About Us
As you can imagine, Ron Saunders (Capt. Ron) has a lifelong passion for fishing that began years before he won First Prize for largest fish in a Boy Scout tournament. Ron grew up fishing Lake Mead, Nevada, the mighty Klamath and Rogue Rivers in Oregon, and the Oregon coastline. His skills and ambition for lake and river fishing were lovingly guided by his grandfather, whom he visited every summer in Oregon.
As an adult he remained an avid fishermen while building his businesses in flooring, custom cabinetry, construction, and model rocketry, and he even had a weekend business tying custom flies and selling fly-tying supplies. Ron was a member of the San Diego Fly Fishers Club, hosting fly-tying classes and was a member of their emergency fish rescue team.
Ron was rarely without a boat, and always lived near bodies of water. His last "state-side" home was in Simi Valley, California, which afforded a plethora of fishing in the ocean and up the coastline, in nearby lakes, and the Easter Sierra. Any given weekend you would find Ron fishing one of these locales.
At Lake Arenal, Ron has found his perfect fit of challenging fishing grounds and exotic surroundings. You might say Ron took to Costa Rica like a fish takes to water.
Leann Syrotuck Saunders grew up in Seattle, Washington, also surrounded by lakes, rivers, and Puget Sound. Her earliest memory of fishing was with her father when she was five, patiently working the backyard stream with a worm and a bobber. After living in Hawaii for several years, she moved to Simi Valley, California, where she met Ron, and their first date was a fishing charter for the ellusive spring run of Ventura Chinook salmon. Leann and Ron spent most their free time fishing for trout and bass on Lake Piru, or for salmon up and down the coastline.
Ron and Leann first visited Costa Rica in 2005. After a short three-day stay at Lake Arenal and Volcano Arenal (and a day of fishing the lake), they quickly made the decision that this felt right to be their new home.
Captain Ron's Fishing Tours was launched in 2006, and they've received very positive reviews from clients. Ron Saunders is a member of the IGFA (Intl. Game Fish Assn.), following their strict guidelines for professional conduct, and Ron is currently under review for acceptance to their Captains & Guide certification. Ron and Leann are 10-year members of the Allcoast Sportfishing Network. They regularly have their fishing clients pictured in the Tico Times fishing report, and are listed in several guide books, including the Moon Handguide.
Captain Ron's is the preferred fishing guide service for discerning agencies such as:
- Desafio Adventure Tours
- Tabacon Grand Spa & Resort
- Linda Vista Hotel & Restaurant
- Arenal Observatory Lodge
- Gingerbread Hotel & Restaurant
- Magic Mountain Hotel & Conference Center
- Moran Realty
- and many other tour companies
To read more about Capt. Ron and fishing Lake Arenal, check out this article at http://www.welovecostarica.com/public/1740.cfm
Ron and Leann now happily live in a house on the edge of Lake Arenal in Nuevo Arenal, where they wake each morning to birds, monkeys, and the vista of the volcano and lake from their front porch.