Highballs for Team Casa Vieja and the Rum Line crew!!! 9th Annual Flor de Cana Torneo International de Pesca
August 12-14, 2010
Capt. Chris Sheeder skipper of the Rum Lime, a 40’ Gamefisherman with mates Jairo De Leon and Yefri Garcia guided Team Casa Vieja anglers Jim Turner, David Salazar, Mike Sheeder and Franz Hoffman to win the 9th Annual Flor de Cana International Torneo de Pesca. Capt. Sheeder jumped on the lead on day one after starting 5 sails behind the leader boat, Rum Runner. The first day totals closed out with 27 releases for the Rum Line, 24 for the Rum Runner and 14 for the Gear Up. The start of the second day was much like the first. The Rum Runner started the morning hot and quickly released 4 sails to regain the lead before the Rum Line radioed in its first catch. Heavy cloud cover followed by a torrential downpour slowed the fishing to a crawl and then completely shut off that morning. Captains and anglers monitored radio for a couple of hours for any signs of life. As the sun slowly pierced through the clouds so did the sailfish bills through the water. But what no one had realized was that Capt. Sheeder had slipped away from the pack and gambled on a new spot. A roll of the dice that paid off handsomely as Capt. Sheeder called in release after release. The Rum Line regained a comfortable lead to win the tournament by day's end. The top three teams closed out with the Gear Up with 33 releases, the Rum Runner with 43 releases and Rum Line with 51 releases. The tournament broke all previous records with 30 gameboats releasing 228 billfish in this two day event.
Switch & Catch: Captains along Guatemala’s Pacific coast have the bait-and-switch down to a science.
July 2010
From SaltWaterSportsMan.com
Text by John Brown Lee. Photos by Richard Gibson
It’s late March in Guatemala, and I’m standing next to Capt. Ron Hamlin on the flybridge of the classic 40-foot Whiticar Finest Kind, doing one of my favorite things — bait-and-switch trolling for Pacific sailfish. Hamlin has tagged and released over 10,000 billfish during his long career, and he has probably forgotten more about this style of fishing than most captains will ever know.
Hamlin, photographer Richard Gibson and I stare at the baits from the bridge, and when a sailfish shows up, everyone in the cockpit moves instantly into a well-rehearsed routine; there’s no panic or pandemonium here. The fish rises to a hookless teaser riding on the face of the second boat wake, to the left. The mates grab the teaser rods as my wife, Poppy, picks up a 30-pound conventional outfit and pulls a waiting ballyhoo rigged on a circle hook from its pitch-bait tube and drops it over the transom.
Father & Son Billfish Classic Tournament
June 18-21, 2010
By Popular Demand
Casa Vieja Lodge is pleased to announce that we are bringing back the Fins ‘N Feathers Father & Son Tournament! Join us for what has been Guatemala’s favorite billfish tournament. Long known for the planet’s highest concentration of Sailfish, Guatemala is emerging as the future Blue Marlin Mecca along the Eastern Pacific Rim. Join the Casa Vieja Fleet at Marina Pez Vela for our annual event.
Casa Vieja Lodge welcomes both old and
new participants to the 2010 Father & Son
Billfish Classic Tournament. Participants will
fish three full days aboard the Casa Vieja
boats. Please remember that this is a family
tournament, the EMPHASIS IS NOT ON THE
COMPETITION, but rather for one and all to
have fun. We just hope the Seniors are able
to keep up with the Juniors in this fun
production arena!
TEAMS
Don’t let the name fool you. In the Casa
Vieja Lodge Father & Son Billfish Classic
Tournament, any two-generation team is
eligible for participation. There will be two
people per team. Boats will each host two
teams. The tournament committee will try
to assign teams to boats according to age
levels in the “junior” division. Entry into the
Tournament will be limited to 12 teams.
Prizes and Awards
As in the past, prizes will include trophies
for the top three teams. The winning team
will have name plaques on the newly
created permanent Casa Vieja Lodge Father & Son Billfish Classic Tournament Trophy.
The Grand Prize for the winning team will
be a VIP return trip for two days of fishing
for later in the year 2010!
PROGRAM OF EVENTS
Friday, June 18, 2010
- Arrive Guatemala City
- Chauffeured transport from Aurora Airport to Casa Vieja Lodge
- Welcome beverages at check in
- Captains and Angler meeting begins at 7:00pm at the Casa Vieja restaurant
- Dinner after meeting
- One Double room for each team reserved at the Casa Vieja Lodge
Saturday, June 19, 2010
- Breakfast begins at 6:00 am
- Boats leave the dock at 7:00 am and return by 5:00 pm
- Dinner served at Casa Vieja Lodge
- Nights at Casa Vieja Lodge
Sunday, June 20, 2010
- Breakfast begins at 6:00 am
- Last day of fishing. Boats leave the dock at 7:00 am and return by 5:00 pm
- Awards Dinner & Banquet at the Casa Vieja Lodge at 7:00 pm
- Last night at the Casa Vieja Lodge Monday, June 21, 2010
- Breakfast begins at the Casa Vieja Lodge served between 6:00 am and 9:00 am
- Chauffeured transport from Casa Vieja Lodge to Aurora International Airport
FOR MORE INFORMATION
About the Casa Vieja Lodge and Tournament Rules and
Entry Form please contact us through the following:
Phone: 866-846-9121 Fax: 305-396-4986
E-mail: Info@CasaViejaLodge.com
Web Address: www.CasaViejaLodge.com
Address: 2550 So. Bayshore Drive
ENTRY FEE: $2900 per team*
*Entry fee includes: ground
transportation between the Guatemala
City Airport, Casa Vieja Lodge and
Marina Pez Vela, 3 nights in 1 double
room and all your meals at the Casa
Vieja Lodge, 2 full days of fishing and a
chartiable contribution to building
schools in Pto San Jose poverty areas.
Basically your entrance fee includes
everything except airfare, tips and
Senior’s bar bill.
Download Tournament Rules & Application
Casa Vieja's Summer Getaways
Take advantage of our summer rates starting in July and running through October. While our typical packages are 5 days, 4 nights and 3 days of fishing on one of our classic boats; we can customize an itinerary just for you.
What a great opportunity to test out the waters that have been written about in every major publication! Fish with some of the world’s the top Captains and crews in. Sharpen your skills or catch your first Marlin.
Last summer’s Blue Marlin bite was “RED HOT”. The summer season can be a little rainy at times, but you’ll still have lots of shots at Sails and Marlin. Of course the ever-present Dorado in the 30 – 40 pound class are around every day and the Yellowfin Tunas are making their journey thru the area.
All the amenities of the world class Casa Vieja Lodge coupled with the world’s finest gameboats = great summertime fishing. The price is right, so take the whole family. Kids 14 and under stay, eat and fish for free when accompanied by a parent.
We still have boats available for the next couple weeks. You can still come on down for your trip of a lifetime. Remember that last year’s Marlin run heated up in April and was in full swing by May! Don’t miss your chance to be at Casa Vieja Lodge for a world class sporting vacation, call the office at (866) 846-9121 today for availability.