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Guatemala Sailfish

Tim Herald
|  
  • Tim Herald

Billfishing’s Finest

by Tim Herald

Guatemala has emerged over the past decade as the sailfishing capital of the world. When the bite is hot, it is not uncommon to release 20-30 big Pacific sailfish, that weigh 90-120 pounds each, in a day, and often mahi mahi, yellowfin tuna, and marlin are added to the catch for variety and table fare. It is a short flight with good connections from virtually anywhere in the US, and makes for convenient and easy travel.

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Recently I led a group of WTA clients down to Guatemala for 4 days of fishing. We chose late April and early May as we wanted to catch sailfish, but wanted to hedge our bets for a variety of species. We really wanted to catch some mahi and tuna, and May is a prime month for marlin.

 

We made the easy flight to Guatemala City, and transferred to our very nice lodging that was about 90 minutes away. All of our trips offer resort or private villa accommodations, all ground transport and great food. They are inclusive outside of tips once you get to Guatemala City. The eight of us had two boats, and we all stayed in a villa with a great cook, waiter and maid. The house was great, and we had a very nice back yard with pool and beach access.

 

The next four days, we fished from about 7AM-4PM, and caught a lot of fish, especially for not being in “prime” sailfish season that is generally thought of from January to March. For fishermen who want to catch a good number of sailfish plus some other species, anytime from November to June can be very good.

Another great thing about fishing Guatemala is that the seas are generally very gentle, and often you don’t have to make long runs to get into the action. No one had any problems at all with seasickness.

 

We trolled with standard sailfish technique using a spread of teasers and baits, and once a fish was raised into the spread, baits would be presented to the aggressive fish. The first day we had a pretty diverse bag with each boat releasing around a dozen sailfish, putting a few mahi in the cooler, and one boat caught a handful of tuna and released a very nice striped marlin.
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That evening our cook made some incredible fresh mahi, and we ate like royalty.

 

This would be the norm for the duration of the trip. We released a good number of sails each day, we always caught some mahi and tuna for the cooler, and some of the mahi were really big. We had a number of mahi in the 5’-6’ range, and it is always a blast to catch these beautiful, delicious and acrobatic fish. My biggest mahi was actually one of the two highlights of the trip for me personally.

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On day three, we got a radio call from our other boat that they were really into the tuna, and we needed to get there. Once we made the short run, the other boat was leaving, but we got a real treat. There was an area of probably 10 acres just covered in spinner dolphins (literally hundreds of them) that were enjoying an easy feast of baitfish and putting on a show for us. With all the baitfish, it was a piece of cake to troll small cedar plugs and hook into 10-20 pound yellowfin tuna almost as fast as we could get one fish off and the lines back in the water. Our other boat put about 15 in the box and we filled our cooler pretty quickly as well. As we began to troll for sailfish again, one of our mates sliced up a fresh yellowfin, mixed up some soy sauce and wasabi, and I was in absolute heaven eating sashimi until I couldn’t eat another bite.img_7195

 

On the last day, we had a blue marlin come into the spread, and it was my turn on the rod. It took a while, but the big fish finally ate my bait, and as soon as she was hooked, she made an incredible run of about 250 yards before the line popped, and it was over much quicker than it started. There was a lot of excitement on our boat for a few minutes, but it was not my day for a marlin release.

 

Late that afternoon, when my turn came back around, I asked our first mate if I could try to catch a sail on one of the small spinning rigs we had setup for mahi. None of us were fly fishermen, but I thought this would be an added challenge. When I got a big sailfish on the smaller rig, I was to find out how true that was. Instead of a 5-10 minute fight on the larger conventional tackle, it took me close to 30 minutes, a lot of sweat along with burning arms and back muscles before we could release my last sail of the trip. I know when I go back, I will be using a rig like that more often. It was a blast and much more challenging using the smaller spin outfit.

 

Speaking of going back, I booked another couple of boats and 4 more days for next year as soon as I got home. There will be eight of us making a return next spring, and I can’t wait. If you like to fish at all, this convenient and affordable trip may just end up being the trip of a lifetime. It’s definitely the most fun four days of fishing I have ever experienced, and I look forward to sharing the experience with new people and helping others plan their own Guatemala adventures.

