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GREETINGS FROM THE TROPICS 1/23/10  ANOTHER OUTSTANDING WEEK OF FISHING HERE AT
PESCA PANAMA. OUR ANGLERS HAD IDEAL FISHING CONDITIONS, EXPERIENCING LIGHT
BREEZES, CALM SEAS, AND A OCEAN FULL OF HUNGRY FISH! GETTING IN ON THE FISHING
ACTION WERE ANGLERS HARRY AND HOBIE LOWELL, KEN AND FRANK GARCIA, ROSS HOOKER
AND MARK FIRING, TED MERLETTI AND MIKE PELL, DAVE BACCA AND TOM POORE AND PESCA
PANAMA'S MAN TO GO TO ON THE WEST COAST, RICKY ZUNIGA.SINCE RICKY LIVES NEAR MELTON TACKLE IN ANAHEIM
CALIFORNIA, I HAD ASKED HIM IF HE WOULD MIND BEING A MULE FOR ME AND BRING DOWN
A LOAD OF FISHING TACKLE FOR US. HE AGREED AND THE PESCA PANAMA'S CAPTAINS WERE
ALL EXCITED ABOUT THE FISHING TACKLE RE-SUPPLY.
THIS WAS ANOTHER GREAT WEEK OF MIXED BAG
FISHING. OFFSHORE, BLACK AND BLUE MARLIN TO 450 LBS WERE FEEDING ON HANNIBAL
BANK AND AT MONTUOSA ISLAND. MARK AND HOBIE LED THE WAY LANDING A 450 LB AND 400
LB BLACK MARLIN RESPECTIVELY. POPPING FOR YELLOWFIN TUNA PRODUCED LOTS OF
CATCHES BETWEEN 20 AND 100 LBS. TOM AND RICKY FOUGHT A TUNA ESTIMATED AT 250
LBS FOR 1.5 HOURS BEFORE THE HOOK PULLED AT THE LEADER. BIG SAILFISH ARE STILL
IN THE AREA WITH SOME NICE SIZED DORADO MIXED IN. A FRIEND OF MINE FROM FLORIDA
TOLD ME THAT HE CAUGHT THE LARGEST DORADO THIS WEEK THAT HE HAD EVER SEEN. HE
SAID IT WEIGHTED JUST OVER 60 LBS. NOW THAT IS EITHER AN X- LARGE BULL DORADO
OR A LOT OF BULL SHIT! HA
INSHORE, WE HAD GOOD ROOSTERFISH, CUBERA
SNAPPER, BLUE TREVALLY AND JACK CREVALLE ACTION ON TOP WATER WHILE FISHING NEAR
COIBA ISLAND. CAPTAIN TATIN'S ANGLERS ALSO CAUGHT 15 BARRACUDA ONE MORNING
WHILE CASTING POPPERS. I HAD NEVER HEARD OF THAT HAPPENING. YOU JUST NEVER KNOW
WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN YOU ARE FISHING AROUND HERE.
BOTTOM FISHING NEAR JICARON AND JICARITA ISLANDS
THIS WEEK WAS FANTASTIC. TED AND MIKE HAD SOME 40 PLUS FISH DAYS. THE CATCH
INCLUDED; AMBERJACK, MULLET SNAPPER, CUBERA SNAPPER, SIERRA MACKEREL, YELLOW
SNAPPER, SILK SNAPPER, SEVERAL KINDS OF GROUPERS, POMPANO AND BIG RAINBOW
RUNNERS.
KENNY AND FRANK FOUGHT A ESTIMATED 9 FT LONG
BULL SHARK FOR 45 MINUTES BEFORE THEY WRESTLED IT TO THE BOAT. WHEN THE MATE
WENT FOR THE LEADER THE SHARK JUMPED OUT OF THE WATER, OPENED ITS' JAWS, SPUN
AROUND IN MID AIR SLAMMING INTO THE SIDE OF THE BOAT AND THEN DOVE. WHEN THE
EXCITEMENT WAS OVER KENNY DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE THAT THE ROD AND REEL HAD LEFT HIS
HANDS AND WAS NOW PART OF THE INVENTORY OF DAVY JONES LOCKER. NOT QUITE LIKE
THE STREAM FISHING IN COLORADO THESE ANGLERS ARE ACCUSTOMED TO.
I HAVE ASKED RICKY Z TO HELP WRITE THE FISHING
REPORT THIS WEEK. HE CAN GIVE THE FISHING REPORT HIS "WEST COAST SPIN," PLUS I
THINK IT IS ALWAYS GOOD TO GET ANOTHER PERSONS TAKE ON THE WEEK'S FISHING
ACTION. SO LET HER RIP RICKY!
THANKS JAY, HERE WE GO! DAVE, TOM AND
MYSELF DECIDED TO MAKE A RUN TO MONTUOSA TO LOOK FOR A FEW YELLOWFIN. WE WERE
ABOUT 5 MILES ON THE LEEWARD SIDE OF MONTUOSA WHEN WE SPOTTED BIRDS WORKING. THE
SKIPPER MADE A BEE LINE FOR THE BITE AND SURE ENOUGH YELLOWFIN WERE FEEDING.
DAVE'S FIRST CAST WITH A POPPER AND "HOOK UP." DAVE PUTS THE SCREWS TO HIM AND
THE 100 LB+ YELLOWFIN IS ON THE DECK. NICE WAY TO START THE DAY.
 THIS WAS TOM'S FIRST TIME WITH PESCA PANAMA AND
IN MY OPINION, HE WENT AWAY WITH A GOOD MIX OF PANAMA'S ABUNDANCE OF GAME
FISH. WHILE TROLLING ON THE BANK, THE CLICKER WENT OFF, LINE WAS PEELING OUT
AND WE WERE NOW LOCKED INTO WHAT WE THOUGHT MIGHT BE A BLACK MARLIN. IN TIME WE
SAW NO JUMPING AND THEN THE LINE STARTING HEADING DEEP, THEN SOME HEAD SHAKING,
THAT'S WHEN WE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT WAS ON THE LINE. TOM PLAYED THAT YELLOWFIN WITH
EVERYTHING HE COULD MUSTER! AFTER AN HOUR HE ASKED ME TO TAKE OVER. I JUMPED IN
MY HARNESS AND IT WAS OFF TO THE RODEO! THIS BAD BOY HAD MY KNEES PINNED TO THE
GUNNELS AND I WAS APPLYING ALL MY WEIGHT INTO THE HARNESS! WITHIN HALF AN HOUR
WE HAD COLOR. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT THERE IS SOMETHING SO EXCITING SEEING
A COW COMING UP WITH THOSE BEAUTIFUL LONG SICKLES!BACK TO IT, WE GET IT TO LEADER 2 TIMES AND ON
THE THIRD TIME THE DECK HAND GRABS THE LEADER, ROLLS IT AROUND FOR A GAFF SHOT
AND THAT'S WHEN IT HAPPENED, THE HOOK PULLS, RIPPING OUT THE CORNER OF ITS'
MOUTH! TOM AND I BOTH SIGH THAT IT'S OVER. EXHAUSTED, WE JUST STARE AT EACH
OTHER AND SHRUG OUR SHOULDERS. TOM ALSO BROUGHT TWO LARGE SAILS TO LEADER ALONG
WITH A FEW DODO'S OFF THE BANK. BETWEEN THE
SHORT BITES AND THE SAILS FIGHTING FOR THE BAITS TOM HAD A GREAT
TIME.
LOTS OF BIG FISH CAUGHT THIS WEEK, LOTS OF BIG
FISH RELEASED THIS WEEK AND SOME BIG FISH MISSED THIS WEEK. WE HAD OUR HIGH
POINTS AND SOME LOW POINTS. BUT ALL THE TIME WE WERE MAKING FISHING STORIES THAT
CAN BE TOLD OVER AND OVER WHILE SITTING AROUND THE BAR AND THE BEST PART IS THE
MORE YOU DRINK THE BIGGER THE FISH GET.
