As a Christmas gift from my wife, she is insisting that I go on a "big time" fishing trip. I am thinking about a long range tuna trip out of San Diego or a Florida swordfish trip or a Bahamas marlin trip or any number of possible choices. I definetly want to make it an offshore trip. I am looking for the best "bang for my buck" regarding the time spent fishing. The San Diego trips sound like the best option but I am searching for "fishing packages" in Florida and the Caribean islands. I plan on about a 5-7 day trip. Any thoughts or ideas?
Christmas Gift From Wife
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For that kind of a trip I would definately look into Kona hawaii. There are always blue marlin around and depending on the time of year there are other blue water gamefish also around. You can fish everyday if you want and the boats aren't expensive, at least compared to around here.
If you want o get really exotic look into fishing in the azores. Almost virign fishing grounds for billfish and tunas.
Stay out of the Caribean, fishing is not all that good off any of the islands. Panama or Costa Rica would be better bets.
If you want o get really exotic look into fishing in the azores. Almost virign fishing grounds for billfish and tunas.
Stay out of the Caribean, fishing is not all that good off any of the islands. Panama or Costa Rica would be better bets.
LOS SUENOS
Sailfishing, Roosters, EPIC FISHING
GOOD BOAT
Flights range from a one stop (normally Houston)to Costa Rica on Continental for around $300.00 round trip or to Non Stop on LACSA (Lineas Aereas Costarricenses SA)the national airline of Costa Rica for $450-$600ish, go you will not be disappointed...
Sailfishing, Roosters, EPIC FISHING
GOOD BOAT
Flights range from a one stop (normally Houston)to Costa Rica on Continental for around $300.00 round trip or to Non Stop on LACSA (Lineas Aereas Costarricenses SA)the national airline of Costa Rica for $450-$600ish, go you will not be disappointed...
the 5-7 day trips off SD aren't worth the trip unless you want smaller tuna as the cows aren't really caught on a trip less than 10 days. If you want a florida swordfish adventure I would highly recommend the best in the biz which would be Dean Panos of Double D charters in Miami. He is a good friend and an amazing captain with atleast 6 swords over 400lbs this year alone. I fish with him 4 -6 times a year.
But if you being given free range, you cant go wrong with PV, Hawaii, Cabo etc
But if you being given free range, you cant go wrong with PV, Hawaii, Cabo etc
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I would go to Costa Rica...marlin, sails, plus all the neat mangrove fish
Plus the beaches and diving are great too..
Plus the beaches and diving are great too..
gmann wrote:
the 5-7 day trips off SD aren't worth the trip unless you want smaller tuna as the cows aren't really caught on a trip less than 10 days. If you want a florida swordfish adventure I would highly recommend the best in the biz which would be Dean Panos of Double D charters in Miami. He is a good friend and an amazing captain with atleast 6 swords over 400lbs this year alone. I fish with him 4 -6 times a year.
But if you being given free range, you cant go wrong with PV, Hawaii, Cabo etc
It all depends on when you are going.
A 5 to 7 day out of San Diego is a trip to Guadalupe Is. or in the Spring it could be a Cedros/Benitos trip for surface iron yellowtail and worth the trip. The 10-16 day trips are more productive Oct to March.
Every place has a season so when you go usually dictates where you go.
the 5-7 day trips off SD aren't worth the trip unless you want smaller tuna as the cows aren't really caught on a trip less than 10 days. If you want a florida swordfish adventure I would highly recommend the best in the biz which would be Dean Panos of Double D charters in Miami. He is a good friend and an amazing captain with atleast 6 swords over 400lbs this year alone. I fish with him 4 -6 times a year.
But if you being given free range, you cant go wrong with PV, Hawaii, Cabo etc
It all depends on when you are going.
A 5 to 7 day out of San Diego is a trip to Guadalupe Is. or in the Spring it could be a Cedros/Benitos trip for surface iron yellowtail and worth the trip. The 10-16 day trips are more productive Oct to March.
Every place has a season so when you go usually dictates where you go.
OK....After doing some research, I think that I am going to book a long range tuna trip out of San Diego in October. It is going to be a 7/8 day trip to Alijos Rocks area. The boat will be either the Polaris Supreme or the Searcher. I don't know if I am going south (or long) enough to guarentee a shot a 200 lb. class fish but I am told that it is still a distinct possibilty. I am basing my decision on getting the most fishing time for my money. I also considered places like Costa Rica, Florida, and the islands but decided against it because they are primarly geared toward 6 pack charters. I may be doing this trip solo and it gets real expensive when you are chartering an offshore trip (800-1200 per day) by yourself.
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Can you sell your catch in California? just curious
OK, GOOD DECISION
I have done a trip on the Polaris Supreme and aside from the Excel, this would be HANDS DOWN, my choice. I know you will get some feed back about the Royal Polaris, the Rooster or Qualifier-105 but Tommy Rothery of the Supreme is one **** of a Skipper, and has a record for putting the meat on the boat. The Alios/Ridge trips are a blast.
RP
I have done a trip on the Polaris Supreme and aside from the Excel, this would be HANDS DOWN, my choice. I know you will get some feed back about the Royal Polaris, the Rooster or Qualifier-105 but Tommy Rothery of the Supreme is one **** of a Skipper, and has a record for putting the meat on the boat. The Alios/Ridge trips are a blast.
