Casa Vieja Lodge - Jan 2012 report

[marlinhunter2]

Casa Vieja Lodge – January 2012 Report

2011 ended and 2012 began with some fantastic fishing action from both sailfish and blue marlin. The year ended with boats raising up to 7 blues a day, and the year began with boats raising up to 40 sails a day!

The McGee / Hughes group tried their luck fishing aboard the Rum Line the last few days of December and raised 25 sails, 6 blue marlin and keep the grill supplied with fresh dorado burgers everyday. The two couples released 13 sails and 2 of the blues. The first days blue was about 250lbs, and day two's blue was over 400lbs...very nice!

The Palmieri brothers fly-fished the first few days of January and saw some awesome action as well. The duo raised 84 sails, more than half of which came blazing in to accept a fly, and we released 22. The blue marlin decided to tease us, with 4 of them showing up, but wouldn't be caught. Chris Palmieri decided to jump in and swim this his last fish to put a cap on a great trip.

Capt. Chris Sheeder

[marlinhunter2]

Jake Jordan Invitational Sailfish Fly Challenge

January 9, 2012 was the practice day for the Jake Jordan Invitational Sailfish Challenge, five boats fished the practice day and the results are:

Rum Line, Captain Chris Sheeder, Angler Don Butler 1 sailfish Release, Angler Brian Horsley 2 Sailfish Released. Total 3 on fly.

Release, Captain Chico Alvarenga, Angler Nassim Jaquim, 1 sailfish Release, Angler Nat Harris 2 sailfish Released and one (250 pound) Blue Marlin on fly.

Captain Hook, Captain David Salazar, Angler Dave Wands, 3 sailfish released, Angler Roger Harper 1 sailfish released.

Intensity, Captain Mike Sheeder, Angler Lucien LaFond no fish, Angler Tony Weaver, No Fish.

Spindrift, Captain Nicho Alvarenga, Angler Clayt Pollock, 2 sailfish released, Angler Greg Kluh, 2 sailfish Released.


January 10, 2012 was the first day of the "Jake Jordan Invitational Sailfish Fly Challenge", Fly Fishing Tournament at the world famous "Casa Vieja Lodge" in Guatemala. Seven boats are in the tournament and the first day results are:

Old Reliable, Captain Chip Shafer, Angler Nick Smith, 1 Blue Marlin 500 points
Angler Mike Smith, 0 Points, (Team Points 500), First Place

Rum Line, Captain Chris Sheeder, Angler Don Butler 1 sailfish Release, 100 points
Angler Brian Horsley 2 Sailfish Released, 250 points, (Team Points, 350), Second Place

Makaira, Captain Jason Brice, Angler Jack Callion, 1 Sailfish Release, 150 points
Angler Paul McGarvie, 1 Sailfish Released, 150 points, (300 Team Points), Third Place

Release, Captain Chico Alvarenga, Angler Nassim Joaquin, 0 points,
Angler Nat Harris 1 Sailfish Released, 150 points, (Team Points 150)

Intensity, Captain Mike Sheeder, Angler Lucien LaFond, 1 Sailfish released, 150 points. Angler Tony Weaver, 0 points, (150 Team Points.)

Spindrift, Captain Nicho Alvarenga, Angler Clayt Pollick, 1 sailfish released, 150 Points Angler Greg Kluh, 0 Points, (150 Team Points)

Captain Hook, Captain David Salazar, Angler Dave Wands, 0 points,
Angler Roger Harper 0 points. (0 Team Points)

Sunny and calm sea conditions, Nick Smith's Blue Marlin was estimated to weigh close to 300 pounds. Fishing is slow for Guatemala, hopefully the action will pick up during the next two days. 81 percent of the fish that bit the fly on the first day were caught and released, the fly was recovered from 80 percent of the fish caught on the first day of this tournament. Stay tuned for further reports daily from Casa Vieja Lodge.

Day Two produced 24 Sailfish caught and released on fly aboard all 7 teams, with the vessel Intensity, Captain Mike Sheeder and anglers Tony Weaver and Lucien LaFond finishing in first place with 8 sailfish on fly today increasing their score to (1200 total Points).

