Tarpon Quest Twenty Ten
First Tarpon Catch and Release
50th Annual Fishing Tournament
Rio San Juan, Nicaragua
September 13, 14, 2010
by G. Martin Lively
The tripI have described the trip from here to and from El Castillo, Nicaragua before, so I won’t go into detail. You drive to Los Chiles, Costa Rica, take a boat from there to San Carlos, Nicaragua and from there another boat to El Castillo. It is a jungle view adventure worth the trip even if you do not fish, I have taken Jean and Terry there just for the scenery.
Roberto, Geoff & Dennis
Hotel Victoria
After you get off the boat at El Castillo walk to the street fronting it and turn left. At the end of the trail, and it really is a trail, no cars only carts, is the Hotel Victoria and the smiling faces of Julia, Nena and their crew. It is like coming home to your aunt’s place in the country. You will be ushered to the rear deck restaurant and handed a bottle of ice cold Tonya beer, much needed after a long boat ride and the the more than warm walk to the hotel. Nothing fancy here, but it is spotless and air conditioned and $35 a night single $50 double with breakfast on the deck. Slow Internet is available in the lobby. ( photos of the hotel and more of El Castillo are available at http://picasaweb.google.com/gmlively )
Fishing
TarponQuest Twenty Ten was the 50th year of this tournament on the San Juan River between El Castillo and the Solentiname Islands. In addition to the pre-historic tarpon, megalops atlanticus, the contest includes snook, machaca, guapote and roncador. This year the tributory rivers were muddy and the lesser fish were caught up near San Carlos, that is to say we near El Castillo caught NONE of them; and the shore lunch of just caught snook was a highlight of the last two trips.
Same guides and deck hands as last year, but unfortunately two of the four were still drunk from the party last night kicking off the tournament, one was half drunk and the fourth was from up river. But the fishing is quite simple, troll a Rapala Shad Rap in fire tiger or white with red head around the river mouths of tributaries and hang on. The river moves swiftly and hooking a tarpon is like snagging a side of beef in that current. (I have a broken road as proof.) When those smaller rivers are clear one can troll up and down them using a Rapala Far Rap or Big O in the same colors as the tarpon lures. Roberto had one strike, Dennis none, I fought a 120 pounder for 22 minutes before another boat came too close and caused my tarpon to jet downstream. My drag failed and SNAP.
El Castillo Our boats at El Castillo dock
Geoff’s fish
On day two Geoff hooked into another 120+ lb fish. It ran and jumped many times and the rod holder belt we brought along came in handy as Geoff worked the fish for over an hour. Hooked well in the upper jaw the fish managed to surface for a gulp of air and energy every fifteen minutes or so and forced us downriver and over the rapids. In the calmer water below the rapids the fight continued for another half hour until finally the leader came back onto the rod and Geoff brought it to the side of our boat. Published rules for catch and release had been changed and had we known the ‘new rules’ his fish would have qualified for catch and release when the leader touched the tod tip. Next year we will file for catch and release status! Anyway, the guide was too anxious and botched the lip gaffing and the leader to lure knot gave way. It may have been a prize winner and we all sulked for some time.
Geoff’s fish’s first jump ...and over the rapids
120 lbs + almost to the boat
San Carlos Awards Ceremony and Fiesta
November 16 is Nicaraguan Independence Day and the week from the 12th to the 17th is a huge party at the dock in San Carlos. November 14 is the tournament awards ceremony and fisherman’s dinner and we enjoyed mingling with the fisherman and hundreds of spectators and fiesteros.
Drive back, Ceci’s
From San Carlos the day after the Fiesta we hired the Monte Christo launch, twice the price and less than half the time and we could leave before the 2pm waterbus.
November 16 is Nicaraguan Independence Day and the week from the 12th to the 17th is a huge party at the dock in San Carlos. November 14 is the tournament awards ceremony and fisherman’s dinner and we enjoyed mingling with the fisherman and hundreds of spectators and fiesteros.
Drive back, Ceci’s
From San Carlos the day after the Fiesta we hired the Monte Christo launch, twice the price and less than half the time and we could leave before the 2pm waterbus.
Just before Zarcero is a favorite restaurant, Ceci’s. If we drive that way going we stop for hot chocolate and chorreadas, this lunch stop called for Beef Stroganoff, Sauteed Pork Chops and Onions, Lomito Suizo, and Grilled Chicken with Mushrooms. I tried them all and can’t wait to get back to any dish there.
PS Applications for “Tarpon Heaven Twenty Eleven” being taken at gmlively@gmail.com
