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Fall Tarpon Hunting With Capt. Sam Atwell
Fall is a special time for anglers along Florida’s coastlines. As acres of mullet make their way south towards Miami during their annual migration, these baitfish are chased by a variety of apex predators such as sharks, tarpon, snook, jacks and bluefish. October is usually when the bite gets red hot, and Costa Ambassador Capt. Sam Atwell made sure he was out there to catch the fish of a lifetime.
Capt. Sam blasted out of Ft. Pierce inlet on a calm October morning alongside photographer Nate Harrington and Vero Beach native Troy Kurtz on the hunt for tarpon. It was the maiden voyage aboard Sam’s freshly wrapped 27’ Pathfinder, and they loaded up on an abundance of baitfish and charged north looking for feeding frenzies.
As soon as they left the inlet and made their way to the beach they spotted an area of disturbed water that was bigger than the size of a football field. Huge tarpon and schools of sharks were getting airborne feet from shore as they attacked bait from all angles while pelicans and seagulls dive bombed into the frenzy.
Capt. Sam and Troy baited up their hooks and casted into the maelstrom, and it wasn’t long before they were hooked up with sharks and jacks. While it’s always a great time to have a tug on your rod while fishing offshore, they were only focused on getting a huge tarpon to the boat. The guys chased schools of tarpon for hours all the way up to their hometown shores of Vero Beach, but they couldn’t convince one to bite. Morale was sinking as the day wore on.
The afternoon sun baked down and it was decided that before the next move it was imperative that the Costa tequila bottle be pulled off the ice and a round of shots was passed around. Captain Sam was determined to land a tarpon, so he throttled up the Pathfinder and raced back to Ft. Pierce inlet for one last attempt before sunset.
Just out beyond a pack of surfers at the North Jetty there was a huge school of mullet that was being annihilated by tarpon and sharks. They hurried to get their baits into the frenzy and made one last cast. Only a few minutes into their last drift of the day Troy’s line suddenly got tight. The fish felt huge and the line was screaming off of the reel. After a few brilliant jumps it was clear that they finally had the fish they’d been dreaming of all day hooked on.
Tarpon are notorious for their aerial acrobatics, so landing these trophy fish requires a special mix of skill, strength and luck. With both legs firmly pressed against the gunwale of the boat, Troy leveraged all of his body weight to combat the prehistoric strength of this colossal fish.
Nate readied the water housing for his camera, strapped on his fins and jumped into the murky waters to get a closer look at this beautiful creature while sharks continued to attack nearby. After an hour-long fight, Troy tugged the tarpon boat side and Capt. Sam was able to get ahold of her jaws and successfully land this trophy fish.
“This is easily one of the biggest tarpon I’ve ever seen landed,” Sam exclaimed. “At this size they usually break off or spit the hook, so it’s amazing to get this girl to the boat today.”
Sam estimated the silver behemoth to be close to 160 lbs. After some well warranted celebrations, the guys raised a glass of Costa and toasted to a special day on the water that none of them will ever forget.
Badfish Concert At Captain Hiram’s 2/27/22
Sublime was a cultural phenomenon when the band reached its peak popularity in the ‘90s, and the Badfish band that lives on today remains one of the strongest tribute bands in the country.
Badfish has a longstanding relationship with Sebastian, Florida’s waterfront venue Capt Hirams, so when we heard they were coming back for their next concert we knew Costa had to get involved for the special night.
On Saturday March 25 the band landed at Hirams’ Sandbar Beach Club and hundreds of locals rocked out to Sublime hits “Santeria,” “What I Got,” and “Wrong Way.” The Costa margarita machines were churning out the goods all night long while everyone partied under the moonlight.
If you ever see that the Badfish band is performing in your town, then be sure to check them out and grab yourself a Costa.
Miami Boat Show With Kasey Scott 2/15/22
Costa Ambassador and artist Kasey Scott unveiled his latest ‘Square Grouper’ piece at the Miami Boat Show in February, even though you won’t find any fish by the grouper name in this piece.
This limited edition painting features a school of mahi congregating under a brown, burlap wrapped object that’s lost at sea. ‘Square Grouper’ draws inspiration from stories he heard of the legendary trafficking days in Florida combined with memories he had of seeing flashy speed boats race offshore while he was a boy vacationing in Islamorada.
Kasey added special hand embellished details and highlights to make each piece unique and also signed and numbered each of these limited prints. Miami was one of the first big shows for Kasey back in 2009, so the annual Boat Show was the perfect setting to unveil ‘Square Grouper’ which is one of his favorite works to date.
Costa Tequila on draft frozen and margaritas (Hiram's) 2/11/22
We’re excited to announce that there are now even more ways to enjoy Costa tequila. You can now find our spirits on tap at select locations serving up ice cold draft margaritas. So, if you don’t see the Costa tap at your local bar, then ask your bartender to add us to the lineup.
New bottles / labels 1/14/22
The Costa team has been hard at work designing and sourcing upgraded bottle materials for our products, and we’re kicking off the new year with a new look!
Say hello to the new Costa Tequila bottle which features a new silhouette, upgraded glass, new labels, and better corks. As we’re expanding from the sand to the snow, this bottle is ready for any climate and any adventure!
Costa Boat Wrap with Capt. Sam Atwell 10/20/21
We are thrilled to finally debut Capt. Sam Atwell’s freshly decked out Costa Boat!
Docked in the Indian River Lagoon, the 27’ Pathfinder is the spirit of Costa Tequila and will always be chasing the sun
Costa Ambassador Capt. Sam is out most days of the week heading out to his local fisheries, so be sure to keep an eye out for us on your next day on the water and we may just have a surprise on board for you!
A day golfing w/ Evan Geiselman 10/8/21
It’s with great pleasure to announce Evan Geiselman as our newest Costa Tequila ambassador.
Hailing from New Smyrna Beach, Florida, Evan has cemented himself as one of the United States’ finest athletes and a true jack of all trades. He’s widely known as an international surf star, but his talents also extend over to the golf course where his scorecard is never far from par.
We met up with Evan for a round at Sandridge in Vero Beach to put his golf skills to the test. With a swing that looks like it should belong on the PGA tour, his prowess on the course is reminiscent of how he attacks the waves with laser sharp precision and speed. It was a great day on the links and the Costa Tequila bottle was pulled out for a celebratory toast to a great day on the 19th hole.
Palm Beach / Jupiter Territory Launch 9/17/21
We’re excited to announce Costa Tequila is now served in one of the oldest, and most iconic coastal cities in the world! Hello, Jupiter!
Jupiter, Florida is a city that embodies the spirit of Costa with its residents taking full advantage of the sun, salt and sand. Whether it’s a day out on the boat or under an umbrella at the beach, we couldn’t be happier to cool you down on those hot days.
Jacksonville launch party (with Justin Quintal) 10/2/21
Costa Tequila is now proud to serve in Jacksonville, Florida! With 1,100 miles of navigable water, Jacksonville has more shoreline than any other city in the nation.
We teamed up with Costa ambassador and Jacksonville Beach pro surfer Justin Quintal to celebrate our arrival in Duval County with a party at Ocean 60.
Justin is a World Champion Surfer most known for his skills on his longboard, but he also showed his talents by serving up cold Costa cocktails for everyone at Ocean 60. Be sure to ask your local bartender to stock Costa if you don’t see it at your local Jacksonville bar.