Guatemala Fishing Lodges

Guatemala has quickly become the angling destination of choice for anglers searching out remarkable numbers of sailfish and marlin both on conventional tackle and fly-fishing.

The humps and currents of the fertile fishing waters of Guatemala attract large amounts of bait and following quickly on their heels (if fish have heels………) are the aggressive billfish sought after by anglers and sportfishermen everywhere. Fishing and Sportfishing in Guatemala is not as large as in other loactions such as Costa Rica Fishing or Panama Fishing - the sportfishing fleet is quite small, only about thirty charter boats are available fishing out of the Pez Vela Marina compared to several hundred in fishing destinations such as Costa Rica and the Baja Peninsula.

This inevitably means that your choices for a fishing trip to Guatemala are somewhat limited, with only a few lodges and operators to choose from - so it is important to plan your fishing trip to Guatemala well in advance particularly if you are hoping to fish for sailfish in the prime season of October to May.

When considering a lodge or charter operator, it is important as always to do your homework. Consider what type of experience you are looking for, the size and preferences of your group and of course the total cost of the fishing trip is always a consideration.

One of the first decisions to be made is whether you are seeking out a classic fishing lodge in Guatemala. This is a popular approach to fishing trips but you should consider whether you are comfortable sharing your group's accommodations and facilities with others who may not have the same preferences. You should also ensure to calculate the total costs involved - what is included in the package and what may turn out to be an ugly surprise at the end of the trip. It can be a sad end to a great trip with friends and associates when one of the party gets stuck with a big bill such as a bar bill at the end of the trip and some conflict can arise over who drank what, when and whether the total cost should be shared or negotiated on the trip home !

The Greatsailfishing Company offers a great alternative to these potential drawbacks in your fishing trip, as they offer exclusive and private beach villa accommodations for your group that are fully catered with no surprises. All costs inclusing drinks and meals are included in the upfront cost which takes away any uncertainty and makes for a relaxing trip.

Plenty of information regarding fishing lodges and operators in Guatemala is available online - as are fishing reports for the time of year or moon phase that you prefer to fish. It is helpful to spend a little time researching each of the alternatives and ask some key questions such as how long the operator has been offering charter services in Guatemala, what type of accommodations are available (double occupancy for example ?), can they offer to organize side trips to places such as Antigua or Atitlan - and probably most important of all is can they provide high quality references from other experienced anglers that have fished with them and can attest to the quality of the boat, the crew and services provided.

Fishing in Guatemala can be a world class fishing experience, but it is crucial to get all of your questions answered upfront and to understand exactly what the itinerary is from when you are collected at the airport and transported to the lodge or villa, through the actual fishing and logistics until you are returned to the airport for your trip home.