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2009

Fishing Reports

Managers Yolanda and Peter manage to keep you in fish stories.

Sep 12th – Sep 19th 2009

Well, it’s here, the final week of fishing for the 2009 Season. We welcomed our arriving guests with tall tales of the previous week’s catch.

The marlin and sailfish were biting offshore and again the yellowfin tuna bite continued to be incredible.  I literally had to tell our anglers to release most of them as we could hold no more fillets at the lodge.

Roy Hodges released his first Black Marlin estimated at 400 lbs and his wife Stephanie had her chance at her first big Blue Marlin around 450 lbs and got the release. Jorgelina Oliva returned to Pinas Bay for her second visit and this time she released her first Blue Marlin estimated at 400 lbs. She also battled a huge Yellowfin Tuna which tipped the scales at 160 lbs. Bill Pinkley also released his first Blue Marlin this week and Irwin “Carlos” Libeskind released his first Blue Marlin estimated at 500 lbs. He also released his first Pacific Sailfish and boated a giant Yellowfin Tuna that weighted 180 lbs. Robert Neal released his first Blue Marlin. Tom Pinkley released his first Pacific Sailfish this week.

I find myself thinking about all the great friends I’ve met, the many stories at the dining room table and off course all the tall tales of the big fish caught and released and off course the stories of the big one that got away. Until next season…..

Tight Lines!
Albert Battoo
DOCKMASTER

Sep 5th – Sep 12th 2009

As anticipated, the month of September has been nothing short of spectacular Marlin fishing.

Aug 29th – Sep 5th 2009

As expected, the offshore bite continues to be great. I’ve been patiently waiting the month of September, in the hopes that we could equal what happened here last year, although it would be a difficult task. Black and Blue Marlins are patrolling the drop-off just 12-15 miles offshore and some are also being released on the Reef. Our guests also witnessed perhaps one of the most spectacular tuna blitzes recorded at Pinas Bay. Acres of Yellowfin Tuna were blasting gigantic bait balls on the drop-off. They were so thick that our guests reported that the baits were jumping into the boat to avoid the jaws of these voracious feeders. All got into the action and had a blast.

Margot Vincent has joined us for her fourth trip this year. She usually fishes fly but this time she decided to mix it up a bit. She released a Black Marlin, Blue Marlin and a Pacific Sailfish on the fly to earn herself a GRAND SLAM.

Benny Cenac brought his family and friends down to Pinas Bay this week for 3 days of fishing. Sam Achee released his first Blue Marlin and Stan Duvall released his first Black Marlin estimated at 400 lbs. Guy Cenac and Paul Haines both released their first Pacific Sailfish.

Rick and Yvonne Buckley were back this week. Yvonne released 2 Blue Marlins bringing her total up to 79 Marlin on stand-up gear. They were also all over the Wahoo and got 12 in the 2 days inshore.

William Gallo released his first Blue Marlin estimated at 450 lbs. Linda Moss and Sherry Lane both released their first Pacific Sailfish. Lory Moss released a huge Roosterfish estimated at 65 lbs and Roger Moss also had an estimated 70 lb. Roosterfish.

Aug 15th – 29th 2009

The last two weeks can only be described a wide open offshore bite. This is as good as it gets. The ocean came alive as acres of bonitos and skipjack tunas showed up both on the reef and on the ledge, 15 to 20 miles offshore. The sails and marlin were feeding voraciously and many big dorados and tunas could be had. I remember what it was like this time last year and my only thought is that we possibly have one of the best untapped blue marlin fisheries in the world during August, September and October.

Charles Nash and his wife Deborah joined us for the first time at Pinas bay. They went 2 for 4 on Blue Marlin and Deborah released her first estimated 500+ lb Blue Marlin on 30lb gear. The fight lasted 2 hrs 30 mins. They also released 14 sails over the 4 days fishing. Excellent job!

John and Krista Musial brought their 9 year old daughter Katherine down to Pinas bay for their second season. John released a nice Blue Marlin on the very first day out. Katherine had an amazing time, releasing 9 Pacific Sailfish over the week.

I was delighted to be joined by my good friends John and Scott Moses from Trinidad and Tobago this week. John and I have known each other for a long time and I had been telling him about the incredible billfish action I’ve experienced at Tropic Star Lodge so he decided to bring his son down for 4 days of fishing. On the first morning out Scott had good luck. He released a nice 250lb Blue Marlin. The fishing continued to be great. Scott took another nice Blue Marlin on the last day out estimated at around 400 lbs. They had many shots at sailfish and released 11 in four days along with 8 big dorados and a couple of yellowfin tunas. I look forward to seeing you guys back again soon!

Simone Battiferri returned to Pinas Bay for the second time this year. This time he brought his son Giulio to enjoy some billfish action. I fished with him on the final day out and I can tell you that it was an incredible day. Simon released a Black Marlin, Blue Marlin and a Pacific Sailfish for a GRAND SLAM day. His son Giulio also released his first Blue Marlin estimated at 350 lbs. the count for the day was 1 Black, 2 Blues and 2 Sails and 2 big Dorados. Congratulations!

I would like to also mention Hugh West who released his first Black Marlin.

September is right around the corner and I am sure the bite is just going to get better!

Aug 8th – 15th 2009

Once again, the bite was on and this is no surprise to me. Sailfish were everywhere and all our guests got into the action.  Fishing was also good inshore. Roosterfish were biting in the South and some big Cubera Snappers were also caught. All boats had action with 50+ lb Dorados which off course makes for a lovely fight on light tackle.

Bob Shultz brought his son Stephen and daughter Allison back to Tropic Star this year. It’s been 4 years since their last visit. For Stephen it was all about getting back into the chair and facing his greatest fears. His last fight with a big 500+ lb Black Marlin ended in great misfortune. The marlin charged the boat and all 500 lbs of her came into the cockpit, knocking him completely out of the fighting chair. He was extremely lucky to survive such an ordeal. The folks from The Discovery Channel were here to capture this dramatic scene so look out for the episode.

We welcomed back our friend Casey McCartin this week. He is no stranger to Tropic Star fishing and loves to do it all, particularly Yellowfin and Roosterfish. He had great fishing; 3 Roosterfish and a Cubera Snapper, a 40 lb Dorado and a Sailfish on one inshore day. On day five he found the Yellowfin Tunas and managed to muscle a 186 lb beast to the boat. He also released a 400+ lb Blue Marlin on the last day.

Stephanus and his wife Yvette Nothnagel also came all the way from South Africa for their first Tropic Star experience. Yvette got her Roosterfish estimated at 40 lbs. which was first on her list. Stephanus released his first Black Marlin estimated at 500 lbs.

David and his son Jacob Rhine were also here this week. David got his first Blue Marlin estimated at 350 lbs and his first Pacific Sailfish. His son caught a 171 lb Yellowfin Tuna.

Trent and Julie Christianson visited us at Pinas Bay this week. Julie released her first monster Blue Marlin estimated at 800 lbs. Both Trent and Julie had great action on sailfish.

Richard, Joseph and Ryan Damiano fished at Tropic this week. They all released their first Pacific Sailfish. One day they went 12 for 17 on sailfish, excellent for this time of year.

