Experience Unmatched Billfish Fishing in Guatemala: A Guide to Awesome Catches and Top Lodges

A featured article on In the Bite Magazine.

Guatemala Delivers! There’s No Better Place to Catch Billfish, and Lots of Them

After slightly more than an hour’s run offshore, Captain Mike Sheeder pulled back the throttles on his 37-foot Gamefisherman, Intensity, and the two mates instantly began putting out our spread. They’ve repeated this seamless process time-and-again for years, but it’s always fascinating to watch true pros in action. In a few moments, the baits and teasers were deployed, and we were fishing.

Sheeder came down from the bridge to explain the spread to us. Everything has a name, from outrigger baits to left and right teasers and flat lines. Knowing the proper terminology makes a huge difference because when Sheeder, or the mates, shout out a position where they spot a fish, you must know the correct, corresponding rod to grab to drop back.

It didn’t take long to put all this new knowledge to the test. A sailfish appeared suddenly behind the right side of the spread and Sheeder shouted, “Right teaser!” One of the other guests on the boat grabbed a pitch bait and tossed it over the transom, free-spooling the line to drop the ballyhoo back in our wake. When the bait reached the proper zone, Sheeder yelled, “Stop!” and the sailfish transferred from its fixation on the artificial teaser to the bait skipping along right next to it. The sail engulfed the bait and after a short drop-back, the angler came tight, and the fish was hooked.  After a brief fight and a few photos, we released the sail and put the spread back out to repeat the process.

Bait-and-Switch: The Classic Technique

This is classic bait-and-switch fishing, a time-honored and proven way to raise and catch billfish around the world. Methods vary among captains, but most of them pull hookless teaser baits along with daisy chain teasers like rubber squid chains, and hookless trolling lures. Some, including Sheeder, pull two hook baits on the long outrigger positions, based on the theory that it’s harder to spot the fish behind the back baits and you’ll get quite a few “blind” strikes on those. Better to have a hook back there to catch those fish when they strike.

Most boats use 20-pound conventional tackle for sailfish, but they all keep one heavier rod rigged with a larger bait like a bonito or small tuna, in case a marlin decides to show up. Usually that’s a 50, although some crews opt for 30-pound gear. In theory, the captain or a mate will make the call as to what type of billfish has risen, and no matter how many times I hear it, the shout of, “Marlin!” still excites me. But when the marlin eats the sailfish bait without warning, things get exciting, and that’s just what happened to us later that morning.

The Excitement of Marlin Fishing

A fish struck on the long rigger bait and Brett Rohrscheib grabbed the rod and dropped back according to plan. But when the line came tight and the fish jumped for the first time, Sheeder and both mates yelled, “Marlin!” simultaneously, with Sheeder adding, “It’s a striper!” A beautiful striped marlin had taken the long ballyhoo and Rohrscheib had him securely hooked. Stripers are the smallest of the three marlin species found off Guatemala (blue, black, and striped), but they’re still considerably larger than the typical Pacific sailfish.

Someone once called the striped marlin a “white marlin on steroids,” and that’s a fairly accurate description. Whites live in the Atlantic and stripers in the Pacific, of course, but they are somewhat similar in terms of overall size. However, the striped marlin I’ve encountered seen to be huskier than whites if that makes sense. In any case, they fight like crazy and this one was no exception.

It put on an amazing aerial display, jumping repeatedly, tail-walking across the surface and generally thrashing around violently. Eventually the fish tired and came to the leader, where we removed the hook and took several of Sheeder’s signature GoPro shots looking back at the boat from a boom. Having a marlin under our belt in the morning got us fired up for sure, as we put the baits back out and resumed the troll, looking for more action.

We had a steady bite the rest of the day, all sailfish, and we caught some and missed some. Many on our crew were new to this style of fishing and were learning on-the-fly, but there’s no better place to learn than Guatemala. While other Latin American destinations like Costa Rica and Panama may be better known, Guatemala offers a more consistent billfish bite, without a doubt.

