Making the Most of Your First Day on the Water at Casa Vieja Lodge
When we first visited Casa Vieja Lodge in 2020, we had very little idea of what to expect on the water. I’d chased billfish, mahi and similar species in Costa Rica 1995, but had little memory of the actual fishing process. Some of you may be experienced offshore anglers, who know the drill from start to finish, but if you’re a first-timer or comparable beginner, it pays to slow things down. While the captains and mates are willing and talented teachers, if you wait until you’re actually out on the water and sailfish are in the spread, it’ll be too much chaos to maximize your enjoyment and success.
The following are seven steps I recommend to break it down and prepare. You still may experience a little bit of panic when all hell breaks loose, but this will minimize the chaos and maximize your catch rate.
First, relax on the way out and during the early portions of the day. You should be excited, because you’re likely going to have a great time, but if you get amped up on 32 Red Bulls or put excess pressure on yourself, that’s a recipe for failure. Let the day come to you. The captains and mates know what they’re doing, and they work with the entire CVL fleet to dial in the bite.
Second, if you’re not an experienced billfisherman, let the mates take care of the “bait and switch” on the first few fish and then hand you the rod. They’ve done it a million times and they’re exceptional at it. In fact, they’ll make it look so easy that you’ll want to try it yourself. I encourage you do so once you have a few fish to the boat and you’re playing with house money, but don’t be surprised if in the heat of battle it’s much tougher than they made it look.
Third, pick an order for your group to grab the rod or to be ready with the pitch bait. You don’t want to be fighting over who should or should not grab it when the sailfish is greyhounding across the surface. Moreover, you should know the next portion of the order beyond “first up” because sailfish often travel in packs and doubles, triples and even quads.
Fourth, understand the reels. If you’re a freshwater angler, you’ve likely never used or possibly even seen a lever drag reel. On the way out to the fishing grounds you’ll see the mates dial in the drag with a spring scale, and you shouldn’t change it unless instructed to do so. You need to know what the different positions of the lever mean, so when you’re dropping back the pitch bait in free spool you can position the lever properly to fight the fish. The mates will show you what to do if you ask, and you probably should ask.
Fifth, don’t get in the way. The boats are very spacious, and you’ll want to be ready in case another fish shows up or you’re otherwise asked to do something, but things change during the trolling process or during the fight that require prompt action by you and/or the mates. Don’t be in the way of others’ efforts, whether it’s clearing a rod, fighting a fish, or preparing the next bait to go in.
Sixth, learn to look for fish. Part of the thrill of the bait and switch is to recognize when there are fish in the spread and then tease them into the proper position. The captain, from his elevated position, has a huge advantage in this regard. You’ll be surprised at how good the mates are, though – they can be inside, fixing a sandwich, and they suddenly see pez vela windshield-wipering the long right teaser or chasing the left long rigger bait. Remember, they’ve been doing this a couple hundred days a year for many years, so it’s no surprise that they’re so talented. Still, spend some time training your eyes, breaking it down in your head, and trying to spot the fish first. It’ll help you become better in a hurry, and it’ll also help the team, because if multiple fish show up in the spread and the mates are otherwise occupied, it may fall to you to know what to do with the other line or lines.
Seventh, ask for pictures. You want to remember the fish you caught and the great day/s on the water. Because Casa Vieja is so conservation-minded, they don’t take the fish out of the water for photos and they try to release them promptly if possible. However, they’ll also have a GoPro on a stick that they can aim back at the boat while you pose with your catch over the transom or the side of the boat. Be sure to ask for some pics during the day and be prepared to aggregate your group quickly for the hero shot.
Plan to have fun and plan to catch some fish, but don’t treat this first day like a tournament, putting pressure on yourself to accomplish something in particular or land a certain number of fish. Day One is the appetizer to two (or more) days of fishing, and possibly a new addiction. There’s no pressure, but it pays to be prepared. If you’d like to book a trip of your own, or find out more at the Casa Vieja Lodge experience, shoot us an email.
