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There’s an old saying in sport fishing: “Nobody is happy unless the boss lady is happy.” Not only have I lived this saying myself, but I always revert to it when it comes to ladies fishing with their husbands. As the years at Marlin Expeditions pass, my clients regularly ask me how they can get their partners into the sport. After some thought, I decided now would be a good time to offer a trip that does just that. And I couldn’t think of a better place to do so than Los Sueños Resort and Marina in Costa Rica. With its never-ending beauty and plenty of posh experiences, such as a world-class spa, a beach club, shopping and dining, Los Sueños provided me with the ultimate backdrop to pull this trip off. And did it ever! Our arrival at the Juan Santamaría International Airport was as seamless as it could get, and the drivers delivered us to our luxury six-suite house, Casa Selva Tica, in the Fairway Estates area of Los Sueños. Both modern and stylish, the open-concept home has a private saltwater pool and hot tub, as well as a gourmet kitchen where Chef Christian Rojas and his team prepared three in-home four-course dining experiences.
Each dinner showcased the tastes of Costa Rica, with plenty of regional dishes not found inside the gates of the resort, fresh ceviche, seared tuna and epic desserts. Not only was Rojas our chef; he was also our go-to for guests who were looking for a more private and personalized Costa Rica experience, including a local hike up the mountain that produced some of the most gorgeous views and native animal sightings.
Day One
Because Marlin Expeditions aims to provide our clients with the best possible fishing available, we chose to ride with one of the most legendary captains in Playa Herradura, Capt. Bubba Carter, on the 43-foot Island Boatworks Tijereta.
At 6:30 a.m., Tijereta left the dock with five anglers—Patricia and Mick Dubea, Jim Davis, and Marianne and Jami Ervin—and our own Bo Jenyns. The team made quick work of the bite, going 11 for 18 on sailfish, which included two doubles. Both ladies caught their first-ever sailfish and were ecstatic, as were their husbands. The smiles on their faces let me know this trip was off to a great start, and I was eager to jump on to see if we could get the other ladies hooked up.
Day Two
This was another early-morning departure, this time with three anglers—Jimi and Michael Spears, and Jimi’s brother, Jami—as well as Jenyns and me. Davis and his wife, Daria, opted to go inshore fishing that day, releasing two roosters and boating several snappers that contributed to some of the most amazing ceviche of the trip, thanks to Rojas.
The fishing had slowed a bit, but even with fewer bites, we still managed to catch 11 sails, and Miss Jimi caught her first sailfish (and a few others!). Jami consistently worked on his pitch-bait skills, and Michael hooked and released several fish with no assistance after a few tips.
There was so much winning this day that I was sure we’d hooked Jimi for life. She couldn’t get enough of it, and it showed. Another lady angler in the making.
Day Three
Three more anglers—Jami, Jim and Daria—piled into the cockpit of Tijereta, and our fishing day was underway. After about an hour of running, the lines were in, and shortly after, Miss Daria was fighting her sailfish, also her first, which was music to her husband’s ears, being a boat owner and fisherman himself.
As far as I was concerned, anything else that happened on this trip was just icing on the cake. Every angler caught fish, and more importantly, all the ladies caught at least one. The only thing that could make it better was seeing the man in the blue suit smash the teaser—and then he did.
The right squid chain was hammered, the bonita pitch bait was deployed, and the next thing I knew, Jim was releasing a respectable 150-pound blue. The show this fish put on was a master class in jumps, giving us some good on-the-leader video footage. And Jim, who confessed it had been 20 years since his last blue, was on cloud nine. Unfortunately, we missed a striped marlin bite, which could’ve netted us a grand slam. Either way, the fishing was great, Carter was on point, as always, and the cake was iced.
The couples spent that evening on date night, dining at one of the restaurants in Los Sueños’ Marina Village, complete with a “prom pic” and wearing outfits provided by Port & Starboard Apparel.
As the trip wrapped up, we ended up releasing a total of 30 sailfish and one blue marlin over the three days of fishing. Jenyns and I debriefed over a celebration cocktail, talking about how we couldn’t have asked for a better trip or a better group of people. We had a blast.
The great fishing, stunning scenery and five-star experiences made this Marlin Expedition one for the books. With sailfish, blue marlin and plenty of first catches, the boss ladies had plenty to celebrate in Costa Rica, and Los Sueños never disappoints, especially when the goal is to make the boss ladies happy.
So, if you want to get your wife or significant other into fishing and create memories you’ll both love, there’s no better way than with an adventure where she can experience the thrill of big-game fishing by being exposed to the rush of catching her own billfish. Add in spa days, gourmet dining and luxury accommodations, it’s a no-brainer. And who knows, she might just outfish you.
