True
Adventure Sportfishing Stories
After
professionally arranging international sportfishing travel for
twenty-five years, Fred Stephens owner of Adventure Sportfishing,
shares his seldom seen vantage point into the exciting, hilarious
and sometimes ridiculous innerworkings of the world of international
sportfishing travel.
Experience the world's top sportfishing destinations through the
eyes of a seasoned travel outfitter.
"True
Adventure Sporfishing Stories" will
take you on one trip-of-a-lifetime after another to Costa Rica,
Panama, Mexico, Ecuador, Baja, South Pacific, Indian Ocean and
Cocos Island.
A
must read for any sportfishing travel enthusiast!
The
perfect gift for all Big Game fisherman!
Selected
Excerpts
Purchase "True
Adventure Sportfishing Stories" |
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By this time it was late at night, I was exhausted. All we had
to do was load the gear into the boat and then I could get some rest.
The boats were moored in the Salinas Bay directly in front of the
Pesca Tours office separated by a wide expanse of deep sand beach.
We carried the gear from the office to the shoreline, back and forth,
then by dingy to the boat and we were finally on our way. Motoring
out into the unknown darkness was the safest feeling I had since
arriving in Ecuador.
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"Dove" Manta, Ecuador
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Clay Wearing Camo-Boat-Wear |
Clay
proceeded to strip down to his Speedo bathing suit and swat team
boots, his pasty white body was covered with long black hair,
and he proceeded to cover every pore with some kind of white
creamy sunscreen. It was pouring so hard that you couldn’t see thirty
feet from the boat. Once Clay got all lathered up with sunscreen
he walked out to the cockpit and sat in the plastic fighting chair,
the boat went over a swell and Clay slipped right out of the chair
and onto the deck, he was sliding around completely out of control
like a slippery fish. It was just too much, the guys from San Diego
and I were laughing hysterically, the mate went back to help Clay
who couldn’t seem to get up on his own, he helped Clay get
back into the fighting chair as we held on to our guts from laughing
so hard, we were trying to contain ourselves, but it was impossible.
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As we exited Chatham Bay we headed west to go counter clockwise
around the Island, as soon as we started heading along the northern
coastline of Cocos the essence of the island revealed itself. The
jungle covered sheer cliffs rose straight up from the ocean to a
thousand feet. Waterfalls poured off the top falling all the way
to the sea with misty trails of plumage creating rainbows from each
waterfall. At any given moment there were at least four to six cascading
waterfalls within our view. Hardwood trees of sixty feet hung precariously
over the edge. Palm trees of all different types covered the cliffs.
What seemed like millions of birds soared from their perches in the
trees to snack on whatever interested them in the ocean. Frigates,
Boobies and White Pelicans were everywhere. A foamy disturbance created
by a school of skipjack was enough to cause hundreds of boobies to
soar off the cliffs to investigate with frigates always-there ready
to steal a meal.
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Wahoo Rock, Cocos Island |
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Black River Boats |
As
the boat left the dock the next day the setting couldn’t
have been any more dramatic. The sun coming up from behind the stunning
La Morne headland with a brilliant color fade from inshore to offshore
water, it was the epitome of a world class fishing destination. Adrenaline
pumped as we set the lines for day two. We had the kind of nervous
energy that only an angler knows. Everything is ready and you can
sense that something big is about to happen. It’s almost
impossible to sit still.
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The little island was surrounded by a gorgeous
barrier reef that had a small cut in the reef that had to be navigated
carefully. Lots of coral bomees loaded with ulua just waiting to
tear up some fishing tackle. The island was like a huge bush sticking
out of the water, solid foliage from the water up. On the leeward
side was a small bay with solid rock sides, there were cement steps
formed onto the rock with a drawbridge like dock system that rose
and lowered to and from the water, it was the only way onto the
island. Up in the tree line I could see a Robinson Caruso looking
tree house made from Bamboo and palm fronds, it was a true hideaway
island. It was a special getaway spot for people who did not want
to be found.
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Dog-Tooth Tuna |
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Heading Out to Zane Grey Reef |
Just
as I stepped into the cabin a large blue marlin flew by the side
of the boat and landed directly on the right outrigger lure. Unfortunately
the line had somehow wound itself around the rod tip. When the
blue marlin grabbed the lure it took all of about two seconds for
the slack in the line to come tight against the rod tip. The line
snapped with the sound of a gunshot, which woke Mike up!
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Sportfishing Stories"
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