Captain Bobby McGuinness has done it again! For the second time in his illustrious 30 years as a sportfishing captain in Costa Rica, Bobby McGuinness was named the year's (2010) top captain in the world by the prestigious International Game Fish Association (IGFA). Last year, Bobby set more IGFA-certified saltwater fishing world records than any other captain anywhere.

The IGFA also presented Bobby with its 2010 Lifetime Achievement award.

This is the second time the IGFA has honored Bobby McGuinness, who fishes out of Golfito in Costa Rica’s South Pacific, as the world's top captain; the first was in 2006. Over the past 8-10 years he has a long string of IGFA achievements: he made the IGFA's Top 10 list of guides and captains from around the world in 2008, tying for 5th place that year with 13 IGFA world fishing records. He also boasts an IGFA 3rd place certificate for 2009, and a 2nd place IGFA Saltwater Captain diploma for 2004. Originally from Golfito, Bobby has also fished out of Quepos in the Central Pacific coast and Flamingo in the North Pacific coast, Panama and the United States (North Carolina).

Bobby McGuinness, with about 200 IGFA world records to his credit, has set more world records than any captain now fishing in Costa Rica. As an example, over just two days in June 2009, he set an amazing 16 saltwater fishing world records! And not only is Bobby a unique captain/guide, he's also a superb raconteur who will keep you entertained and amused when not fishing.

You too can fish with Captain Bobby McGuinness (seen here, left, with his daughter Cristina, who is no slouch either; and below with another satisfied client). FishCostaRica/Americana Sportfishing can't promise you a world record, but you are certain to catch fish. Bobby is known to clients and colleagues alike as the “fish magnet”; he finds the fish, or they find him. To charter Captain Bobby McGuinness on his 37ft Cazador for one or several days, or better still, for a complete Costa Rica fishing vacation, call FishCostaRica toll-free from the U.S. and Canada — 1-800-407-9438, 1-800-399-8532, 1-866-978-5198 — or e-mail us for more information. Bobby will also do overnighters for 1-3 anglers targeted at marlin.

After a fantastic February, March and April, the billfish bite off the Central Pacific coast has slowed down somewhat, but boats still have their days. Nancy Lebo of Maverick Sportfishing called our office to say that the 42ft Super Fly out of Los Sueños Marina with Captain David Mesén went really far south past Quepos, almost to the Furuno Bank, but the long haul was well worth it: six sails and a blue released, plus a bunch of dorado.

A couple of days later the Super Fly stayed closer to home, and came back with around 30 dorado. Nancy also told me that clients that same day on another Maverick boat out of Los Sueños, the well-known 42ft Spanish Fly with Captain Daniel Espinoza, released a sail and a blue marlin.

The billfish seem to have moved up to the North Pacific. Dean Leonard and Reid Meisner, fishing with Captain Gerald Ruíz on the 22ft Rainbow Runner out of Tamarindo up there, came back with a couple of nice grouper after releasing two good-sized sails that day.

Fishing 18 miles due west of the new Papagayo Marina even further north, the 35ft Fish Tale II with Captain Rick Morrow raised 25 sails and released 13. The next day Captain Luís Ruíz brought the 42ft Plautus to the very same spot, and his guys came home well satisfied after a 15-5 day, perhaps not as spectacular as the day before, but definitely not to be sneezed at.

Save money on dental and medical work

A brief aside before I end: if you are contemplating dental work or a medical examination or medical procedures in the next little while, we can help you save money. Do it in Costa Rica before/after your fishing trip. Medical tourism is very big here. We have access to the best medical practitioners, dental specialists and hospital facilities in the country that are every bit as good — and a lot less expensive! — as what you find at home. Call us toll-free from the U.S. and Canada — 1-800-407-9438, 1-800-399-8532, 1-866-978-5198 — or e-mail us for more info about medical tourism and saving money in Costa Rica.

Tight lines, everyone.

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