FIFTH TIME RETURNING ANGLERS DREW REGER, MATT SCHMIDT AND LARRY SCHMIDT MAKE UP THE ANGLERS OF THEIR, " TEAM BORRACHO." THIS YEAR DREW WANTED TO SKIP THE FIRST DAY OF FISHING NEAR ISLA LADRONES BECAUSE AS HE STATED, "WE NEVER DO VERY GOOD FISHING THERE." I AGREED THAT MANY TIMES THIS IS NOT MY PICK OF PLACES TO FISH BUT IT IS LOCATED ON THE WAY TO THE COIBA ISLAND AREA AND THAT SOMETIMES, WHEN THE CONDITIONS ARE RIGHT THE PLACE REALLY LIGHTS UP. WHEN CAPTAIN MACHO RETURNED IN THE EVENING THE ANGLERS WERE ALL SMILES AS THEY HAD CAUGHT AND RELEASED THREE BLACK MARLIN ESTIMATED AT 400, 450 AND 500 LBS. I THINK ISLA LADRONES JUST BECAME ONE OF DREW'S FAVORITE PLACES TO FISH!

CAPTAIN TOMMY WAS FISHING THE SAME AREA WITH THREE ANGLERS FROM GERMANY; THOMAS HOYER, HORST LILLIE AND THOMAS MESCH. THEY ALSO GOT IN ON THE MARLIN BITE AND WERE ABLE TO CATCH AND RELEASE THREE BLACK MARLIN ESTIMATED AT 300, 350 AND 400 LBS. CAPTAIN SERIGO'S ANGLERS MISSED HOOKING-UP TWO MARLIN, SO AT DAY'S END THE BOATS WENT SIX AND TWO ON BLACK MARLIN AT ISLA LADRONES.

GARY FURNESS WAS FISHING WITH CAPTAIN LUCHO THIS WEEK WHEN HE HOOKED-UP WHAT AT FIRST WAS THOUGH TO BE A BIG SAILFISH. BUT WHEN THE FISH JUMPED OUT OF THE WATER AND THE CREW COULD GET A GOOD LOOK THEY SAW THEY HAD HOOKED A STRIPPED MARLIN. STRIPPED MARLIN ARE NOT VERY OFTEN ENCOUNTERED IN THIS AREA. GARY WAS WANTING TO ADD A BLACK MARLIN TO HIS LIST AND THIS HE DID. OTHER CATCHES INCLUDED SAILS, DORADO, ROOSTERFISH, CUBERA SNAPPER, MULLET SNAPPER, RAINBOW RUNNER AND JACK CREVALLE.

WITH CAPTAIN SERIGO THIS WEEK WERE FISHERMEN THAT LIVED FROM SAN DIEGO TO THE SAN JUAN ISLANDS. THEY INCLUDED KARL THOMAS, ROB ROSE, TOM BROWN AND DAVE ATHERTON. BOTH KARL AND ROB LANDED NICE SIZED BLACK MARLIN WHILE FISHING NEAR ISLA MONTUOSA.

FISHING WITH CAPTAIN TATIN THIS WEEK WERE NEW YORKERS DENNIS SMITH, STEVE SCHWARTZ, MIKE RIGGIO AND MIKE'S SON MICHAEL. BOY OH BOY, WAS THIS EVER A HAPPY GROUP OF ANGLERS WHEN THE GIANTS WON THE SUPER BOWL! FISHING IN PANANA AND WINNING THE SUPER BOWL. I DON'T THINK IT GETS ANY BETTER THAN THIS! MIKE WAS ABLE TO LAND HIS FIRST BLACK MARLIN THIS WEEK, A 350 LB FISH THAT ATE, WHAT ELSE, A LIVE BONITA BRIDLED TO A CIRCLE HOOK. STEVE ALSO LANDED AN ESTIMATED 350 LB BLACK MARLIN.

IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT YET TRAVIS 2, WHILE WORKING FOR PESCA PANAMA, MADE THE FRONT COVER OF THE FEBRUARY ISSUE OF SALTWATER SPORTSMAN. THE PHOTO WAS TAKEN BY VETERAN WRITER/PHOTOGRAPHER DAVE VETTER WHILE HE WAS FISHING WITH US LAST FALL. I THINK IT IS A FANTASTIC PHOTO!

OH, AND "TEAM BORRACHO," WELL THEY ENDED UP WITH THE HIGH MARLIN BOAT THIS WEEK BY CATCHING AND RELEASING 11 BLACK MARLIN!

TIGHT LINES,
CAPTAIN JULIAN JAY GUSTIN

FISHING TIP OF THE WEEK: MARINE ELECTRONICS PLAY A MAJOR PART IN JUST ABOUT ANY FISHING TRIP THAT INVOLVES A BOAT. FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS PESCA PANAMA HAS BEEN DOING BUSINESS WITH, "THE GPS STORE." THEY HAVE AN EXTENSIVE LINE OF MARINE ELECTRONICS. IT IS NOT BY CHANCE THAT THE COMPANY IS OWNED BY ONE OF OUR ANGLERS, DREW REGER. WE HAVE FOUND THEIR PRICING IS GOOD, THE SERVICE IS EXCELLENT AND IF I NEED SOMETHING SPECIAL ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS CALL DREW. I SUGGEST NEXT TIME YOU NEED MARINE ELECTRONICS THAT YOU GIVE HIM A CALL AT 1-800-477-2611 OR VISIT THEM ONLINE AT, THEGPSSTORE.COM. DREW WILL TREAT YOU RIGHT.