Panama-Offshore -Isla Parida to Isla Montuosa
Capt. Bob Baker
March 9, 2008
Boca Chica - Saltwater Fishing Report
Returned recently from a fantastic 7-day charter with dear friends Don Raul Aguado and sons Danielo and Antonio. We fished as much of the island chains spanning the waters from Boca Chica to Isla Montuosa as we could, using various methods, all of which were successful.
Antonio brought with him his new Shimano "Jigging System" equipment, and I was most impressed by the quality , and toughness, of these rods and reels.
In 85 ft. of water off Isla Parida, bouncing and fluttering a 'butterfly' jig, Daniel took a beauty of a grouper, weighing 36 lbs.
While trolling for tuna in a huge porpoise school off Isla Montuosa, we had 3 small 'footballs' on ice when I suggested that Antonio cast one of his jigs far ahead of the boatand let it sink until we were directly over it. When he began his fast retrieve, he was almost immediately hooked up to a screamer of a yellowfin, which weighed in, after 40 minute battle, at 94 lbs. Considering the relatively light weight of these rods, I was amazed.
On another day, we went to Isla Secas for casting, trolling, and jigging. We were idling along the beautiful shorelines of various small islets when Dan's yo-zuri popper was hit, almost at the boat. When he threw it back for another try, I watched as a dorado of 35 lbs. repeatedly swiped at the lure, finally hooking itself. We continued most of the day to catch fish of this class until we quit at 12 and went jigging over a reef.
While Antonio caught dorado on surface poppers, Daniel grabbed one of the jigging rods and was rewarded with a 42 lb. WAHOO, his first.
Also at Montuosa , we had a REALLY big PACIFIC SAILFISH hit a yo-zuri bonito lure, and Daniel released him after a wild battle marked by many beautiful air acrobatics.
Casting plugs along the shoreline rocks and reefs of Montuosa, we had a blast with nice -size BLUEFIN TREVALLY and some hefty cubera snappers.
We had a huge blue marlin swim right past the port side of the boat, not 20 ft. down, but there were so many tuna and bonito around us that she passed up ourtrolled plastics
Plenty of great angling ahead in the coming months, if it can possibly get any better. And it can!!!
Good Fishing, Wherever You Are,
Capn Bob
Boca Chica Fishing Forecast:
Angling for sails HAs gotten better in the week since I returned to Costa Rica, with lots of yellowfin around too.
Target Species:
blue/black marlin, sailfish, yellowfin tuna, dorado, wahoo, grouper, snapper
More Fishing Reports:
