The Food Warehouse

Hungry Jack

Inshore fishing in Guatemala

Inshore fishing in Guatemala for Roosterfish and other species is often overlooked in favour of the famous bluewater fishing for pacific sailfish and blue marlin.

The waters offshore are almost always calm and tranquil during the billfishing season of October through May, but as the rainy season comes in, the weather offshore can become unpredictable, and so is an ideal time instead to consider some of the great fishing to be found within a couple of miles of shore.

Within six miles of the Pez Vela marina there are three inlets that offer strong current flow and turbulent water that stirs up nutrients and starts the food chain that eventually ends with large predatory fish sought by anglers and especially fly fishing anglers.

Inshore waters offer the prospect of the much sought after Roosterfish.

Although the immediate coastline does not provide ideal conditions for fishing for these gamefish, they can be found usually trolling around areas of strong current within a few miles of the Pez Vela marina.

Typically Roosterfish are pursued with either livebait or soft imitations cast around hard structure or rock formations. As we don't have any significant outcroppings or high reef for bait to concentrate close to shore, we resort to trolling either ballyhoo or rapala lures and aim to cover more ground.

This results in fewer caught fish than some of the famous Rooster detinations - but the Roosters are around, and can be caught - it does offer a less expensive option for a charter day or "rest day" (or half day), with a chance of bagging another trophy. Like other jacks, these are mostly sportfish and not for the table.

An alternative means to fish the inshore waters is to follow the shrimp boats.

Usually there are clusters of shrimp boats working an area within a few miles of the dock, and the crew can find out the timings for the lifting of the nets that then provides immediate action - as when they do this, the nets are always followed by large schools of competitive and aggressive fish - predominantly amberjacks.

It can be close quarters fishing as the fish are feeding right behind the stern of the shrimp boat and present an easy target for a fly.

The water immediately behind the boat frequently boils as hungry jacks and others slice and dart into the buffet of small fish that has been presented to them. If you are looking for nonstop fishing action either on conventional or the fly - that may leave you exhausted and your tackle worn by the end of the fishing day - then this can be a cheap extra days fishing or a break from the offshore bluewater.

Inshore fishing for either roosterfish or jacks is often done from pangas or small open fishermen/centre console boats that are less capable of making the run offshore in search of the larger pelagic fish.

About the Author

The inshore fishing in Guatemala is sometime neglected for the action to be found offshore. Read our complete fishing guide to Guatemala.

Where are the burgers better at McDonalds or Hungry Jacks?

I believe Hungry Jacks because u get real meat and cheese and the buns on top and bottom dont look like squashed pancakes they look like buns with seeds on top absolutely yummy! This question is for Australia and is like a poll of which is better go yahooians!

Hungry Jacks is known as Burgerking in other countries. The 'better' is purely a matter of taste. I dislike both and prefer home-made style burgers with recognisable meat.