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Panama - Boca Chica
Capt. Bob Baker
January 24, 2007
Boca Chica - Saltwater Fishing Report
Golfito, Costa Rica Offshore
Marlin continue to be the hot ticket here, with more marlin bites and sightings every day than those of sailfish.
Warm surface temps keeping the sails down in the thermocline. Still enough sail bites to make it interesting though.
Dorado are being picked in all areas outside, but are also affected by surface warmth.
We're using more weighted baits , and have slowed a bit from the ideal 7 knots, back to around 6- 6 1/2 k. to get the lures down a little.
Since the big Ecuadorian tuna boat was here last month, the big tuna school that we were having a blast with has virtually vanished. They really hammered them this time, splitting the school into small groups , or completely driving them out...WAY-Y out.
We're getting some cloud cover now, and some nice overnight rains, so the water may cool off and things really start to pop at any time !!
Golfito, Costa Rica--- INSHORE
Capt. Tom Sydowski endured the pain in his lower back and soon-to-be-replaced hip socket to log some nice catches of yellowtail snapper, and a few cubera's the last couple of days.
He and Capt. Jose(Guerra) had a very big CORVINA on for a few hard runs before the hook came out. They saw the fish and estimated it between 25 & 30 pounds !
Capt. Tom, of Orient , N.Y., also had some nice ROOSTERFISH on both days.
At our "Gunderson Hole" deep drop, Tom had a couple of bites that he just could not stop! With a 4/0 Penn locked down, they STILL got him in the rock.
A Costa Rican friend along for the day had some good snapper luck, but only after he snapped his rod in two on a big fish and was reduced to a "bolo" or "Yo-Yo" handline. After that , he had 8 nice snapper for the family table.
Big schools of BIG roosterfish continue to bust bait just out front here, outside the rivermouth. Jumping minnows and Yo-Zuri surface cruiser poppers are doing well on them.
The fish are driving sardine schools to the surface and then turning the water white with foam, a great video shot.
Not too many SNOOK being caught now. Spooked by too many illegal nets in the river systems, and the bottle nose dolphins that come in the river on the tide and feed on them.
We watched two dolphins play "catch the snookie" for awhile, with a fish we thought might hit 40 pounds, and then one of them had enough and swallowed the fat mama. Anothe "National Geographic Moment", but one you might not want to see when they do it next to your boat....and BAIT !!!
PANAMA OFFSHORE / Inshore
Had a great trip with my fly fishing friend from Missouri, Shawn Taylor, and his son Matthew over the New Years break (?).
We based out of a new venue, Pacific Bay Resort, down in Boca Chica. First time for all of us, and we were all very pleased with the accommodations , food, and pleasant staff. Owner Frank Melcher has done so much work on that 416 hectare spread that every day you just have to marvel at all the obstacles he overcame to get it done. Great spot to bring the family, and to fish out of.
Frank and I are going to form an alliance to offer both inshore and offshore fishing , using my boats, and he's going to finish his new docking facility so we don't have to land clients on the beach. That's not as bad as it sounds , as there are virtually no waves on his protected shoreline. But it's not for everyone, and I like to make things comfortable and accessible to all anglers. Frank agrees.
We had sailfish out around ISLA LADRONES that came in hot to the fly, pink/white saltwater popping flies being their favorite color.
No marlin this trip, but Matthew had many , many nice dorado on fly that had him smiling and whooping like he was in a rodeo !!
We also went casting around the many rocks, reefs, and small islands outside Boca Chica, and they took pictures of many different types of groupers, snappers, some beautiful sierra mackeral, and had some big bites on fast-sink lines that couldn't be stopped. Great fun.
Matthew's first trip, and already he has a summer job waiting for him at Pac Bay Resort as a guide for
Frank's clients.
Shawn and Matt operate a beautiful trout lodge in southern Missouri, one of the top rivers in the state.
If you need info on that place, write to me at e-mail address: [email protected], and I'll send your inquiry along.
Reports from Isla Coiba were not good when we were there, but things have come around there, and there are some good fish being caught.
We also fished Isla Montuosa, a super spot, and had sailfish up after only trolling 50 yards !!
Then it was a school of dorado to 35 lbs. that kept the boys busy. All in one of the most beautiful places to fish on the planet.
Another note on Pac Bay Resort. There ais so much wildlife around the lodge(no road access-only boat) and the views and kayaking so spectacular, that it's a sure fire winner for the whole family to pick for your next fishing vacation!!
Good Fishing, Wherever You Are, Capt. Bob
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