1/14/10
WHAT A BETTER WAY TO START THE DECADE THAN TO
WELCOME BACK VETERAN ANGLER AND WRITER, AL RISTORI. AL'S HISTORY OF FISHING
THIS AREA GOES BACK TO 1973 AND THE
 START OF THE NOW LONG GONE, CLUB PACIFICO.
AL CAN BE CREDITED WITH BEING THE ANGLER THAT INTRODUCED "POPPER FISHING" TO THE
AREA. A LOT OF OUR FISHING TECHNIQUES HAVE CHANGED SINCE THEN WITH
THE INVENTION OF GRAPHITE RODS, SPECTRA LINE, BIG POPPING LURES AND $1,000
SPINNING REELS. BUT SOME THINGS HAVE REMAINED THE SAME. THE "PENCIL POPPER"
LURE WILL STILL EFFECTIVELY CATCH FISH AND AL IS STILL REELING THEM
IN.CAPTAIN BEN FLOYD HAS RETURNED FOR HIS 10TH YEAR
TO HELP GIVE ME A HAND WITH THE FISHING. BEN GOT A "KITCHEN PASS" FOR 10 WEEKS
FROM HIS WIFE NICOLE. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK HER FOR SHARING BEN'S TIME WITH
US. BEN IS ALWAYS A BIG HELP TO OUR ANGLERS AND THE CREW OF PESCA PANAMA.
WELCOME BACK BEN!
 I WOULD LIKE TO THANK RETURNING ANGLER JOE REAP
FOR GETTING THIS WEEK'S GROUP OF ANGLERS TOGETHER. FISHING ALONG WITH AL
RISTORI WAS JOE FARRELL, DOMINIC DINAPOLI, JOE HALL, DAVID RIEMAN, BILL BAROSKA,
STEVE COLUMBE AND BOB DUFFY. WE ALSO WELCOMED HUSBAND AND WIFE ANGLERS, TRICIA
AND CHRIS MANZINI ON THEIR FIRST FISHING TRIP TO PANAMA.MOTHER NATURE SEEMED TO CONSPIRE AGAINST US THIS
WEEK. WE FOUND THE FISHING MUCH SLOWER THAN NORMAL AS THE FISH WERE OFF THE
BITE. EVEN WHEN WE GOT INTO A HUGE SCHOOL OF YELLOWFIN TUNA AND ALL THE
CONDITIONS LOOKED RIGHT, WITH PORPOISE AND TUNA JUMPING IN THE AIR AND FLOCKS OF
BIRDS CIRCLED OVERHEAD, THE FISH WERE SLOW TO BITE. THIS COMBINED WITH DAYS OF
HIGH WINDS FROM A DEEP LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM THAT SEEMED TO STALL RIGHT ON TOP OF
THE ISTHMUS OF PANAMA MADE FOR A TOUGH WEEK OF FISHING.
BUT EVEN WITH THESE LESS THAN FAVORABLE FISHING
CONDITIONS THERE WERE SOME NICE CATCHES MADE. THE MANZINI'S, WHILE
CONCENTRATING ON THE INSHORE FISHING, CAUGHT A MIXED BAG OF FISH INCLUDING
THREE ROOSTERFISH THAT WEIGHTED UP TO 50 LBS. AS THE WEEK WENT ON THEY ADDED
CUBERA SNAPPER, AMBERJACK, YELLOW SNAPPER, PINK SNAPPER, HORSE EYED JACK, JACK
CREVALLE , SEVERAL SPECIES OF SHARKS AND NUMEROUS OTHER SPECIES TO THEIR
CATCH.
OFFSHORE A COUPLE OF BIG PACIFIC SAILFISH WERE
CAUGHT AND RELEASE BY JOE REAP AND STEVE COLUMBE. WHILE MARLIN FISHING AT
MONTUOSA AND HANNIBAL BANK THERE WERE MANY DORADOS CAUGHT ON POPPERS, SWIM
BAITS, AND BELLY BAITS. SEVERAL YELLOWFIN TUNA UP TO 120 LBS WERE ALSO
LANDED WHILE FISHING NEAR MONTUOSA ISLAND.