Makaira, with Captain Jason Brice with anglers Jack Callion and Paul McGarvie, caught 3 today to increase their score to 700 total points and second place,

Holding third place (on time) is Spindrift with Captain Nicho Alvarenga with anglers Clayt Pollock and Greg Kluh scoring a total of 600 points.

January 12 was the Final day of fishing in my Sailfish Fly Tournament at the fabulous Casa Vieja Lodge in Guatemala. Fishing was relatively slow by Guatemalan standards, we had 7 boats (2 anglers per boats entered in the event. After of 3 days of fly fishing for sailfish our 7 teams caught and released 46 sailfish along with a Blue Marlin of 300 pounds, on fly.

The vessel Intensity, with Captain Mike Sheeder, and anglers Lucien LaFond from Normandy France, and Tony Weaver from Anchorage Alaska, won the tournament with 1,300 points, Lucien LaFond won a Mako 9600 fly reel along with a Jake Jordan edition TFO Blue Water HD Marlin Fly Rod as Top point angler.

Second Place Team went to Makaira, with Captain Jason Brice and anglers Jack Callion from Marathon and Paul McGarvie from PA with 1000 points, Paul also won a Mako 9550 fly reel and a TFO Blue Water HD fly rod.

Third place went to Release with Captain Chico Alvarenga, anglers Nat Harris from North Carolina and his partner Nassim Joaguin from Mexico with 950 points.

Capt. Jake Jordan

[marlinhunter2]

The Bite is ON!!! – RED HOT fishing reports are pouring in from the Casa Vieja fleet. “Everyone’s been averaging over 25 releases per day” says our head skipper Capt. Chris Sheeder aboard the Rum Line. The bite is on FIRE folks!!! Following the full moon - the anglers on Casa Vieja fleet boats are blowing the doors off:

* Cates party (14 & 15) - Brian & Teresa with sons Phillip & Michael aboard the Release with Capt. Chico Alvarenga and special guests Norm Isaacs and film crew raised 85 sails, had 70 bites and releasing 35! World renowned skipper, angler and TV personality Capt. Norm Isaacs raised 63 sails on the 14th of January. “ That's as good as it gets” said Capt. Isaacs.

* Derner party (13-14-15) - Justin, Brad, Steven, William and Nick aboard the Captain Hook raised 50 sails, had 43 bites and released 26! They had one blue bite, but no joy.

* Daniels party (14 & 15) - Matt & William aboard the Makaira raised 69, had 51 bites and released 29 and a 250lb blue marlin!

* The Brownlee party (14-15-16) – John Brownlee, editor and chief of Saltwater Sportsman Magazine, and his lovely bride Poppy raised 41 sails with Capt. Nicho Alvarenga aboard the Spindrift. Spindrift raised 72, had 58 bites and release 40! They also pursued roosters, snappers and bottom species.

* Jarvis party (13 -17) - Tom & Tina with the Pintozzi boys aboard the Intensity who are still fishing now, have so far raised 102, with 88 bites and 51 released, with two more days to go!

Prime dates still available from January to May. Visit us on the web www.casaviejalodge.com or call us 800.882.4665

[marlinhunter2]

Fishing continues to be on the upswing:

* The Jarvis party finished their two extra days adding 47 more raises, 38 more bites and 21 more released for a five day total of 149 raised, 126 bites and 72 released sails!

* The Yaffa party (16-17-18) consisting of Dr. Jack and sons Andrew, Samuel and Greogory aboard the Release with Capt. Chico Alvarenga put up some impressive numbers too: 75 raised, 65 bites and 41 released sails

* The Gooch party of 16 is at the lodge now (17-18-19) fishing the Rum Line, Captain Hook, Makaira and Spindrift. First two days showing a respectable number of fish, with one day to go, they report: 126 raised, 100 bites and 62 released sails

[marlinhunter2]

* The Dr.Vanzant party (19-20-21-22) including Drs. Kelley, Lawrence and Degner fished aboard the Intensity. The boat raised 76 sailfish, they had 29 bites and released 13 on flies.

