"Hi Jan
GREETINGS FROM THE TROPICS
WHAT A GREAT WAY TO SPEND YOUR 4TH OF JULY HOLIDAY GOING FISHING WITH
PESCA PANAMA.
TO START OFF, THE BIG NEW OF THE WEEK WAS THE WEATHER. A TROPICAL LOW SYSTEM HAD STALLED RIGHT OVER OUR HEADS AND WE EXPERIENCED BUCKETS OF RAIN. ALONG WITH THE RAIN WE HAD A BIG OCEAN SWELL THAT ONLY A SURFER COULD LOVE. THE GOOD NEW WAS THIS GROUP OF FISHERMEN WERE EITHER OKIES OR AGGIES AND THEY JUST KEPT ON CHEWIN, SPITTIN AND A FISHIN. THEY CAME TO FISH AND THAT IS WHAT THEY DID!
THE FIRST THREE DAYS THE PESCA PANAMA BARGE STAYED ANCHORED IN THE CALM LEE OF GAMAZ ISLAND WHILE THE FISHING BOATS WOULD EITHER FISH AROUND THE PARIDAS ISLANDS OR RUN OFFSHORE TO FISH AROUND LADRONES ISLAND. WITH THE BIG OCEAN SWELL AND THE CONFUSED SEAS, RUNNING FAR WAS NOT AN OPTION.
BUT BY STAYING ANCHORED IN THIS AREA WE WERE ABLE TO FILL THE LIVE BAIT WELL EVERY NIGHT SO ALL THE BOATS WOULD LEAVE THE NEXT MORNING WITH MORE LIVE BAIT THAT THEY COULD EVER USE. THIS ABUNDANCE OF LIVE BAIT HELPED SAVE THE DAY. USING THE LIVE BAIT COMBINED WITH CASTING TOP WATER PLUGS OUR ANGLERS WE ABLE TO LAND 19 ROOSTERFISH., ALONG WITH ALL KINDS OF SNAPPER AND JACKS, YELLOWFIN TUNA, WAHOO AND SEVERAL 100 TO 150 LB HAMMERHEAD SHARKS. JIGGING WAS ALSO PRODUCTIVE AN ERIC LANDED A 35 LB BROOMTAIL GROUP ON A 4/0, GLOW WHITE, TADY JIG. THIS WAS A FILLET AND RELEASE FISH THAT PROVIDED A DELICIOUS, FRESH GROUPER DINNER.
THEN THERE WAS THE DOUBLE HOOK-UP ON BLACK MARLIN CAPTAIN LUCHO'S ANGLERS HAD WHILE FISHING WITHIN A HALF MILE OF THE LADRONES ISLANDS. THEY WE SLOW TROLLING A COUPLE OF BRIDLED LIVE BONITA WHEN TWO BLACKS ATTACK THE BAITS RIGHT BEHIND THE BOAT. THE SMALLER OF THE TWO MARLIN THREW THE HOOK ON ITS' FIRST JUMP BUT THE BIGGER OF THE TWO BLACKS WAS A SOLID HOOK-UP. THE BLACK DID SOME FANTASTIC JUMPS EARLY ON IN THE FIGHT. AFTER TWO HOURS THE MATE HAD THE LEADER IN HIS HAND AND THEN THE MARLIN SOUNDED. FOR ANOTHER TWO HOURS THE ANGLERS FOUGHT THE FISH ON 50 LB STAND-UP TACKLE, TRYING TO GET THE MARLIN TO THE BOAT. WHEN THEY MADE A GOOD LIVE RELEASE THE FISH WAS ESTIMATED TO WEIGH OVER 600 LBS. IT WAS BRAD'S FIRST MARLIN AND HE HAD THE PHOTOS AND THE ACHING MUSCLES TO SHOW FOR IT.
DAY FOUR, CAPTAINS TOMMY AND TATIN HEADED FOR MONTUOSA IN ROUGH SEAS, LATER MOVING TO HANNIBAL BANK AFTER BEING UNABLE TO HOLD ON ANY SPOTS FOR JIGGING OR LIVE BAITING. ONE HOUR INTO TROLLING TWO BRIDLED BONITA, JIM WILSON HOOKED A BIG YELLOWFIN ON A TYRNOS 20 REEL. 127 MINUTES LATER, A TEAM EFFORT PRODUCED A 226 LB TUNA. MEANWHILE, ON CAPTAIN TOMMY'S BOAT, ERIC WILSON CAUGHT HIS FIRST EVER TUNA, A 130 LB'ER AND BRAD FOLLOWED UP HIS MONSTER MARLIN WITH A 200 LB YELLOWFIN VANQUISHED IN JUST 30 MINUTES".
TIGHT LINES,
CAPTAIN JULIAN JAY GUSTIN
FISHING TIP OF THE WEEK: THE OKIES WERE PARTICULARLY IMPRESSED WITH OUR SHIMANO TRAVALLA JIGGING RODS. VERY LIGHT COMPARED TO CONVENTIONAL JIGGING RODS, THESE 6' STICKS ARE TOUGH AS NAILS AND VERY EASY ON THE ANGLER DURING A LONG DAY OF WORKING YO-YO IRON AND BUCKTAILSJan Svenstrup - jan@wildwater.dk