OUR ANGLERS PUT IN A LOT OF TIME THIS
WEEK TRYING TO REPEAT THEIR SUCCESSFUL CATCHING OF 11 BLACK MARLIN WHILE FISHING
WITH US LAST YEAR. WITH DAYS PUT INTO THE FISHING EFFORT ON HANNIBAL BANK FOR
MARLIN, IT WAS NOT TO BE. JOE HALL CAUGHT AND RELEASED ONE BLACK MARLIN THAT WAS
IN THE 450 CLASS. WE ARE HOPING THAT NEXT WEEK THE WIND DIES DOWN AND THE
FISHING PICKS BACK UP.
12/5/09 WOW, WHAT A WEEK OF FISHING! BLACK AND BLUE
MARLIN, YELLOWFIN TUNA, DORADO, ROOSTERFISH AND BIG CUBERA SNAPPERS. TRAVIS
PETERSON STAYED ON THIS WEEK TO FISH WITH HIS DAD, JUDD PETERSON. OTHER ANGLERS
THIS WEEK INCLUDED;
JUDD BROUGHT WITH HIM A COUPLE OF THE DAIWA
ELECTRIC REELS FOR BOTTOM JIGGING. LIKE I HAVE SAID BEFORE, THE FAST RETRIEVE
OF THESE REELS GET THE FISH SO EXCITED THAT THEY CAN'T SEEM TO RESIST
STRIKING. AFTER THE FISH IS HOOKED THE ANGLER PLAYS THE
 FISH JUST AS YOU WOULD
ON A CONVENTIONAL REEL. TRAVIS SAID THIS WAS THE BEST JIG BITE HE HAD EVER
SEEN! OH COURSE TRAVIS IS KNOWN TO SPIN A FEW FISHING YARNS AFTER HE TOSSES
BACK A FEW BEERS. WHILE JUDD WAS FISHING ON HANNIBAL BANK HE HOOKED A BLACK
MARLIN JUST AFTER HE PUT OUT A LIVE
BONITA. AFTER 2 1/2 HRS HE RELEASED THE ESTIMATED 450 BLACK MARLIN. STILL NOT
DONE YET, THEY GOT INTO A WIDE OPEN DORADO BITE WHERE YOU COULD CATCH ALL THE
DORADO YOU WANTED. THE SURPRISING THING IS JUDD SURVIVED IT. NOT BAD FOR A MAN
BORN BACK IN 1946.PETER AND DOUG FIRED UP THEIR NEW 300 HP SUZUKIS
AND BLASTED OFF FOR HANNIBAL BANK. PETER SAID THEIR LINES WERE NOT IN THE
WATER TWO MINUTES WHEN A BLACK MARLIN STRUCK THE BLACK BART BIG BREAKFAST LURE
HE HAD CHOSEN TO PUT OUT. WHAT A WAY TO BREAK IN A NEW BOAT. AT RELEASE THEY
ESTIMATED, NOW YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT THESE ARE SALMON FISHING GUYS, THE FISH
TO BE IN THE 400 LB CLASS. HOW MANY 400 LB SALMON HAS ANYONE EVER SEEN? BUT THE
SIZE DIDN'T MATTER NEARLY AS MUCH AS IT WAS THEIR FIRST BLACK MARLIN IN THEIR
NEW BOAT. CONGRATULATIONS GUYS.
PAULY, DAN AND CAPTAIN MIKE HAD A GOOD EVENING
FISHING AT THE SECRET BEACH. MIKE HAD BEEN WATCHING THE TIDES AND WANTED TO
FISH THE LAST HALF OF THE FLOOD TIDE ONE EVENING. WELL HE HAD IT FIGURED OUT
RIGHT. WHEN THE TALLY FOR THE EVEINING WAS MADE THEY HAD CAUGHT ROOSTERFISH,
JACK CREVALLE, BLUE TREVALLE, MULLET SNAPPERS, POMPANO, SIERRA MACKEREL,
YELLOW SNAPPERS AND THESE WERE JUST
THE SPECIES THEY COULD REMEMBER.
