# Blue water report from Panama Tropic Star



## MSViking (Oct 11, 2007)

I have wanted to visit Tropic Star in Panama for years and finally got the chance to go this past week with a friend of mine from TN. Flew to Panama City last Tuesday and am in Panama City as I type this on Weds (8 days), departing for home later today. The lodge is in the Darien Jungle in the SW corner of Panama and only accessible by boat or small plane. As most of you know it is famous for it’s black and blue marlin fishing with Aug-Sept being prime months.

The lodge itself is outstanding, great people, great food, great rooms etc… All the fishing is done in 31 Bertrams. You can chose to fish for big marlin by live baiting or trolling for sails, dorado etc… or you can inshore fish for rooster fish and dog tooth snapper. I was there for one reason, big marlin on stand up gear so all we did was live bait with some bait and pitch while looking for live bait.

Long story short, I caught a black marlin estimated at somewhere between 350 and 400lbs on stand up gear. My buddy caught an even larger blue marlin a day later. On the third day we raised 3 marlin on teasers that I pitched to without any luck and had two take our live bait that we were not able to hook. It seemed a memo had gone out the marlin that day to just “mouth” all the baits. Other boats had the same experience. Funny how that is sometimes. Fourth day was a total bust, nada, not one fish seen.

All in all a great trip. Thoroughly enjoyed the lodge, the people. As a giant bonus Guy Harvey was there fishing with his son Alex as well as painting a pic for the lodge. Really nice guy, quite the regular fellow. Got him to autograph his Tropic Star book for my girls. At any one time there are about 20 anglers at the lodge, so everyone gets to know everyone quite well.

The lodge fishing director Albert Battoo was a wealth of knowledge. Tons of experience all over the world chasing marlin. I could have sat and talked to him for days!

Also spent a couple days just seeing Panama, the Canal, fish markets etc…. really nice up and coming place with a vibrant growing economy.

I highly recommend the experience to anyone wanting to visit the jungle and chase big bills!

The first video is of Chris’s blue, I took the video. The second video which is hilarious is of my fighting my black on standup, hilarioius part is that Chris had the video camera pointed backwards the entire time! As you can clearly see!!

The airport in Pinas Bay, a covered shack on a single runway










View from my room










Heading out 5-10 miles to Zane Gray Reef










Our crew for the week, they have probably billed more bills than 99% of the the worlds best marlin wiremen, they do it every day!










Chris's blue marlin










There is a reason they call it the rainy season!










Guy Harvey painting on the porch










If you want big fish, use big bait!










Chris's blue on video





My marlin video, get ready to laugh!!





Now its time to get home, rest up and get out on our awesome waters we have off the coast of OB!


Robert


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## Jaw Jacker (Jul 29, 2009)

Thats a dream trip !!!


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## superchicken (Jan 9, 2010)

That is awesome Rob, I see you had your lucky orange shirt on. The pic of you with rain suit and strap on go pro is priceless! Cant wait for the full report. See ya soon.


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## sniper (Oct 3, 2007)

Great post. Someone took the spotlight during the marlin catch. LOL


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## Matt09 (Jun 6, 2008)

Luckky.


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## Captain Mickey O'Reilly (Dec 18, 2008)

Nice trip! Fishing always seems better when out of the area! I would love to do a trip there, but I have a few other things to do first. Time to start chasing Whites on light tackle here shortly! Thanks for the post!


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## Head Kned (Mar 21, 2011)

Robert, congrats on a great trip. I would like to get down there one day.


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## Pair-a-Dice (Jan 20, 2009)

First question is: how was your hearing after fishing all week on those boats?! Second is Balboa or Atlas?


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## MSViking (Oct 11, 2007)

Pair-a-dice: It was the first time I have been on a 31 Bertram and you are spot on! they are loud suckers! Very very practical for the type of fishing they do, but loud for sure. Balboa or Atlas? I don't understand the question?

Amen on chasing whites in our home waters! Whether most of us know it or not, we are amazingly blessed with the fishery we have in the northern gulf from Venice to Port St. Joe. I just need to rest up and replenish the wallet with a little work and then I will be back off OB for sure!!

Robert


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## Captain Mickey O'Reilly (Dec 18, 2008)

Robert, you are spot on about our fishing, it is terrific! This time of year thrills me because of the numbers of whites and blues in close and available for all to try for.


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## Pair-a-Dice (Jan 20, 2009)

Balboa Ice or Atlas beer is what I was refering to, the only options you have out in the middle of the Darien Jungle!


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## MSViking (Oct 11, 2007)

Gotcha! I am not much of a beer drinker, I did notice they had a beer named "Panama" or something like that? You fill out a form on what you would like on the boat each day regarding food (lots of great choices) and or beer etc... and it is there everyday. I noticed some boats being loaded with cases of beer each day! That would be superchickens boat! But not sure if they had Natural Light! ha ha!

I find if I drink beer offshore it wipes me out! Totally kills my energy level!

I have a plane to Houston to board, back online tomorrow!

Robert


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## samoajoe (Dec 28, 2010)

Dammit man! When are we going to see you in a Panamanian fishing broshure? Pretty pic of the fish boatside. 

Did you learn anything new????


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## J rod (Sep 21, 2010)

You can really see the enthusiasim on your buddy's face. LOL. Thanks for the report and awesome videos, that's as close as alot of us will ever get to fishing like that.


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

Great report and pics Robert


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## team_A_II (Mar 31, 2009)

Glad you enjoyed it...we enjoyed our trip there also a couple years ago... good to hear Albert is still there, he is a good dock master and very handy. he found a couple cement blocks for me when I was there to try out some daytime swording.... no luck since the capt. didnt know how to read his electronics, first drop way to shallow, second drop waaaay to deep and only a mile apart. Just got back from Cairns for the opening of the 2011 heavy tackle season, will post pics later!


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## Longbow14 (Aug 8, 2011)

some day before i die I hope to fish a place like that.


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## MSViking (Oct 11, 2007)

Team AII: Would love to see the pics and hear about it, I have looked at you avatar a hundred times on the forum and always thought it was a pair of hands rubbing a Genie's lamp with flame shooting out! Just realized it's a circle hooked live bait! Too funny!

Robert


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

Great report. That second video was too funny.


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## flyliner (Oct 13, 2007)

Am leaving Friday for TSL with the Crew from Marlin University. Have been stoked about it for some time now and your post fired me up even further. Thanks


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## MSViking (Oct 11, 2007)

Flyliner: What started my adventure was me trying register for the Marlin University trip, they were booked so I did the next best thing and went on my own.

Tell Albert, Robert said Hello!

Robert


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## big blue (Jun 28, 2008)

Great story and pics! Going down there next month, can't wait!


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## Magic236 (Oct 1, 2007)

*Tropic Star*

Wow thanks for sharing.. Tropic Star is definitely on must go list! Congrats on the Black and the Big Blue.....


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