EL PESCADOR SETS THE BAR HIGH
From clients Keven and Jamie Samuleson, who recently returned from Belize’s El Pescador Lodge: “Jamie and I would like to thank you for helping create a fantastic Belizean honeymoon. El Pescador was perfect in every way — I worked ten years in the industry as a guide, steelhead ranch and upper Columbia included — so I have some knowledge of fishing lodge operations.
I cannot emphasize enough that El Pescador exceeded our expectations on every level of the trip. If a person were to create the perfect fishing destination it would be El Pescador. We fished four days with Cesar, the first day with Gilberto and one day with Junior. All truly gifted guides, each possessing unique qualities that helped improve our angling abilities and put fish on the books of anglers new to the saltwater game.
I would spend a week on the water with all three anytime. My beautiful wife Jamie achieved her goal of landing a tarpon! She also caught a bonefish, but unfortunately her husband hogged all of the permit. So thank you Yellow Dog and the staff and guides at El Pescador. This trip has changed our fishing plans for the rest of our lives. The first morning Gilberto put us on bonefish as we were waiting for permit to cruise by.
When the permit never showed we headed for Savannah where I messed up the set on a very aggressive tarpon, which broke the surface while trying its hardest to get hooked. I attempted to assert it was the visual and 'trout take noise' that caused me to 'trout set'. My wife and guide didn't buy it. Let's just say I took a bunch of ribbing as I instructed my wife to not 'trout set' for weeks leading up to our trip. Gilberto even yelled 'don't lift!' right before I lifted.
According to all the experienced tarpon anglers at the lodge the fish were being picky all week. Regardless, It was a ton of fun and we saw a lot of fish. On the fourth day Jamie showed me how to finish the job when Junior guided her into her first tarpon. Unfortunately a photo was not captured as the fish escaped at the boat.
Junior really worked with her on cast and presentation and we owe it all to his hard work. I landed three permit, all fat and healthy. One per day for three days in a row. The folks at the lodge threatened to kick me off the island if I had converted four days in a row… which nearly happened.
A pod of giant permit that I got multiple quality shots on, at one point the fish converged on my fly with the leader of the group practically bumping it with his nose. We were constantly casting at permit and tarpon. It was unreal! I loved catching but just making a quality presentation was rewarding and so much fun.” Photos: Cesar Acosta.
Ready to put an El Pescador trip on the calendar? Call us at 800-777-5060 to help with your next adventure.