Another catch worth mention was Nancy Gray’s 60+ lb Cubera Snapper. What a beauty!

July 25-Aug 1 2009

As we wrap up the month of July the bite continues to be good. The Marlin are biting offshore and hoards of tuna and big dorado continue to stretch or lines.

Margot Vincent brought her grandson Kyle back for the second time this year. He was in pursuit of a Junior IGFA record catch and really put in the hours. He finally scored with a 14.1 lb Rainbow Runner which beat the record of 12.8 lbs caught right here week before. Kyle also spent some time offshore and was rewarded with a nice Blue Marlin and some sails. Congratulations on your record catch!

Stephen “T-Bone” and Denise Lacour along with their friends Thomas Kavounts and Patricia Cobb also visited us at Pinas Bay this week. Denise had been here way back in 1972. She released a nice Black Marlin and T-Bone released a Blue Marlin. He also battled a giant Yellowfin Tuna which weighed in at 162.5 lbs. Both Patricia and Thomas released their first Pacific Sailfish on this trip.

Richard and Yvonne were back again this week for another bout of marlin fever. Yvonne released a Black Marlin and Blue Marlin this time to bring her total up to 77 Marlin released on stand-up tackle.

Leo Harrison brought his son Keshin back to Tropic Star for another week of offshore fishing. Leo released a nice Black Marlin on this trip and they both had a fair share of sails, tuna and dorado.

July 18th-25th 2009

What an eventful week. The fishing exploded offshore; the trash lines were really thick and a number of large logs, even entire trees were drifting offshore. This was an ideal scenario for our boats. The baits were stacked up around the structures and many large dorados, tunas and off course the marlin and sailfish were patrolling the perimeters looking for an easy meal.

John and his wife Ellen Bass brought their son Gardner, and daughters, Margaret and Sarah down for a summer fishing trip. This family had a real Tropic Star experience. All of them released billfish. Gardner released his first Black Marlin and Blue Marlin. He also released a bunch of sails and earned himself a Grand Slam. John released his first Blue Marlin estimated at 400 lbs. Ellen tried her hand at the billfish and releasedher first Blue Marlin and Pacific Sailfish. Margaret and Sarah also released their Pacific Sailfish this week.  John and Gardener released 3 Blue Marlin in one day. Some of the days we also spent inshore and even then they had great luck. Ellen released a monster Roosterfish estimated at 70 lbs. They also got a couple of other nice sized roosters, cubera snappers and amberjacks. A total of 6 marlins, and 11 sails were released on this boat. Congrats to all the Bass!

Dean and his son Zachary Bornstein and John and his son Jonathan Cabral also fish with us this week. They had a great week offshore and caught many fish. Jonathan released his first Black Marlin estimated at 350 lbs and Pacific Sailfish. Zachary released his first Blue Marlin and Pacific Sailfish. Dean and John were quite happy to let the boys’ fish most of the time but also got in the action. They both released their first Pacific Sailfish, both over 100 lbs. They had a good deal of action on some monster dorados in the 40-60 lb range.

Martin and his son Matthew Bronstein were also here this week. Both released a Blue Marlin each and had loads of fun with the lighter tackle on sailfish and some huge dorados and yellowfin tunas. The highlight of Matthew’s trip would have to be the massive Rainbow Runner he caught on the reef, a now pending Junior IGFA Record for Rainbow Runner weighing in at 12.8 lbs.

The Phillips and Davies family of 16 anglers also joined us at Pinas Bay this week. Nicholas Davies released his first Blue Marlin estimated at 200 lbs. Wylie, Blaine, Elizabeth, Natalie Mark and Colin Phillips all released their first Pacific Sailfish. Also, both Sophie and Elizabeth Davies released their first Pacific Sailfish.

Other catches of note were by John Pinkett who released his first Blue Marlin estimated at 300 lbs and first Pacific Sailfish. Greg Hamilton released his first Black Marlin estimated at 350 lbs and his first Pacific sailfish. His wife Tracy Hamilton released her first Pacific Sailfish.

Another great week at Tropic Star!

July 4th-11th 2009

We’re back with yet another week of fishing highlights. Although not one of our busier weeks, our guests who were here thoroughly enjoyed themselves. This week also marked the beginning of our Kids Club at Tropic Star Lodge, where one kid 16 years or under can accompany an adult to the lodge and fish free of charge. What a deal! The Kids Club runs through July and August.

This week we hosted our long time guests from the Canary Islands, Pedro Bonny Sr. & Jr., Domingo and his son Ivan Gonzalez and Javier Elijabetia Sr. & Jr. The three fathers and son teams fished 2 boats for four days. The dads had been here many times before but it was the first time in Pinas Bay for the boys. Day 1 was very hot. All the boys got in the action on some nice sails. Pedro Jr., Ivan and Javier Jr. all released their first Pacific Sailfish. The continued on thought the week with some other impressive catches such as Ivan’s 60 lb Roosterfish and a few nice bull dorados. The boys had a great time and I’m sure I’ll see them again next summer.

We were also joined this week by some great guys from Louisiana; Ronnie and Todd Kennedy, Todd Beene and Lynn Honeycutt. These guys are avid hunters but decided to check us out for some summertime offshore fishing. They sure racked up some nice fish during the 3 days fishing. Lynn released his first Blue Marlin on the first day. Ronnie, Todd and Lynn also released his first Pacific Sailfish.

Now for the highlight of the week; Todd hooked up on his first Blue Marlin on day two. It was not a giant but fought very hard. When the mate finally got to the leader after 45 minutes he noticed that the fish had a tag in its side. They settled the fish down, retrieved the tag and of course re-tagged the fish before releasing it to fight another day. Well, the news of a retrieved tag came over the radio and I waited in anticipation for the valuable tag number embedded inside. With this we hoped to get some information on the where the fish was first tagged. Well, turns out that this fish had been tagged on 22nd December 2008 by one of our very own boats just 5 miles from the area it was re-tagged. Amazing fish story!

June 20th-27th 2009

This has been yet another fantastic week at Pinas Bay. The reef continued to produce large numbers of bait and the marlin bite was even hotter than last week’s. Sailfish were all over the place. I saw schools of them free jumping at the entrance to the bay. We’ve been invaded by sharks too and it was sometimes difficult to get a live bait out. According to the lodge owner Mike, this is a good sign and that historically when the sharks show up in these large numbers the marlin fishing is bound to be good. Looks like he’s right!

This week we hosted a group of eight avid anglers who flew in for a 4 day fishing trip. They had quite a fishing trip releasing 6 Black Marlin over the 4 days fishing. Bill Robinson, Ross and Scott Fischer Bob Wojewodzki, Jack Stocton and Capt. Buddy Gracy all released their first Black Marlin. All these fish were in the 300-400 lb range. Both Colin and also released their first Pacific Sailfish.