The Discovery of a Great Fishery

Only a few traveling fishermen knew of the fishery here until the late 1980s when Tim Choate decided to expand his operation from Costa Rica and sent two boats, the Intensity (which Sheeder is still fishing) and the Magic, to explore the area around 1989 or ’90. The fishing turned out to be so good, he decided to open a lodge in Guatemala in the mid ‘90s, the original Fins and Feathers Lodge. The lodge quickly became legendary, for both its fishing and its nightlife. No marina yet existed so the lodge boats had to exit and enter a local river mouth, crossing a shallow bar in the process, and afternoon returns could be quite sporty! But they always made it.

More importantly, the fishing numbers were unheard of. Reports of 50- and 60-fish days began to filter in, with the occasional 70- to 80-fish day thrown in. And these are release numbers, not merely fish raised. We all know no place can produce numbers like this every day, but Guatemala produced far more high-release days on average than anywhere else. As word got out, many top captains began heading to Guatemala.

The originals included Capt. Ross “Flash” Clark and Capt. Bud Gramer, who drove Intensity, and Capt. John LaGrone, who skippered the Magic. Others who came shortly afterward included the late Capt. Chris Sheeder, Mike’s older brother, and the late Capt. Ronnie Hamlin. Many of these guys became legends in our sport, and much of that legendary status grew out of their association with the amazing Guatemalan fishery.

A New Marina Changes the Game

Fin and Feathers closed in 2005 (later resurrected as Pacific Fins) but Jim Turner opened Casa Vieja Lodge the following year and was joined by Hamlin and the elder Sheeder. Mike Sheeder followed his brother there 19 years ago and has been there ever since. Captain Jason Brice followed Hamlin to Casa Vieja and has since staked out a substantial reputation for himself on these same waters. And the Guatemalan government allowed a sportfishing dock to be built in the nearby commercial port and naval base known as Puerto Quetzal. This changed the game considerably as we no longer had to cross the bar to get home from fishing. Puerto Quetzal has undergone massive expansion in recent years and is now a major stop for cruise ships, as well as being where freighters unload tons of coal for the country’s power plants. It’s the only major marina on Guatemala’s west coast.

“I originally came to Guatemala under the guidance of Ronnie Hamlin, in 2006,” Brice said.  “Jim Turner was putting together Casa Vieja Lodge, and they needed another captain. I had been fishing as a mate in Venezuela, enduring the beginnings of their political situation, and it was starting to affect our charter fishing business. Ronnie had been an acquaintance for years, and he knew my love for Venezuela, but he insisted that coming to Guatemala was what I needed to do. I conceded eventually, and I am currently finishing up my 18th year in Guatemala, now with my own operation, Gringo Sportfishing.” After fishing a couple of days with Sheeder, I switched it up and rode with Brice. I’ve had the pleasure of spending many days on the water with Jason, and knew I was in for a good time.

Guatemala Billfish Fishing: A Consistent Fishery

Brice recently bought a 37-foot Sunny Briggs, which he christened Gringo. We spent the day searching for sails with him and his crew and while we did not experience one of those legendary 60 fish days, we did manage to catch and release 24, world-class fishing no matter where you go. We also lost a few others and ending up with too many of the dreaded “sancochos,” where you drop a rigged ballyhoo back to a sailfish and think you’ve got him hooked, but you miss the bite and wind in only a ballyhoo head. Nobody likes sancochos. Brice and I talked about the special nature of this fishery and why it should be on the travel list of all serious saltwater anglers.

“Guatemala is such a consistent fishery,” Brice said. “We are going to consistently have better conditions offshore, and a greater number of fish, than you would normally see charter fishing in most other countries. There are days or periods of time when there might be better sailfishing in Costa Rica, and we might not have the black marlin or variety of species that may be had in Panama. But, if you had to bet on where you’ll have the largest number of billfish bites in a day, on any given week of the year, in Central America, my money would be on Guatemala. That’s actually why I’m still here.”

