It must be said that the waters off of the British Isles are not renowned for their big game inhabitants. The south west coast of Ireland has often been touted as the place to try.
It has runs of Albacore Tuna and Broadbill that come quite close
to the shore.It also has both Six Gill shark and Bluefin prospects.
In the past however it has never had both the captain with the
knowledge and boat to access these waters.
That will change however in the spring of 2000. Colin Barnes a long time commercial fisherman in these waters and a former charter skipper returns to the sporting side of angling. Colin has a vast knowledge of these waters and of the times and places that the fish run. His experiences with commercial bottom lines also lead him to believe that very big Six Gill are present in good numbers and size. We are talking of four figure fish here!
In the spring Colin will take delivery of a 36’ cat that
has been custom fitted for the task and powered by twin 240HP
diesels.Grant aided by the Irish Fisheries the boat will undergo
its sea trials in May before being available for charter in the
early summer.
SCBI club member Denis Froud and several friends made an exploratory
trip at the end of July this year and although restricted in terms
of boat availability they saw and heard enough to make them want
to return when the operation is up and running. Denis caught a
Common Skate estimated at 100lbs while fishing for six gill along
with several 90 to 100lbs Blue shark off the top while waiting
for the big one to come.
UK SHARK TAGGING PROGRAMME 2000+
The first day of the new millennium will see the start of the UK’s first nationwide shark tagging programme. The sharks around our coasts are about to get their own National Census.
Very little is known of the habits of these all important apex predators, which have a strong controlling influence on the stability of the marine bio-diversity.
There is insufficient information on the natural history and critical habitats of the larger North East Atlantic sharks to enable effective conservation measures to be introduced.
What is known, is that sharks are slow growing, slow to mature and produce very few young through a long breeding cycle. This life cycle makes them very vulnerable to over exploitation and there is a real need to introduce measures and management systems to sustain a healthy population. This UK shark tagging programme is the first important step to initiating these systems.
The World Wild Fund for Nature (WWF-UK) are the primary sponsors of the 2000+ UK Shark Tagging Programme which is targeting recreational anglers to Tag and Release the whole range of larger sharks that frequent our coast from the mini Smooth Hound to the mighty Mako. The 3 year programme proposed by Sue and Jeri Drake will be part financed by WWF-UK on a diminishing scale to encourage self-funding in future years, from within angling.
“If we lose our sharks then, we threaten to destabilise the entire marine ecosystem”said Callum Rankin, Habitats and Species Officer for WWF-UK. “ This project will play a crucial role in their conservation” he added.
The shortfall in year one has been taken up by the Angling Trade Association (ATA) who will review funding as the scheme develops. The ATA will also, through their Technical Director, Dr Bruno Broughton, supply the scientific overview of the project.
David Bird, Director, Conservation and Environment for the ATA said, “ We are very much committed to the success of this research which links up very well with our plans to protect our offshore fisheries. Sharks are our only big game fish and we must campaign to protect their future”
Sue and Jeri Drake, the programme administrators said “ This initiative will give recreational sea anglers the opportunity of further developing their conservation credentials, expanding on the ‘sport fishing’ status they already practice towards Tope (School Shark)Sharks are a very important part of the UK sea angling scene, and this programme will highlight the non-destructive use of a valued resource”
Sue and Jeri Drake were responsible for initiating the 1999 Tope Tagging Project off the Isle of Wight, which became the pilot scheme for the 2000+ programme (WWF-UK supplied the total budget)
Tagging Kits will be supplied to all disciplines of sea anglers, clubs by way of a registration scheme. Tags will be issued with full operational instructions, emphasising the welfare and handling of the sharks. Annual reports will be published following the successful conclusion of the first year’s tagging.
Those interested should contact:
‘According to the statistics, we should be more afraid of coconuts than we are of sharks. No fewer than 150 people die every year as a result of coconuts falling on their heads and yet, by comparison, only 15-30 die from shark attacks.
So, in theory, it’s more dangerous to stroll along a palm-fringed beach with a pina colada than it is to jump in the sea and waltz around with a cut finger. Admittedly, several dozen more people are bitten, nipped or bumped every year by sharks, surviving to tell the tale, though with a limb or two fewer than they had before.
But even this doesn’t impress the statisticians, whopoint out we are far more likely to be bittenby a New Yorker than by a shark, since no fewer than 1,600 people are bitten in New York City, by other people, every year.’
The Lure of Panama - February, 1999
by Dave West
I wish I'd been given £1 for every time I've heard that plaintive excuse from skippers from around the world - "You should have been here last week". Well for once, for the ten of us who were to fish at Tropic Star Lodge during the week commencing 7th February this definitely WAS to be the right week. It will soon be apparent to you also why.
