Tarpon Fever - Tarpon Fishing Nicaragua

[PHILT]

Tarpon fever...

It's been one hour since we entered Nicaragua via the Rio Frio aboard "Julia Brava".
On this border in the middle of nowhere, the border guards are very friendly. Obviously Eliesser and Fernando our guides know them well... We stop at this Rancho on river banks an entire family live there.. so many young kids, we bought River scrimps from them, udge 1lb each ..the boat is now gently rolling, surrounded by intense jungle vegetation, this is the famous rain forest.... huge trees, orchids... wild life is all around. A congo monkey is screaming... there it is, at the top of an almandro tree.... high in the sky an eagle.... so many birds all around.... cormorants, aigrettes, even Jabiru... it's so quiet here....so far.....
It's warm but not so hot. We have rain and sun and rain and sun.... the strange part is that even at night on the upper San Juan River or at the lodge there are no mosquitoes!!!!
The boat moves slowly, you think of the river scrimps Eliesser bought at the rancho in the jungle, he said ''We'll have them for dinner..'' so big... 1lb each...
It's so quiet here ...
Hard to believe that 150 years ago, during the height of the Gold Rush more than 100,000 pioneers going to California passed through here aboard Mr. Vanderbilt's boats....among them Mark Twain. He wrote:

"Dark gottos, fairy festoons, tunnels, temples, columns, pillars, towers, pilasters, terraces, pyramids, mounds, domes, walls, in endless confusion of vine-work -- no shape known to architecture unimitaded-- and all so webbed together that short distances within are only gained by glimpses. Monkeys here and there; birds warbling; gorgeous plumaged birds on the wing, Paradise itself, the imperial realm of beauty -- nothing to wish for to make it perfect."

Mark Twain
San Juan River
1866


You are really far away, fishing in almost virgin spots but also enjoying unique jungle scenery...
How many pictures did you shoot already? How many rolls of film did you bring ?

Hey!!!... Suddenly the Penn Senator starts to whistle.. and whistle.. "Fish on !!! Go 70 yards...100 yards and then comes an explosion...the 180lb tarpon jumps out of the water. So high!!... almost 10 feet!!! Splash... and again the line goes... here we are, but I did warn you:
"Ever had a tarpon? Careful, if you take that rod.. maybe you will catch that silver king.... but what I'm certain you will catch is ..TARPON FEVER.." .
(I caught the virus long ago in then quiet Africa. There's no cure...)

So you decide...but please be quick, it did jump again...and the Reel will soon be empty...

Wether you're into casting, fly fishing or trolling, feeling the power of a 180lb tarpon on a line is one of the most exciting fishing experiences... At San Carlos Fishing on your first trip we'll arrange it so that you catch your first tarpon on 30lb or 25lb lines.... then with practice and experience we'll progressively put lighter lines and tackles 2olb..15lb.. some of our regular guests use now 12lb or 10lb!!! ( They provide the lures....fair? ).
What makes our fishing really exceptional is that the presence of tarpon is not a problem, tarpon are abundant all year round... we also catch a lot of good sized snook in the 10lb to 40lb range and Rainbow bass in close Solentiname Archipelago...
Fishing conditions are the best since we are fishing inland freshwater, no rough seas, no hard "Barra " to pass...we can fish quietly and successfully every day of the year.
Our other target fish are big snook, gar, rainbow bass ( The "Lagunero" IGFA world record was set in Nicaragua towards the end of the year 2000).
Since 2004 to host your trip we offer the comfort of “La Esquina del Lago” my new Guest House located on shore of Nicaragua Lake ,in National Wild life reserve of Los Guatousso….
I am pleased to offer Real Fishing adventures in Unique Jungle Scenery.
Philippe Tisseaux.

San Carlos Sport Fishing
Philippe Tisseaux Tel (506) 842 76 73
E-mail: tropicalfishing tropicalfishing@racsa.co.cr and tarponsnook@hotmail.com
Web page: http://www.nicaraguafishing.com