If you want to catch a billfish on fly, Guatemala is by far the best place in the world. That’s a bold statement, but here’s why I say it’s true.
First, Pacific sailfish hit flies with abandon. These sails are much bigger than their Atlantic cousins and nowhere near as smart. I am a fan of big, dumb fish. Second, you need a place where you’ll raise as many sails as possible; raising 30 fish a day in Guatemala is about average. The more fish you raise, the better your chances of a hookup. There is no place on Earth that has this many billfish.
Next, you need an operation with great boats and crews. My choice is Casa Vieja Lodge, but there are several other incredible fly-fishing operations in Guatemala. Casa Vieja owner David Salazar is an expert in modern offshore boats, rigging and fly-fishing for billfish. His nine-boat fleet averages more than 15 sailfish releases per boat a day during the season (December through March