Check out these quality Guatemala listings for more info:

http://worldwidetrophyadventures.com/outfitters?adventure=8&species=0&location=Guatemala

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Wyoming’s Preference Point Deadline Is Approaching: October 31

Wyoming’s Preference Point Deadline Is Approaching: October 31

Preference Point Deadline: October 31, 2025

The deadline to purchase Wyoming preference points is October 31. If WTA is already managing your TAGS applications, you’re all set. If not, don’t miss the chance to secure points this year. It’s the perfect time to talk with a TAGS consultant to start a new portfolio or grow your existing one.

Wyoming’s system is unique. Unlike other states, you don’t automatically receive a preference point if you’re unsuccessful in the draw. Instead, you must log in after July 1 and purchase your points separately. Building points is critical if you want a shot at drawing a Wyoming tag. Over-the-counter opportunities are a thing of the past. Today, only 25% of non-resident tags are issued randomly. The other 75% go to applicants with the highest point totals.

If you want to hunt big game in Wyoming, building preference points isn’t optional…it’s essential.

Watch Wyoming Video

While preference points are an investment in the future, don’t let that keep you from starting now. While Wyoming has units that require 18+ points, there are also good opportunities to hunt sooner. There are elk, deer, and antelope hunts that can be drawn with 0–3 points. Think about it this way—the more points you have, the more options you have.

View Wyoming TAGS Hunts

Serious hunters know that Montana is home to some of North America’s most coveted species: Rocky Mountain elk, mule deer, bighorn sheep, Shiras moose, mountain goat, and antelope. The key to unlocking these dream hunts is building points, and the deadline to secure your bonus point for this year is September 30.

Montana squares bonus points in its draw system, and hunters with more points gain a significant advantage in the draw. If you’ve ever dreamed of chasing a record bull, a giant ram, or a heavy-horned buck in Montana, strategically building points will put you in the best position to find success in upcoming seasons.

Watch Montana Video Rocky Mountain Elk

Montana consistently produces exceptional trophy bulls, making elk the most sought-after species in the state. Archery permits are especially appealing, often requiring only 4–7 years to draw—a remarkably short time period compared to other western states. Rifle permits can often be drawn with a similar point investment, though trophy quality is slightly lower on average. Many of these hunts take place on expansive private ranches, providing hunters with excellent opportunities and high success rates.

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Dialed In: A 360-Inch Bull Elk and the Luck that Made It Happen

Dialed In: A 360-Inch Bull Elk and the Luck that Made It Happen

Winning one hunt sweepstakes through Worldwide Trophy Adventures feels like a long shot, but winning two? That’s the kind of luck I still can’t fully wrap my head around. I started entering WTA sweepstakes a few years ago, taking full advantage of their Bonus Bucks program and hoping to win someday. I’ve hunted whitetails in Minnesota’s flat woods, mule deer out West, and Sitka blacktails in Alaska’s rugged country, but this was different. When Worldwide Trophy Adventures called to tell me I’d won their 2024 Nevada bull elk hunt, just a year after winning a Utah mule deer hunt from them, I was stunned. Two sweepstakes wins in two years? Unreal. And the icing on the cake? I’d be hunting with a crew that truly knows their elk. As Erik Schell put it: “John, when it comes to elk, these guys are paid killers.” He wasn’t wrong.

I opted to drive from Minnesota to keep costs down and bring back as much meat as possible. I loaded my truck with Yeti coolers and hit the road for the long drive, stopping in Denver for a steak dinner with a hunting buddy before tackling the last 10 hours to Baker, Nevada. That stretch through Loveland Pass was sketchy with snow and ice, and on the way back I detoured through Gillette, Wyoming to avoid a 30″ Denver snow dump. Long haul, but worth it to have my truck for the meat.