We were also visited once again by Richard and Yvonne Buckley. This was their fourth trip here this season. This was a somewhat special trip for Yvonne. She celebrated her 75th marlin release

This was a big one too estimated at 700+ lbs. WOW! Don’t take this feat lightly folks. Yvonne is a well oiled machine. She fishes all custom tackle ranging from 30 – 80 lb test, including a newly modified harness which allows her to put extreme pressure on these fish. Her mornings begin at 4am with 100 laps in the pool and sometimes a sometimes a jog up to the Palace. Just looking at those steps makes me tired. Congratulations Yvonne on yet another tremendous accomplishment and off course incredible fish story. The 100th release is in close range now.

We were also visited this week by some other great folks from the USA, Marcus and Cordula Magee, Skip Tubbs, Jorgelina Oliva, Hogan McCartie and Nick Ohanesian. These safari enthusiasts love fishing too and all had their share of luck on this trip. Hogan McCartie released her first Black Marlin on this trip. This was a monster, estimated at 550 lbs. She also released her first Pacific Sailfish. Skip had good luck too; releasing his first Black Marlin around 450 lbs and Jorgelina Olive released her first Black Marlin estimated at 350 lbs and Pacific Sailfish. Nick also released his first Pacific Sailfish on this trip.

Also in Pinas Bay this was a group from Panama, eleven in total fishing 2 days. What’s amazing here is that everyone in the group except one caught a billfish. Great! Jose Luis Paredes released his first Black Marlin estimated at 350 lbs. Sophie, Charles and Louis and Victor Heaulme all released their first Pacific Sailfish. Ida Gutierrez, Itza Morgan, Dimitris Arbaiza Alejandro Lewis and Frank Tedman also released their first Pacific Sailfish.

What a week, What a Bite!

June 13th -20th 2009

This has been quite a week at Tropic Star. The reef was overloaded with bait and His Magesty the Black Marlin has showed up in numbers. Inshore, the bite was also hot. 18 Roosterfish were released; many in the 70-80 lb range and a number of large cubera snappers were caught. We also have a new pending junior IGFA record for Jack Crevalle which weighed 25.3 lbs.

Ronnie and his son, Chase Williams came down for their eight annual June trip to TSL, this time with 21 friends.  We refer to Ronnie as our” PinasBay Ambassador”…  His love of our paradise radiates when he speaks to his friends and strangers about his love for Pinas Bay.   He and Chase, Jim and son Justin and nephew Paul Gregory have come with Ronnie every year and the lodge is so much fun while they are here.  Ronnie said that every one of the 21 guests he brought this year will come back next year, plus he has more new people he will include.  It is such a pleasure to host this group every year.   Don’t tell them that the day after they left, we raised 8 Blacks, caught 5 of them and 1 Striped Marlin (5 boats fishing)!   Ronnie left after handing out gifts to almost everyone of our TSL employees (over 100), including knives, sunglasses, bags, tools, etc.  We are blessed to have such wonderful friends.

Roger Card and his fiancée Gail Dawson were here in Pinas Bay for the first time this week. Roger caught his first Black Marlin on the first day out. Unfortunately, the fish had gotten tail wrapped and died so they brought it in. It ended up weighing 388lbs. Both Roger and Gail also released their first Pacific Sailfish on that day. Two days later Gail her her shot at her first shot at a Black Marlin estimated at 250 lbs and got the release. Congrats!

Gary and Clay Reynolds and their friends Dru and Stephen Mayfield were also here this week. Dru released his first Black Marlin estimated at 450 lbs and Pacific Sailfish. Stephen also had his shot at his first Black Marlin around 450 lbs and got a clean release. Stephen, Clay and Gary released their first Pacific Sails. They ended up with 20 sails in 4 days.  Well done guys!

We were also visited by some great guys from Chile, (Team Chile). Pedro Jaque released his first Black Marlin estimated at around 450 lbs. On the following day his father Victor had his turn. A sail and a Marlin were hooked at the same time (double header). The sail was quickly released and after 1 hour and a half the marlin came up. Unfortunately this one did not make it and was brought to the scale. She weighed 327 lbs. Jose Thomas Robinson released his first Pacific Sailfish on this trip.

Other catches of note this week were by Jackson McKinney who released his first Blue Marlin estimated at 350 lbs. Tom and Myra Shanklin and Leslie Thurman all released their first Pacific Sailfish this week. Justin Gregory released a monster Roosterfish estimated at 80lbs.

Cole Johnson also caught a 25.3 lb Jack Crevalle this week. This fish is now a pending Junior IGFA record. Both Cole and his had Nick released an incredible 10 Roosterfish, most in the 50-60 lb range and 3 Cubera Snappers.

May 23rd – June 6th 2009

George and Debbie Christianson, David Le Boeuf and Jo Ellen Harrell visited us at Pinas Bay for some offshore fishing. On the first day out they went 9 for 11 on sailfish, definitely not a good start. Day 2 they went 1 for 2 on Black Marlin on the reef. The following 2 days they released a further 13 Pacific Sails. Congratulations!

May 16th -23rd 2009 

As we move through the month of May, the bait schools just seem to be getting thicker and sure enough the sails are everywhere! A short trip up the coast for some bonitos, used to make out signature Panama belly baits, and then down to the south for non-stop action on 80-120 lb class sailfish. Every afternoon all I could hear on the dock was, “Man, hooked up a double or triple! Got all of them!” The fish were biting in double and triples and some anglers even reported quadruple hookups. Yes’ it was a classic Tropic Star sailfish bite.

Wait, did someone say marlin? Yes, MARLIN! One boat reported an estimated 400 lb Black Marlin tagged and released by Gary Wolf, his first ever. Two other boats reported hookups on similar sized fish but lost them, and a few more were seen patrolling the perimeter of the bait balls. We’ve downsized our trolling gear to 12, 20 and 30 lb outfits to provide for a more challenging fight on the sailfish but, marlin love belly baits too, one captain said.

“Hurricane” Billy Wagner accompanied his friends Robert Korose, Victor Tedesco and Hugh Liles to Pinas Bay this week. These gentlemen and avid anglers have been coming here since the late 80’s. An evening at the bar with these guys just listening to them reminisce about past fishing trips to Tropic Star Lodge was one of my highlights for the week. Stories so outrageous it was difficult to believe. But if I’ve learnt one thing during my time here is that the most ridiculous fish story is likely to be true. Billy had a hard time trying to figure out how he went 3 for 15 on sails one day. It’s just one of those days when the fish win, sometimes don’t matter what you do.  Besides for that one hiccup they did great, releasing 41 sailfish for the week.

We were also visited this week by a group of 12 guests from Nova Chemicals. They fished for 3 days and racked up quite a large number of releases, 81 sailfish to be exact. Gary Wolf released his first Black Marlin estimated at around 400 lbs and Gary, Stephen Wooden, Terry Rudt, Donna Stoughton, John Hotz, Jose Massuh, Juan-Carlos Avila, Henry Wurfbain, Dan Spalding and Mike Legeza all released their first Pacific Sailfish. They will be coming here again next year, same time, to do it all again.

Michael Menuhin, Ed Eliasberg and Stephen Ragan joined us at the lodge this week. Both Michael and Stephen had been here two years ago but for Ed it was his first visit. I would like to add that Michael is also an avid bird watcher, having identified over 500 different species in his lifetime. I spent some time being educated on the various birds in our region and suddenly realized that our location in the dense Darien Rainforest does have alot more to offer than  just fishing. Ed was quite happy on the first day out to sit back and play camera man but on the second day he got into the action and released his first of two Pacific Sailfish. They released 22 sails over the 4 days fishing and also spent some time inshore pursuing other various species.

