10-02-2001, 10:32 PM
TARPON FISHING TOURNAMENT IN NICARAGUA. <br>San Carlos Sportfishing Fishing report # 20 <br> <br>On the 13th and 14th of September has been held the 41th edition of the annual Tarpon fishing turnament in San Carlos Nicaragua. The first one has been organized in 1955 with interuption during the bad days time in Nicaragua We compete aboard my boat ‘Julia Brava” In this trip were participating my friends Bob Church from Canada , and Larry Hustler from USA , also my guides Augusto ,Walter, and Juan. … a good team as Bob is a very experience fisherman, Larry is very known in our fishing world, he is one of the pioneer of Sportfishing in Costa Rica…where he live since 26 years…For so many year so many people have been fishing aboard his boats from Quepos…like me he do not like so much to run an operation in a place witch is getting too busy so now he own a jungle camp on a seclude beach in Drake Bay.. <br>We compete and did win as the new champion of San Juan river for tarpon, is Mr Larry Hustler we could not make it from a few pounds for the biggest fish but did win for number of tarpon and accumulated weight…( We also did fish two hours the day before the Tournament and Lary released a 140lb ) unfortunately only small 80lb in boat during turnament days…Why??..<br>Well we also had several “No doubts tournament winners “ on line in these days lost during the fight…Especifically one than I did lost at the boat doing a major mistake as I made it to fast as a boat was coming on us etc etc ….well anyway sorry for the Team aboard…<br>The condition where very different from my usual fishing…Normally there is no other boat on the river than Julia Brava. On these two days there where around 30 boats competing some very small some very big , some with rustic outfit some with the ultimate available tackles. From 12 footer with 10 hp to the ultimate Boston whealer Bertram and Co style with 500hp..these big yachts where coming from Rivas and Granada crusing the entire lake.<br>Anyway we had a fantastic time, a unique experience competing with all these guys.. <br>What’s fun is than on these day the entire town is dedicated to the tournament..I mean for example than our plan for first fishing day was to wake up at 5 am but at 4.30 there was already a band walking on everywhere in town in order to wake up every body…not only fishermen, all town a major mess ( Town is more than 10 000 people ) We wanted to rest a bit as the night before there was a major party for the election of the Tournament Queen it was suppose to start at 7pm but nobody there so we went dinner came back and around 10pm all did start in a crowded place during the two days around 1000 persons where waiting all day at the pier dancing, with bands, drinking …to see the fish weighted. As soon as a fish was weighted it was disappearing, the guy from the comity where asking us: “ do you want to give this one to Hospital, or poor people, or the Army, to the jail? , we turn back a minute and then fish gone……,at night on day one was a major Dance with 1000 persons…I could not get in.. and then a final Party for giving the trophy an over crowded place with a travesty show, Delirious.. a lot of dance etc.., I have been fishing many tournaments, I never experience such a thing a lot of activity, a lot of fun…<br>For the fun part all has been much more than what I could ever think off, concerning the competition in itself it is very strange,<br>The Fishing organization is very special as there where two different comities, as the balance where far from being exact, as we still wonder what were the exact rules…Well with Julia brava we always fish strictly according to IGFA …but it seems than here only a few people understanding what this mean…Also we always Catch and release..but on these days we obey the orders of the comity we did enter.So simple rules what count is the biggest fish and the guy who catch the more tarpon…so CONGRATULATION TO LARRY AND DON HENRY SANDINO and thanks to my staff.<br>I am very short in English to describe this so warm so friendly atmosphere I am going to ask Bob and Larry to describe what they saw because really this morning it is like if I have been dreaming for three days… it’s been so different from our usual experience…<br>What I know is than definitely I will do it next year , I will not miss next tournament even if from a fishing ethical point of view all this is far from my ideas…<br>There are so many persons who have been fishing with me this year than I would have love to be with us…to enjoy that…Sincerely I have been thinking, talking probably of all of you with Augusto ….and if Jeff had been here…and Terry , and Lars..and..Alan, and Dave, Sam. Doug , Gaele, Etienne , Niko, Haldvan, Joyce, Peter, Julie, Fabien, Andre… Sorry I stop but for sure a special thought for you Paul. ( Was not the day to use 10lb…)<br>I am back in San Jose , Augusto did already call me, everything is back to normal so in the coming weeks we are going to enjoy our usual world class fishing in unique Jungle Scenery…<br> <br>A major events for the entire world community did happen three days before this Turnament,, there is no words to describe our feeling except Pain a lot of pain . What I wish to be known is than here , in our so far away Jungle. even with this giant party around a lot of these Nicaraguan people, some very rich some extremely poor where totally concern and condemning thisact.<br><br>Report From Philippe Tisseaux E mail: cecnasa@sol.racsa.co.cr <br>Web page: http://www.marine -electronics.net/tropicalfishing/ <br>Preceding fishing reports ( 19 of them ) at: http://pub25.ezboard.com/btarpon <br> <br><br><br>