HERB & BARBARA FRITCH
February 23-26 we welcomed for their first trip to Oasis and Guatemala Herb and Barbara Fritch from Nashville, fishing for 4 days aboard Intensity…
With 2 days on conventional tackle and 2 days on the fly they released sailfish fishing both disciplines and boated a couple of big mahi’s including a PB for Barbara, a nice 40lb bull.
A great trip for them both and they’re looking fwd to getting back down here spending more time on the fly….
RODNEY STRONG GROUP
February 21-23 Matthew Kleinhenz and Aaron Amsler from Rodney Strong Vineyards hosted Matt Creekmore, Jeremy McKnight and Todd Young from Austin TX to 3 days of offshore fishing aboard Allure II and Capt Hook. On Allure II we had Capt Andy Trant from Hatteras, NC on the bridge for all 3 days and what a trip for this crew…
Matt Creekmore on his first blue marlin…
A solid 400lb fish that he baited himself after a hot tease off the Bonze Viper…
One tough scrap for Matt, we let the fish go after 45mins on the stand-up
The sailfish bite was steady out there with 41 sails released between the 2 boats as well as a few mahi’s for fresh lunches. The best is getting the guys pitch baiting to sails off the teasers and having a go, maybe that results in a few more sancocho’s than normal though as it all comes together, rewarding as, just ask Matt who pitched the mackerel to a hot 400lb blue marlin right off the transom.
Sailfish on the pitched ballyhoo.
And in the last hour of the last day Aaron got himself attached to a beauty 500lb blue marlin to finish off an awesome trip for the guys…
Aaron early on in another tough encounter.
And another large one that came up hot on the Bonze Viper, yet again, and what a bite on the pitch bait!!
A weekend to remember and we’re looking forward to their return next year!
TEAM ‘STORMERS’ from SOUTH AFRICA
February 19-20 very cool to meet with the above crew of L-R Matthew Biden, Ismael Bhorat and Mario Oberholzer from Cape Town for 2 days of fishing before they headed on to New Orleans.
Very steady fishing over their 2 days and some great averages as well releasing 19 from 24 sailfish bites and Mario got himself a tough non photogenic blue marlin of about 200lb on the 30lb test.
Getting the release in 40mins after it went down and dirty on him. A fun trip with the crew who appreciated the fine house favorite Ilegal Mezcal and went home with a few bottles tucked under their arms.
DAVID HOOPER GROUP
February 16-18 we welcomed the David Hooper organized group from North Carolina of the dads: Abbit Goodwin, David Hooper and Steve Thomas and the boys Fred Hooper, Frank Thomas and Harry and Gray Goodwin.
Getting away from the winter for 5 days in the tropics and 3 days on the water, the father son group got into some more steady fishing with 23 from 37 on sailfish and another non photogenic blue marlin of about 200lb released for Fred Hooper while live baiting.
And the boys got into a couple of nice big mahi’s on top of it all.
A fantastic trip for this crew, making some special memories for them all on the water and they finished up with a day on the beach down in El Paredon a short 30min drive from the Lodge.
STUCKEY CREW
Team Mellow Yellow…..(or is that Banana Yellow?)
Feb 12-13 it’s always great to catch up with Jay and Ira Stuckey from Houston, this time they introduced daughter Denise and son in law Greg Carrillo to the Oasis and the fishing here aboard Allure II
The fishing was right up on the beach in 100ft of water the first day where we released 6 from 11 bites on sailfish.
Jay and Ira have been down here many times over the past 3 years and we have (had) never not had a blue marlin encounter with them. That being said the 2nd day we ran wide to the west looking for warm, blue water and big blue marlin. We found reasonable in both these, but, no billfish.
Coming home with covered faces and 0 billfish releases for the day…..
Still, hard not to have fun with this crew and we’ll get into ’em next time….They finished up their trip with a couple of nights in Antigua checking out the sights and enjoying the ambience that is unique to this Spanish Colonial town and, outside of town especially, the new Cerveceria Catorce. What a place to sample excellent brews and soak in the incredible views, especially the sunset, overlooking Volcan Fuego…
NELSON / PLATH GROUP
L-R Mike and Tim Nelson with Nick and Rick Plath
February 9-11 great to see Tim Nelson back down here, this time introducing son Mike and father and son Rick and Nick Plath from Oregon to Guatemala.
The crew mixed it up between conventional and the fly having good fishing right up close between 4-8NM off the beach.
There is nothing quite like the tease and the bite on the fly and we had some in your face bites from the fish that did come in hot. Quite a few coming in most of the way before fading off out of the 51 fish raised into the teasers.
Ending up with 15 from 26 on conventional and 5 from 9 on the fly as well as a few nice mahi’s
Another fun trip with the NW crew, good times with good people.
