Now i'm a fisherman

Time to post.

I've decided to update this thing as it has been long time...

Happens that know i'm a fisherman .

One day, I think that it was because some TV program or something, my daughter asked me to take her fishing... On a quick trip vacation to chiriqui, we passed by Bambito hotel where there is a trout farm... easy and lots of fish so a warranty to get something hooked.

6 trout out and in my mind... she has already stractch that itch...

well... some months passed and one day we were running by a sort off superstore down here in Panama and out of the sudden, she just grabbed a rod and stated

This is the one i want.

So of course i got her a rod.. eventually.. But as spected, i got one for me... then everything started. 3 or 4 months has passed and i ended up spending small fortunes on fishing tackle. Everybody has a different way to do stuff... hundreds of options of terminal tackle, lures etc... me been me.. I started to “study about the subject” on-line and off-line.

Panama has good fisheries of peacock bass (locally called “sargento”)...the story goes as some medical doctor had a pond with these fish and by accident the species got introduced into the Chagres river (the one that supply water to the panama canal lake)... as peacock is aggressive, they vanish 6 or 8 local species... and are fun to catch according to the Internet...

Local fresh waters available to the boatless mortal that just got a rod are lame.... as we (Panamanians) are basically idiots, there are no real programs to repopulate the lakes.... and the fish are quite small; and according to my experience, 90% of anglers found on local waters are looking for a meal... so no catch and release here...

In fact, local anglers are everything but sporty.... I've seen people fishing 6 inches fish with 50 pound test mono and a very heavy ugly stick... :/

Nevertheless, there are some good spots known by the local fishermen who charge you about 100 bucks for a fishing trip on panama canal lakes.... big ass scary crocodiles are living on these waters and the “sargento” is fun to catch on light and ultra light tackle. (more of that on coming posts)

 

"Sargento" ca panama canal waters

Eventually, I got doing light saltwater as we have 2 oceans here... but there is also some funny stuff happening regarding inshore fishing as well.

Happens that whoever practice sport saltwater fishing in panama is not necessary doing inshore ... people are looking to break marlin and yellow fin records... Tournaments are usually focused on big fish... s till, fishing saltwaters is fun as the fishes are more demanding and tastier (yes, I do eat what I get if it's big enough)

I found a comfy place on the causeway marked as the “fisherman dock” or something like that... semi closed environment so I can control the kid but giving here enough space to do as she wishes... Eventually Grouper, barracuda, snappers and other species where catch by us (well.. me but using her rod) from that small deck and the addiction started.

 

The comfy spot

 

Daughter with a moon fish

Many of the locals practice some kind of artisanal fishing with no rod and heavy (way too heavy to my taste) mono lines with steel leaders... the moto: you can't know what's gonna get your bait... which is true but not sporty at all... (remember we are inshore)

One day I broke my fiberglass rod (okuma safina) because it got tangled on the rocky bottom and pulled hard the wrong way... so ofcourse, as that combo is not necessarily designed to salt water.. I ended up beefing my tackle.

Small accident with my daughter too... she dropped her rod on the waters.... so new rod for her too. (see why the small fortunes??)

Anyways, I upgraded to graphite/fiberglass composite penn squadron inshore rod and pair it with the okuma trio high speed 40s... reel 20 pound test sufix 832 braid and voala!.. hole new experience as this thing is like 100 times more sensitive (and strong) than previous mid action fiberglass...

 

Penn Squadron with okuma trio 40S

Whats the point of that much sensitivity??? more fish and effectiveness/efficiency on vertical jigging. 

I'm now a saltwater predator.  :D