It was also a first time trip for Tom and Leslie Ellis, and their friends Richard and Pat Stallings. These two couples have been hunting big game all over the world for many years but decided to try their hand at billfishing for the first time. After a couple hours of hands on instruction from yours truly they were ready. Tom, Leslie, Richard and Pat all released their first Pacific Sailfish, on the first day out. They ended up releasing 26 sailfish over the three days of fishing. Congratulations on a job well done and we will see you again soon!

I am certain that this little paradise in Pinas Bay is a magical place for many anglers that visit us year after year and for those first timers equally magical and when you find yourself hooked up on a triple header of sailfish and you can see the lodge in the distance, it’s difficult to think that there could be a better fishing venue anywhere in the world!

Tight Lines!!!!

Albert Battoo
DOCKMASTER

May 9th- 16th

The sailfish bite continued to be red hot throughout the week. Hundreds of sails were just stacked up along the coast just south of the lodge. It was an incredible sight to witness a school of sailfish herding sardines like a shepherd his sheep. These are the moments that make you appreciate the wonders of nature and the beauty of the sport. Just seeing these magnificent fish feed in such an orderly fashion, taking turns at the bait balls was a sight I will remember for many years to come. I certainly will never leave my camera home again!

Richard Seale and Pat Galloway joined us this week for a full six days of fishing. They were definitely not disappointed. On day 2 they went an impressive 20 for 32 on sailfish and 10 for 12 the next day out. These fish average around 90 lbs too. There were some sore arms and burnt thumbs for these two anglers who thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

This week we were also visited by Rusty and Cathie Brines. It was their first trip to Pinas Bay and neither had any offshore fishing experience. They fished 4 days and released an awesome 39 Pacific Sailfish. Both Rusty and Cathie released their first Pacific Sailfish this week. Congratulations on a great job and look forward to seeing you next year.

Michael Erinakes and Rocky and Dylan Bransom joined us this week for a short 2 day fishing trip. They released a total of 18 sailfish over the 2 days. It was a first release of Pacific Sailfish for all three anglers.

Paris Royo, James Watters, Bahram Chehrazi,Anthony Tonso, Mansour Aliabadi and Sohrab Rahimzadeh also visited us this week for 4 days fishing. They released an impressive total of 60 Pacific Sailfish over the 4 days of fishing. Anthony released his first Pacific Sailfish and Paris caught his first ever Wahoo. Yahoo!!!

With sailfish in such great numbers it difficult to think of a better place I’d rather be. Got to go now; my captain is waiting for me at the docks. Guess what I’m about to do this afternoon?

Tight Lines!!!!

Albert Battoo
DOCKMASTER

May 2nd – 9th

If chasing big Pacific Sailfish tickles your fancy, well this is definitely the place to be. Acres of sardines have invaded our coastline and the sails are here in very large numbers. We’ve released over 240 last week and they show no signs of letting up soon.  Some anglers have also ventured into the rocks and were able to pick up several roosterfish.

IWFA OFFSHORE TOURNAMENT
Tropic Star once again was a fabulous host for the IWFA Offshore Tournament. From the airport pick-up to the Panama City hotel; then the flight to Pinas Bay – all went without a hitch. Impossible to be any easier!

Day One was a late start with a tropical rain delaying our departure for a few hours. The lodge mentioned this type of delay was either rare or a 1st…..but being Election day in Panama, this gave the crew time to vote then get back to take us fishing. We anglers were all strategizing to make the best of the day. First fish was caught around 1:00pm by Gwen Hahn. After a slow start 7 sails were released and Fran McKelvey was Top Angler for day one “on time “.
Day Two was sunshine and calm seas. First fish was released by Grace Canfield at 8:13am while the rest of us were still catching bait.  Top angler for Day 2 was Grace Canfield with 3 sails released. A total of 17 sailfish for Day Two…much improved over Day One.

Day Three had all the signs of epic fishing. Boats went directly to the fishing grounds, not stopping for bait and the first release of the morning was at 7:06am by newcomer Pat Ricciardi. Tears of joy appeared and her fishing partner Joan Kelley congratulated then said, “Get ready for # 2”, she did and released her 2nd ever sailfish before lunch! We celebrated as a whole and she went into the pool later in the afternoon…no sharks there!!
Day Three continued to be a much better bite with all boats releasing for a total of 18 sailfish. This makes the total release for 5 boats at 35. Slow for Tropic Star standards but each one appreciated by the anglers.

Winners of the IWFA Annual Billfish Tournament in Panama were as follows:
1st Place: Grace Canfield
2nd Place: Gwen Hahn
3rd Place: Joan Vandergriff
First Fish: Gwen Hahn
Last Fish: Grace Canfield
1st Place Team: Grace Canfield and Molly Fleming
2nd Place Team: Gwen Hahn and Pat
3rd Place Team: Lisa Everett and Joan Vandergriff
Top Angler (Day 1): Fran McKelvey
Top Angler (Day 2): Grace Canfield
Top Angler (Day 3): Grace Canfield

All ten ladies fished, ate, made merry and fished again, each day and night better than the first.

We also had a number of guests here at Pinas Bay who were not entered in the IWFA Tourny. They all got in the sailfish bite, and for those who stayed on later n the week “all hell broke loose”. The sailfish were everywhere. Doubles, triples even a couple of quad hookups were recorded. Patrice Kaupe, Pat Riccairdi and Arthur Hayman all released their first Pacific Sailfish this week. Congrats!!
Grace Canfield released her first Roosterfish this week around 45 lbs.

April 11th – 25th

The sailfish are showing up along the coast and we are having some action with them. They seem to be uninterested in feeding like we normally would expect but in the evenings they were more willing. The tuna continue to provide us with some fast action on light tackle and some anglers got their thrills by tossing flies into the schools. 12-14 wt outfits work well with these powerful fish.

Eric So and his fishing buddy Van Tien Phan visited us at the lodge this week and on the first day out Van released a lovely Black Marlin estimated at 350 lbs. This was to be his first Black Marlin release. Eric did not score on marlin but released an estimated 70 lb Roosterfish. They both had plenty of action on the yellowfin tunas and Eric even took a good sided one on fly.

David Mc Nichols released a MONSTER Roosterfish this week. From the length and girth measurements he took we estimated the fish at an incredible 92 lbs. These extra large roosterfish are not uncommon in this area also. Many anglers commonly release fish in the 70-80 lb range. There is a great potential for a world record at Pinas Bay and it’s only a matter of time until another lucky angler gets a trophy.

John Perez also released a trophy Roosterfish estimated at 70 lbs.

Phil Hart, Eric Adamson, Charles Schaver and Mike Stice all released their first Pacific Sailfish this week.

Mar 28- April 11

The offshore billfish bite as been quite slow for the last two weeks. We are however fortunate as there were acres of yellowfin tunas blasting gigantic balls of sardines along the coast. These fish aren’t small any means, ranging from schollie 20 pounders up to 100 lbs. All of our guests got in the action and numerous double and triple headers were recorded. The lure of choice here is the old faithful cedar plug and pulling 2 of them behind the boat on 30 lb class tackle makes for a fun time with lots of sore muscles in the afternoon. Our resident masseuse was very busy this week.