GARY HAD A BIG DAY AT HANNIBAL BANK WHEN HE
CAUGHT AND
 RELEASED AN ESTIMATED 400 LB BLACK MARLIN PLUS BOATED A YELLOWFIN
TUNA THAT WEIGHTED 252 LBS. THEN HE TOPPED OFF HIS CATCH WITH 4 BIG DORADO AND
A ROOSTERFISH CAUGHT OFF THE BEACH ON THE WAY BACK TO THE BARGE. NOW THAT MY
FRIENDS IS A GREAT DAY OF FISHING IN ANY BODIES BOOK! BUT GARY'S FISHING LUCK
WAS STILL WITH HIM. THE NEXT DAY WHILE SLOW TROLLING A LIVE BONITA AT HANNIBAL
BANK HE CAUGHT AN ESTIMATED 250 LB. BLACK MARLIN. THEN AFTER A SHORT RUN OVER
TO MONTUOSA ISLAND HE LANDED ANOTHER MARLIN. THIS TIME IT WAS A BLUE MARLIN,
ESTIMATED AT 450 LBS, THAT FELL FOR ONE OF THE OLD TIME FAVORITE TROLLING LURES,
A MEAN JOE GREEN. NOW I AM NOT GOING INTO THE DETAILS ABOUT THE NEXT MARLIN HE
HOOKED. BUT HE SAID WHEN IT CAME OUT OF THE WATER IT WAS BIGGER THAN THE OTHER
TWO MARLIN COMBINED!T0M AND BRUCE WERE THE DORADO KINGS THIS
WEEK. ONE DAY THEY LANDED 15 DORADO AND MISSED A CHANCE AT A BLACK MARLIN. THEN
A BIG YELLOWFIN TUNA CAME UNBUCKLED RIGHT AT THE BOAT. OUT THE NEXT DAY AND
THEY CAUGHT ANOTHER 25 DORADO AND WERE BACK TO THE BARGE FOR LUNCH. BUT THE BEST
WAS YET TO COME! ON THE LAST DAY WHILE SLOW TROLLING LIVE BONITA NEAR ISLA
LADRONES THEY HAD A DOUBLE HOOK-UP ON BLACK MARLIN. THE SMALLER OF THE TWO
MARLIN CAME UNBUCKLED AFTER A COUPLE OF MINUTES. BRUCE FOUGHT THE LARGER OF THE
TWO FISH AND HAD IT TO LEADER IN AN HOUR AND THEN THE BIG FISH SOUNDED. ON 50
LB STAND-UP TACKLE HE FOUGHT ON FOR ANOTHER 2 1/2 HRS BEFORE THE ESTIMATED 700
LB BLACK MARLIN WAS RELEASED. NOW HERE IS ANOTHER FISHING STORY THAT IS GOING TO
BE TOLD FOR YEARS. CONGRATULATIONS BRUCE.
I THINK IT WAS LAID AND JIM THAT LANDED THE MOST
SPECIES OF FISH. THEY ALSO DID GOOD ON CATCHING DORADO, LANDING 20 IN ONE DAY.
ADDED TO THEIR DORADO CATCH WERE CATCHES OF; CUBERA SNAPPER, MULLET SNAPPER,
YELLOWFIN TUNA, BARRACUDA, TRIPLE TAIL, JACK CREVALLE, ROOSTERFISH, BLUE
TREVALLE, HORSE EYE JACK, AMBERJACK, ROCK SNAPPER AND YELLOW SNAPPER. YOU WILL
SEE SOME HAPPY FACES OF THESE ANGLERS WHEN YOU SEE THEIR GREAT
PHOTOS.
WE ENJOYED OUTSTANDING WEEK FISHING THIS WEEK.
THE FISH WERE HERE, THE SEAS WERE CALM AND THE COMPANY WAS GREAT. THANKS TO ALL
OF YOU FOR COMING TO FISH WITH PESCA PANAMA. WE HOPE TO HAVE ALL OF YOU FISHING
WITH US IN THE FUTURE.
