The GreatSailfishing Company has been operating in Guatemala now for 8 seasons. Some of you may recall the original “Fins and Feathers” Inn that really pioneered Guatemala as a destination many years ago. They ceased operating in Guatemala 5 years ago – focusing instead on Panama/Galapagos.
Since those days, much has changed – and much has stayed the same!

In the “old days” the sportfishing fleet started the day by “Shooting the inlet” – and it really was a hairy way to start the day. Captains still tell stories today of mistimed runs through the large standing waves that have caused many a cup of coffee to be spilled over guests – and in at least one case for the whole flybridge bulwark to be ripped from its footings and rack up over $50k in damages !

Since then, the fleet has moved to the safe and secure new “Marina Pez Vela” which is located inside Puerto Quetzal. The facilities are good – but most importantly the harbor itself provides excellent protection from the seas and anything that Mother Nature can throw at it. Entry to the harbor is through a wide and well engineered pile driven jetty leg that precludes and strong current buildup or waves – a calm entry to the Pacific Ocean, and more importantly a calm and safe return.

Guatemala is still a lesser known destination, and still viewed as “pioneering” to many in the billfishing world. Chances are you will be the first of your circle to consider fishing down here – so the intent of this guide is to give you a realistic idea of what to expect and some insights into the workings of the sportfishing fleet.

There are many places in the world that call themselves the “Sailfish Capital of the World” among them Martin County and Islamorada in Florida, USA; Mazatlan and Manzanillo in Mexico; Broome in Australia, Puerto Quetzal in Guatemala and Quepos in Costa Rica. To aspire to such a lofty title means there are probably more sailfish in that area than anywhere else in the world, during the year. All of these tourist destinations certainly do have sailfish but let’s see if we can convince you that the Pacific Coast of Guatemala is really THE place to catch and release Pacific Sailfish.

To reinforce the claim of Guatemala truly being the Sailfish capital of the world, below is a chart from the US Department of Commerce that depicts catch per unit of effort (CPUE) in number of fish per angler day reported by region from 1969 to 2004.