Tuna Time in the Summertime
Normally we reserve Tuesdays for Tuna, but it seems like we should call it Tuna June! The larger tuna have been showing up in numbers and of course, putting up a great fight for anglers. However, after a couple of fights with a handful of 50-90lb tunas, anglers normally say, “Hey Captain, please no more $&#@:& tuna!”. We hope you can join us this summer at Casa Vieja Lodge.
Casa Vieja Lodge was host once again to Marlin Magazine’s prestigious Marlin University from June 2-7th which had four days of great fishing and hands-on instruction. This year they saw more blue marlin, big yellowfin tuna, large dorado, and of course the popular sailfish. To sum it up, a crash course in species and techniques, new friends, great hospitality, and irreplaceable memories!
2019 Father’s Day Fishing Frenzy
Did your Father’s Day include slacks and a polo shirt at a fancy brunch, or were you barefoot, covered in sea spray, yellowfin tuna blood, sailfish, and marlin slime, competing with your kids to win the 2019 Father’s Day Fishing Frenzy? That’s a Casa Vieja Father for you!
Casa Vieja hosted the annual tournament June 14-17th and teams consisted of grandfathers, grandmothers, fathers, mothers, kids, cousins, and friends and everyone got in on the fishing action! Each boat had a daily mixed plate of sailfish, blue marlin, yellowfin tuna, and mahi-mahi making for an exciting day of what’s next fishing.
Throughout the dad-filled weekend teams were entertained poolside with an entertaining mariachi band, a fireworks spectacular, and a roasted pig luau awards ceremony! In three days of fishing, there was a total of 117 sailfish raises, 102 bites, and 61 releases on 5 boats and 14 blue marlin raises 8 bites and 5 releases. Plus 23 yellowfin tuna, and 25 mahi-mahi!
First Place for the 2019 Father’s Day Fishing Frenzy was Team Poco Loco with the Maddox family with 15 sailfish and 2 blue marlin releases, with Capt. David Salazar. This group normally comes annually in June and decided to try out the FFF. For a couple of them, it was their first blue marlin, sailfish, and Mahi!
Second Place went to Team Afinity with the Jackson Family with 15 sailfish and 1 blue marlin releases, with Capt. Nico. Melendrez. Dad managed some doubles hookups with his kids and got bonus points that helped push them up the leaderboard.
Third Place went to Team Finest Kind with the Malkin and Michel Families, with 9 sailfish and 2 blue marlin releases, with Capt. Nicho Alvarenga.
The Largest Mahi Mahi was captured by Sydney Wills at 43in. The Largest Tuna weighed in at 90lbs by Amelia Malkin.
*Rules of the tournament stated that the bonus points were also included for father/son or father/daughter double-triple-quad hookup. The more family onboard, the more bonus points possible which anglers definitely took advantage of!
A big thank you to all the teams that made memories this Father’s Day at Casa Vieja Lodge during the Father’s Day Fishing Frenzy and are making this their annual Father’s Day trip! A HUGE thank you to our sponsors Costa del Mar, YETI, Cummins, and The Billfish Foundation for helping us put smiles on all anglers faces. Same time, same place, next year! Hasta la Proxima Papa!
Adios a Los Sheeders
Captain Chris Sheeder first arrived in Guatemala in 2001 under the guidance of Tim Choate at the historic Fins’ and Feathers Inn. During his 18 years, he has been at the helm of the Intensity, Magic, Cañaso, Nany, Peligan, Finest Kind, and Rum Line guiding thousands of anglers to successfully landing billfish on the fly, conventional, spinning, and even on a banana! Sheeder has released more than 35,000 billfish in his career, a vast majority here in Guatemala, with 8,000 of them on the fly!
Elisa Badillo-Sheeder, the dynamic woman behind Capt. Chris has been a daily smiling staple to all clients for the past 5 years serving as Lodge Manager. She embraced the Lodge as her own and her spirit was contagious causing even the most difficult clients to crack a smile. Elisa’s Guatemalan roots, and immense passion for fishing, and love for providing 5-star service was felt even in a simple conversation.
We want to say MIL GRACIAS to the Sheeders for their time, energy, and love they shared with all at Casa Vieja Lodge, and we wish them all the best wherever their next port of call may take them.
Fishing Highlights
Perhaps some of you are finally starting to believe us when we tell you during May through August we have a variety of species to complement your everyday sailfish. If you don’t believe us, we have a handful of clients that will tell you first-hand and as they rebook their dates immediately!
Check out the impressive numbers below, you can see that there has been no shortage of fresh mahi-mahi sandwiches aboard our boats for lunch!:
- May 15th-June 16th, the Afinity (39′ Billy Knowles) with Capt. Nico Melendrez, had 173 raises, 151 bites, and 97 sailfish releases plus 11 marlin raises, 5 marlin bites, 3 marlin releases, 29 tuna, and 31 mahi-mahi.
- May 17th– June 16th, the Poco Loco (44′ Kincheloe Nickerson) with Capt. David Salazar, had 135 raises, 126 bites, and 91 sailfish releases plus 8 marlin raises, 5 marlin bites, 4 marlin releases, 33 tuna, and 21 mahi-mahi.
- May 18th– June 16th, the Release (37′ Merritt) with Capt. Chico Alvarenga, had 193 raises, 153 bites, and 113 sailfish releases plus 22 marlin raises, 12 marlin bites, 7 marlin releases, 50 tuna, 53 mahi-mahi, and 3 roosterfish!
- May 22nd-June 1st & June 17th, the El Cadejo (35′ Contender) with Capt. Benji Bairez, had 37 raises, 31 bites, and 26 sailfish releases plus 2 marlin raises, 23 tuna, and 7 mahi-mahi.
- May 23rd-June 16th, the Finest Kind (40’ Whiticar) with Capt. Nicho Alvarenga, had 136 raises, 121 bites, and 75 sailfish releases plus 4 marlin raises, 3 marlin bites, 3 marlin releases, 26 tuna, and 11 mahi-mahi!
- May 24th-June 16th, the Rum Line (40′ Gamefisherman), had 87 raises, 78 bites, and 54 sailfish releases plus 3 marlin raises, 1 marlin bite, 13 tuna, and 10 mahi-mahi.
- May 27th-June 1st & June 18th, the Pez Raton (35′ Contender) with Capt. Franz Hoffman, had 14 raises, 13 bites, and 7 sailfish releases plus 4 marlin raises, 3 marlin bites, 1 marlin release, 15 tuna, 7 grouper, 6 snapper, and 8 roosterfish!
- May 30th-June 6th, the Makaira (37’ Rybovich) with Capt. Jason Brice, had 48 raises, 45 bites, and 32 sailfish releases plus 9 marlin raises, 8 marlin bites, 6 marlin releases, 11 tuna, and 13 mahi-mahi.
(305) 854-4665 / Kirsten@CasaViejaLodge.com
- June 26-30: Afinity (39′ Billy Knowles)
- July 4-6: El Cadejo (35′ Contender) & Rum Line (40′ Gamefisherman)
- July 14-17: Release (37′ Merritt)
- July 24-27: Afinity (39′ Billy Knowles) & El Cadejo (35′ Contender)