Tournament Fishing in Columbia

This note is from Phil Cobham who ventured to the Caribbean coast of Columbia - that bit between Venezuela and the Isthmus of Panama.

In October I took part in the Cartagena Billfish Tournament in Colombia.  I have always wanted to go to Cartagena, which is supposed to be one of the most beautiful colonial cities in Latin America.  Colombia's wealthy use Cartagena as a recreational port, so there are around 30/40 American-style sportfisherman moored there.

There is no charter industry,  because so few tourists go to Colombia for security reasons.  And those that do are not your fishing types - being either from other Latin American countries, or European back packer 'adventure' tourists.

The offshore fishing was terrible and a big contrast to Venezuela just next door. No bottom structure, with the boats fished weed lines about 30 miles offshore.  The competition was of 3 days duration, but I cried off the last day given that the fleet were catching nothing!  I thought my time would be better spend touring the historical city, listening to salsa and practising my Spanish with the locals instead!

There was not a single Marlin caught in the 3 days.  Several tiny Sailfish were boated.  There were also some modest Yellowfin Tuna, and heaps of 10lb Barracuda . I actually won second prize in the Dorado category with a fish of 27lbs!  And I had to give an acceptance speech!  Seriously though the locals were delightful, and very pleased to have a few foreigners in the tourney.

28 October – Irish Albacore

Just picked up a posting from the Central Fisheries Board web site – www.cfb.ie - that notes that the Irish record for Albacore has potentially been broken by a fish of 36lb 12oz.  It was taken at the end of September, trolling some 50 miles South West of the Blasket Islands, Co. Kerry.

If you’re interested there’s a picture of the fish on their web site.

14 October – Tag Return
Roger Bradbury, a Club member, has advised me of a Blue Shark tag return notification.  The fish was caught, and released, off Pembroke in 2002 only to be re-captured by - surprise, surprise - a Spanish Long Liner operating some 450 miles west of the Azores in the mid-Atlantic.

It was at liberty for 195 days and had travelled some 1551 miles.