Panama Fishing January 2008

Fishing this month has been excellent, although the weather is strange. It's been raining in the afternoons and generally cloudy. Best part is that the north winds have been quiet....La Nina. We've had a dorado bite that has been incredible, with various occasions that we've boated 20+ before noon and up to 40 lbs...in as little as 15' of water. Freezer is full.




Marlin have been here, but were finicky this week. When they are on, it's crazy. Otherwise we just have to work a bit for them. Small tuna up to 80lbs have been abundant with some big boys starting to show in Montuosa and Hannible Bank. Great for testing the spinning gear and your overall physical condition. We have to search for the schools which are swimming with large pods of dolphin. Sails are everywhere. Inshore species still going strong.



We fished the full moon last month, which i swore only screwed up the fish, and had marlin around us all day. If I tell you we saw 20 marlin and 30 sails on the day of full moon, it's probably an under-estimate. 500 lb Marlin were jumping through our spread 30 feet from the boat. We only hooked 5 and boated 2, but it was spectacular to see them hunting on top all day long. Other highlights were an amberjack that went about 80lbs, and a rooster that swallowed a live bonito that went over 70. What beasts. That's fishing...in Panama. Well, back to rigging gear for my next stint on the water. Look for my next update. Captain Don Marquis