"Alright folks, we just got settled back here in the States after our summer adventure in Panama. Thanks to BD for having such an information packed fishing forum. I have been able to have succesfull trips all over the world thanks to the captains and reports posted on here.
After contacting PSFL, Chad and Pesca who all gave me great information we chose to fish with Shane Jarvis/fishpanamatoday.com, and stay at his Island lodge Propiedad de Paradise. Our first trip out with Shane was a day charter leaving from his home port of Pedegral. We managed to make bait quickly and headed to Hannibal Bank for the day where we put the screws to a few YFT up to 80 lbs. Man if the average down there is what we were catching, I can't imagine what the season must be like. I hear it is off the the charts during April and May. After a long day on the water we headed to the Casa and came back the next day to Pedegral to pick some fresh Tuna that Steve had clean and waiting on us. These guys provide first class service.
Our next trip out with Shane was to his Island Lodge for 5 days. We were picked up at Boca Chica where we took a quick 20 minute ride out to the island. Once we arrived it was like being a King for the next few days. They took us to shore, showed us our rooms and told us to relax that they had it covered. As expected we were all a little apprehensive about staying on an Island in the middle of no where but I'm here to tell you this place was incredible. Shane has it all figured out, our villa had 4 bunks and a master suit, a unique outdoor shower with all the hot water you could wish for, a nice Sony flat screen, a Wii for the kids and an A/C that will literally freeze you to death if you set it to low and forget about it. By the time we had finished our inspection our luggage was delivered to us and supper was being prepared. Seeing as how the lodge is Ocean front at low tide it became a play ground for the kids, they can walk a quarter mile out on the rock sea bed and discover all sorts of creatures hiding in the pools of water. There imagination's were running wild. In the mean time Chef Steve prepared supper, fixed our plates for us and served us in style. We turned in early so we could be well rested for a day of fish slaying the next morning.
The next day we headed to Isla Montousa where we worked hard for a Black Marlin but couldn't get any love from them. So we switched over to shallower water and picked a nice fat Cubera and my wifes all time best YFT. Headed back to the hill where we ate Cubera for supper that night and rested well. We took the next day off and enjoyed the serenity of the Island. Next day out we tried to raise a Marlin again at Montousa with no luck. Flew the kite for a while and picked up a mixed bag of creatures doing that. The highlight of the day for my Wife and kids was a school of porpoise who hung around the front of the boat for about and hour, jumping and splashing them as they tried to feed them bread to keep them around. They also were talking Dolphin to them which I'm sure kept them near the boat, the Dolphin language almost caused the guys to join the porpoise in the water. Back to the lodge for an unreal supper of fresh YFT and macaroni/cheese to die for.
Shane and his crew have got it figured out. The lodge is the closest to all the popular fishing grounds like Hannibal and Montousa. There World Cat 33 makes for a quick comfy ride out and when you are tired from a long day on the water it is nice to only have an hour run to get home. These guys can outlast the most seasoned fishermen and are capable of backing it down a few notches to make it enjoyable for a family like us. So I would highly recommend Shane and his lodge Propiedad de Paradise.
I'll get more pictures up later. For some reason I am picture upload illiterate."
View ther original post on Bloodydeck's forum at http://www.bdoutdoors.com/forums/costa-rica-panama/341493-you-need-fish-panama-today.html.
