Female fly fishing guides at Bear Trail Lodge in King Salmon Alaska with three-time TTBC Champion Keith Combs of Huntington, TX
 

The People Who Inspire our Adventures

Through fishing we have met some unforgettable characters, and we want you to know them, too.

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The Backdrop Tells Half Past First Cast’s Story

The backdrop that I built may seem like a haphazard group of epic fish and scenery pictures, but I used a great deal of purpose when I put it together. I wanted to tell HPFC’s story and show all of the people who have become our family over the course of our travels.

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Four Favorite Friends’ Catches of 2023

I’ve increasingly learned to really appreciate our great and diverse group of traveling angler friends. Accordingly, as I look back on my days on the water during 2023, I’m fortunate that I have a lot of great memories on the water with friends to remember. Here are four friends’ catches that stand out.

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Next Generation Pez Vela

The next generation of great sailfish captains and mates at Casa Vieja Lodge — rocking a Half Past First Cast onesie. We cannot wait to meet her.

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You’ve Found the Sailfish – Now What?

Even when fishing side-by-side certain captains and certain boats tend to produce more raises, bites and releases than some others. It can’t be dumb luck. As with everything in fishing, getting the sailfish to commit is part art and part science, and few are better at it than Captain David Salazar.

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David Salazar’s Sailfish Location Strategies

We’ve now spent a total of 12 days on the water at Casa Vieja Lodge in Guatemala, and we’ve released over a hundred sailfish, I don’t necessarily know much more about how to locate them. Every day CVL owner David Salazar, needs to work with his team to locate or relocate the billfish. They work collaboratively to narrow things down, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy.

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Capt. Nicho – Casa Vieja Lodge

Get to know Casa Vieja Lodge’s excellent Captain Nicho Alvarenga of The Finest Kind (and occasionally other boats) — one of the top billfish producers in the fleet and in the world.

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My Fishing and Media Goals for 2022

Besides lose weight and make sure I don’t get COVID, the same goals I have had for the last two years, I’ve added a few more to my list 2022. I think they’re obtainable, but not easy, so bear with me as I try to make them happen. Here are six that I’ll try to fulfill.

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Captain David Salazar: Casa Vieja’s Sails Leader

While Salazar’s fishing skills can’t be questioned, what really amazed me was his passion for the sport. He’s seen thousands of billfish come to the boat, and yet he was every bit as excited for each additional one as we were. He’s an exceptional teacher, and coached us through the bait-and-switch with remarkable patience.

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Lee Byrd: Living Your Best Fishing Life

When I first joined a bass club in 1995, I was in awe of my new friend Lee Byrd. He’d won the Wrangler Angler title (now the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship) to qualify for the 1990 Bassmaster Classic and had also competed in the Red Man All-American.

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