I’m happy to report that all is well in Guatemala. Lodge Manager Antonio Valdez and his staff are tending to repairs and alterations to the Lodge. The Captains and crews that remained in Guatemala are tending to the annual maintenance of the fleet while some of our Captains are fishing in far off waters. In the past year, the U.S. side of the operation has gone through a significant transition. I moved my family to Coral Gables, Florida and opened my office in Coconut Grove at Monty’s Bayside. It has been a big transition for my family but my wife and three daughters are finally settled in to life in Miami.
Since Casa Vieja Lodge is one of the few operations in the world that owns their own boats and transportation, I thought it was time to have our own travel agency as well. Therefore, about a year ago, I acquired the assets of South Fishing and now own a licensed travel agency. Since then, I have taken a more hands on role in the day-to-day operations of the U.S. operations. As many of you know, Sportsman’s Addiction has been responsible for the Florida operations since I opened the Lodge in 2006. My increased involvement has substantially changed the scope of the relationship that Casa Vieja had with Sportsman’s Addiction. Recently, I made the decision to terminate that relationship, of course a great deal of thought went into this decision. I am sure it is the best course of action for Casa Vieja. In the mean time, I will be happy to personally handle your questions and make arrangements for you to fish at Casa Vieja Lodge.
When I acquired South Fishing, I hired Al Schaefer to work for Casa Vieja. Al has been at the forefront of the fishing and fishing travel business since 1968 starting with Abercrombie & Fitch (the original store) as the tackle manager in Chicago, concurrently as a consultant with Jim Chapralis at Safari Outfitters. Years later with Chapralis at PanAngling as Vice President and associate editor of the “PanAngler”, then in the 1990’s with Chapi and South Fishing. He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to this office. As Office Administrator, he is dependable, detail oriented and therefore more than capable of handling the logistics of clients’ travel plans with the lodge in Guatemala. Al has proved himself this past year as my assistant. All reservations and inquiries should be directed to Al@casaviejalodge.com
Another addition to the staff is Herb Rosell. Herb has been in the fishing travel business since 1987 starting out with H. T. Chittum in Miami and continuing with Chapi Sportfishing in Venezuela. He managed Chapi’s US Office in Miami – specializing in billfishing tournaments in La Guaira under the auspices of South Fishing Travel. South Fishing has been an integral part of Casa Vieja’s operations for the past few years. As Director of US Operations, Herb can be reached on his cell 305.632.4372 or herb@casaviejalodge.com
Capt. Tred Barta the well known outdoor writer, jet pilot and sportsman joined the team last month as the Fleet Captain and Director of Fishing Operations. Tred is credited with early confirmation that warm core eddies existed and were key to bluewater success worldwide. Tred’s specific techniques on how to find a warm core eddie, how to fish it and stay with it are the standard today. As an angler and captain, Tred Barta has probably spent more time in the North Atlantic Canyons than anyone. Tred’s light tackle career is legend holding at one time or another double-digit International Game and Fishing Association (IGFA) world records on light line. Tred was the only man to ever hold the triple crown of light tackle tuna records, a 65 lb. yellowfin on 6 lb. line which took in 3 years of solid effort to land a world record, a 63 1/2 lb. bluefin tuna on 12 lb. line and a 215 lb. big eye tuna on 20 lb. line taking 5 hours and 17 minutes – still unbroken after 20 years. He can now be reached at Tred@casaviejalodge.com
Captain Jake Jordan has spent over half of a century traveling the world in search of large game fish on light tackle and fly. He is an excellent educator and communicator, who loves to excite anglers with stories regarding his many spectacular fishing adventures. Jordan is a world-famous Florida Keys tarpon guide and world-renowned big game fly angler. Captain Jake is a consultant to a boat manufacturer and several world class fly tackle companies. He designs customized fly-fishing vacation packages and fly fishing schools, for anglers throughout the world. Captain Jake appears as a speaker at many fly fishing shows, boat shows, and fishing clubs every year. He has excellent PowerPoint presentations about Catching Billfish on fly. Jake also owns and operates “The Sailfish School” a fly fishing school designed to teach anglers how to catch Billfish on a fly rod. The Sailfish School is held at The Casa Vieja Lodge in Puerto San Jose, Guatemala. Jordan often brags that during the last 16 years of operation, he has never had a student at The Sailfish School who did not catch a Sailfish on a fly! Jake and three of his students released 27 sailfish in one day, and 46 in one three-day session of The Sailfish School. During his lifetime, Jordan has caught more than 1,100 Billfish on fly, including over 900 sailfish and more than 200 marlin on fly. Jake can be reached at keysjake@aol.com or 305.872.6060