iztapa and puerto san josé
Guatemala's Pacific coast is known for the number of sailfish raised per day, always catch and release.
Iztapa and Puerto San José are on the Pacific coast, south of Guatemala City. Food-rich currents concentrate sailfish a few dozen kilometers offshore, and days with many strikes from the boat are common in season. The method is trolling with teasers and natural bait, switching to a circle-hook bait when the fish rises (bait and switch). Blue marlin, dorado and yellowfin tuna complete the fishing. The fleet leaves from the marinas of Puerto San José and Iztapa, with specialized lodges selling multi-day packages. Everything is catch and release for billfish.
best season
Sailfish year-round, peaking in the dry season from November to May, when the sea is calmer and fish gather along current lines.
Local rules: In Guatemala, sailfish are reserved for sport fishing and may only be caught and released alive at sea (Decree 80-2002, arts. 28 and 80). Billfish only with circle hooks, and the regulation provides for trolling in the catch-and-release mode (Governmental Agreement 223-2005, arts. 60 and 61). The law provides for a per-boat sport fishing license issued by MAGA: fish with a licensed operator. Confirm the local rules.
- getting there
- La Aurora International Airport, in Guatemala City. The coast is about two hours by car, on paved road.
- facilities
- Offshore fishing lodges, a marina in Puerto San José, crewed boats with equipment, hotels in the region.
- country
- Escuintla, Guatemala
tip
With a circle hook, don't set the hook: let the fish run, close the reel and wait for the line to tighten. The hook sets itself in the corner of the mouth.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
what you can catch here
before you fish in Guatemala
Under the General Fisheries and Aquaculture Law (Decree 80-2002), sport fishing is authorized by MAGA through a license, after the boat is registered with the naval authority. The license is valid for 10 years and pays an annual fee based on boat length (in the law: Q800 up to 8 m, Q2,400 from 8.01 to 12 m and Q8,000 above 12 m). A foreign-flagged boat needs a fixed-term permit (Q2,000 per tournament, per the law). Those fishing with an operator go out on a licensed boat: confirm with the operator.
- Sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus) is reserved for sport fishing, and its commercial fishing is prohibited; in sport fishing, only catch and release of live fish back to the sea (Decree 80-2002, art. 28 and art. 80, j).
- In sport fishing for billfish (family Istiophoridae), only circle hooks are allowed (Government Agreement 223-2005, art. 60).
- For large pelagic fish, the regulation authorizes trolling in catch-and-release mode (art. 61). Tournaments must be coordinated with the fisheries authority.
The rules and closed seasons in the rest of the app are Brazilian. Outside Brazil, the regulations of the country and province apply: confirm with the official agency.
sources and references
Access, facilities and season information changes: check with the lodge, a local guide or the city hall before you travel.
- official MAGA — Decreto 80-2002 (Ley General de Pesca y Acuicultura) e Acuerdo Gubernativo 223-2005 (Reglamento)Sailfish reserved for sport fishing, catch and live release only (arts. 28 and 80 j); circle hook for billfish (regulation, art. 60)