Sport Fishing in Guatemala
Saltwater fly-fishing at its best : Guatemala Fishing has earned a worldwide reputation as THE destination for your billfish fishing trip because anglers regularly have shots at 20+ Sailfish per day. For all of the bluewater anglers, there are opportunities for Blue marlin and Black marlin as well as Tuna and Dorado.
Guatemala Fishing Vacations
Sail fishing off the Pacific coast of Guatemala, the northern most country of Central America, offers anglers a once in a lifetime international sports fishing experience. Anglers return home with many memories that will last forever. Sailfish are great fighters; upon being hooked they first leap high above the waterline while shaking their head, then dive deep making the anglers reel hiss, hiss and hiss some more! It is extremely important to have a reel with a very smooth drag and anti-reversing feature (keeps your knuckles and fingers in good shape).
Guatemala Sport Fishing
Sailfish truly are hardy fighters leaping and diving many times before becoming totally exhausted and giving in to the angler. When the angler finally brings their sail in along side the boat and looks deeply into it's large translucent eyes, he will never forget the experience. Even better, the sailfish is brought onboard for a photograph on the angler’s lap after which it is returned to the water, where it is held by one of the mates until it recuperates its strength and swims away to fight another day. The Great Sailfishing Company supports and promotes catch and release for all billfish. It comes as a surprise to some anglers that sailfish are smooth, with no scales and covered in “sailfish goo” which makes them slippery to the touch. This is a protective coating that guards the fish against parasites so the less it is handled the better.
Sailfish Heaven
Sailfish are mostly caught with either conventional or fly fishing equipment and both ways involve trolling. Lures and baits are dragged behind a sport fishing boat (this is called trolling) while it slowly moves through the water. Lures are a synonym for teasers because they incite the fish to come closer for a better look and hopefully make a pass at the bait. Boat crews drag plastic animal shapes (squids, fish, crabs) and even old compact disks; anything they think will catch the sailfish’s eye. Sailfish have good eyesight, that is how they spot their prey, and are extremely fast. In fact they are among the fastest fish in the sea, with a top speed of over 50mph for short distances.
Several world records have been set in Guatemala in regards to the number of fish caught per day and our boats fish in these same Pacific waters and use the same type of equipment and methods that set these world records. Length and class of boat depends on sea conditions and distance to the fishing areas. The waters off Guatemala are placid most of the year with swells an average of one and a half to three feet. When it’s bad, swells rise five to six feet.
The bait used in Guatemala for sail fishing is natural: Ballyhoo. Several dozen Ballyhoo are prepared with circle hooks before the boat leaves the dock, ready to be put on a tippet at a moments notice. Most anglers use revolving spool reels with matching rods. All of the crafts offered by The Great Sailfishing Company are equipped this way with a variety of name brand rods mated to either a Penn Reels or a Shimano reel.
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