Baker is a speck of a town, population 16, just shy of the Utah line. The outfitter set us up in an Airbnb called The Corner Place. It was homey, with enough beds for me, another hunter, and the guide crew. The kitchen had stacks of premade meals like casseroles and snacks, whipped up by the outfitter’s wife. We heated them up after long days, but if we got back late, we’d hit the Border Crossing, a bar and greasy spoon split between Nevada and Utah. One side had slot machines, the other a gas station. We’d grab burgers and a bucket of Budweiser, the guide Richie’s favorite, and swap stories. It was simple, but it hit the spot.

The outfitter’s team was world-class. They’d been scouting for a week, pinpointing a bachelor group of bulls in a canyon 20 miles north. That first night, we sat around the Airbnb’s kitchen table sipping beers and scrolling through their scouting videos. Three bulls stood out: a beat-up 6×6 they called Bondo, a heavy 5×5, and a narrower 7×7. We decided to hit the canyon at dawn.

Day one was no joke. Richie, my guide, led me up the mountain before light, climbing a couple thousand feet. The air was a bit thinner than in Minnesota, but Richie kept a steady pace. Two spotters, Cameron and Ryan, worked the opposite canyon rim. It felt like I had the dream team for this once-in-a-lifetime elk hunt. We eased onto a rock ledge about 400 yards above a bench where five bulls were feeding: Bondo, the 5×5, a thin 6×6, a young 5×5, and a spike. No 7×7. This was the first time I was faced with taking a bull elk, but Richie talked me through it. “The 5×5’s got 30 inches of mass per side, swords in the 20s, probably 9 or 10 years old. Scores at least 330. Solid first bull.”

I went prone on the ledge, dialing my Gunwerks Nexus in 7 PRC to 387 yards. Richie double-checked: “386 yards.” Right as I lined up, the bull bedded down. Great. I’d waited out a mule deer for five hours once, so I knew the drill. Lying on snow with a 20° northwest wind kicking up, I started shivering after an hour. Richie saw it. “You good? We can back off, build a fire, or shoot him bedded. There’s a branch over some of his vitals. Can you slip a round under it?”

I’d put in time at Gunwerks’ Long-Range University: a hands-on, no-BS school that focuses on real-world shooting conditions, not just benchrest skills. They train you to read wind, manage stress, and make clean, ethical shots in exactly the situations that hunters face in the field. I knew my rifle, my dope, and my limits. “I got it,” I said. I checked the yardage, my level, controlled my breathing, and squeezed. The bull collapsed. “You smoked him!” Richie said. When he tried to get up, a second round finished it.

Reaching the bull was an experience I won’t forget. I’ve taken plenty of deer over the years, but this 360″ elk was in a league of its own—sheer mass, thick beams, and antlers that looked heavy even from a distance. Standing over him, the scale of the hunt hit me. We built a small fire, took photos, and soaked in the moment. Then came the hard part. The canyon was steep and treacherous, slick with snow and loose shale. I took a spill on the descent, and every step down was a test of footing and balance with meat on our backs. It took over three hours to reach the canyon floor and get the bull out, but it was worth every bit of effort. Back at camp, we celebrated the way hunters do—cold beers and a good story to tell.

We caped the bull that night and packed the meat in coolers, though it was cold enough outside to keep everything fresh. I hung around a few days, spotting for the other hunter’s bull, glassing canyons, and enjoying the Nevada backcountry. No pressure, just good times behind the glass. When I left, I strapped the antlers to my truck, crammed the coolers in, and drove 24 hours straight home, still buzzing. Back in Minnesota, I vacuum-sealed the meat, enough for months of meals, and dropped the rack with a taxidermist for a shoulder mount.

This hunt was as good as it gets. The outfitter knew every inch of that country, had bulls dialed in, and gave me options. For a guy who’s now won two WTA sweepstakes, I’ll tell you straight: these hunts are real and the sweepstakes are worth it. Nevada’s elk country and that crew of “paid killers” gave me a bull and a story I’ll be telling for years.

Don’t miss your chance to enter to win this world-class elk hunt in Nevada. The entries are limited…only 1,750 total entries, giving you very good odds of winning this elk valued at $72,000!

Enter the Nevada Elk Sweepstakes

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