Fishing Travel Grows

Throughout all the development of the Guatemalan fishery, Herb Rosell has been in the thick of things. As the founder of South Fishing, the seminal fishing travel agency he created in Miami, Rosell helped pioneer the Venezuelan fishery in the 1980s. He became closely associated with many of the legendary captains previously mentioned and became known as the go-to guy to book serious saltwater fishing trips to awesome locations. He has booked trips for people to just about everywhere, but he says Guatemala tops them all.  

“I’ve worked with the well-traveled billfishing angler for over 35 years, and no other destination has a higher angler satisfaction and rebooking than the west coast of Guatemala,” said Rosell. “For decades now, Guatemala has been the undisputed sailfish capital of the world. Guatemala stands alone in the daily number of raises, bites and releases, all in the calm waters of the Pacific Ocean.” That’s a universally accepted truth, but what makes the waters off Guatemala so special, what attracts these numbers of billfish? Many theories exist.

The Science Behind the Bite

“There is a bit of science as to why the fishing is so good in this area of the Pacific,” Brice said. “Basically, the winds of Tehuantepec of Mexico and Papagayo of Nicaragua create cool water fences that hold bait in the warmer, nutrient-rich water of our region. This combines with a little topography that includes a pocket (crack) in the continental shelf that starts at 10 miles and turns with the shelf at 40 miles to the east and the west.  And as the sailfish pass through the cooler waters created by these winds, migrating to and from Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, and beyond, they are inclined to stay in our warm, bait-filled waters, held by the upwellings, and currents being pushed around the pocket.”

While Guatemala is undoubtedly best known for sailfish, the marlin bite is consistent too. Another boat in our group caught and released a nice Pacific blue marlin during our trip, in addition to our striped marlin. And you can vary things up by trying some different tackle, including fly fishing. For example, after catching his first striped marlin the first day, Rohrscheib picked up a fly rod the next day and managed to catch and release a sailfish, his first billfish on fly.

In Guatemala, the possibilities are almost endless, and the opportunities are many, making it the perfect destination for those who enjoy catching billfish. Rosell says, “Guatemala is the greatest billfish show on earth!” “Following in my brother’s giant footsteps, my original plan was to fish in Guatemala for one season,” Sheeder added. “Well, that was 18 years ago. Truly an amazing fishery!” It’s hard to argue with that.

The Lodges

Jason Brice and his wife Elisa Badillo Brice, operate the Gringo Sportfishing Lodge out of a converted home with beautiful and comfortable rooms and a swimming pool, in a private, gated community close to the marina. Likewise, Mike Sheeder offers similar accommodations in a different gated community, at the Villa Intensity. No matter which way you go, the experience is nothing short of first-class.

You are met at the airport in Guatemala City by a private driver who ferries you to the lodge of your choice. When you arrive, and every day after fishing, you’re met in the driveway with a tray of cocktails. Hors d’oeuvres follow, then a sit-down dinner that rivals any meal found anywhere. It’s soup-to-nuts service with an open bar and you can also arrange side trips to the scenic, ancient city of Antigua, or any special services you require.

South Fishing

Herb Rosell and his team can handle all your travel arrangements for either lodge. “All our angling destinations are famed for sitting at the heart of the most exceptional billfishing the world has to offer,” Rosell said. “We take care of all the details, so you can focus on the catching. Just a short three-hour flight from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Dallas or Houston, Guatemala’s Pacific west coast offers anglers boutique luxury accommodations, delicious gourmet meals celebrating the finest in Guatemalan cuisine, and the most spectacular billfishing experience anywhere!”

South Fishing

The Biltmore Executive Offices 

1200 Anastasia Avenue, Suite 415 

Coral Gables, FL 33134 

O: (855) BILLFISH (245-5347)

C: (305) 632-4372

southfishing.com

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