Although they often share similar ingredients, traditional Costa Rican food is hearty and flavorful rather than hot and spicy like many Mexican dishes. Instead of jalapeño hot sauces, the favorite condiment is Salsa Lizano, a slightly sweet and tangy brown concoction that is liberally applied to most meals. On the first day of the inaugural Bisbee’s Costa Rica Offshore, however, the bite enjoyed by the fleet of 79 boats was definitely Mexican hot—as in tongue-burning, eyes watering, who cares hot. Picante!
The action began with Team Long Star Longshotz/Double Nickel shortly after the shotgun start from the Marina Pez Vela in Quepos. Connor Spillman got on the scoreboard with a Pacific sailfish release at 7:03. By the time lines out was called at 4 p.m., 576 sailfish and nine blue marlin had been scored and released. That initial flurry bodes well for the rest of the week.
Poco Ocho, a 58 Weaver run by Capt. Sean Gallagher, earned first-day honors with 23 sailfish releases, good for 2,300 points.
Pura Vida, a regular on the Costa Rican billfish circuit, was right behind. Capt. Rudy Arguedas and the team fishing on the 62 Paul Mann custom sportfisher tallied 16 sailfish and two blue marlin for the day. The team is heavily invested in the marlin daily jackpots up to the $5,000 level, the daily billfish jackpots across the board and strong bets in the game fish divisions. The team’s lead was bolstered by a quick two-count of blue marlin within a span of 20 minutes mid-afternoon.
Under the hybrid scoring format between sonar and non-sonar equipped boats, blue marlin releases score 300 and 390 points, respectively. Sailfish and spearfish count 100 and 130 points accordingly as well. So marlin releases can quickly push a team up the leaderboard. Pura Vida finished the day with 2,200 points. Actual species identification and releases must be verified by video footage by tournament officials at the end of the day.
“We had a great day,” said Pura Vida owner and angler JC Gonzalez. “It was flat calm, clear blue skies. It was a little choppy this afternoon, which here is one- to two-foot seas. Don’t ask me where we went ‘cause I don’t know. Capt. Rudy puts us on the spot and I man the right flat line and catch fish. We’ve had a couple good years. We’re dialing it in. Everyone is fishing better and I’m proud of what we’ve done with all our practice.
“The competition this week is tough. There are some really good teams, game fish and non-sonar boats that are always in the hunt. Down here, on any given day, any team can take it.”
Five More Minutes, a local non-sonar boat, was nipping at the heels in third place with 16 sailfish/2,080 points on its ledger.
Fish Tank/Galati, a 64 Viking, released 17 sails and one blue for 2,000 points and a fourth-place standing. Rounding out the first day’s top five teams was Los Hermanos, a 64 Billy Holton, with 19 sailfish releases, good for 1,900 points based on time.
Some hefty tuna were brought to the scales on Wednesday. Ty Kirkpatrick and his Concan Castaways team recorded the heaviest, a 149.7-pound yellowfin. North Star Costa Rica brought a 142.1 in (Daniel Miranda) and Rock N Roll/Clayton Henson, also boated a 141.6-pounder. North Star Costa Rica and angler Eddy Gonzalez also weighed the top dorado, a bull at 40 pounds even.
The action continues again on Thursday, but the menu hasn’t been revealed just yet. If the first day is any indication, it promises to be another glorious feast.
Photos courtesy of Sebastian Harris and Bert Merritt
