Fishing Report - 4/15/06

GREETINGS FROM THE TROPICS,

THIS WEEK PESCA PANAMA GREETED TWO GROUPS OF ANGLERS FROM ILLINOIS. JIM SPIROS BROUGHT WITH HIM FELLOW ANGLERS; MARK RODE, ERIC KILLION, MICHAEL COMET AND ANDY TURCICH. THE OTHER GROUP CONSISTED OF ANGLER/SPORTS WRITER STEVE RYAN AND ANGLERS; DOUG VOTH, JAMES REED AND DALE ROTHSTEIN.

THE OFFSHORE FISHING STARTED OFF SLOW. WE WERE SEEING SOME FISH, MARKING LOTS OF BAIT AND CATCHING SOME FISH BUT THE BITE JUST WASN'T ON. WE THOUGHT ABOUT IT AND DECIDED THERE PROBABLY WAS JUST TOO MUCH FEED AROUND FOR THE FISH TO BE REALLY HUNGRY. THEN BANG THE BITE WAS ON! ANDY, FISHING WITH CAPTAIN TATIN, CAUGHT AND RELEASED AN ESTIMATED 500 LB BLACK MARLIN AT HANNIBAL BANK. CAPTAIN LUCHO WAS ALSO FISHING AT THE BANK WHEN MARK HOOKED-UP AN ESTIMATED 450 LB BLACK MARLIN AND AFTER A 45 MINUTE FIGHT WAS ABLE TO MAKE A NICE LIVE RELEASE. THEN TO ADD TO THE ACTION JIM BOATED A 185 LB YELLOWFIN TUNA. JIM ALSO CAUGHT HIS FIRST BLACK MARLIN, ESTIMATED AT 400 LBS, WHILE FISHING ON HANNIBAL BANK WITH CAPTAIN LUCHO. THIS BIG BOY FOUGHT DOWN AND DIRTY AND DIDN'T SHOW UNTIL IT CAME TO LEADER. DALE WAS FISHING WITH CAPTAIN MACHO NEAR MONTUOSA ISLAND WHEN THEY LANDED A 254 LB YELLOWFIN. CAPTAIN BARTOLO GUIDED DOUG AND JAMES AT HANNIBAL BANK WHERE THEY LANDED A 280 LB YELLOWFIN TUNA AND A 400 LB BLACK MARLIN. THE MARLIN COULDN'T BE REVIVED SO IT WAS CLEANED AND DONATED TO THE LOCAL GIRLS ORPHANAGE.

INSHORE ACTION ON ROOSTERFISH HAD BEEN GOOD ALL WEEK. JAMES CAUGHT AND RELEASED A 55 LB AND A 70 LB ROOSTERS. MIKE BROUGHT TO GAFF A BEAUTIFUL 65 LB BROOMTAIL GROUPER. THERE WERE ALSO SOME GOOD SIZED CUBERA SNAPPERS CAUGHT ALONG WITH LOTS OF AMBERJACKS, DOUG CAUGHT THE LARGEST WEIGHTING 76 LBS.

NEXT CAME THE NIGHT FISHING OFF THE BARGE. THERE WERE 9 SHARKS, NURSE AND BULLS, ESTIMATED UP TO 300 LB, CAUGHT AND RELEASED WHILE FISHING OFF THE BACK OF THE BARGE. A GREAT WAY TO WORK OFF ALL THAT GREAT SEA FOOD YOU JUST HAD FOR DINNER.

TIGHT LINES,
CAPTAIN JAY GUSTIN

FISHING TIPS: SEVERAL OF OUR ANGLERS HAVE CONTACTED ME ASKING WHERE THEY CAN BUY THE WILLIAMSON JIGS. THIS WEEK JIM SPIROS STOPPED BY CAPTAIN HARRY'S FISHING SUPPLY IN MIAMI ON HIS WAY THROUGH TOWN AND FOUND THEY HAD A LARGE INVENTORY OF WILLIAMSON JIGS ON HAND. AS I HAVE SAID PREVIOUSLY, WE LIKE THE 150 GRAM WEIGHT FOR ALL AROUND FISHING. I PREFER EITHER THE BLUE OR PURPLE COLOR BUT I DOUBT THE FISH REALLY CARE. CAPTAIN HARRY'S ALSO CARRIES A COMPLETE LINE OF SHIMANO BUTTERFLY JIGS. THEY CAN BE REACHED AT 1 800 327 4088 OR ON LINE AT www.CaptHarry.com

CABELAS AT 1 800 237 4444 OR www.cabelas.com IS A GOOD PLACE TO BUY YOUR Y0-ZURI SURFACE BULL GT LURES, WE DON'T THINK COLOR REALLY MATTERS AS WE CATCH A LOT OF FISH ON LURES THAT HAVE ALL THE COLOR WORN OFF. BUT WITH THAT SAID I PREFER THE PURPLE/BLACK COLOR.


ERIC AND ANDY WITH TWILIGHT SNAPPERS


JIM WITH 185 LB YELLOWFIN TUNA AND MIKE WITH 65 LB BROOMTAIL GROUPER


SUNSET AT PARIDITA ISLAND


MIKE WITH A BRIGHT SAIL


ANDY READY TO RELEASE HIS BLACK MARLIN


TALK ABOUT A BLACK MARLIN BEING LIT UP


ERIC WITH A ROOSTER TO RELEASE


ANDY WITH AMBERJACK AT MONTUOSA ISLAND


JAMES AND A BRIGHT ROOSTER


DOUG LOOKS HAPPY WITH HIS REEF DONKEY