Mike Laptew's
Crocodile Bay Lodge Chronicles

The big rooster fell for a live sardine that was worked up current from a rock pile south of Matapalo Rock.



My good friend Captain Carlos broke the ice with this tasty snapper.



The boat approached the edge of the reef and the line started to peel off the Shimano TLD 15/30S reel. The circle hook sporting sardine had been inhaled and the rooster was now running with the current.



I increased the drag and applied pressure with a slow lift of the stick. The 6.6 Calcutta rod bend over abruptly and the first run demonstrated the power, speed and spirit of this magnificent game fish. It was 20 minutes before I could convince it to show itself near the surfaceÖand this was at some great distance from the boat. As the winds started to blow from an approaching storm front, I danced around the deck trying to gain line as it stubbornly circled under the boat. After a host of short, powerful runs, this bulldog of a fish finally came to the boat. I had taken a number of these great fish up to 30 pounds in the past and they had more than earned my respect. When they get this size they can punish you.



The week I was there, Don Laruffa caught and released a 67 and 50 pound rooster. Fish up to an estimated 90 pounds were taken at Crocodile Bay this season.



This area off Matapalo Point is home to huge roosters, trophy cubera snapper, monster amberjacks, and just about anything that swims in the Pacific.



Not far from this beach, a goliath grouper weighing 385 pounds was taken out of surf ñ with a hand line! It took the local fisherman five and a half hours to haul it in.



We made the 10 mile run back to Point Arenitis where we anticipated a late afternoon biteÖwe werenít disappointed.



This jack leaped out of the water and crashed on top of my bait.



It looked more like the hit you would expect on a surface popper than on a live sardine.


Immediately after taking this picture of my daughter Jennifer, on her horseback tour of the beach, I connected with another rooster.


Where else can you watch your family ride off into the sunset and then land a rooster fish ñ all within sight of the dock!


Location, location, location!