From the Crocodile Bay Lodge, Puerto Jiménez
by Todd Staley, Fishing Director
September 11, 2003
Being in the fishing business as a lure manufacturer, outdoor writer, lodge manager and, fishing director has given me the chance to meet and fish with many special people over the years. One person that has made an enormous impression on me is Larry Dalhberg. Not only is he one of the most intelligent anglers as far as reading fishing conditions I´ve ever met. He is also a very funny man and is the "Kung Fu" of fishing wisdom. One of the most prolific things I ever heard about fishing rolled off his lips one night as we sat at the Hard Croc Café inside the lodge at Crocodile Bay: "Your chances of catching a really good fish are directly related to how much you deserve it." Wow! You don´t know how many times I´ve wanted to repeat those words, but being a gracious host, bit my lip.
Rebecca (Becky Reynolds) of the greater Miami Humane Society must have some real good Karma. She arrived at the lodge with a couple of goals in mind and in 4 days fishing bagged enough memories to last a long, long time. Her partner Capt. Jay Wright had his memories served with some humble pie. I know that feeling.
Day one offshore produced a 350 lb blue marlin that she whipped in an hour as the fish spent the entire time on the surface doing a blue water ballet in fast forward. Becky wanted some roosterfish. So she battled an array of over 40 bites. Some so big she dueled them almost an hour before breaking off 60 lb leader. The mixed bag at the end of the day include a dozen roosters to the boat, some snapper, jacks and doubling the current four pound test record for sierra mackerel.
So on the last day Becky wanted to catch a yellowfin tuna. She was back at the dock before noon with a 97 lb tuna that wore her out. Jay commented that during the last moments of the fight it reminded him of his experience in a birthing room when for a short time a women turns into a monster before the moment of joy. In a few short day Becky fulfilled many of her fishing fantasies. Thats what I call....Good Karma.
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