Quepos is synonymous with sport fishing and sailfish can be had year-round off the shores of this beach town. Today we were joining Luna Tours, a highly-respected outfit known for their record catches of sailfish, marlin and mahi mahi. Depending on the season, anglers might also catch wahoo, tuna, roosterfish, amberjack and snook.
The sun shone on the water as we joined our captain, Raffael and mate Junior for a full day of deep-sea adventure. Fellow captain Ishmael, with a name that practically guaranteed a big catch, tagged along for the day. Raffa cranked up the twin engines and we motored out of the harbour, heading what seemed to be due west, over light chop toward the horizon.
The sailfish had been hitting mostly in the afternoons, but we watched in anticipation as Junior and Ishmael expertly baited the lines with teasers and fresh bonito. Sure enough, around 10 am, one of the spools whined as a big fish took and ran with the bait. Immediately, Junior had the rod in hand, furiously reeling in, only to find a bare hook. This scenario played out a few more times, but I had faith.
The wind kicked up. An hour passed without a bite. Suddenly, out of nowhere, all three spools buzzed wildly as the lines went out. Ishmael and Junior bobbed around each other in amazing choreography, pulling in two beautiful yellow-fin tuna. I climbed into the fighting chair with the third line, adrenaline pumping, and began reeling as fast as I could. The very instant I realized I held a monster on the line, a 140-pound marlin jumped in the distance. I couldn't believe how massive it was. We fought for 20 minutes and then it threw the bait, releasing itself a bit earlier than we'd hoped.
It had been a long day offshore, but we returned with the spoils of dedicated fishermen: smiles, some great catches and a story of the one that got away. I had seen my first marlin jump and landed two sailfish and one mahi mahi. Ishmael cut up the tuna and gave us five beautiful filets. We'd be dining on fresh sushi that night! I wobbled off the boat into a water taxi that carried us back to the dock. We thanked our awesome Luna Tour crew for an amazing day and promised to return. Perhaps in January, to fish in those smooth, mirror-like waters that Quepos is so famous for.
Beautifully-landscaped paths wind through the hotel property, blending seamlessly with the surrounding rainforest. Hotel La Colina offers its guests wireless internet, help with booking tours and a hearty breakfast each morning. Set back off the main road, we couldn't hear any traffic from our rooms. Exhausted from our offshore adventures, I took a hot shower and crawled into my comfortable bed, still rocking with the waves.