TIGHT LINES,
CAPTAINS JAY GUSTIN AND TRAVIS
PETERSON
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WHERE WE ONCE MEASURED OUR TIME SPENT FISHING IN HOURS, DAYS, WEEKS AND YEARS. WE CAN NOW COUNT IT IN DECADES. THE YEAR 2010
MARKS THE START OF OUR 11TH YEAR OF FISHING IN PANAMA. WHEN WE FIRST DECIDED TO
START FISHING THIS AREA WE KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE GOOD, BUT WE HAD NO IDEA HOW
GREAT IT WAS GOING TO BE. SO WITH 10 YEARS OF FISHING IN PANAMA BEHIND US,
PESCA PANAMA IS LOOKING FORWARD TO ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL DECADE OF
FISHING.
TOM AULIK, BRUCE CARLSON, FISHING GUIDE MIKE AUGAT, PAUL
DINERSTEIN, DAN HUTCHINSON, LAID AND JIM PHLKAS. COUSIN PETER GUSTIN AND DOUG
SPRAGGETT WERE FISHING OUT OF A NEW BOAT THEY HAD SHIPPED DOWN THIS YEAR FROM
CANADA. WITH THIS VARIED GROUP IT WAS FUN JUST HEARING ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT
FISHING AS WE HAD BOATS HEADED TO ALL POINTS ON THE COMPASS.|
RETURNING TO PANAMA IS MORE OF A HOMECOMING THAN A FISHING TRIP TO ME. ANYONE RETURNING TO FISH WITH JAY AND THE PESCA PANAMA CREW WOULD AGREE THAT STEPPING ONTO THE BARGE IS NOT DIFFERENT THAN VISITING OLD FRIENDS. THE SAME YOUNG AGGRESSIVE CAPTAINS ARE STILL HERE AND JAY, AS ALWAYS GREETS YOU WITH A SMILE. PAST FISHING MEMORIES AND NEW ANTICIPATIONS COMBINE TOGETHER IN THE EXCITEMENT OF THE TRIP TO COME. THIS YEAR WAS NO DIFFERENT.
THIS GROUP OF ANGLERS IS NOT YOUR STANDARD RUN OF THE MILL, WANT TO CATCH A FEW FISH BUNCH OF GUYS. THESE GUYS NOT ONLY WANT TO CATCH FISH THEY WANT TO CATCH THEM THEIR WAY. ROD, DAVE CARLSON AD GREG ARE FLY FISHERMAN AND ARRIVED IN PANAMA WITH A PILE OF TACKLE. JUSTIN AND MIKE ARE TOP WATER FISHERMAN AND COME TO COIBA TO EXPERIENCE THE TOPWATER ACTION THIS AREA IS FAMOUS FOR.
ROD TOOK THE TALLY, 33 SPECIES THIS WEEK! YOU HAVE TO LOVE PANAMA! WE LUCKED INTO A DORADO LOG THIS WEEK SO FULL OF DORADO WE RELEASED FISH UNTIL WE WERE TIRED OF LANDING THEM! YOUNG ROD JOHNSON, AT 89 YEARS OLD, LANDED HIS FIRST EVER BLACK MARLIN ESTIMATED AT 400 POUNDS.
LEE HAD A HELL OF A DAY WHEN HE LANDED 8 WAHOO BY HIMSELF! THEN HE ADDED A YELLOWFIN TUNA TO HIS CATCH. THIS IS THE ONE TIME OF YEAR WHEN WAHOO, LOTS OF DORADO, YELLOWFIN TUNA AND BLACK MARLIN ARE ALL AVAILABLE.
GREG AND HIS BROTHER DAVID HAD THE CHANCE TO SEE A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING THIS WEEK. THE SECOND DAY OUT THE BROTHERS HOOKED AND LANDED A 80 LB YELLOWFIN ON TOP-WATER AND DAVE WENT ON TO CATCH HIS FIRST DORADO ON THE FLY! GREG AND DAVE CONTINUED TO HAVE GREAT LUCK SEEING GOOD ACTION ON THE SECRET BEACH AND EXPERIENCING WIDE OPEN DORADO FISHING.
