Isla Coiba, Panama
Those of us who fished Ascension Island in April 2003 will all remember the Wiltshire gamekeepers – real fishing enthusiasts! Out most days Marlin fishing - and they had fish up to an estimated 750lbs, including four in one day – but before that, as soon as it got light, they’d be spinning for Jacks or successfully kite fishing (from the shore) for the Galapagos Sharks.
Any rate whilst they were there, and subsequently I’d talk to one in particular, Dave Dillistone, about the fishing off of Panama. Well I obviously did a good ‘sales job’ and this April two of them – Dave and Kevin, and a gamekeeper friend Matt from Eastern Europe - fished with Tom Yust, aboard his classic 31’ Bertram – the Joker – around the Coiba archipelago.
Whilst there were masses of Yellowfin Tuna and Wahoo around offshore the billfish were very thin on the ground. Dave released one Black Marlin, estimated at 450 on 50lb stand-up tackle, on the Banana Bank and they raised another, just out from Little Jicharon. Interestingly the Black Skipjack, the normal livebaits, were very difficult to catch throughout the trip and Dave got his fish trolling plastic.
And just to show you can always learn something new Dave convinced Tom to fish with those initial very light drag pressures. The theory being let the fish take the lure, and then turn away from the boat before pushing the lever up to strike drag. Well the theory’s fine but in the heat of the moment, when the fish took, the crewman was totally perplexed at the apparent inaction and pushed the lever forward. Luckily the Black was still fired up and switched its attentions from the long right to the long left. Dave still had to push the crewman away but, with that five to six second ‘drop-back’, connected neatly in the corner of its jaw.
The spectacular part of their trip though was undoubtedly the inshore fishing. Masses of big hard fighting Jacks, although once again the Bluefin Trevallies were ‘thin on the ground’ and Roosterfish up to 40lbs. Although despite hooking several Dave singularly failed to land any. Is it the name, we both Daves? Or have I finally managed to transfer my curse? Fingers crossed! Any rate apart from that Kevin released a monstrous Cubera or, to use its correct name, a Pacific Dog Snapper. Tom estimated it at 80lbs. You can imagine what its teeth must have been like! It took a Black Skipjack livebait.
And then there were the Tarpon. Now whenever I mention this there’s always an element of disbelief. Believe me though these are not their smaller Pacific cousins – the Ox Eye Herring – but full blown Megalops atlanticus. Over the years numbers have obviously migrated through the Panama Canal and established breeding populations. They’re not normally common though off Coiba. And Tom can usually number the encounters in any year on the fingers of one hand. Our intrepid anglers though hooked 8 during their trip, and lost every one! One they had on for an hour losing it finally right at the transom. For those of you who have fished Coiba all came from that bay immediately to the the left. facing shorewards, of where the ‘barge’ – the Coiba Explorer operation - used to anchor.
There a series of photographs of their trip, including those of jumping Tarpon and a Roosterfish, which may be viewed by clicking here.
They had an incredible trip with Tom and his partner Tyra, and all are vowing to return. If you want further details on Tom Yust’s unique gamefishing operation view his web site by clicking here.
After their trip offshore they returned to Panama City and spent a day fishing with Tony Herdon for Peacock Bass in Lake Gatun. That’s the complex of water and flooded river valleys that surrounds the Panama Canal. They caught masses of these wonderful aggressive sportfish, none large though – the best around 4lbs. The Bass will strike at anything - flies, plugs, jigs and small livebaits. But what impressed them most were diminutive specimens ‘nailing’ 6” popping plugs, only just smaller than themselves!
And of course, apart from regaling them with tales from his seemingly endless repertoire of stories, he also ‘whetted their appetite’ with tales of the Bayano River’s Tarpon. It’s a spot Tony regularly targets and the recent annual up-welling of cold water had forced the Mullet, and consequently the Tarpon, into the river. These are not just big Tarpon, some are absolutely massive. The best Tony’s recorded was a fish in excess of 260lbs!
Again a skipper I could thoroughly recommend. View his web site by clicking here.
One last chance! There a series of photographs of their trip, including those of jumping Tarpon and a Roosterfish, which may be viewed by clicking here.
Gulf of Carpentaria, Queensland, Australia
In early April Geoff Flores fished with a mothercraft operation – Carpentaria Seafaris – in Australia’s remote far north, 80 miles off the tip of Cape York in Queensland. Sampling different locations the mothercraft – Capricorn Mist - moves anchorage each day with the anglers, of which there are a maximum of 14, fishing two to each skiff. Light tackle or fly angling opportunities par excellence!
Fishing 30lb tackle Geoff had a wonderful time catching lots of fish. Although he did experience some trouble with the sharks that appeared quite adept as ‘snaffling’ the fish whilst being played. And some of these were 60lb plus fish, being literally bitten in half!
In total he had specimens from nine different species during his six days of fishing including Coral Trout, Bigeye & Golden Trevallies, Queenfish and Tanguigue (Narrow Barred Mackerel). Details are included in the 2004 Notable Fish list. And photographs of some of the fish may be viewed by clicking here.
I know it’s a long way but the fishing potential is phenomenal. Should you want to explore the operation’s comprehensive web site click here.
IGFA - New Species added to World Record List
Periodically, based on requests received, the IGFA reviews and adds new species to their World Record listings. Steve Collins has just advised me of six further species they have added to both their line and tippet class listings. They are Golden Trevally, African Cubera Snapper, Bonnethead Shark, Oxeye Tarpon, Kob (Mulloway) and Giant African Threadfin.
We will accordingly reflect any caught by Club members in our record listings.
The Golden Trevally is found throughout the sub-tropical/tropical parts of the Pacific from East Africa through to the Americas, where it occurs from Baja, Mexico to Equador. They are often targeted by fly fisherman - see specimens currently in our Record listings - and can attain weights of up to 33lbs.
The African Cubera Snapper occurs in the Eastern Atlantic from Senegal through to Angola, including the Cape Verde Islands and can attain weights in excess of 130lbs.
Then the Bonnethead Shark - the smallest member of the Hammerhead family that most of us that have fished the Flats for Bonefish will have encountered. They're the ones with a distinctive smooth rounded, spade-shaped head. Surprisingly, as well as occurring from the Carolinas through to Brazil and throughout the Caribbean, they are also found in the Eastern Pacific from California to Equador.
Now to another 'Megalops', closely related to but much smaller than the Atlantic Tarpon, we have the Oxeye Tarpon. It's often also referred to as the Ox-eye Herring. They have a broad distribution throughout the Indo-Pacific, ranging from the Red Sea to Natal, South Africa and eastwards to southern Korea and the east coast of Australia, down to New South Wales.
Kob - as they are referred to in Soth Africa, or Mulloway in Australia - are a large species of Drum, reputedly growing up to in excess of 150lbs. And widely distributed - from the Congo to South Africa, in the Eastern Atlantic and the Indo-west Pacific, from Africa through to Australia.
Then finally we have Giant African Threadfin which reputedly grow up to 6 1/2 foot in length and a weight in excess of 160lbs. They tend to be found in river estuaries or lagoons in the Eastern Atlantic on the African coast, from Senegal to the Congo.
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