4 Grown Men Crying in panama!

[Bret Baker]

Here is the most recent report from john at panama sport fishing lodge

 

 

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Well it is second week of September (Off season), my friend Dr.Samuel Cattan wanted to fish for Wahoo , since the bites for hoos have been good lately but somehow this year the smaller fish don’t seem to wanna grow. Nevertheless we decide to head out with Capt. macho and Capt. Sergio , I was so sure that the fish is going to show up at Isla Ladrones that when we where boarding the boat Capt. Macho ask me where I plan to fish , I said without hesitation , Isla Ladrones !

 

After running for 50 minutes, we got to Ladrones and start trolling for wahoo , 15mins. of pulling we finally hook one decent size hoo. I don’t want to sound spoiled but that is just too slow fishing!! we then decide to catch bonitos and see if we can get a Black Marlin or YFT. Making bait was also slow and Isla ladrones looks dead, so I told Macho to head to isla Montuosa , which is only a 45 minute run on our boat.

 

Half way there , we passed a log full of baitfish , but what a surprise no big fish feeding on them, we got a few blue runners on sabikis and continue to Isla Montuosa, we put 2 liveys out as soon as we got there, one on my OTI extreme rod with Stella 20000 and another on a heavier rod 50w Tiagra. Less than 5 mins later, a huge tail fin came behind the bait and without hesitation inhaled one of the bonito’s!!

 

As much as I wanted to catch a marlin over 500lb. on my coffee grinder, i am glad later that it took the heavier tackle. We have caught over 90 marlin this season , but everybody agreed this was toughest fighting fish we had this year. As much as i am embarassed to say that the rod was passed around from Samuel to me , then to Sergio and Macho. It was good to see them fight a Marlin for a change - Macho said that he have not fought a Marlin in 6 years. Splitting the fight about half an hour each , max drag on the overheating Tiagra thumbing the spool at the same time, she still took almost all the line 4 times and jump everywhere!!

 

 

I can say this fish whooped our asses, you have to be in the boat to laugh about the whole fight , fighting the fish stand up on full drag , each one of us wants to bring the fish in without passing the rod,but everybody cried ,” take the rod”, the fish is conservatively over 600lbs - but I would say she fought like she is around 800lb. Anyway after passing around the rod for 2 hours , we finally got the leader next to the boat and release this brute which i say was still very green. After all the high fives , I told Macho to head back to Isla ladrones and let’s catch some Tuna , he gave me a weird look , but I told him that I am sure that the YFT was going to be on the west side of the Island ( lucky guess).

 

I guess timing is everything cause when we got to Isla ladrones , we found Birds and porpoise going at it with the Tunas under neath. I threw an OTI JIg and got a bite on the first crank up but these fish were moving really fast so we tried popping and throwing live bait out. We got some good action on YFTs , A Big Black Marlin , one wahoo.

 

Not a bad day fishing in Sept. and blue skies as well , enjoy the pics.

 

 

 

 

Edited September 11, 2009 by Bret Baker

[Bret Baker]

sorry guys these links should be OK now

 

 

[mr motorola]

That looks truely amazing !!!!

 

I've been thinking about other lines of the sport for a while and your pictures really capture some awesome fishing.

 

I think i'll be digging my passport out.

[Bret Baker]

come on down on the trip ive got going in january. got some great anglers