Striking It Rich In Costa Rica

Pursuing sailfish off the land where the crocodiles and the jaguars play. Just as the words “We jammin’” blared over the speakers the first time aboard the Croc of Gibraltar, a rigger clip snapped. My brain instantly tuned out the Marley CD as heads swung to the rod now throbbing to life in a starboard holder.

“Vela! Vela!” declared the captain atop the bridge as he excitedly repeated the Spanish word for sailfish.

Sanford Hochman, a Cape Cod native normally of quiet disposition, rose like a Centurion about to do battle.

The mate lobbed a live goggle-eye jack behind the now idling boat, and the rest of the scene went according to Hoyle: fish rises in the trolled lure spread, bait tossed out, fish transfers to the bait, line tightens, circle hook does its thing, and the man-fish encounter commences.

Hochman, a custom rod builder, can pump and wind with the best of them. As the Pacific sailfish twisted, twirled and put on a show that the Flying Wallendas would envy, Hochman artfully maneuvered the rod to meet the 100-pound-plus fish’s every antic. In about eight minutes, the sail succumbs with the leader and then its bill secured. A few quick pictures, and let the animal recover a bit before releasing. So beautiful.

Such drama becomes common off western Costa Rica, aptly so named by Columbus for its rich coast. Fishing out of Crocodile Bay Resort and the Golfo Dolce, the blue waters 10 to 30 miles offshore yield abundant sailfish, marlin, dolphin, wahoo and tuna. But that’s not the only fishing karma you get hereabouts – shallower green and coastal waters provide great action with roosterfish, cubera snapper, African pompano, black snook and trevally.