Book Early or wait for the bite?

[Squidnation]

I am sitting in my hotel room in San Jose, Costa Rica waiting to go to the airport. Been reviewing the last 26 days I spent here in Central America and have come to the conclusion that I will never do this again. Don't be silly I'll be back to fish with my buddy howard and his honery little gold toothed playo mate alacran Just kidding buddy - your not that honery. But I am talking about never again deciding in july where I am going to fish in Jan/feb/march.

It seems like the last two or three years I have missed the bite because I committed to fishing a destination way too early. Two years ago Isla was off and I had already booked, Last year Guatemala was off terribly and I had already booked and this year Costa Rica has been off but of course I had already booked. Don't get me wrong I have had a blast on all these trips with great friends and tons of laughs. I really enjoy Fishing on my friend howard's boat, Tunabite and Duffie's Billfisher and some of the other top notch crews we visited in Venezuela and mexico. But the bottom line is I need to wait until where I see the bite is getting hot before comitting.

I use to always book early because lodges and boats would always fill up way in advance. But I think at least for now those days are pretty much over. It seems wherever the bite is hot there are always a couple top notch crews that are sitting because of either cancellations or slow booking week.

So I guess I will keep checking sf.com for good honest reports about the hot bite. I know fishing is fishing and the hot bite today can be gone by tomorrow. But patterns to tend to form that will allow us to formulate a game plan.

[biebs]

Dont wait too long bill or you will be left at the dock and miss my ass crack and the striped rock bass bite come spring.

[Team Karma]

The age old problem of choosing a fixed point on a map in an attempt to tangle with an ever moving target. Problem is only solved by last minute travel. All fishermen need is for the airline industry to get on board with the last minute idea and lower ticket prices.

[buy design]

"Been reviewing the last 26 days I spent here in Central America" Bill, I hate you and have no sympathy for that remark alone! Kidding, but not really

Jim
Magic Moment
35 CC

[buy design]

Jim
Magic Moment
35 CC

[BuenaVista Sportfishing Lodge]

Sorry for the bad luck this year Bill. I think you hit the nail on the head when you said patterns form. It snows in the US most of the winter and it is tropical in Central America. I would guess you released 10 sails a day here this season. That sounds like a pattern as well. As a lodge owner your advice really hurts. We count on deposits to keep the Boat and Lodge in tip top shape. I am sure other charter operations do as well. In a down economy i think we all would like to have a few more things planned. Thanks for the kind words here in Guatemala. Sorry again to hear it was your swan song.

[Squidnation]

I wouldn't look at it as a negative jody. While early deposits and booking surely must be a blessing so are last minute travelers that can fill in a cancellation or empty week if the bite is hot and the boats are not booked.

[freebird2]

Bill leaving Saturday for Costa Rica for 8 days you havent got me very excited.

[BuenaVista Sportfishing Lodge]

Good Response Bill. In true master of the spin form you said nothing relevant or anything that might ramp it up. Hey Marty are you not there? Lets get a dialog going.

[wahoojack]

is going off as we speak! Capt rom Whitaker of Hatteras fame just reported 100 sailfish in two days this week. He is down there on the new Qualifier.