pura vida costa rica 2019 Woz
(aka Warren Koch) "Beware, you will be consumed wholly by this take for the rest of your life - when you kiss your partner, while you drive to work and with your last thought at night" Pura Vida is a common saying in Costa Rica that translates in English to Pure Life. This is the essence of the Costa Rican people, extending to their culture, outlook and mentality to their world-class coffee. Little did we know that it also extends to fishing. Few places in the world can offer both saltwater prizes of the Pacific like roosters, sailies, marlin, etc. and then on its east coast jacks, snook and the ultimate fish known as the ‘silver king’. We read and see plenty of pics on social media of tarpon but there is something fundamentality soul-enriching about being in the vicinity of giant ‘yellowbelly’ tarpon. These ‘poons’ migrate along the Caribbean coast and seemingly enter into some special brackish river inlets. One of these famous inlets lead to Lake Nicaragua, which has become the home of these infamous beasts. I had the pleasure of another great hosted trip by Tom Lewin and Frontier Fly Fishing to this very special place in a very special country. I previously had the good fortune of catching these giant poons on conventional tackle but not on fly. We as fly fisherman often question four weight versus six weight fly rods and the merits of a seven versus a nine weight. This is the land of fifteen and sixteen weights! You pretty much know this is a www.saflyfishingmag.co.za
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place of jurassic beasts and their stories when your charter plane flies near a volcano that is constantly in the distance with her trail of smoke. This is definitely not another fishing story of meeting new good friends for life, smashing personal targets and fish measurements. To qualify the last point, most people dream of catching a tarpon anywhere near a 100lbs every poon landed by our group was upwards of 100lb to 200lbs. Every fish a fish of a lifetime. We decided shortly after the first day that fishing in this place carried a different ethos. No numbers, no weights. Jus pura vida. The accommodation was perfect in every way and was situated on the landing strip that runs through the middle of this quaint, peaceful jungle town and a was short walk to the river pier to board a fleet of first class boats. We are privileged in South Africa to have some amazing guides that will impart knowledge about many species in many environments across the globe, but the guides here are dedicated giant tarpon fishing guides. They were born in this village and giant tarpon is their life. I’m again reminded of the difference between a boat guide and proper world-class fishing guide.
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