Inshore, the roosterfish bite was great as always during this time of the year. There’s nothing quite like watching a 60-80 lb roosterfish exploding on a live bonito trolled just behind the prop wash and if you think there fish are easy to catch, think again! These inshore gladiators are known for stripping 200 yards of line from 50 lb outfits  in an instant; and don’t let them get near the rocks too or else its game over.

Another IGFA record caught at Tropic Star Lodge. Fly fishing is indeed a great challenge for many anglers and at TSL there are great opportunities for those who are willing. Margot Vincent is one of those special anglers. She has been coming here since the late 80’s and was introduced into the sport by her late husband. Margot holds numerous records on the fly and this time she had the opportunity to fight what I call the bull of the bait fish; the skipjack tuna. Pound for pound this fish is one of the hardest fighters in the ocean. After a 35 minute battle on 12 lb tippet she had the 9lb 4oz fish boatside. The current IGFA record for skipjack on 12 lb tippet is 4 lbs 4 oz.  She also took a 70 lb Roosterfish and a lovely 45 lb Cubera Snapper on this trip. We certainly have not seen the last of Margot as she will be coming back in July 2009 with her grandson to do it all over again.

This was also a great trip for James White. He landed a 145 lb Yellowfin Tuna after a back breaking fight. His buddy Jeff also scored with a lovely Striped Marlin. Jeff’s dad Richard scored a 45 lb Cubera Snapper.

Also, Tom Pinter released his first Pacific Sailfish this week. Stermon Byron released an estimated 65 lb Roosterfish.

Mar 21-28

As we come to the end of our Marlin season I find myself thinking about the last week of January 2009; 95 marlin in one week. This dot on the map called Pinas Bay is truly a fishing paradise. We all wish that the fish would bite all year as they did in December through February; unfortunately it’s time for His Majesty the Black Marlin to move on their annual migratory path. We will wait patiently for their return. They are a few stragglers around and our crews have been able to spot them tailing around the inshore waters. Sight fishing for marlin inshore is a real treat and tossing live baits at them is equally rewarding as the bites are usually explosive! Some or our guests this week had the opportunity to do exactly that.

The inshore bite this week was the best I’ve ever witnessed. We released an incredible 58 Roosterfish; many anglers had their hands full with these record sized goliaths up to 85 lbs. By the way the IGFA record for Roosterfish on 50 lb. test is 80 lbs. so if you are interested in a shot this is definitely where you’ll want to be. Offshore, yellowfin tuna provided our guests with nonstop action. Casting poppers to these fish in the 30-60 lb range makes for a lot of fun and off course sore forearms.

Fedrico Oria Jr. had a shot at his first 500+ lb. Black Marlin this week and got a release. Ryan McKenzie also released his first Black Marlin this week estimated at 400 lbs. His dad Mickey McKenzie scored his first Black Marlin release this week with a fish around 400 lbs. Young Jaime “Santi”  Monjo Jr. released his first Pacific Sailfish this week around 80 lbs.

Ryan McKenzie and Tolly Bernard released 8 roosterfish, a large grouper and cubera snapper all in 1 day.

Although the marlin bite had slowed down somewhat all who were at the lodge this week had loads of fun and fond memories which reminds me that there’s always something biting in Pinas Pay!

Mar 14- 21

This week at Tropic Star we were once again blessed with the presence of His Majesty the Black Marlin. Many tailing fish were spotted and anglers got a kick out of tossing live baits at them. The water also remained calm so spotting them were fairly easy. A few sailfish are showing up along the coast now and some lucky anglers had a few shots at them. The inshore bite continues to be excellent with huge Roosterfish catches up to 85 lbs.

Dan, John, Shannon, and Linda Shimmin accompanied by and Clifford and Linda Grua came to Tropic Star this week. Whether offshore or inshore they seemed to be always on the fish. Linda released her first Black Marlin estimated at 400 lbs. Clifford also had a shot at a Black Marlin around 250 lbs and had a release. He also released his first Pacific Sailfish. Dan released his first Black Marlin around 300 lbs and also his first Pacific Sailfish. Shannon released her first Black Marlin estimated at 250 lbs and Linda released her first Pacific Sailfish. Well done!

John and Nancy Bunk brought their 11 year old grandson Foley to Tropic Star this week. Foley had a fantastic 6 days of fishing releasing 3 Black Marlin and his first Pacific Sailfish. He also scored well inshore with some lovely Cubera Snapper.

Art and Susan Hayes also joined us this week for some offshore and inshore fishing. Art released his first Black Marlin estimated at 450 lbs. His wife was up next and released an absolute beauty of a Black Marlin around 600 lbs. (heaviest for the week) They both also spent some time inshore and had their fair share of game fish including a couple of hefty Roosterfish in the 60 lb range.Brent Butler, Matt and Raleigh Lembrich, and Donald Cheney also visited us at Pinas Bay for the first time. They wanted to try for Roosterfish on the first day out so their captain gave them just that. They returned to the docks with 5 releases, 3 in the 40 lb range, 1 around 60 lbs and Donald’s MONSTER ROOSTERFISH that was estimated at 85 lbs.  Ralph scored his first Black Marlin around 400 lb. Donald also took his first Black Marlin estimated at 250 lbs and Brent released his first Blue Marlin around 300 lbs and first Pacific Sailfish.Other catches of note were recorded by John Poczatek who released his first Black Marlin estimated at 400 lbs and his first Striped Marlin around 180 lbs. Kurt Forsberd released his first Black Marlin estimated at 350 lbs Aaron Pouncy released his first Black Marlin around 300 lbs KaeRae Biagini released her first Black Marlin around 300 lbs. Randy Bath released his first Pacific Sailfish Jeff Biagini released his first Pacific Sailfish.

Mar 7th – 14th

As we continue through the season, most of the marlin have moved on through their migratory path. However, some have stuck around the inshore areas hunting for food within 2-3 miles of the coast. Tailing fish were frequently spotted and some were willing to take. Mid-sized Yellowfin Tuna are swarming through the area and our guests are quite content to fish in the melee with lighter tackle for loads of fun. The Roosterfish bite has been nothing short of incredible this week with 34 releases, most in the 50 – 75 lb range. These fish are true back breakers and you’ll be glad the mate put out the 50 lb gear for these brutes.

John and Deborah Delyser visited us this week and started out the week on a definite high note. John released his first Black Marlin estimated at 300 lbs and his wife Deborah also released her first Black Marlin around 200 lbs. They also got into the tuna action, boating 20 over the week. Coupled with 4 nice Pacific Sailfish and 2 Roosterfish, this couple had an action packed week by any standards.

Larry Lloyd and James Pike were also here this week. Larry got a shot at his first Black Marlin estimated at 375 lbs and got a nice release. They boated 41 Yellowfin Tunas and released a lovely Roosterfish.