RP
bft
one of the best trips i did was a giant bft trip i did not set it up i called around for reports and found were the fish are then on a monday called and set a trip up for that friday /sat it cost me $600 a day i stayed at a sheratin at $80 a nite and i drove from nj to norrth carolina 14 hr drive ,,,,oh forgot landed 2 bft to 825lb before 11:00 and within site of land ,i had one tuna filleted and iced in the cooler by 2:00 and was on my way home ,great cheap trip i did it on december 28 3 years ago
one of the best trips i did was a giant bft trip i did not set it up i called around for reports and found were the fish are then on a monday called and set a trip up for that friday /sat it cost me $600 a day i stayed at a sheratin at $80 a nite and i drove from nj to norrth carolina 14 hr drive ,,,,oh forgot landed 2 bft to 825lb before 11:00 and within site of land ,i had one tuna filleted and iced in the cooler by 2:00 and was on my way home ,great cheap trip i did it on december 28 3 years ago
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Costa Rica
I would look into Costa Rica. I did Quepos 2 years ago, which is about the mid point of the country on the Pacific side, was a good trip raising 21 sails and boating about 17 in 3 days.
I also just did that Mag Bay trip with Jack and it was a 9 day Marathon of fishing.
If I were to do Costa Rica again it would be more south towards Golfito which is about 100 miles north of Panama. You will get Sails, Marlin, Dorado (Mahi)and Yellow Fin Tuna off shore and inshore you will get rooster fish, grouper, variety of snapper and close to shore you might even hook up with some good size snook.
The only thing about going that far south is your limitation of weight for your luggage which is limited to 25 pounds. Reason being is that you will spend the first night in San Jose ( where you fly into) then catch a flight down to Golfito on a samller plane. Laundry services are included in some prices also as well as meals and adult beverages
The Pacific sails are larger then the ones taken off the east coast of Florida which usually run about 4-5 feet maybe 6 on a good day.
The sails down there can get up to 12 foot average is about 8-9 foot. Mahi is a round the 30 pound class but do get up to 60-70. Black and Strpped Marlin do show up as well as good size Yellow Fin Tuna.
Nice part about some of these packages is you can break it up and do a couple of days off shore and a couple of days inshore bottom fishing.
If you do go to C/R or try for bill fish any where I would suggest and inboard boat compared to an O/B. Something to do with the sound of the props of the outboard will decrease the chance of hooking up. As you see in the pictures we had twin outboards and we watched a sport fish (inboards) out fish us 3 -1. Yea maybe they had a larger spread but I did talk to a few people about this and all said the same thing, go on a sport fisher or any inboard next time.
Los Suenos is north more and has many nice resorts to stay at compared to being south which is a bit more rural.
One thing also is look into the times of year when the bite is hot. January, Feburay and March are some of the better times for bill fish and the others I mentioned. These are prime times and some require that you book at least 6-9 months in advance and sometimes up to a year
First shot is me with and average sail
Second shot is another person with dinner.
I would look into Costa Rica. I did Quepos 2 years ago, which is about the mid point of the country on the Pacific side, was a good trip raising 21 sails and boating about 17 in 3 days.
I also just did that Mag Bay trip with Jack and it was a 9 day Marathon of fishing.
If I were to do Costa Rica again it would be more south towards Golfito which is about 100 miles north of Panama. You will get Sails, Marlin, Dorado (Mahi)and Yellow Fin Tuna off shore and inshore you will get rooster fish, grouper, variety of snapper and close to shore you might even hook up with some good size snook.
The only thing about going that far south is your limitation of weight for your luggage which is limited to 25 pounds. Reason being is that you will spend the first night in San Jose ( where you fly into) then catch a flight down to Golfito on a samller plane. Laundry services are included in some prices also as well as meals and adult beverages
The Pacific sails are larger then the ones taken off the east coast of Florida which usually run about 4-5 feet maybe 6 on a good day.
The sails down there can get up to 12 foot average is about 8-9 foot. Mahi is a round the 30 pound class but do get up to 60-70. Black and Strpped Marlin do show up as well as good size Yellow Fin Tuna.
Nice part about some of these packages is you can break it up and do a couple of days off shore and a couple of days inshore bottom fishing.
If you do go to C/R or try for bill fish any where I would suggest and inboard boat compared to an O/B. Something to do with the sound of the props of the outboard will decrease the chance of hooking up. As you see in the pictures we had twin outboards and we watched a sport fish (inboards) out fish us 3 -1. Yea maybe they had a larger spread but I did talk to a few people about this and all said the same thing, go on a sport fisher or any inboard next time.
Los Suenos is north more and has many nice resorts to stay at compared to being south which is a bit more rural.
One thing also is look into the times of year when the bite is hot. January, Feburay and March are some of the better times for bill fish and the others I mentioned. These are prime times and some require that you book at least 6-9 months in advance and sometimes up to a year
First shot is me with and average sail
Second shot is another person with dinner.
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I am re-thinking my decision on the San Diego long range tuna trip. The main reason is that I have already caught 150-200 lb yellowfin. That seems like the max. size I could hope to encounter given the time frame that I have for the trip. Costa Rica sounds great but I have caught marlin and sailfish although not as big as I would probably encounter in Costa Rica. I am now thinking about a multi day (or night)trip to Florida for swordfish. I have caught 2 small swordfish on canyon trips here but nothing of any size. I am hoping for a 250 lb + lb class fish. I know there are no guarentees in fishing but that goal seems like a realistic possibilty. Also maybe throw in a day time sailfish or tarpon trip while I am down there. I was wondering if anyone knew of a decent boat in Florida that offers a discount or package on multi day/trips. As always, everyone's thoughts are welcome.
Thanks
Jim
Thanks
Jim
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