For the majority of our group the thought of fishing once again off Panama'sPacific coast had conjured up evocative memories of previous billfish captures and battles with the aggressive inshore species. And this was prime time for Black Marlin. But for four - Bob Challis, Liz & Charles Reaves and Ken Wheeler - this was to be a totally new experience.
Together with Liz and Charles Reaves I'd decided to travel to Miami, our transatlantic stopping off point, a day before the main group. Fishing trips to Central America or the Caribbean never seems quite right, at least to me, without the obligatory meal at the Catch of the Day - the open air Cuban restaurant on Le Jeune, right underneath Miami airports main flight path -
individual who works literally through the night servicing tackle and re-spooling reels - complemented by two part-timers preparing new traces! It's extremely professional.
Lighter than 16 you bring your own, which many chose to do. Through theyears they've established more than 150 world records from the Lodge, mainlybillfish on light and ultra light tackle.
That evening we had an informal 'get to know you' barbecue and, as it got dark, watched with fascination as large bats navigated round the freshwater swimming pool, taking moths from its surface film. Also, in the trees, there were fireflies.
We were waken the next morning, the Sunday, promptly at 5:30 with cups ofcoffee and then down to a hearty made-to-order cooked breakfast. The crewswere already on the boats, with engines fired up, having been picked up fromthe village by panga (the ubiquitous 'water taxi') at 3:30 in the morning! We slipped moorings at 6:30 for the 40 minute run to the extensive Zane Greyreef, where all the boats initially elected to start fishing.
First job of the day, as always, was catching bait - Black Skipjacks. Rogerand I had determined to fish two livebaits, rigged on fifties, from the 'riggers with strip baits on twenties flatlined from the stern. It was slow trolling - around 4 knots. For us, together with most of the others, it was a reasonable starting day - a number of Black Marlin and Sailfish were taken and. especially at the beginning of the day in the low light conditions, some tough scrapping Bronze Whaler Sharks. A number of voracious Dorado, up to 40lbs, were also taken. However, for Liz and Charles, things started especially well. Liz opened her billfish account with an estimated 300lbBlue Marlin (her first ever), on a strip bait fished on 20lb test. Not a bad way to start! She also recorded her first ever Sailfish with Charles 'weighing in' with a 500lb Black and 300lb Blue - both on 30s, to register three billfish species for the boat that day.
In total our group recorded 10 billfish that first day - four Black & two Blue Marlin, and four Sailfish. Day two was somewhat similar with us adding a further four Black Marlin and six Sailfish to our account.
The Monday also illustrated the Lodge staff's attention to detail. Let me explain.George, the Dock Master,particularly discouraged the crews drinking beer at sea so my first task, on tying up, was to get a round in for our captain - Pacheco - and mates - David and Ocho. (I think Ocho was just his nickname. Perhaps he was the eighth child?) That involved a 100 yard walk along the jetty to the bar clad, as I always am when fishing, in my distinctive turquoise Tarponwear. So day two came and I didn't even get to the end of the jetty before the beers arrived and, as the week, progressed they were literally being delivered to our boat - Puerto Rico. How about that for service!
Our third day, Tuesday 9th February was 'way and above' our best, a real'red letter' day, with Charles, Dick and Jaap 'racking up' four billfish each. Dick had three Sailfish and a Black Marlin, Charles two Sails and two Blacks (the Blacks being taken on thirties), and Jaap four Black Marlin - fish of 400, 400, 350 and 200. As you'll see as well from the piece Jaap came desperately close to a fifth when he, and boat partner Bob, latched into a 'double header'. It was an impressive day with our group recording, in total, 12 Sailfish and 11 Black Marlin.
Unfortunately it was then shades of 'after the Lord Mayor's show'. On theWednesday Ivor was the only one of our group to record a billfish - a Sailfish on 30. However, collectively, the ten boats were steadily 'racking' up billfish releases, and there now looked to be a reasonable possibility that we might break the lodges longstanding record for the most Black Marlin taken in a single week.
We crept painfully slowly towards that landmark. Our group took a furthertwo Blacks and four Sailfish on the Thursday, and one Black, two Blue Marlin and five Sailfish on the Friday. We'd done it though - bettering theprevious record by two.
The stats make impressive reading. Twenty two anglers fishing six days onthe lodges 10 boats recorded 49 Black Marlin from 109 raised, seven Blue Marlin from 16 raised, one Striped Marlin and 51 Sailfish from 104 raised.Our group's personal tally had been 22 Black Marlin in the two to 500lb range, four Blue Marlin - 250 to 375lbs and 32 Sailfish. In addition we recorded Bronze Whaler Sharks, Dorado, Rainbow Runner, Roosterfish, Jacks, Sierra Mackerel and a solitary Wahoo. That was a 27 pounder taken by Clive.
