Our Fishing Philosophy
We are dedicated to preserving the ocean for future generations. We only use circle hooks which cause less harm to fish and support 100% catch and release of all Sailfish, Marlin, Roosterfish, Cubera Snappers plus other exotic species such as Goliath & Broomtail Groupers, Bluefin Trevally and more. We love the fish that we catch and nothing makes us happier than watching a beautiful fish swim away to fight another day.
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Owner & Mate: Benn Gilmour
I'm originally from the Isle of Man, a tiny island in the Irish sea circled by England, Ireland, Scotland & Wales. The Isle of Man is completely surrounded by sea and our residents have often been described as 80,000 alcoholics clinging to a rock....thankfully I escaped! I have spent my entire life fishing. I caught my first Marlin at age 19 and have been hooked on offshore fishing ever since. |
My Fishing Highlights:
The Story of Jackpot Sport Fishing Costa Rica
I left my hometown of the Isle of Man at the tender age of 21. My intended 'Year in Asia' turned into 13 years living in Hong Kong and Singapore where I held Sales, Operations and Management positions in the Insurance & Financial Services sector. During 2011-2012, Cathy and I took a career sabbatical and traveled the world armed with as many travel rods as I could fit in my backpack.
We traveled across Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Mozambique, Morocco), where we spent time working with local communities and teaching in a Kenyan School for a month before starting a relationship with an Orphanage that we continued to support & visit for several years. We then took the Tran-Siberian Railway across China, Mongolia and Russia, took buses and trains across Europe before starting the Latin American leg of our journey where we traveled across Central & South America and finally on the last stop of our trip got engaged to be married in Rio, Brazil. After the completion of our round the world trip we knew that we wanted to continue to follow our dreams and it was here that the idea to relocate to Costa Rica to set up Jackpot Sport Fishing was born.
Myself, Cathy & our then 2 year old daughter Ria moved to Costa Rica in 2015. After a few months of scoping things out we purchased GOOD DAY, a 31 foot Custom Built Sport Fisher that was built here in Costa Rica by boat builder Marvin Campos. Our operation formally began in March 2016 and we were delighted that Captain Manuel Gabuardi who had been at the helm of GOOD DAY for 12 years with the previous owner agreed to stay with us.
We have since added our second child Oliver to the 'fleet', have replaced the engine in GOOD DAY twice (ouch! $$$$), have our Costa Rica Permanent Residency approved and have been lucky enough to win a couple of Fishing Tournaments which are always a blast! Most importantly, we are still loving taking people fishing & enjoying life here in Costa Rica.
We hope you will join us for your Costa Rica fishing adventure aboard GOOD DAY and we can keep adding to the memories together!
- Holder of Captain’s license approved by the Singapore Maritime Authority
- Qualified Sport Fishing Tournament Observer for Los Suenos Resort & Marina, Costa Rica
- Angler in Quepos Billfish Cup, Marina Pez Vela Open, Club Amatuer de Pesca Tournament, Pelagic Rockstar, Pelagic Inshore Classic, all held in Costa Rica 2017-2021
- Tournament winning boat (GOOD DAY), 2017 Pelagic Rockstar Tournament & 2019 Pelagic Inshore Classic, Costa Rica
- Member of the Isle of Man team in the 2000 & 2001 Marlin World Cup held in Mauritius & televised Internationally on Sky Sports
- Phuket International Sport Fishing Tournament, Thailand 2002
- Member of the British team in the 2004, ‘Brits versus Yanks’ Shark Fishing tournament, held in Montauk, USA & televised on International TV
- Past Saltwater & Freshwater Club champion of Douglas Angling Club, Isle of Man
- Featured on ‘The Fishing Line’ and 'Hook The Future' Fishing TV shows in the USA
- Caught & released Marlin up to 500lbs in Kenya, Vanuatu, Mozambique, Mauritius & Costa Rica
The Story of Jackpot Sport Fishing Costa Rica
I left my hometown of the Isle of Man at the tender age of 21. My intended 'Year in Asia' turned into 13 years living in Hong Kong and Singapore where I held Sales, Operations and Management positions in the Insurance & Financial Services sector. During 2011-2012, Cathy and I took a career sabbatical and traveled the world armed with as many travel rods as I could fit in my backpack.
We traveled across Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Mozambique, Morocco), where we spent time working with local communities and teaching in a Kenyan School for a month before starting a relationship with an Orphanage that we continued to support & visit for several years. We then took the Tran-Siberian Railway across China, Mongolia and Russia, took buses and trains across Europe before starting the Latin American leg of our journey where we traveled across Central & South America and finally on the last stop of our trip got engaged to be married in Rio, Brazil. After the completion of our round the world trip we knew that we wanted to continue to follow our dreams and it was here that the idea to relocate to Costa Rica to set up Jackpot Sport Fishing was born.
Myself, Cathy & our then 2 year old daughter Ria moved to Costa Rica in 2015. After a few months of scoping things out we purchased GOOD DAY, a 31 foot Custom Built Sport Fisher that was built here in Costa Rica by boat builder Marvin Campos. Our operation formally began in March 2016 and we were delighted that Captain Manuel Gabuardi who had been at the helm of GOOD DAY for 12 years with the previous owner agreed to stay with us.
We have since added our second child Oliver to the 'fleet', have replaced the engine in GOOD DAY twice (ouch! $$$$), have our Costa Rica Permanent Residency approved and have been lucky enough to win a couple of Fishing Tournaments which are always a blast! Most importantly, we are still loving taking people fishing & enjoying life here in Costa Rica.
We hope you will join us for your Costa Rica fishing adventure aboard GOOD DAY and we can keep adding to the memories together!
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Captain Manuel Gabuardi
Our Captain Manuel Gabuardi was born and raised in Drake Bay, OSA Peninsula in the southern part of Costa Rica before relocating to Quepos 30+ years ago. Manuel has been Captain of GOOD DAY for 16 years operating out of the Quepos and Los Suenos Marinas previously. Manuel loves Offshore Fishing for Marlin, Sailfish and Tuna as well as Inshore Fishing for BIG Roosterfish and Snook. Manuel's knowledge of bluewater Fly Fishing in Costa Rica is second to none. In addition to fishing with some of the greats such as Billy Pate and Harry Gray, Manuel Captained during the Gray International Fly Fishing Tournament and was lucky enough to be featured on ESPN’s Fly Fishing around the world. One of Manuel's all time favorite fishing memories was back in August 2008 when one of the largest fish ever caught on rod & line in Costa Rica was caught - a 1,245lb 'Grander Black Marlin', aboard the Good Day with him at the helm, a fish of several lifetimes!! |
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Cathy Gilmour
I manage all aspects of our Marketing, Administration, Customer Service and will be your primary point of contact to help you with the arrangements for your trip. I have spent most of my life as an Expat, growing up in Dubai before moving to Hong Kong and then Singapore. My career has been spent in Sales & Marketing roles in the Shipping and Oil & Gas industries. I love travel, yoga, photography, family adventures with our children.....and more recently fishing (if you can't beat them, join them!) I am loving life in Costa Rica surrounded by our wonderful wildlife & beauty and am here to help you with any questions that you have. |
