Fishing Report - 1/31/06

GREETINGS FROM THE TROPICS,

THE "RED HORDE" IS THE WORD AL RISTORI USES TO REFER TO A HUGE SCHOOL OF FEEDING INSHORE FISH (THE MASSIVE AMOUNT OF SNAPPER CHANGING THE WATER COLOR TO RED). SEVERAL OF OUR ANGLERS HAD THE CHANCE TO SEE THE "HORDE" THIS WEEK WHEN ON THE AFTERNOON OF THE FIFTH DAY THE OCEAN EXPLODED WITH LIFE JUST NORTH OF MONTOUSA!! HUNDREDS OF PORPOISE, TUNA, JACKS, AND SNAPPER CAUGHT IN AN ALL OUT FEEDING FRENZY! JUST TO WITNESS SUCH A FRENZY IS EXCITING, BUT SEVERAL OF THE CREW HAD THE CHANCE TO FISH IT!!

CAROLINA PANTHER FANS; ALLAN BARWICK, ROBERT TUCKER, JEFF FLOYD, MIKE HICKS, DEAN ADAMS AND BROTHERS, MIKE AND BILL HEFNER, AND RICHARD AND KURT SCHEETZ JOINED US HERE IN PANAMA FOR ANOTHER GREAT WEEK OF FISHING!!

THE ACTION FOR THE LAST WEEK HAS BEEN EXPLOSIVE AT MONTOUSA. WITHIN HOURS OF ARRIVING AT THE AIRPORT IN DAVID, OUR ANGLERS WHERE IN THE THICK OF IT. TEAM MACHO ENCOUNTERED THE PORPOISE FIRST WITH ANGLER DEAN ADAMS LANDING A 150 LB YELLOWFIN IN FIVE MINUTES. THE TUNA BITE STAYED CONSISTENT THROUGH THE WEEK WITH FIVE OTHER FISH BEING TAKEN OVER 150 LBS AND THE TOP FISH LANDED BY TEAM BARTOLO, WEIGHING IN AT 260LBS! THE CREW ALSO SAW SOME GREAT TOP-WATER/CASTING TUNA STRIKES LANDING SEVERAL SMALLER FISH IN THE 10 TO 20 LB RANGE WITH THE LARGEST LANDED BY KURT AT 100LBS. THE MARLIN BITE WAS ON LAST WEEK; JUMPING 5 BLACKS AND 1 BLUE!

CONGRATULATIONS TO JEFF FLOYD AND "COMEBACK ANGLER OF THE YEAR" ROBERT TUCKER FOR EACH LANDING A BLACK AND TO MIKE HICKS AS WELL ON HIS FIRST BLUE MARLIN. MOST OF ACTION WAS SEEN OFF OF MONTOUSA, BUT TEAM MACHO AND TEAM LUCHO EACH JUMPED A BLACK AT HANNIBAL BANK AS WELL. THE SAILFISH AND DORADO ACTION CONTINUED TO STAY CONSISTENT, WITH MANY FISH COMING IN TO THE BAITS AND LURES. WITHIN THE FIRST HOUR ON DAY ONE BROTHERS; MIKE AND BILL HEFNER LANDED A DOUBLE HEADER ON BAIT AND SWITCH. THIS ALSO HAPPENED TO BE BILL'S FIRST SAIL. CONGRATULATIONS GUYS!!

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK A FEW OF THE BOYS DECIDED TO GIVE THE PELAGIC FISH A REST AND SEE WHAT THE ANIMALS WERE UP TO IN THE INSHORE REEF SYSTEMS. THEY FOUND EXACTLY WHAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR AT JICARON. THE CUBERA WERE EATING THE IRON AND KNEE BUCKLING STRIKES FOLLOWED BY UNSTOPPABLE RUNS TO THE ROCKS WERE COMMONPLACE. MIKE HEFNER ALSO TALKED A GOLIATH CUBERA OF SIXTY POUNDS INTO EATING A LIVE BONITA WHILE FISHING WITH CAPT. BARTOLO AT JICARON. TEAM LUCHO FOUND THE AMBERJACK BITING AS WELL; LANDING 3 FISH UP TO 50 LBS IN A SPAN OF 30 MINUTES. WITH A FEW HOURS LEFT OF FISHING ON THE FINAL DAY TEAM PONCHERA SET OUT TO FIND LUNCH. HAPPENING UPON A SHRIMP BOAT; CAPT. TRAVIS NEGOTIATED 15 LBS OF SHRIMP OFF OF THE FISHERMAN. OFF TO FRANK'S PLACE WE GO TO END A GREAT WEEK OF FISHING WITH THE PANTHER FANS. THANKS FOR THE GREAT WEEK GUYS, LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU NEXT YEAR

THE YEAR OF 2006 IS SHAPING UP TO BE A YEAR TO REMEMBER. WITH THE INSHORE FISHING AS CONSISTENT AND EXPLOSIVE AS ALWAYS, IT IS HARD TO CHOOSE BETWEEN TUNA, MARLIN, OR THE INSHORE OPPORTUNITIES. ONLY IN PANAMA!

KEEP CASTING,
CAPTAINS JAY, TRAVIS AND BEN


Big Tuna time nice fish Rick!


Amberjack and mojitos!!!


The international shark wrestling  championship!


Sail fish time!!


Tag team Tuna nice job guys...BIG  Tuna!


Coiba island special...Cubera  Snapper!


Pull him in boys!!


Cubera....on the iron!!


Big Tuna on top-water!!!


Lunch at Franks place....what a great way to end  a super trip!!