Sails Call
For the majority of my fishing career (for lack of a better word) I have fished in freshwater for largemouth and sometimes smallmouth bass.
As a non-boater I fished when, where and for what, per the instructions of the boater (@Pete Robbins) and that was fine by me. Bass fishing brings me such joy and, I won’t lie, some frustration.
In recent years, “the boater” and I thought about fishing for other species and perhaps trying new and bigger big waters. For Pete’s 50th, he decided he wanted to fish the Pacific Ocean for sailfish, marlin, perhaps a tuna or two. Although I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to reel in a big billfish, if I was even so lucky as to hook one, I was willing to try.
On one of our best days ever on the water, fishing out of Guatemala’s Casa Vieja Lodge, we caught 23 sailfish, several dorado (Mahi Mahi) and a few small tuna. We tried to use those small tuna as bait for big marlin, to no avail.
We encouraged Pete’s parents, who traveled with us to see what the hype was all about, to catch a few but the majority of the fish were reeled in my me and Pete. Yes, I did catch the biggest sailfish, just under 100 pounds, but who’s really keeping score?!?!
The fight was amazing. They jump and jump and when you think you finally have worn them down, they take off, ripping drag, and you have to reel them in all over again.
Upon getting them to the boat you realize just how amazing their colors are. Holding open the iridescent sail I realized how thin it really is. Is just there for its beauty? If so, it’s doing its job because it’s like a psychedelic painting that defies description.
Our trip south to Guatemala was a success, so much so we are going back in February (ask how to join us).
Five months later, on our trip to Alaska’s Bear Trail Lodge we checked off more new species. We caught sockeye and king salmon almost directly outside the lodge doors. On the flyouts to the smaller streams, we caught rainbow trout, Dolly Vardens and the sailfish of the north, the Arctic Grayling.
On our first two flyouts it seemed that the rainbows and Dolly Vardens were all we would get to check off the bucket list. Pete finally caught a Grayling and competitive me wasn’t leaving Alaska until I did the same.
On our final flyout I was determined not only to topwater fish with a mouse but also to catch my northern sailfish – or rather, grayling. They proved difficult to catch at first, no doubt because I chose to fish with a lure that is hard to maneuver. I had to be spot on with my fly casting.
No pressure Hanna, you’ve got this.
I cast right to the edge of the water, and as I shimmied the mouse across the water, I saw the fish dart out at the mouse. The mouse disappeared, I had enough sense to wait, and believe it or not I set the hook the correct way (which is opposite of a conventional hookset) and reeled in my first grayling.
I can still feel the excitement that flowed through me. I jumped up a little in the water, probably scared all the fish away, and couldn’t get the smile off my face. Pulling up the grayling’s sail, it is not shaped or colored at all like that on the sailfish – more red accents, not blue -- but it was beautiful nonetheless.
I did it, another species checked off the list. Then I did it again. And again. And again – until I lost count. and that made two sailfish caught, within months of each other and almost two continents away. This year has been remarkable in a lot of ways, but my repeat “sails calls” have definitely been among the highlights.