ROD AND DAVE HAD GREAT LUCK OFFSHORE FISHING DORADO, BUT FOUND THE INSHORE ACTION A BIT SLOW ON THE FLY! DAVE DID MANAGE TO GET IN ON SOME SECRET BEACH ACTION AND LANDED A NUMBER OF JUVENILE CUBERA ON THE FLY. ROD ALSO FOUND A BIT OF LUCK INSHORE WHEN HE LANDED HIS FIRST BLACK SNOOK.
MIKE, JUSTIN AND LEE ARE CASTING FANATICS AND ALSO HAD TO WORK FOR THEIR INSHORE FISH THIS WEEK. THE GUYS DID MANAGE TO GET INTO SOME ACTION AND SAW GOOD NUMBERS OF DORADO. JUSTIN HAD THE FISH OF THE WEEK WHEN HE LANDED AN ESTIMATED 40 POUND MULLET SNAPPER ON TOP-WATER.
TIGHT LINES, CAPTAINS JAY GUSTIN AND TRAVIS PETERSON
Fishing Report - 12/1/09 TALK ABOUT EXCITEMENT, THE CREW OF PESCA PANAMA WAS PUMPED AS WE STARTED OUR 2009-2010 FISHING SEASON. OUR FLOATING HOME, "THE BARGE," IS IN THE BEST SHAPE IT HAS EVER BEEN IN. NEW GENERATOR, NEW A/C, AND LOT OF PAINT AND VARNISH. SHE LOOKS LIKE A WOMAN WITH LOTS OF MAKE-UP AND JEWELRY ON. OUR FIVE MONTHS OF HARD WORK CAN REALLY BE SEEN. ALL FIVE OF THE OCEAN MASTER BOATS HAVE BEEN DETAILED OUT AND LOOK GREAT. ADD IN $20,000 IN NEW RODS, REELS, RADIOS, TERMINAL TACKLE AND WE ARE READY TO HIT THE WATER.
OUR FIRST GROUP OF ANGLERS FOR THE SEASON WERE FROM BRAZIL. THEY INCLUDED; RODRIGO DUARTE, VINCENT LIMA, ANDRE ANDRADE, PAULO BIONE, CABE MOTA, HUMBERTO GARRIDO, MARCOS AKIRA, BRUNO CAMPOS, FABIANO CAMPOS, HAROLDO CAMPOS, ALEXANDRE ANTUNES, SERGIO DOS SANTO AND PAULO MARQUES. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY WELCOME TO ALL OF THESE ANGLERS AND A SPECIAL "THANK YOU" TO CABE MOTA AND RODRIGO DUARTE FOR HELPING PUT THIS FISHING TRIP TOGETHER. THIS IS CABE'S THIRD TIME TO FISH WITH PESCA PANAMA.
TUNA MANIA AT ISLA MONTUOSA IT HAPPENED THE AFTERNOON ON THE SECOND DAY OF FISHING. ALL FIVE OF OUR BOATS WERE FISHING AROUND ISLA MONTUOSA WHEN ONE OF THE CAPTAINS NOTICED THE WATER STARTING TO BOIL. HE QUICKLY CALLED IN ALL OF OTHER BOATS USING OUR NEW VHF RADIOS. WE HAD OUR FRIEND AND OWNER OF THE GPS STORE, DREW REGER, SUPPLY US WITH NEW VHF RADIOS WITH PRIVATE CHANNELS. NOW THE OTHER OPERATORS IN THE AREA CAN NOT LISTED IN ON OUR FISHING ACTION. KINDA SNEEKY!
WELL THE BOIL WENT OFF IN ONLY 90 FT OF WATER. THERE WERE FISH BREAKING THE SURFACE OF THE WATER EVERYWHERE YOU LOOKED! YELLOWFIN TUNA, CUBERA SNAPPER, MULLET SNAPPER, JACK CREVALLE, BLUE TREVALLE, HUGE RAINBOW RUNNERS, ROOSTERFISH AND ONE ANGLER SWORE HE SAW MOBIE DICK JUMP OUT OF THE WATER AND HIT HIS POPPER. THESE BRAZILIAN ANGLES ARE POPPER FISHERMEN AND THIS WAS POPPER HEAVEN IF THERE EVER WAS ONE!