Kevin Walsh and Andrew Webster were also here all the way from the UK.  Kevin released his first Black Marlin estimated at 200 lbs. Although the marlin bite was slow both Kevin and Andrew kept very busy with yellowfin tunas through the day, especially on the spinning tackle. Kevin and Andrew also released a Roosterfish; one of them estimated at 75 lbs, a real monster!!!.

Crockett Jones and his wife Linda Rush also came to the lodge this week for their second visit. Crockett released a nice Black Marlin; however the highlight of their trip would definitely have to be the inshore bite. They released an amazing 7 Roosterfish up to 70 lbs during the week along with a boat load of various groupers and a couple of Cubera Snappers. Crockett also released a nice Striped Marlin and Linda released a Pacific Sailfish on the last day.

Other noted catches were recorded by Andy Owens, who released his first Black Marlin, estimated at 300 lbs, Richard Delater, who nailed his first Black Marlin around 350 lbs. Robert White Jr. released his first Pacific Sailfish estimated at 80 lbs, Randall Rex released his first Pacific Sailfish, David Rogers released his first Pacific Sailfish and Jason Laskey released his first Pacific Sailfish.

Feb 28th – Mar 7th

The bite turned on this week, but not offshore. Many marlin showed up, sometimes just yards from the shoreline, tailing and chasing bonitos. It seemed unreal that one can catch these majestic beasts so close to the beach but there are no boundaries in the ocean.

John and Matthew Luckam made it to Tropic Star Lodge this week. This father and son team was really blessed. John released both his first Black Marlin estimated at 200 lbs and Blue Marlin around 450 lbs. His son Matthew had a shot at another 350 lb Blue Marlin and also had his first release of the species. They racked up an awesome 7 marlin releases over the 6 days fishing.

Erich Buddenhagen, William Irwin, Michael Story and Tim Meagher joined us this week and did exceptionally well. Erich released his first Black Marlin estimated at 400 lbs, completing his ROYAL BILLFISH SLAM. William Irwin also had a shot at his first Black Marlin around 350 lbs and got the release. Michael Story also released his first Black Marlin estimated at 300 lbs, and Tim Meagher released both his first Black marlin around 400 lbs and his first Striped Marlin estimated at 200 lbs.

George and his wife Frances Ostrander also made their premier trip to the lodge this week. George released his first Black Marlin estimated at 400 lbs and also released his first Blue Marlin around 300 lbs. Frances was also lucky and released her first Black Marlin around 300 lbs. The couple also enjoyed fishing the inshore waters around Pinas and returned on afternoons with some impressive catches, particularly George’s 55 lb Roosterfish.

Dick Denhup and Rick Denhup also made it down to Pinas Bay this week. Both Dick and Rick released their first Black Marlin, both around 350 lbs.

John and Kevin English were also here this week. Kevin celebrated his birthday with his first Black Marlin estimated at 400 lbs and his dad John released his first Pacific Sailfish which was estimated at 130 lbs, a beautiful fish.

There were some other first’s caught this week by Philip Sollecito who released his first Black Marlin estimated at 350 lbs, and Rocky Elderling who released his first Black Marlin around 300 lbs.

Also Linda Abbott enjoyed fighting a really large Yellowfin Tuna which tipped the scales at 151 lbs.

Feb. 21 - Feb. 28

This week the marlins were again not feeding as aggressively as we would hope. Many anglers opted to seek out other quarry inshore which turned out to be very productive. Lots of cubera snappers, roosterfish, amberjacks and groupers were caught. However, those who put in the hours offshore were rewarded with the now elusive marlin. It seemed to be an endless waiting game offshore and it definitely tested our patience but for some lucky anglers, the bite was nothing short of spectacular.

Juan Ibanez, Bienvenido Cardenas and Noel Lama visited us this week fore a brief three day fishing trip. The fish gods did however smile upon them. All their anglers, Juan, Bienvenido and Noel released their first Black Marlin all estimated around 300-500 lbs. They released five Black Marlins over three days fishing. Excellent job!

Vincent Duffy Jr., Vincent Duffy III, Robert Duffy and David Hirsch also joined us at Tropic Star this week. David released his first Black Marlin estimated at around 300 lbs, Robert Duffy also released his first Black Marlin around 300 lbs and Vincent Duffy III released his first 250 lb Black Marlin. Great job guys.

Other catches of note were by Samuel Achee who released his first Black Marlin this week estimated at 300 lbs. Carlos Green also had his first Black Marlin release around 300 lbs and Arlen Cenac scored his first Black Marlin release with a fish that averaged 350 lbs. John Bencie also released his first Black Marlin estimated at 350 lbs.

Another incredible catch was recorded Frank and Kalub Shumate. While searching for bait inshore, their captain sighted three tailing Black Marlins in 80 feet of water. The captain was able to maneuver the Bertram 31 close enough for the mate to toss a live bonito at them and voila……HOOKUP! This Black Marlin put on an amazing aerial display and Frank was able to get the release while Kalub took some of the best photos I’ve seen for quite some. Marlin on the Rocks!

This week at the lodge was definitely an exercise in patience and persistence. The marlins were around but not feeding as aggressively as last week. Many tailing fish were spotted however the fish seemed to be uninterested in the live baits. The water temperature has dropped a couple of degrees, typical of the Humboldt Current this time of year. This drop however turned on the inshore bite and many anglers who took advantage of the inshore fishing were in constant action with cubera snappers, groupers, amberjacks and roosterfish.

James and Richard Orlandi and Teddy Freund visited the lodge this week. Both James and Teddy released their first Black Marlin estimated at 400 lbs. On day five the trio went 3 for 5 on Black Marlin for a total of 5 releases for the week.

Charles Cannizaro released his first Black Marlin estimated at 400 lbs. Teddy Freund Jr. also had his first Black Marlin release, an estimated 350 lb fish. Simone Battiferri and Maria Ramirez also visited us at the lodge this week. This Argentinean couple has a great trip. Simone released his first Black Marlin this week. The couple fished many days inshore and did they ever do well. I do remember one afternoon in particular when they returned with all smiles and off course understood why when the mate opened the fish box. Inside were 2 Cubera Snappers, 2 Amberjacks, 8 Groupers, 2 Corvinas, and many different species of jacks.

Arlon Jahnke and Mark Messenger also joined us this week. Mark released his first Black Marlin estimated at 450 lbs. and Arlon also released his first Black Marlin around 400 lbs. Both Arlon and Mark explored the inshore waters extensively this week and came back with some impressive fish stories, including Mark’s estimated 65 lb Roosterfish.

Russ Simone and Russ Kodner were also here this week. Russ Simone released his first Black Marlin estimated at 400 lbs. These two guys fished non-stop for the entire trip. After returning to the docks at 3:00 pm it was straight on to a panga for the evening bite. There were loads of stories at the dinner table when they returned each evening with inshore fish including roosterfish, amberjacks, snappers and tons of various jacks.

Other catches of note were by Joseph Manteiga who released his first Black Marlin estimated at 400 lbs, Gert Folk who also released his first Black Marlin around 450 lbs and Dan Vincent’s first Black Marlin which averaged 325 lbs.