* A local charter on the Release (20) raised 20 and released 8

* The Roth family fished on the Captain Hook (21 & 22) raising 10 and releasing 3

* The Dr. Cooper party (20 & 21) fished on the Makaira raiseding 25 and releasing 11.

* Mick Kolassa and Bill Little being instructed by Capt. Stu Apte on the Release (21 & 22) on the finer points of fly fishing raised 14 and had only 4 bites.

[marlinhunter2]

2012 Seventh Annual Stu Apte Fly Fishing Sailfish Tournament
January 21st-27th, 2012 – Casa Vieja Lodge, Guatemala
Final Report:

Everyone had a great time at this year’s event!!! The Marimba Band kicked off the festivities on Monday night right after the rules meeting. Chef Juan prepared an incredible five course dinner followed by his world renowned mouth watering desserts. “There’s is nothing like Casa Vieja’s Guatemalan Hospitality” said Capt. Stu Apte, "truly a first class facility.”

Day 1: We had the Captain Hook with the M*A*S*H team of anglers Dr. Jay Howington and Dr. Gage Ochsner in first place with 4 releases. The Makaira with Jeff Harkavy and Capt. Stu Apte came in second with 3 releases and both the Rum Line with anglers Dr. Mick Kolassa and Bill Little and the Spindrift with anglers Dr. Stephen Christensen and Dr. Michael Kish tied for third with 1 release. Our very own, Capt. Stu Apte released the first sailfish at 9:24am, way to go Stu!!!

Day 2: Darin & Dino Colucci aboard the Intensity started the day by breaking one of their new sage 13wt fly rods, but that did not deter them for coming in first place with 4 releases. The Rum Line came in second with 3 releases followed by the Captain Hook with 1 release.

Day 3: It was Intensity time!!! Darin and Dino did it again!!! Broke another Sage 13wt and came in first place with 3 releases - I hope this isn’t a new fishing ritual, ouch that’s a little to expensive for me!!! The Rum Line followed with 2 releases. This gave the Intensity the boost it needed to finish in first place overall with 7 releases. Darin also came in with top angler honors with 6 releases and caught the last fish of the tournament. Rum Line came in second with 6 releases followed very closely by the Captain Hook for third place with 5 releases.

Looking over all the Captains logs at the end of the tournament we noticed that the vast majority of the gameboats had raised well into the double digits every fishing day. The fish were just “in love” pairing up for their mating ritual, swimming along each other prolonging the normal tug of war we are accustomed to in Guatemala. Sailfish are opportunistic breeders and when the time is right they’re good to go!!! And they were in full swing our tournament week.

We thank Stu and Jeannine for their continued support as we do our great sponsors:
Galvan Fly Reel, Temple Fork Fly Rods, King Sailfish Mounts, Simms, Costa Del Mar, Fins Premium Superlines, Boga Grip, Mason, Ocean Potion and Casa Vieja Lodge.

Photo courtesy of Herb Rosell of Dino & Darin Colucci receiving their King Sailfish release plaques from Capt. Stu Apte.


In addition they also won a pair of Golden Sailfish pendents, TFO-Lefty Kreh fly rods, Galvan engraved fly reels.

[marlinhunter2]

Finishing up the month:

* Brenton party from Washington State is aboard the Intensity with Capt. Mike Sheeder. The boat raised 110, 94 bites and 70 sails released!

* Samanka party from Pennsylvania is aboard the Rum Line on their annual trip with Capt. Chris Sheeder. The boat raised 113, had 80 bites and released 48 sails!

* Roberts party is aboard the Makaira with Capt. Jason Brice. The boat raised 88 sails, had 68 bites and 34 released on bait and 3 on flies!

* The Reissig party is aboard the Spindrift with Capt. Nicho Alvarenga. The boat raised 92 sails, had 35 bites and released 12 on bait and 6 on flies!

A great month and start of the new year, with plenty of hungry mating sailfish. Won't you join the action?