Fishing Report - 05/27/05

GREETINGS FROM THE TROPICS,

AS JIMMY BUFFET SANG ON THE CD PLAYER, "I'M IN A TROPICAL DEPRESSION," THE WIND OFFSHORE BLEW, THE OCEAN WAVES ROLLED IN AND THE RAIN POUNDED DOWN.  SEEMS AS THOUGH "ADRIAN" THE FIRST PACIFIC TROPICAL STORM OF THE SEASON WAS HEADED FOR EL SALVADOR AND WE WERE FEELING THE EFFECTS OF IT.  MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE DOCK, OUR ANGLERS JIM AND JAMES MCCORD, HARRY AND HOBIE LOWELL AND STEVE DINKEL WAITED  FOR THE WEATHER CONDITIONS TO IMPROVE. AS WE WAITED, OUR BOATS WERE ALL TIED TO THE DOCK. THE BAR AT THE "FLOATING LODGE" WAS WELL STOCKED AND WE ALL ENJOYED COUNTLESS "FISH TALES" OF FISHING TRIPS LONG SINCE PASSED BUT STILL VIVID IN OUR SOMEWHAT AGING MEMORIES.  I SEEMS LIKE RETELLING THE STORY IS SOMETIMES  BETTER THAN TAKING THE TRIP.

AFTER TWO DAYS ON THE BEACH WE HAD SOME BLURRED EYED BUT BRAVE FISHERMEN WHO DECIDED THEY WOULD VENTURE OFFSHORE IN HOPES OF CATCHING THE 'BIG ONE.' I PILOTED THE BARGE, "FLOATING LODGE," DOWN THE CHIRIQUI RIVER AND OUT TO THE OPEN SEA TO AWAIT OUR ANXIOUS ANGLERS IN THE PARIDAS ISLANDS.  THE SEAS WERE, LET'S JUST SAY "BIGGER THAN NORMAL."  DESPITE THE WEATHER, OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS OUR ANGLERS DID MANAGE TO CATCH SOME NICE WAHOO, SEVERAL CUBERA SNAPPERS, HALF A DOZEN YELLOW FIN TUNA, A COUPLE OF SAILFISH AND A 5 FT BLACK TIP SHARK.  BUT TO PUT IT MILDLY, OUR ANGLERS EARNED THEIR FISH THIS WEEK.

SO AS I FINISH WRITING THIS WEEK'S REPORT WE ARE WAITING FOR ADRIAN TO PASS.  THE RAIN IS STILL POUNDING DOWN,  OUR  BOATS ARE SAFELY TIED TO THE DOCK AND OUR TIRED ANGLERS HAVE HEADED HOME. LOOKS LIKE WE ARE JUST GOING TO HUNKER DOWN AND WAIT FOR THIS STORM SYSTEM TO PASS.  THEN WE CAN GET BACK OUT THERE TO DO SOME MORE FISHIN.

TIGHT LINES,
CAPTAIN JAY GUSTIN

P.S. FISHING NOTES:
ON  THE SELECTION OF REELS FOR BOTTOM JIGGING, SOME ANGLERS LIKE TO USE A TWO SPEED REEL SUCH AS THE SHIMANO TLD 20 OR 30.  I THINK THE SHIMANO TLD 30 2-SPEED IS ONE OF THE BEST "ALL AROUND" REELS THAT A SALTWATER ANGLER CAN OWN.  YOU WILL FIND THESE REELS ON EVER BOAT PESCA PANAMA HAS FOR CHARTER.  BUT THAT SAID, IN THE LAST TWO YEARS I HAVE BEEN NOTICING A LOT OF OUR "EXPERT" IRON FISHERMEN ARE SHOWING UP FOR THEIR CHARTERS WITH THE SHIMANO TRINIDAD TN 40.  SEEMS LIKE THIS IS THE REEL MOST OF THEM PREFER TO JIG WITH.  THE REEL OFFERS A FAST LINE RETRIEVE PLUS STRONG LIFTING POWER.  THIS IS DUE TO THE REEL'S 4.9 GEAR RATIO AND THE LARGE SPOOL. THE REEL HAS A SUPER SMOOTH DRAG AND IS DEPENDABLE, AS I HAVE FOUND ALL OF SHIMANO'S "TOP OF THE LINE" REELS TO BE.  I KNOW I AM PUTTING THIS REEL ON MY "MUST HAVE" LIST OF FISHING EQUIPMENT.


HOBIE AND HIS 207 LB YELLOW FIN, PLUS HE RELEASED 2
SAILS THIS DAY.


JAMES WITH HIS WAHOO CATCH


CAPTAIN LUCHO AND MATE TATIN ARE "THUMBS UP" WITH
THESE YELLOW FIN TUNA