During the second week of March a friend and I fished for sail fish off the coast of Costa Rica.  The days started with a sumptuous breakfast of a mix of fresh tropical fruit, traditional Costa Rician rice and beans or all American bacon and eggs. The boats were ready to go at 6:30 with a Capt and mate on each one.  The guides rotated between captain and mate they were all very good.  The boats and equipment were top shelf.  The only thing missing was numbers of fish.

Sail fishing is long periods of abject boredom (having a mate with the gift of gab helps) of trolling and watching teasers by the hour followed by a Chinese fire drill of frenzied activity.

The drill usually starts with the Captain, who has the birds eye view from the tower yelling FISH!!!!!!! FISH!!!! FISH!!!! then all on hand rush around,  the mate grabbing the teaser line that the fish following, trying to tease the Sail close enough to the boat so the fisherman that is on deck can reach the fish when the teaser is yanked out of the water and the Sail is still looking dinner.

The fisherman trying to keep his adrenalin in check and not cast until the mate and captain yell CAST!!!! CAST!!! CAST!!! Then if all goes as planned the teaser is yanked, you cast, sail eats, you hold on to the rod while your line and backing disappear at an alarming rate.  About the time you wonder if the run will stop you see a sail fish jump at what seems to be to far away to be connected to the flimsy piece of graphite that you are holding.  Now the work begins.

With the of the captain, mate and fishing partner all giving you advice, some valid and some just giving a small ration of s—, you start to retrieve  your backing and fly line. Every one hopes that the fish stays near the surface and jumps a lot to quickly tire.  A fish that fights down and dirty is very difficult to land as he has 5,000 feet of water to use against the fisherman.  As the fish gets closer to the boat the boat, half hour later if you are lucky, the fire drill begins again.

The captain running the boat to give the fisherman the best angle,  mate trying to get the fish beside the boat, partner shooting pictures and you hoping that all do the job  because the fish is bigger than you ever dreamed and you just want to touch him. If you are successful this is what you bring home.

John Potter – Groton Ct.