Hooked on Panama!!!!!!!!

[OffTheHookB&T]

All I can say is I am officially HOOKED ON PANAMA

Last summer I received a call from a gentleman named John Kipp asking if I would meet with him about representing this fishing lodge in Panama, Aqua Adventures Hooked on Panama Lodge. John stopped by the shop and we started talking about the lodge and fishing and I said sounds great and the pictures look great, BUT, there's plenty of people who would love to sell me the Brooklyn Bridge too! He laughed and said, well why don't you come on down and check it out yourself first. Good Point, as soon as LadyAngler heard that she started to make plans. We invited our fiends Jim and his wife Sandy (Covert Mission), to join us, and that was that!

We left Dulles International Airport at 5:30am on February 22nd and arrived in Panama City at 10:30am. As soon as we entered the airport, there was gentleman holding a sign with our names on it. He introduced himself and said the lodge had arranged VIP service for us! He took all our papers and escorted us through customs to a lounge, offered us some snacks and cold cerveza's and said he would get us when our driver had collected our bags, very nice.

Next, we meet our guide, Giselle, a very nice young lady who spoke better English than me. We had a 5 hour layover until our connector flight to David, so she gave us a tour of the Panama Canal, Miraflores locks and the Canal Musuem, what an amazing feat of engineering! After a nice lunch she escorted us to the local airport, and even helped handle an overweight baggage issue (yes Mary overpacked)

Now, we were off on a 1 hour flight to the city of David. After landing, we were met by another gentleman with a Lodge uniform on and a name sign. He loaded our bags in a small bus and we headed off to Punta Barrica.
At this point I want to say the roads in Panama are really good almost as good as the US. The ride was 2 hours and there is a short stretch on a dirt road with many swithcbacks, and at this point it was getting dark. You can only imagine the looks I was getting from the other 3, what did I get them into?

Well, all that was forgotten when we arrived at the lodge. We were greeted by 2 of the owners, brothers Mike and Dan Peavy. They brought us into the lodge and introduced us to the staff, set us up with some drinks, sushi appetizers, and an amazing dinner. The main lodge is really beautiful, lots of local hardwoods in an expansive main room with a dining area, bar, pool table, darts, big comfortable couches and big flat screen with satellite hookup.

We retired to our private bungalows, if there was any thought of a fishing lodge being equal to roughing it, it ended here. The bungalows are very nice and spacious. Two double beds, seating area, and full bathroom. Ours didn't have a TV but they are adding them soon (we didn't miss it). There are plenty of windows for great viewing of the Pacific waters about 500 ft away.

The first day, we decided to just walk the beaches and enjoy the lodge. Lots of chilling in the pool, and Jim and I became good friends with our bartender, Fernando. He makes a mean Flora Cana and Coca Light.

[OffTheHookB&T]

Panama Fishing Day 1

We woke up on Tuesday, and headed to the main lodge at 6:30am, where we were greetd by Dan and Mike, with some fresh Panamanian coffee and they guided us down to the beach. A 20ft Panga was waiting for us and we boarded and were ferried out to the fishing boat. One of the partners in the lodge is Rex Hudson, he owns Shallow Sport boat company in Texas, which his son now runs. Rex and his wife Connie moved to Panama, and now he builds a new line of boats, Deep Sport, in PUERTO ARMUELLES. His first 2 boats, are the beginning of the lodges fleet.
The boats are perfectly designed for fishing in Panama, twin diesel 35 foot open layout.

Next we met, our crew for the week. Captain Rafael and his mate Chris Anderson. Oh yeah, Chris is from North Carolina, its amazing anywhere you go in the world, you'll find a Carolina boy catching fish! The bite was hot the week before but, getting a little slower everyday. Chris ran a spread with 2 large moldcraft on flats, 2 naked ballyhoo on the shorts, 2 ilander bally combos on the longs and a naked hoo on the center. He mixes the spread because they have had a good tuna bite over the last week. We started the day with J hooks on the naked, but when the sails showed up our hook ratio was less than stellar. We switched them to circles and went 6 for 7. Mary, Sandy, and I all caught our first Pacific Sails so mission accomplished!

We returned to the lodge, where Dan met us and even rinsed everyone's feet off. SOme pool time, dinner, and some drinks with the rest of the lodge guests.

