Guatemala - Casa Vieja

[ozimo2]

Report for October 2010 from my friend Capt. Ron Hamlin:

"Due to TS Matthew, our first group had to be cancelled on account of the flooding and mudslides between Guatemala City, Antigua and the Lodge. There is still considerable flooding in Pto. San Jose itself - but the good news is the water is starting to recede.

01 Oct - the owner Jim Turner, who was down surveying the damage in town, managed to sneak away for a few hours with Capt. Jason Brice on the Release. Dirty water was everywhere. The first 20 miles was filled with logs, plastic bags and lots of flotsam and jetsam. The next ten wasn't as bad, but speed had to be reduced to keep from striking various semi-submerged objects. At 40 miles out they began to start seeing some cleaner water - so they dropped the teasers in and starting fishing. About mid-day, the first fish was raised and released on 20. The next two fish were raised, only one bit and it would have been a new world record for 2lb line had it not broken off boatside. So they scored the day 3-2-1.

04 & 05 - CCA auction winners Kristin and Anton Kalbli fished from the Release and scored one apiece on conventional 20 and fly. They scored their first day 4-2-2. Second day was spotty, having seen only one large spinner dolphin, prospects didn't look good. Jason's mates raised two sails, one bit and one was released on fly. Score their trip as 6-4-3 (two on fly, one on bait).

09 thru 11 - We waited out the storms and lo and behold the sun came out. Dave Pattillo and son Mathew came to fish, after getting washed out for the Father & Son Tournament in May. First day on the Release with Capt. Brice they got out 37 miles to the clean water and blew a transmission seal on one of the engines. Limping back into port on the single, they caught several nice dorados. Second day found the pair aboard the Rum Line with Capt. Sheeder out in the same area the Release tried to fish. This day they caught and released 3 sails and had a blue come up into the spread, but had lockjaw. Third day found them on Rum Line again, while parts were ordered for the Release. Same area - 3 more sails, and a nice 300# blue released. The dorado became fish fingers back at the lodge. A pretty decent trip. I score it 8 raised sails, 6 released and 1 blue released."

[ozimo2]

More from Capt. Hamlin:

Moran-Hepburn party currently aboard the Rum Line - with Capt. Chris Sheeder is seeing gobs of sails.

17 Oct - first day, the sails were all around the boat - raising 21, hooking 8 and releasing 3 on flies.

18 Oct - second day, a repeat of first day again the sails were everywhere, raised 22, hooking 8 and released 3 on flies. Then a blue appeared - hooked and released a 325# on a fly.

Edited October 19, 2010 by ozimo2

[Redweiser]

Is Tred Barta still on the agenda for Casa Vieja?