What were the highlights? Definitely the day Jaap Tuit and Bob Challis recorded five Black Marlin and a Sailfish - Jaap taking four of them but losing a fifth when he and Bob latched into a 'double header' on Scandia! Then four of us, fishing on Darien and Puerto Rico respectively - Liz and Charles Reaves, Roger Bradbury and myself - recorded specimens in each of three billfish species - Black & Blue Marlin plus Sailfish. And Dick Clack, fishing on Miss Australia 'pipped Jaap at the post' in our informal competition with ten billfish releases - three Blacks and seven Sailfish. Some fishing!
Just to put it fully into context though the following week the lodges boats recorded 14 Black Marlin, one Blue and 21 Sailfish. It was an impressive day with our group recording, in total, 12 Sailfish and 11 Black Marlin.
Finally, some other points you may find of interest - starting with my 'David Attenborough-style' notes.
They're many exotic species of birds present in the area including humming birds and something, albeit similar but a little larger than a male blackbird, that had an amazing tail of bright yellow feathers in a vertical rather than horizontal axis. They created amazing enclosed nest structures that dangled from the ends of palm tree fronds - I understand it's an effective deterrent for Toucans that predated on eggs and fledglings of other species.
Then there were the Pelicans. I suppose most of us are familiar with them hanging around docks waiting for fish scraps but, first thing in the morning, we would watch many hundreds of them in formation flying to the fishing grounds. Unlike other birds travelling in classic 'V' formation these would be in constantly undulating 'lines astern', each pelican slightly below the one in front, effectively slipstreaming it. They looked surprisingly graceful.
Also one of the tame parrots had a limited but colourful turn of phrase. It was a rather matter of fact delivery and somewhat repetitious, but quite clearly 'F___ off'! That was until the cork exploded from the champagne bottle (we were celebrating Dick's victory, having caught the most billfish) and hit the corrugated iron roof literally inches from its head. It then became quite subdued.
Now to fishing techniques. The crews are certainly professional and wellversed in light tackle angling techniques, but numbers appear to be key to them. In my experience, and from other comments made, they tend to back down quickly on all billfish, including Sails. At release - and all billfish are released unless they're a potential World record - they're usually 'very green'! Consequently there's no attempt to remove the hook or, for the angler, any opportunity to savour the moment or get a reasonable photograph. The trace is often cut with many feet of leader trailing.
As with all fish taken on livebaits on 'J' hooks there is the risk of deep hooking. I understand though that Terri Kitteredge - a keen conservationist, who with her husband Mike Andrews owns the Lodge - is planning to move over exclusively to fishing with circle hooks, even when fishing Panama strips. On these strip baits, I understand, the hook is effectively 'bridle rigged'.
Bearing in mind that virtually all provisions are freighted in either by air or sea rom Panama City, the quality of the meals is absolutely first class - dinners 'silver service'. The chiefs' skills are consummate. Just imagine baked Alaska being served up in a jungle setting. Also the Californian and South American wines are first rate. All in all it's easy to see why Tropic Star Lodge enjoys an 80% repeat client business. And certainly somewhere I'd go back to.
Now to the 'blot on the landscape. The American Airline pilots chose the weekend to go on strike leaving most of the group 'kicking their heels' with an enforced stay in Panama City. That was except for Clive and I. We went off to spend a further four days fishing at Isla Coiba, with Tom Yust on the Joker.
This can only be the trailer though. Lack of space means that a report on our time there, and Dave Hoenes' subsequent trip (he was there the weekafter us) will have to appear in the next edition of our magazine. Apart from the fishing, there are some amazing anecdotes about our experiences with Coiba's residents - the prisoners - and the tale of the 'thing' that seized and escaped with the downrigger weight, during Dave Hoenes trip!
Seriously though Clive and I had some marvellous inshore sport taking, forexample, specimens from eleven different species on just our last morning.And that's without a Roosterfish - all of which we lost - and the rare Pacific Tarpon, in the 60 to 70lb range, that I jumped - literally the last hook up of their trip. (Following completion of the Panama Canal in the early decades of this century small numbers of Tarpon have migrated through from the Atlantic.)
Also worthy of note was the day we had out over the 100 to 500 fathom curvesfishing artificials on light tackle - thirties - for Blue Marlin. First strike to Clive was a 400lb Black, then within 30 minutes we had a double header of 100lb plus Sailfish, again on lures. At this point, 10:30 in the morning, we realised there was a realistic opportunity of a Grand Slam. So then it was all subsequent strikes to Clive, but try as we must, until what was just turned six o'clock in the evening, we couldn't get a strike from a Blue - just Sailfish. Thinking about it most Grand Slams are taken on bait- they're probably very few places in the world where you could realistically expect one on artificials.