Russ Simone and Russ Kodner were also here this week. Russ Simone released his first Black Marlin estimated at 400 lbs. These two guys fished non-stop for the entire trip. After returning to the docks at 3:00 pm it was straight on to a panga for the evening bite. There were loads of stories at the dinner table when they returned each evening with inshore fish including roosterfish, amberjacks, snappers and tons of various jacks. Other catches of note were by Joseph Manteiga who released his first Black Marlin estimated at 400 lbs, Gert Folk who also released his first Black Marlin around 450 lbs and Dan Vincent’s first Black Marlin which averaged 325 lbs.

The bite has definitely turned on this week. The Reef was loaded with baitfish and the billfish were right in the mix feeding on the bonito schools. Everyone got a piece of the action!

Eric Sodemann and Kevin May visited us at the lodge this week. Eric released his first Black Marlin estimated at 600 lbs. and his first Blue Marlin around 400 lbs. His buddy Kevin also scored well; releasing his first Black Marlin estimated at 400 lbs. and first Blue Marlin around 400 lbs. They released three Marlins on the first day and ended up with 8 marlin releases over six days fishing.

Paul Maris and Sid Smith also flew in this week all the way from the United Kingdom. Paul had his sights on a Black Marlin for a long time. On the first day out he hooked into a monster, estimated at 700+ lbs. This was his first ever Black Marlin and a great catch indeed which earned him a ROYAL BILLFISH SLAM. This is the highest achievement awarded by the IGFA and is given to and angler who catches all nine billfish species. Congratulations Paul on your achievement! Sid also released his first Black Marlin estimated at 500 lbs. Both anglers released 7 marlins during the trip.

Dan Bradley and his wife Robin Von Haven came to Tropic Star Lodge for their first time. This couple had never been big game fishing before. Dan released his first Black Marlin on the first day out. Robin also got her shot at his majesty the Black Marlin, releasing an estimated 600 lb. fish. With 8 marlin releases for the week they are sure to return home with great tales of their Tropic Star Experience.

George, Mike and Jared Gillman returned to Tropic Star Lodge for their second visit. Mike hooked into his first Black Marlin around 500 lbs and after a lengthy battle, got his release. This fish earned Mike a ROYAL BILLFISH SLAM the highest achievement awarded by IGFA.

We welcomed Richard and Yvonne Buckley back to Tropic Star Lodge. This has been their 35th trip to Pinas Bay. Yvonne celebrated her 73rd Marlin release on stand-up tackle.

Brad Kaplan and Erin Mcniff also visited Pinas Bay this week. Erin released her first Black Marlin estimated at 550 lbs. and Brad released his first Black Marlin around 350 lbs.

Paul Bent and Tony Bozella were also at the lodge this week. Paul released his first Black Marlin estimated at 400 lbs. and his fishing buddy and light tackle expert, released his first Black Marlin around 300 lbs. With the marlin out of the way, this pair of anglers decided to explore the fantastic inshore opportunities around Pinas Bay. Paul was rewarded with a monstrous 65 lb. Roosterfish.

Andrea Capurro and Claudio Marsomino flew all the way in from Italy to Pinas Bay. Andrea released his first Black Marlin estimated at 400 lbs. and Claudio released his first Black Marlin around 600 lbs.

The Botek family, Christopher, Margaret and Francis, also visited us this week at Pinas Bay. Chris released his first Black Marlin around 300 lbs.

Christopher Bolin and his wife Gunilla Folhstrom returned to Tropic Star Lodge for their second trip. Gunilla released her first Blue Marlin estimated at 400 lbs.

Dan Erb and William Clark were also here for the week. William released his first Black Marlin around 400 lb.

James and Ryan Sears released a respectable 4 Black Marlin and 1 Blue Marlin during the week.

Jan. 31 - Feb. 7

Looking back at last week’s record breaking 95 marlin releases one can only wonder how many billfish really cruise around the waters of Pinas Bay and the Zane Gray Reef. The crews were ready to do it all over again, however the tide had turned. The bite went cold. But as fast as the marlin quit biting, large schools of giant Yellowfin Tunas came to take their place and provide our guests with some grueling battles and sore arms.

Donald Wittenbach caught a hefty 155 LB. Yellowfin Tuna and his wife Franiatan took 2 Yellowfin Tunas weighing 125 lbs. and 136 lbs; all on one day’s day fishing.

Mike Preston and John Eckland visited us here at the lodge this week and really got into some great fishing. They released a total of 4 Black Marlin and 2 Blue Marlin.

Lars Morris and J. Nelson Abanto also visited us this week. Lars released his first Black Marlin estimated at around 350 lbs. and his buddy Nelson also scored his first Black Marlin estimated at 400 lbs.

Jan. 24 - Jan. 31

Marlin! Marlin! Marlin! This was the shout from the flybridge all week. His majesty the Black Marlin showed up in massive numbers on the reef, and talk about phenomenal fishing; our guests released an incredible 95 Marlins this week alone, a new Tropic Star Lodge record. These fish were big too, many in the 600-700 lb range. It was absolute mayhem on the Zane Grey and I had to see this for myself. It was indeed a sight to see 6 boats all hooked up at the same time, backing down on jumping fish.

ill Wilson and Nikki Haley were definitely the stars of this show. The couple had been coming here for eight seasons and had never seen a bite like this one. They released an unbelievable 20 MARLIN in just six days of fishing. I remembered on Wednesday they chugged in to the dock flying 6 release flags, a personal best for both anglers. Who could ever dream that this was ever possible? Well as Bill put it “only at Tropic Star Lodge”. Congratulations Bill and Nikki on a job well done! This would be a tough number to top.

Glen Rousseau, William Gache and William Leffler were also fortunate to be here this week for this once in a lifetime bite. William Gache released his first BLACK MARLIN on this trip and William Leffler also released his first BLUE MARLIN. The three anglers released 8 BLACK MARLIN and 1 BLUE MARLIN in over the week.

David Williams and Guillermo Garcia were also here at the lodge this week. David released is first BLACK MARLIN estimated at 550 lbs. David also accomplished a GRAND SLAM on the 3rd day out, releasing a BLACK MARLIN, BLUE MARLIN and PACIFIC SAILFISH. The two anglers released a total of 10 Marlin in 6 days of fishing. Congratulations!

Michael Bonsignore and his wife Sheila also came this week and shared in the great fishing. Both Michael and Sheila released their first BLUE MARLIN estimated at 550 lbs and 350 lbs respectively. On the 4th day out the couple released an amazing 5 BLACK MARLIN and also caught a really nice YELLOWFIL TUNA weighing 103 lbs. They released a total of 10 Marlin during the 6 days of fishing. Excellent!

Mark and Tom Mahaffery, William Wilkes and Ryan and Fred Razook and Carl Lambrecht flew to Pinas Bay with expectations of great fishing and got exactly what any fisherman would hope for.... Ryan released his first BLUE MARLIN on this trip, a huge fish estimated at 750 lbs. He also had his first shot at an estimated 500 lb BLACK MARLIN and got that release. Also, William, Fred and Carl all released their first BLACK MARLIN on this trip. Together, fishing on two boats the group released 11 BLACK MARLIN and 2 BLUE MARLIN. What a great result.

