Traveling to fishing locations around the globe has changed considerably since I first started in the industry. Places that were once seasonal hot spots for traveling sportfishers, such as the Bahamas or Mexican Yucatán, are now just a temporary stop for many commuting crews (I’m not trying to take anything away from these areas as I’ve had some great fishing and unforgettable times there). It’s not that boats didn’t navigate further distances such as Costa Rica, Panama, Venezuela, Bermuda or Cabo, but there were significantly fewer who did back then. However, advancements in electronics and more reliable engines have certainly made travel to long-distance locations much more accessible. The option to ship a vessel to other countries and easier access to supplies, services and communication in most areas, have also been factors making remote travel easier and routine.
Every so often I’m asked where my favorite place is I’ve fished or would like to fish. It’s a tough one to answer, considering each destination has its own appeal. In one place, the fishing may be phenomenal but the facilities and/or other attractions are not the best for some owners and their families. In another place, the amenities may be amazing, but the fishing might not even compare to what you’d experience off your home port. Some places have all the above, and for this reason, are becoming increasingly crowded. Sure, I’d personally love to spend a season fishing the Cape Verdes, Azores or Ascension Island, but these are more likely bucket list trips or vacation spots I’ll probably have to fly to myself.
Sure, I’d personally love to spend a season fishing the Cape Verdes, Azores or Ascension Island, but these are more likely bucket list trips or vacation spots I’ll probably have to fly to myself.
When thinking of traveling with the boss and his family, I would like to get back to the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic and spend a season in the Virgin Islands or possibly a month or so in Bermuda. I would also like to get back to the Pacific Coast. I’d start at Tropic Star in Panama and fish for black marlin. Then, I’d head on to Quepos and Flamingo in Costa Rica for blue marlin. Then, work up to Cabo and Magdalena Bay for a season, possibly stopping in Guatemala at some point along the way. I probably had some of the best fishing in my life out of Tropic Star and haven’t been to Costa Rica since boats started running out to the seamounts and catching blue marlin at the FADs. So those two spots would definitely be on my list, as well as the striped marlin bite in Mag Bay. There’s always a favorite spot for each individual, but as they say, sometimes the journey is the destination.
