Playa Carrillo, Costa Rica-There's an old saying that when the going gets tough, the tough go fishing. That seemed to be the case for the fourteenth annual Presidential Challenge of Central America's Costa Rica leg, held March 4-7, 2010 in Playa Carrillo, Costa Rica. In the days leading up to the tournament, fishing reports were grim and billfish sightings scarce. Then, a very unusual weather pattern developed, where strong winds would roar through the peaceful beachside community from after midnight until around lunchtime, then mysteriously both sea and wind conditions would subside.
Despite the adversity, 12 teams signed on to fish in this year's event, which also marks the start of the Presidential Challenge tournament series, crowning the Costa Del Mar Grand Champion Team and the Eagle Claw Grand Champion Angler at the season finale in Guatemala. Teams fish throughout the season under the same set of rules and using a uniform class of line, Berkley Big Game, which is supplied by the tournament as well as non-offset circle hooks (the Eagle Claw 2004EL is the preferred hook of the tournament). Observers are supplied by the International Game Fish Tournament Observer organization and also from the Los Suenos Certified Observer Program to ensure a level playing field for all.
Spirits ran high despite the dismal weather forecast for Day One as the fleet spread out over hundreds of square miles of open ocean off Carrillo. Known as an excellent area for blue and striped marlin as well as Pacific sailfish, Carrillo is an excellent gateway to sportfishing off the central coast of this beautiful Central American nation. By the 4 p.m. call for lines out, the Texas-based Sea Angel team held a slim lead in the ICT Top Team standings over the rest of the fleet with 800 points, followed by the Hattaboy, owned by Ted Smith and based out of Los Suenos Resort and Marina, with 600 points. The Big Oh, hailing from Jupiter, Florida and owned by Gray Ingram, slid into third after the first day of fishing with 600 points. Each of the leading teams released one blue marlin, worth 300 points, then added a few more sailfish to their tallies at 100 points each. In the Costa Del Mar Top Angler standings, Gray Ingram was in first with 400 points followed by Austin Angel in second, also with 400 points, and Steve Fancsy in third with 300 points.
The high winds continued into Day Two, making for a sporty ride out to the fishing grounds. However, once situated, the fleet went back to work releasing billfish in decent numbers. Some captains reported water temperatures reaching nearly 90 degrees, far above the comfort zone for marlin and sailfish, while others sighted the seemingly ever-present longliners and tuna boats, both of which contribute to billfish mortality levels.
It would be the Big Oh team that located a pod of willing sailfish on Day Two, capitalizing on their number of bites to move into the lead in the team standings with 1100 points. However, the rest of the fleet was hot on their heels with Hattaboy reaching 1000 points and Sea Angel adding enough to their totals to reach 900 points. The angler standings tightened up considerably, with Gray Ingram, Diego Lopez and Arturo Lopez each scoring a total of 600 points to date in the tournament. It should be noted that there are three anglers per team and that anglers must rotate their positions, from the flatlines to the outrigger baits, every 30 minutes. Once again, this promotes equality for both the team and especially the angler scoring-no one angler can monopolize the opportunities in the cockpit.
Moving into Day Three, Hattaboy captain Chris Garner must have felt the confidence growing in his team. Capt. Chris once again steered the big Hatteras toward productive water and the bites started almost immediately. When the salt spray cleared at the end of the day, the team had swept both the ICT Top Team standings and the Costa Del Mar Top Angler division. They had added another marlin and four sails to their total to score 1700 points. In three days of very tough fishing, they scored a marlin release every day, with the final tally being three marlin and eight sailfish released. Gerard Eliseo was the event's Top Angler with 700 points. In addition to a host of prizes and trophies for the team, captain and crew, they will also receive an invitation to compete in the IGFA Offshore Championship event in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico later this year.
Finishing in second place was the Big Oh team at 1300 points. Led by owner Gray Ingram, they fell just short of the mark set by the Hattaboy. Ingram was the third place angler with 600 points. The Sea Angel finished third in the team standings, with angler Austin Angel placing second in the angler division at 700 points. For the tournament there were 67 billfish released: 57 sailfish and ten marlin.
Even though the Presidential Challenge centers on intense light-tackle billfishing, there are also larger forces at work. The entire series serves as a major fundraiser for conservation groups such as The Billfish Foundation, the Adopt-A-Billfish program and several others. As the event drew to a close under starry skies at the extravagant awards banquet and celebration sponsored by the I.C.T., Ellen Peel, president of The Billfish Foundation, was presented with a check for $5,000 on behalf of the tournament-funds which go straight to conservation efforts that are vital to the future of sportfishing in Central America and elsewhere in the world. With the additional pledges and proceeds from other sources, it's estimated that this single event raised nearly $10,000 for TBF conservation work.
Next year's Presidential Challenge of Central America's Costa Rica tournament is scheduled for March 24-27, 2011. For more information and photography, please visit www.preschallenge.com