Day 2

We got lucky on the way out and found some bonita, so we trolled and caught 6 and right into the tuna tubes with them. Chris was smiling, looked like the beginning of a good day. Well, the sails weren't eating, a couple of free jumpers but no takers. Around, lunch time Mary and Sandy, broke out the lunch provided by the lodge, sandwiches, so I grabbed one for Capt Rafael and handed it up. He said thanks, smiled and said,now I have something for you, Tuna. We pulled the spread and ran to the other lodge boat, surrounded by 1000's of porpoises and birds. The weekend before Chris had fished a tournament and lost a 150-200lb yellowfin, so he was revved up for another shot. We started trolling the outside edges of the porpoise schools, and got into a steady bite of 20lb yellwofin. Sadly, the big Allisons were nowhere to be found, but we also grabbed a nice Dorado to end the day. We finished with 6 tuna in the box.

Day 3

Well with the slow down on the sail bite, we decided to change gears and give Panamas inshore fishing a shot. First, thing we headed to a local rock formation and fished sabiki rigs for Blue Runners (they called them Green Jacks down there). Chris rigged them up and we plyed the same waters with no joy, except Mary caught a baby hammerhead. We moved around a bit, and Capt. Rafael puts us on some good bites off of a little island. Sandy caught a really nice needlefish, crazy fish with evil looking neon blue teeth! Chris said we would never beleive it, but the fish would taste incredidle. He told us he would jump in the kitchen, and make it himself, he was right it was great(kinda like trout consistency). Next the line started screaming off the tld 30, I stepped up and hooked the fish and the rod bowed over, I had dreams of a big rooster or cubera. It gave me a great run, after a couple of minutes I turned its head and started making head way, then it peeled off again, and when I came tight it went slack. When we checked the leader it either got in the rocks or some sharp teeth. Oh well that's fishing! Mary, had it better with her next fish, a nice Cubera Snapper and then I hooked a Cubera, but my mojo was off that day, because it came unbuttoned boat side.

[OffTheHookB&T]

With the bite being slow we opted for our last day to be on shore. We had heard, that there was a creek that was a nice hike close to the lodge, so Mary and I decided to check it out, Rex decided to go along as a guide. For me this was almost as much fun as the fishing, once under the rainforest canopy the temp cooled off (at least 15 degrees) and the scenery was breath taking. I gained alot of respect for NatGeo photographers because everytime I saw a bird or lizard, it was gone by the time I had the camera ready. We did see some cool liZards that ran across the water on their hind legs, Rex called them Jesus Christ lizards. Some beautiful birds, a bunch of neon blue crawfish, some fish, and frogs, no monkeys though. The plant life was astounding, the variety, colors, and size simply mind blowing and this was the dry season!

Then we swam in a pond by a 15-20 ft waterfall and even jumped off the waterfall a couple times.

Back to the lodge, for some Cubera Fish soup made form yesterdays catch, dorado main course, with rice and black beans. Also, I failed to mention earlier, but Belkiss the desert chef, made the best deserts Everynight, homemade ice cream and brownies, homemade cheesecake, etc.

Next morning, we said our goodbyes and headed back to the States.

In summary, I was very impressed with Hooked on Panama Lodge. For a new operation, everything was run smoothly and clean, the staff was friendly and helpful. We are happy to represent the lodge, and if anyone is interested in visiting Hooked on Panama you can contact us and I would be happy to help put together a trip for you or you can contact the lodge directly. Also, we are planning a trip next year to fill the whole lodge, an Off The Hook & Sportfishermen.com trip.

[Squidnation]

Nice report Chuck sounds like a nice place to visit with some great fishing to be had.

[LadyAngler]

OK guys, I'm putting a couple of pics up now, with alot more to come.

Sandy was first up on the rod, and here's a few shots of her sail. Chris & Rafael estimated this to be about 120lbs!

Chuck actually took these pics and I had Sandy's camera going as well. There're better pics of the Sailfish during the release and I'll get those up when I get them from Sandy.

[whitey]

Nice report Chuck. Sounds like they run a first class operation.

[whowantstoknow]

sounds like a great time...cant wait to hear about it in person!!!!!

[LadyAngler]

Jimmy was up next and his Sail also put on a nice show!

[LadyAngler]

More of Jim's Sail

[mario_veg]

Nice report! I'm from Panama City, Panama, so I fish mostly the Pearl Islands... Do you have any pictures of the boats that are been made in Puerto Armuelles and aprox prices?
Thanks,