The Catch of a Lifetime

Casa Del Golfo is a sportsman’s paradise that offers battles with some of the toughest denizens of the deep. Jon Whittle

On the southeast tip of El Salvador, in  the shadow of a long-dormant volcano, is a secret fishing destination for those adventurous enough to extricate themselves from the well-worn path. There are no Michelin-starred restaurants, no giant marinas, and no glittery nightlife scene to occupy the intrepid angler after a long day at sea. During the wet season, the winds can be high, and violent lightning storms frequently  rip across the Gulf of Fonseca, requiring a constant eye on the horizon. But nevertheless, here sits Casa Del Golfo, a sportsman’s paradise that offers battles with some of the toughest denizens of the deep. Tyler Wald and Brent Schirmer with Salt Water Sportsman Adventures took that offer, and found themselves fighting the catch of a lifetime.

Fishing adventure abounds in El Salvador. Jon Whittle Artificials are the name of the offshore game. Wald and Schirmer spent hours throwing stickbaits and poppers at a teeming boil of yellowfin tuna that turned the ocean’s surface to foam. Wald’s box of Black Ledge lures sat fully stocked and ready to go with a variety of colors and patterns. It was just a matter of finding out which one would be most tempting to a tuna. Jon Whittle This is not a fishery full of marked numbers. This is a land of exploration. The prerequisite for success is a combination of good ol’ fashioned captain skills and constantly scanning the horizon for signs of dolphin, which denote the presence of tuna. The run out and eventual return on Casa Del Golfo’s Rampage 33 Express are marked by views of lush green islands and endless blue. Jon Whittle Few moments at sea rival the chaos of fishing the shrimp boats off the coast of Central America. Jon Whittle Challenges abound, from the frenetic cloud of frigates and other seabirds competing for a meal to avoiding casting into the shrimp boat’s massive nets that stretch out behind the vessel. Casa Del Golfo owner Mariano Quirós (left) and Schirmer (right) warmed up on “smaller” yellowfin. Jon Whittle

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The final boss. Wald (left) paired a Howk Bullfighter 150 with a Shimano Stella 14k spooled with 65-pound braid and 65-pound fluorocarbon leader. His popper was engulfed by a massive strike, pitting him against what he called “the greatest catch of my life.” After 2 hours and 15 minutes, Wald landed this 200-plus-pound yellowfin. Fish of a lifetime: check and mate. Jon Whittle

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