CARIBBEAN CUP CANCELLED

[fishvenezuela]

If it has nothing to do with foreign flagged boats, then why the 45 day rule?



I heard Mendoza left with four other boats - true?

Dear reefhunter,

Please re-read my earlier post. The Mendoza family are Venezuelan nationals that own boats/airplanes which are flagged in the US or other foreign countries.

You also mention that you "heard" that they departed. What is your source of information. Hearsay is HEARSAY!

I do not know for sure but I bet you might find them in St. Thomas enjoying the bite there.

The past law allowed you to stay (maximum) in Venezuela for THREE 6 month terms with a FOREIGN flagged vessel. After your stay you either have to nationalize (pay duty) or leave the territory for 45 days. After 45 days, you returned for another 18 month stay.

It is a very generous law regarding luxury boats.

The tax used to be 1.5%. The government now wants 35%.

I remind you that it applies to Venezuelan citizens.

So please tell me what is the problem?

I am not familiar with the US laws between states and their tax laws but it is very similar.

[Swami]

Fish4Fun:
Most of the Venezuelan sportfishing centers around Caraballeda, which if I remember correctly is only about 45 minutes from the international airport in Caracas (depending on traffic, your results may vary). It's about a 25 or 30 mile run to the banks and you're fishing.

I've never been to Curacao but I always thought it was mostly a scuba diving destination, with not many sportfishing charters available. Fishing should be good right off the island though. Butch Cox and a few others have been fishing around Aruba for a few seasons now and have found good to excellent billfishing there at certain times during the year.

[whalebreath]

Why do I suspect that the availability of catering had nothing to with with the cancellation?

just sayin'........

[andyatkins_1]

the early reports for September that i've heard from the local boats sound promising for a good season with the Albacore showing up in numbers and reasonable numbers of whites and sail's already with very few boats fishing. I will be out there for the end of September and start of October and will post a report whilst i'm there if i get a chance and early on my return if not!

[whalebreath]

Sounds like fishing just took a turn for the worse-earth quakes are bad news any way you look at it

[Ozimo2]

Sounds like fishing just took a turn for the worse-earth quakes are bad news any way you look at it

No big deal - sure it was 6.4 but it was out in the ocean and not on the continent. http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/...us2009llbc.php

[andyatkins_1]

very useful link!

Living in England earthquakes are something you read about but never experience!

[Swami]

Earthquakes turn the fish off though. A buddy of mine is down there right now and it got so crappy after the quake that today they're trolling their way over to Los Roques to go bonefishing instead...

Update: In fact, here's a text message I just got:

"Haven't seen the first sign of a fish. Had another small quake last night."

[fishvenezuela]

The fishing is sooooo crappy that on Sunday, a local boat named Marlin Polar had 14 white marlin bites. (boated 5) Another local boat (Guare) caught three 200lb class yellowfins and the Waterman caught 2-2 blue marlin, 1-4 white marlin, 0-1 sailfish and 3 big dorados, The Tijereta was 1-6 on whites. The Alina caught a grand slam.

The Tijereta had a group from Hawaii last week and had a great week of fishing.

Earthquake = slow fishing?.................. It sound like a good excuse but I doubt it.

Small quakes and tremors are very normal here. They happen often. A 6.4 magnitude quake is news worthy though. There was nothing other than superficial damage to some buildings close the the epicenter. NONE here in La Guaria.

[andyatkins_1]

that sounds like the crappy fishing I would be more than happy to live with! Only a couple of weeks until I fly out and can't wait to get involved!