Nifty Fifties: Late Season Madness at Casa Vieja Lodge
Our first four trips to Casa Vieja Lodge in Guatemala all occurred in February and we were very happy with the weather and results. But then in 2024 we had some scheduling conflicts that forced us to move our now-annual trip to the latter half of the year, with November being the best option. We were nervous – we didn’t know how the weather, the seas or the bite would be.
It turned out to be our best trip so far, with the shortest runs and the highest numbers (although we did encounter less sunshine and a bit more rain than on our prior visits).
I study their catch reports semi-religiously and one thing I’ve learned is that past performance is no guarantee of future success. The numbers change from year to year and even from week to week or day to day. The boat that raised 50 sailfish yesterday might “only” have 8 today. Nevertheless, the fall and early winter in 2024 were consistently exceptional. We thought our group of nine anglers on two boats did well with 147 sailfish landed in three days, but to be honest those didn’t raise an eyebrow at CVL.
The ones that catch my attention the most are times when boats raise 50 sailfish a day. In bass tournament jargon, they sometimes refer to days when anglers weigh in 30 pounds as “Dirty Thirty” so I’m going to call these “Nifty Fifties.” To me, it’s the raises that count. The number of sailfish released is much more variable, depending on the skills of the anglers involved and whether they’re using fly gear or conventional gear. Check out what went down in October:
November was even better. Look at these insane numbers, most notably November 8th when all eight boats that went out hit or exceeded 50 raises and they averaged over 58.
It appeared that December was going to be fifty-free. Then on the 27th, we got a glimmer of hope when the Pica Mas raised 49, got 47 to bite and released 36. Then, during the short remainder of the month things went a little bit nuts:
Notes on late-season craziness at CVL:
What stands out to me most is how collaboratively and effectively the fleet works together. You see and hear it when they’re out there, but the numbers bear it out, too.
As for that 90 raise day by the Pica Mas on 12/29 – What is it like to go out and raise 62 sailfish and have another boat have 28 more? From my vantage point, the 28 raises alone would be a great day.
On November 7th and November 8th, the Finest Kind and the Makaira added to their 50 or more raises with a grand slam (blue plus striped marlin). Indeed, on several of the days listed above, the fortunate boats added marlin to their tally, sometimes multiples. On November 8th, the Pica Mas released three marlin.
I don’t have any numerical evidence of this, but it seems that in 2024 they had more striped marlin than in past years.
There were also quite a few tuna and mahi to go around, making for some great meals onboard and on shore.
There are still a few openings at Casa Vieja Lodge for October through December of 2025. Alternatively, it’s never too soon to start planning for 2026. Don’t delay – email us now.
