The Finest Kind of Mates
When we heard prior to our most recent trip to Casa Vieja Lodge that Captain Nicho would no longer be on the The Finest Kind, we were concerned. We’d grown fond of him over multiple trips to Guatemala, and he always seems to be at or near the top of the daily leaderboard.
Just as concerning, however, was the prospect of losing his mates as he moved to a boat called the Pica Mas. Over our four prior trips to Guatemala we’ve learned that while the Captain does indeed run the show, it’s the mates with whom you interact most of the day. Their skills and hustle can turn a good trip into a great one, and can salvage a tough day on the water. We’d learned to trust the instincts and talents of Captain Nicho’s son Daniel, who is simply one of the best all-around anglers, tacticians and hosts that I’ve ever fished with.
We needn’t have worried, because while Daniel did indeed accompany his father on the Pica Mas (my brother and his group got the benefit of their expertise – and indeed they absolutely crushed the sailfish), we were left in good hands. That included not only Captain Benji, but also mates Alex Alvarenga and Tony Martinez. We’d fished with Alex last year and he was exceptional, and while I’m not in the habit of comparing the skills of the various mates we’ve fished with, Tony was every bit as good as all of them. In fact, he was beyond exceptional, particularly when it came to explaining sailfish behavior and fishing tactics, and was generally fun to be around. The mates all have varying skills when it comes to speaking English, and his was flawless. That meant I didn’t have as much opportunity to practice my limited Spanish, but I likely learned much more.
It reinforced to me that not only are the mates in many ways the key to your success, but they’re also the hardest workers I’ve ever seen. They’re on the boats when you arrive at 7am, and they’re likely there for a while more after you get back to the dock eight or nine hours later. They need to know how to cook, how to fix marine equipment, how to rig tackle, and how to employ the bait and switch. They never stop moving for even a second all day long.
It’s a great reminder about how well Casa Vieja chooses its staff. Everyone, from the booking office to the bartenders to the kids who help on the dock to the young ladies who work in the tiendita, are unfailingly polite and helpful. When you’re choosing a fishing lodge, there are a lot of single points of failure, mates included. The places that grab them off the street, provide minimal training, and then stick them on the boat with you, are not giving you your money’s worth. Every mate we’ve had at CVL is an experienced angler and dedicated to customer service. They make the trips better.
I just hope that Alex and Tony don’t get “promoted” to a different boat. We’ll be back next year and I really want to fish with them and learn from them again.