This has been yet another fantastic week at Pinas Bay. The reef continued to produce large numbers of bait and the marlin bite was even hotter than last week’s. Sailfish were all over the place. I saw schools of them free jumping at the entrance to the bay. We’ve been invaded by sharks too and it was sometimes difficult to get a live bait out. According to the lodge owner Mike, this is a good sign and that historically when the sharks show up in these large numbers the marlin fishing is bound to be good. Looks like he’s right!

This week we hosted a group of eight avid anglers who flew in for a 4 day fishing trip. They had quite a fishing trip releasing 6 Black Marlin over the 4 days fishing. Bill Robinson, Ross and Scott Fischer Bob Wojewodzki, Jack Stocton and Capt. Buddy Gracy all released their first Black Marlin. All these fish were in the 300-400 lb range. Both Colin and also released their first Pacific Sailfish.

We were also visited once again by Richard and Yvonne Buckley. This was their fourth trip here this season. This was a somewhat special trip for Yvonne. She celebrated her 75th marlin release (black and blue only) on stand-up tackle. This was a big one too estimated at 700+ lbs. WOW! Don’t take this feat lightly folks. Yvonne is a well oiled machine. She fishes all custom tackle ranging from 30 – 80 lb test, including a newly modified harness which allows her to put extreme pressure on these fish. Her mornings begin at 4am with 100 laps in the pool and sometimes a sometimes a jog up to the Palace. Just looking at those steps makes me tired. Congratulations Yvonne on yet another tremendous accomplishment and off course incredible fish story. The 100th release is in close range now.

We were also visited this week by some other great folks from the USA, Marcus and Cordula Magee, Skip Tubbs, Jorgelina Oliva, Hogan McCartie and Nick Ohanesian. These safari enthusiasts love fishing too and all had their share of luck on this trip. Hogan McCartie released her first Black Marlin on this trip. This was a monster, estimated at 550 lbs. She also released her first Pacific Sailfish. Skip had good luck too; releasing his first Black Marlin around 450 lbs and Jorgelina Olive released her first Black Marlin estimated at 350 lbs and Pacific Sailfish. Nick also released his first Pacific Sailfish on this trip.

Also in Pinas Bay this was a group from Panama, eleven in total fishing 2 days. What’s amazing here is that everyone in the group except one caught a billfish. Great! Jose Luis Paredes released his first Black Marlin estimated at 350 lbs. Sophie, Charles and Louis and Victor Heaulme all released their first Pacific Sailfish. Ida Gutierrez, Itza Morgan, Dimitris Arbaiza Alejandro Lewis and Frank Tedman also released their first Pacific Sailfish.

What a week, What a Bite!

Albert Battoo
DOCKMASTER