BLACK MARLIN STALK THE BANK RODRIGO CAME TO PANAMA TO CATCH THE ONE FISH HE NEEDED TO COMPLETE HIS GRAND SLAM, A BLACK MARLIN. HE HAD HIS FIRST CHANCE WHILE TROLLING A PLASTIC LURE WEST OF ISLA LADRONES ON HIS FIRST DAY OF FISHING. AFTER TWENTY MINUTES OF FIGHTING THE BLACK MARLIN AND JUST ABOUT WITH IN REACH OF THE MATE TOUCHING THE LEADER THE MARLIN THREW THE HOOK. ON DAY THREE AT HANNIBAL BANK RODRIGO'S DREAM OF A GRAND SLAM CAME TRUE WHEN A BLACK MARLIN HOOKED-UP ON A TROLLED PLASTIC BAIT. HE WAS ABLE TO CATCH AND RELEASE THE BLACK MARLIN HE CAME TO PANAMA LOOKING FOR. CONGRATULATIONS RODRIGO ON COMPLETING YOUR GRAND SLAM!
SERIGO WAS ABLE THE CATCH AND RELEASE A BLACK MARLIN ESTIMATED TO WEIGH 500 LB. THE FISH WAS CAUGHT RIGHT ON TOP OF HANNIBAL BANK WHILE SLOW TROLLING A LIVE BONITA.
VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF FISHING OUR ANGLERS THIS WEEK ENJOYED CATCHING A BIG MIXED BAG OF FISH BOTH INSHORE AND OFFSHORE. BLACK MARLIN, YELLOWFIN TUNA, FALSE ALBACORE TUNA, HUGE RAINBOW RUNNERS AND MARAUDING SCHOOLS OF DORADO WERE TO BE CAUGHT OFFSHORE. INSHORE BIG CUBERAS WERE SNAPPING AT THE POPPERS. CABE CAUGHT AND RELEASED ONE THAT WAS IN THE 50 AND OVER LB CLASS. SEVERAL OTHER EXTRA LARGE CUBERAS WERE ALSO CAUGHT. ROOSTERFISH WERE ALSO CAUGHT ON POPPER AS WERE MANY KINDS OF HARD FIGHTING JACKS. JIGGING PRODUCED THE BIGGEST AND BEST CATCHES OF AMBERJACKS. MOST OF THIS WEEK'S FISH WERE EITHER CAUGHT ON POPPERS OR JIGS. VERY LITTLE NATURAL BAIT WAS USED. IT IS ALWAYS A PLEASURE FOR US TO HOST THE AVID FISHERMEN FROM BRAZIL AND WE EAGERLY AWAIT THEIR RETURN TO FISH WITH PESCA PANAMA.
TIGHT LINES, CAPTAIN JAY GUSTIN
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THIS WEEK WE WERE GLAD TO WELCOME BACK OUR GREAT FRIEND CAPTAIN TRAVIS PETERSON, OWNER OF ALASKA CHARTER SERVICE. TRAVIS CAME TO PANAMA FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS TO GIVE ME A HELPING HAND AND TO GET IN ON SOME OF THE FISHING ACTION. JOINING TRAVIS THIS WEEK WERE ANGLERS; GREG AND DAVE ROBERTS, MIKE KINGSLEY, JUSTIN ALLENSWORTH, DAVE CARLSON, ROD JOHNSON AND LEE MARGRAVE. SINCE TRAVIS IS THE ONE THAT STARTED THE, "GREETINGS FROM THE TROPICS," FISHING REPORT WHEN HE WAS A CAPTAIN FOR PESCA PANAMA, I ASK HIM AND HE AGREED TO PUT HIS "SPIN" ON THIS WEEK'S FISHING ACTION.