I'm locked in for next year, I don't believe in "once in a lifetime"

Even if the fishing dropped off I intend to learn scuba and maybe even see if I can bust my ass on a surfboard, Hell, I'd spend a day exploring one of the islands....not sure I could just lounge around the big boat though.

I've known Robbo for a couple of years now but had never fished with him, we are on the same page....we both know the universal grunt of "Ooh..Ooh..OoooH!!! as a fish is chasing your lure across the surface, you'd think that a couple of guys that have caught more fish than we can count would not revert back to 14 year olds giggling at the sight of a school of bluejack chasing your [censored] down, but we did.

Rob is quality, and if you can't have fun fishing with him...there is no hope for you.

Had a great knot tying session on the back deck one night when I busted out a jar of pickled jalepenos from my garden to share with the crew, I was surprised that most of them were scared of the heat, but once they were open they were gone and Alberto and Bartolo spent an hour or so teaching this hombre the "bimini" knot and several veriations, they tie some beautiful knots down there, and I was amazed on the ride out when alberto would be doing it while basically riding in a paint shaker.

There are so many people that I've fished with from this board that I would love to see down there...it is so different, but, once it's *Fish on" the adreniline tastes the same....what a rush when a sailfish slowly appears as a spot of blue 20 or 30 ' down then comes into focus in the slick alongside the boat, alberto would grab the bill with a gloved hand and hang on while the thing thrashed itself out, haul it up for a quick pic then revive it and watch it swim away strong.

Thanks for all the kind responses.

stam

Since you're going back next year, I *strongly* recommend that you get scuba certified! I couldn't possibly imagine going to Panama and *not* diving.

The only drawback to diving down there is that you *might* find it more enjoyable than the fishing.

The best part is that you can fish in between dives!

I'll try to get down that way when the kids are in school. Probably a few more years away for this old man.

You truley are the Stam"imal, Killer stuff bro

Wasn't being one of the "others" on the island, adventure enough for you, Dr. Reverend Ben Parker?

I'm going back - and taking Freckles with me!

Sign me up!

LMFAO

Dang you Stam, got so ingrossed looking @ the "sailfish in flight" I missed Hawg Quest !!

You do have a knack as a writer, maybe you should do up a few mag. articles yerself.

As for your fishing style.....



Don't you think you could put your back into it a bit more.....??


Congrats on a GREAT trip/write-up......

c/22

Hot damn, Stam...

Now that's a report!

One of these days, when I'm kid-free, I'll join your arse down there.

Besides, I gotta figure out how to rejuvenate my ActionOptics raccoon in the winter time anyway. A trip like that may just be the ticket!

Wow! Awesome post that has us all wanting to go.

Quaco In espanol?? Maybe they were calling him Cuaco or Cueco or Guapo.

Cuaco in espanol = Pelican
Cueco in espanol = Faggett
Guapo in espanol = Handsome , Studly

I am hoping to go their FEB. 09 on my honeymoon. My fiance is from thier she was a zonie. All her family on her mothers side are panamainians.

Great story and pics Steve! I too felt like I was there.
I didn't know you owned any shorts.

Hell, after hearing the "stories" I'd go just for the night life. Dark skined Columbian women are AWESOME!

Holy smokes Staminher, what everyone else said and then some!
Let's see here, 7,524 registered users here, probably half of them would have to bring their girlfriends/wives.......sounds like you need to reserve the Titanic for STAMfest next year

I bow down to the Staminator.

Wow ...what else is there to say, I want to be Stam I'll be heading to Miami on March I wonder if I could even have 1/10th of the fun you did? ... Here's to ya, great job!!!!

Hmmm, my thoughts of a winter get away keep turning to tropical saltwater flats fishing, where tackle I already have will do nicely. The bluewater fishing is intriging, and Staminator is giving me cause to re-think that 16 weight fly rod, or was it broomstick, I saw the other day. And they had a saltwater reel that holds about a half mile of backing to go with it. I wondered what it's for. After seeing Stam's pics, I think I understand. Four men working shifts to land a fish makes it seem like you're fishing for whales.

Sg

Honestly Salmo, you could have blast with Dorado on a flyrod, they are aggressive to the point of being stupid, and once hooked up they put on an areal lightshow that will take you back to the days of your misspent youth....a surface popper with a bunch of feathers and crap hangin' off of it wigglling around in front of a dorado would simply get inhaled....I would bet that you could take lots of the inshore jacks and roosters too...if you can cast far enough, they do seem to be shy of the boat, the marlin are work...the sailfish are perfect, a 10 to 20 minute hyperactive battle without the bulldog tug O'war that both the blue and black marlin gave...sailfish give you just enough to wear you down but not out.

Catching the bonita on a flyrod would be doable too...some of them beat me up pretty bad on my salmon rod...but the schools are huge and when the bite is on it is crazy.

But, no tarpon and no permit on this side of panama, not where we were anyway.

stam

Stam
Is that a keg strapped to the side of that koffler?

It sure looks like it

No, that is a water barrell....the other side of the deck if full of barrells with 500 or so gallons of fuel for the sportfishers in them.

No smoking on the back deck!

But.....there was no shortage of cervesas and Vino on the boat...all you could drink and cold, open bar.

I imported a bottle of pendleton that went down supersmooth after one of the better days on the water, abuelo rum is what I recommend for tropical drinks though.