Capt. Ron Hamlin report

[Marlinhunter2]

Capt. Ron Hamlin report01/27/09 - Capt. Ronnie Hamlin - Casa Vieja Lodge - Guatemala Report

First Week Back!

First I want to say it's good to be back on the water. This has been my first 7 days of fishing since moving over to Casa Vieja Lodge. Boy was I out of shape not having fished in 6 months.

Jim Turner owner of Casa Vieja broke me in on the first day running the "Finest Kind" a 40 Whiticar. Kind of a thrill growing up just a ways down the road from Whiticars Boat Works. Also knowing Jack Whiticar the King of Stuart, and his lovely wife Alice who many of you know as the Lady who ran the Stuart Sailfish Tournment.

Back to day one we were fly fishing and I had my problems finding neutral a couple of times. But we did good for all my nervesness raising 26 getting 8 bites and releaseing 4. You know how it is first day new boat and fishing the new boss - tough day.

16-18 Jan: we had a group of Jake Jordans friends from No. C. The first and last day I had 4 ladys all single, we had a great time raising 62 and releasing 36. The middle day we had a husband and wife team we saw 28 that day caught 2 out of 3 on fly and 10 for 15 on the one bait we had out.

My last 3 days the 24-26th. Bill Fintel brought down 3 of his friends that are professional bird watchers, they saw all kinds of birds and told me what kind they were I might add I didn't know much about birds. We also had some great fishing raising 50 Sails 2 Blacks and 1 Blue. We released 30 sails 2 blacks but missed the slam when the Blue bit thru the leader, the first day and never had a shot at the blue the last day although there were about 6 blues caught that day. I did wind up with a stiff neck as when they yelled I had to look in all directions as well as up.

Folks I hope my change to Casa Vieja didn't confuse or mess up your plans on fishing with me, if it did I apoligize. Contact Herb Rosell at South Fishing - I still have time open the rest of the season.

Capt. Ron Hamlin
Casa Vieja Lodge
Pto. San Jose, Guatemala

[Capt. Brian Daley]

Nice report Ron thanks, must be sweet to be back on the water

[Captain Fred Archer]

Ron,

Good to hear that you're back on the wheel, where you have always belonged. And humility is nice, man, but your kind of "rusty" would be most peoples' excellent!

And hey, like everything else in the oceans, birds are cool! I have always loved watching those magnificent, piratical frigates do their thing because they remind me so much of my dad, who was an airline pilot and an aerobatic aircraft builder (Pitts Special) and glider pilot whose heart, after his family, always belonged in the sky. If people do reincarnate, he's right there among them, doing some Immelman's and other impossible stuff. And have you ever seen what I think are called "bird of paradise terns"? It's a good sized tern with a long, long, bright yellow colored tail that waves like the dickens when they fly. Beautiful and not too common down in Cabo, but the weird thing was, every time we saw one sitting on the water, we caught a wahoo there. And I think you know me and those striped tigers...I loved seeing that pretty thing and catching those FangBangers under them. Very strange, but very true.

Anyhoo, like I said, it's great to see you fishing and I urge anyone who has never fished with this guy to do so - he is truly one of the great ones!

(Also glad to see that you're hooked up with Herb. He's been around forever and does a great job for his people. Say "hi" to him for me.)

Website www.FredArchersWorldofFishing.com