Why not bring your catch of the day along to Sunrice, a hip Asian Fusion restaurant based here at the Marina Pez Vela. The team will be delighted to prepare your catch of the day, whether it be Dorado, Tuna, Snook, Snapper, or Mackerel and be prepared to be impressed at their culinary creativity when putting your dishes together. Sunrice offers something different to many other restaurants in the year with their fresh modern take on Asian food. We highly recommend a meal at Sunrice during your stay and as well as cooking your catch for a reasonable rate, Sunrice offers an assortment of stunning dishes such as Sushi, Noodles, various Rice dishes, great salads, and you must give their Omnusubi’s a try!
2018 TOURNAMENT DATES FOR YOUR DIARIES!
January 11-13 Pelagic Rockstar TournamentMarch 14-17 Quepos Billfish Cup
April 12-14 Marina Pez Vela Open
April 15-20 Offshore World Championships
Wishing you a great time on the water.
Tight Lines!
Benn Gilmour, Jackpot Sport Fishing
Marina Pez Vela, Quepos
Cell: 8458 4997
[email protected]
jackpotsportfishing.com