My friend John Maynard and I played tag team on the fish this week and what a time I had. First in John’s words, the reason we were forced into taking time off!!
We were asked by “Mr. C, the owner of Panama Big Game Fishing Club, www.panamabiggamefishingclub.com to visit to his newly remodeled and award winning facility. Captain Jody Bright from Hawaii, Adrian Gray from International Game Fishing Association, an award winning photographer and Tom Brymer, Panama International Advisory Group were teamed up to get some promotional photographs for each organization. In addition Capt Bright is involved in a world wide marlin tagging project and wanted to tag some fish here in Panama. The information will help the scientific community find migration routes and much more data on these special fish. The tracking device is very expensive, about $4,500 each. The unit’s will transmit for a year on more. The tags are a satellite tracking device monitored by the Miami University Marine Department. Here are just a few of the fantastic photo’s that Adrian Grey was able to take on our four day trip out to Hannibal bank and Montuosa Island. My “job” was to help Adrian and Jody with the muscle needed to land the fish and help with all the releases.
Mark Charman , “Mr. C” hosted these top experts in the offshore fishing community and is a major force in getting the Panama Marine Foundation up and running. He presented me with a big check as a Founding Sponsor just before I left.
I hope you all will support his lodge and all the lodges here who are supporting our cause.
Enjoy Adrian Gray’s photos above and below water
We had the most incredible day with huge tuna “schooling” behind the boat while we were on Hannibal Bank. Then a whale shark came up and stayed with us for an hour. Adrian jumped in and started filming. Suddenly he yelled from the water,”the tuna are back so we cast a lure out and Adrian seized the moment by shooting the hook up.
Then Adrian came out of the water and caught another huge tuna. He was stoked and after an hour and a half fight, the rod snapped. It was like holding onto a small stick with a line tied on the end at this point. We had been drifting and were going to cross over a commercial long line that was illegally set but Adrian was not going to lose the fish so he handed off what was left of the gear and line and jumped in with a big knife. He was followed by Narciso with a gaff and they chased the tuna down the line and captured it by hand and brought it back onto the boat!!!!!
Here is what you are missing if you have not fished here and have not booked a charter with Panama Big Game Club. You deserve to do this at least once in your life. Be careful though, it is addictive and you will be back again and again, I promise!!
So, tight lines folks, I hope you can visit me and Mr “C” soon and thanks again Mr “C” for an unbelievable time.