John, Difedrico, Mark Miller and Tom Reid were also here in Pinas Bay this week. Tom released his first BLACK MARLIN estimated at 350 lbs. These guys released a total of 7 marlin and 3 sails during the week.

Thorsten Ritter a regular here at Tropic Star, brought his friend Jason Bunge to enjoy the Tropic Star Experience. Jason released his first BLACK MARLIN on the first day out. They were consistent thought the week, releasing a total of 7 Black Marlin.

Sarah MacRae was also here all the way from Minnesota. She had lots of shots at Marlin and released her first BLACK MARLIN estimated at 400 lbs. She released 4 marlins during the week.

Aivar Slucis came to Tropic Star alone and also got into the fish. He released his first BLACK MARLIN on the first day out. He also had a shot at an estimated 220 lb STRIPED MARLIN and got the release. Six marlin in six days fishing, Great Job!

Martin and his wife Elaine Hirsch has been coming to Pinas Bay for many years for the January bite. Martin released a total of 4 marlins during the week.

Phil Sanders was also here and released 5 BLACK MARLIN over 6 days of fishing.

With such a hot bite on there’s no doubt that this season is shaping up to be one of the best ever!

Jan. 17 - Jan. 24

Jan. 3 - Jan. 10

This week was indeed a great week for fishing. The blue marlin bite was further offshore but those who were patient enough to stick it out on the reef were well rewarded with a few large Black Marlin.

Dwayne and Sandy Moreland were the stars of Tropic Star this week. Not only did Dwayne release his first BLACK MARLIN on the first day out, both he and his wife Sandy released 3 more BLACK MARLIN on that day, including a double header. He also had a shot at an estimated 800 lb BLUE MARLIN and got the release. Together the couple released 9 marlin and 9 sails over the 6 days of fishing.

Jeter Yates, Jeter Yates Jr., Alfred Fields and Carol Coleman Yates were also here this week and had some great action. Both Alfred and Jeter Jr. released their first BLACK MARLIN estimated at 450 and 375 lbs respectively. Carol Coleman released her first BLUE MARLIN and PACIFIC SAILFISH.

Daniel Bell and Gerard Barrett were also here at Pinas Bay for six days of fishing. Daniel released both his first BLACK MARLIN and BLUE MARLIN. The both anglers released a total of 4 Blacks and 2 Blues over the course of the week along with 8 PACIFIC SAILFISH.

Dennis Bracken, James Mc Breen, Kevin Mc Breen and Ernie Spellman were also here for some offshore fishing. Dennis, Ernie and Kevin all released their first BLACK MARLIN on this trip. Dennis’s fish was estimated at 600+ lbs. James and Ernie also released their first PACIFIC SAILFISH.

William Heron and Michael Brown visited us this week for six days of fishing. William released his first BLACK MARLIN estimated at 450 lbs. He also released his first PACIFIC SAILFISH estimated at 120 lbs. Michael also shared the same fate releasing his first BLACK MARLIN and also his first PACIFIC SAILFISH.

Matthew Love and his wife Wendy also joined us this week at the lodge. Wendy released both her first BLACK and BLUE MARLIN on this trip.

Martin and Mitchell Firestein was here this week and also scored well on billfish. Martin released his first BLACK and BLUE MARLIN and Mitchell released his first BLUE MARLIN. The scored a decent 5 Marlins and 6 Sailfish.

Thomas Maracle and Greg DeMille were also here this week. Greg released his first BLACK MARLIN and 2 others during the trip. One of the Blacks was estimated at 650 Lbs. He also had a shot of his first PACIFIC SAILFISH and got a release.

Gregory Fulford and Bayard Brandt also joined us at Pinas Bay for some offshore action. Both anglers released their first Pacific BLUE MARLIN. Gregory also caught a beautiful 170 lb YELLOWFIN TUNA.

Albert Battoo
Dock Master

Dec. 27 - Jan. 3

On behalf of Tropic Star Lodge we would like to wish you all a HAPPY NEW YEAR! The season is definitely off to a great start and the billfish are around and biting. The fish are scattered about and there are also good numbers of yellowfin tuna around further offshore.

We were joined this week by Margot Vincent who has been coming here for 25 years. This time she brought her grandson Kyle down for the first time to enjoy the Tropic Star experience. Margot been an avid fly angler for many years and held many IGFA world records. Well, this time it was Kyle’s turn on the rod. He hooked into a monster YELLOWFIN TUNA on the second day. Remember that Kyle is only twelve years old. He fought the fish for a grueling 2 hours on 50lb. line and never gave up. Margot coached him through the entire fight and the mate was finally able to get the gaff into the monster fish. It was straight back to the docks to get a weight, an incredible 225.4 LBS. This yellowfin tuna shattered the existing Junior IGFA record which stood at 190.5 lbs. Another Pending IGFA Record caught at Tropic Star Lodge. Kyle did not stop there. Over the next few days he released his First BLACK MARLIN estimated at 350 lbs, and also released his first BLUE MARLIN approximately 400 Lbs. He also released a further 2 Blue Marlin over the week and 4 PACIFIC SAILFISH for a week GRAND SLAM. Congratulations Kyle of your pending junior IGFA record and a week of amazing fishing!

 Marshall and his wife Laurie Klimasewisky also joined us this week for some fishing action and had a great 4 days of action. Marshall released his first 2 BLACK MARLINS estimated at 400 and 200 lbs each. He also released his first PACIFIC SAILFISH. Laurie also did well releasing her first BLACK MARLIN and PACIFIC SAILFISH. Well done!

Paul, Judith and Michael Knowles were also here this week to celebrate the New Year. Michael Knowles released his first BLACK MARLIN estimated at 400lbs. on the first day out. Paul also had a shot at his first 350+ Black Marlin and got a release. He also went on to release a BLUE MARLIN and PACIFIC SAILFISH over the other days and achieved a week GRAND SLAM.

Raymond Demere, Loyd Pattegrew Harry Teaslie and Harry Demere were also here this week. Raymond released his first BLACK MARLIN and PACIFIC SAILFISH. Harry Teaslie and Harry Demere both released their first PACIFIC SAILFISH.

Mark Davis and his son Wes visited us this week for some six days of fishing. Mark is from California and does a great deal of fishing out of Kona, Hawaii. Wes had a shot at his first BLACK MARLIN and got a release.

Lawrence and his wife Memory brought their kids Julien, Hannah and friend William Norcott down for the Holidays. Lawrence released his first BLACK MARLIN estimated at 500 lbs. His daughter also released her first PACIFIC SAILFISH.

 We were also joined by the Slaton family this weekSteve and his wife Roberta and also Spencer, Steve Jr., Samantha and Christopher Sarpy. Steve Jr. released his first BLUE MARLIN estimated at 400 lbs. and Spencer released his first PACIFIC SAILFISH. Samantha also caught her first Dorado on this trip.

George and his wife Kim Powell also joined us this week. Kim released her first BLACK MARLIN and George landed a monster Dorado estimated to 80 lbs.

Jim and Alex Trichak also visited us at the lodge for some offshore fishing. Jim released his first BLACK MARLIN, a monster estimated at 650 lbs.

Albert Battoo  Dock Master