Happy New Year from Fish Drake Bay!

AUTHOR: Captain Willy Atencio

If one of your New Year’s resolutions includes spending more time on the water and catching fish, we are the place to go. We have been on the water virtually every day since the beginning of December, and fishing has been very productive. The Mahi-Mahi or Dorado have been plentiful and close to shore in the last couple of months.

During the rainy season, logs, palm fronds, and leaves wash into the ocean and form a weed line. The currents hold the weed line together, and smaller fish and baitfish hide under this line. The Mahi love nothing more than to find a quick and plentiful meal along the weed line.

As captain, it’s my job to skillfully maneuver the boat where the outriggers pull our lures right along the weed line. After 20+ years of experience, I have developed an expertise and passion for this type of fishing.

In addition to a great Mahi bite, we are catching Yellow-Fin Tuna offshore, and Sailfish are beginning to show up. We expect a very good Sailfish bite in the first four months of the year. If you have caught Sailfish before in Florida, this is not the same animal. The Pacific Sailfish we catch typically ranges from 100 to 150 pounds!

These beauties are a blast to catch as they jump all the way alongside the boat. Our mates will skillfully keep the fish in the water while we take a quick photo or video. Once the picture is taken, we carefully remove the circle hook, make sure the fish is healthy and let her live to fight another day.

Inshore or near shore, we have had a perfect Roosterfish bite. Drake Bay is one of the best places in the world to catch a Roosterfish. Because of our lack of fishing pressure, a plentiful supply of bait, and our catch and release policy, we are one of the best places in the world to catch these incredible fish.

Living in the same neighborhood as the Roosterfish, we have big Cubera Snapper and several species of Grouper. The exciting part about fishing in our waters is you never know what you might catch.

We have two boats to choose from and offer full or half-day trips. I would encourage you to read our numerous reviews on TripAdvisor and why we are rated #1 for all tours in Drake Bay. I look forward to fishing with you!