Archive for the 'Travelogue' Category

Wanna Dance ?

Saturday, April 16th, 2011

Inta and I have arrived Golfito after a fun filled (even went to Sea World) trip to Ocean Beach for grandkids party.Capt.J.W.Teal from Last Stall just returned from 5 days at Banko Hannibal and had nothing good to report on the Marlin bite but 80 lbs. yellowfins were thick. (red tide covering much of area,Agura reef and Isla Montuosa were clean)so we are off tonight (full moon)to the 79 mile bank in CR with cousin Jimmy and family…Local inshore sailfish bite is red hot (20/30 shots a day) and the Mahi have come on…..We’re going to go deep for the Marlin then fall back inshore if they don’t show.

Extreme Full Moon

Wednesday, March 30th, 2011

Putted out of Golfito Sat.night (March 19) with no Panama Zarpe and one goal in mind. That goal is to hit the Burica Seamount 47 miles out at dawn and look for some love. If it’s not there, we’re a long way from nowhere. The structure is a prehistoric dead(I hope) volcano raising to 540′ from a surrounding 500 to 700 fathom bottom. The structure lies 4 miles west of Panama’s Isla Burica. Eyes strain at first light blindly wishing the water is blue, the current is running, and yellowfin’s are showing(about a 40% shot). I’ve taken some of our biggest Marlin at this locale on the moon including Inta’s 400 lbs. class blue on standup with Marlin legend Capt. Tom Lynskey on the wire and cousin Tommy’s huge Blue this January. As we move in it’s immediate apparent life is present. A huge tree loaded with bait is miraculously drifting right off the volcano and we deploy the live bait rigs and score an immediate double on yellowfin. The prerigged 20/0 circle bridles accept the tuna and we set up a 4 knot live bait power drift. After about 20 minutes…..CRASH….We found the Love…….

79 mile bank

Tuesday, March 29th, 2011

First pioneered with me by old friends Skip C. and Robert C. from our deep mid Atlantic Canyon days out of Sunset Marina in O.C.MD… On that first trip to the mark on the chart (half the time you find nothing but 1000 fathom emptiness) we found a 2 mile circular rise about 2000 feet with a teardropped shaped 1200 foot 500 yard bump. We raised some Marlin and Sails with lots of bait present and the potential was apparent but we only had 1 overnite to map. This trip we came locked and loaded for a 3 day full out attack. My team consisted of my seasoned crew plus practiced anglers Charlie S., Kostas G. and Toddy. We arrived at 4 AM and anxiousy await first light to see if the effort is a boon or bust. And then slowly….oh yea….it’s the bomb. We set out our trusted Marlin lure spread(including the infamous Mr.Pinky down the center) working at 7/8 knots with dropbacks both rigged and live ready to deploy. Over the next 3 days we hooked 10 Marlin(released 5) and raised 55 Sails. Charlie had a Black release on 30 lbs. standup after an epic battle that ended after sundown and all (including me and Beto) fought and released 100lb. plus Sails on Spinning Rigs with Power Pro braid. Never saw another boat. As Toddy would say, “Now that’s what I’m talking about”.

Black and Blue

Monday, March 28th, 2011

11AM Wednesday March 23…We’re hot on the billfish…Toddy has just 5 minutes before released a sail…..Jimmy Cliff is wailing Many Rivers to Cross when a Blue crashes the left short with Kostas hooked up. Almost simultaneously Mr.Pinky on the 50 lbs. Penn standup gets annihilated by a Black and, “Houston, we have a problem”. Dr.Charles rigs up and Marlin are tailwalking and reels are smokin’. After thirty minutes of impeccable team work amid the chaos Thumper has her first double Marlin release.

Offshore Super Grand Slam

Sunday, March 27th, 2011

Press Release : Golfito, Costa Rica……Thumper with Capt. Harry Glah, mates Beto and Ronny and anglers Dr.Charles Shuffelbottom, Kostas Giourtis and James Todd pulled into Fishhook Marina March 24th after an historic day. During the previous 24 hour period the Thumper team had joined an extremely rare IGFA club releasing 4 billfish species including Black, Blue and Striped Marlin and Pacific Sailfish. Angler James Todd had an individual Grand Slam with a Black, Striped Marlin and a Sail. Thumper and it’s 20 Marlin releases leads the Golfito fleet thus far this season.

Offshore Playa Carrillo/the wild grounds

Wednesday, March 9th, 2011

Heading to new grounds for the next few weeks,200 miles west of Golfito….Last weekend in March is the Costa Rican Presidental Open an IGFA qualifier at this locale….Superb Striped,Blue and Black Marlin at this remote Pacific spot 70 miles south of Nicaragua,offshore of CR mainland ….Best chance of Super Grand Slam……No marina or provisional support.Dangerous Papagayo weather phenomenom to be expected.Questionable anchorage.Perfect conditions for our selfcontained Mikelson 60 Sportfish and crack crew……..Bring it …….

Joseph Cunningham MD

Sunday, February 27th, 2011

Man,this sucks…..Our dear friend and frequent offshore companion has died….Dr.Joe and his beloved SWAMPFOX was a familiar and respected sportsman on the Mid/Atlantic Offshore Tournament circuit. Joe traveled and fished with Inta and I from the 2004 IGFA Offshore Championships in Cabo to Tropic Star in Panama and introduced us to Thumper’s current home, Golfito CR…..In an ironic twist of fate, the Chairman of Surgery for nearly 3 decades at Maimonides Hospital in NYC succumbed to a freak complication from knee replacement surgery. Joe was Inta’s savior when she had her heart problems and mentored daughter Maya in her quest at John Hopkins. An Alabama boy, he conquered the Big City with his superior intellect, skill and charm. He was preparing to retire and move permanently to his farm in Upstate NY. Sadly, he didn’t make it…………. Our next Marlin caught, tagged, and released to swim free, will have Dr. Joe’s name on it……

Oliver Eugene

Monday, February 14th, 2011

New grandbaby 4:37PM PST.Much love and happiness to Niki and Henry……Best Valentine present ever…..

Black Marlin on Spinning Rod

Monday, February 14th, 2011

Shimano Stella 20000SW/black marlin tested

Saturday, February 12th, 2011

O.K…O.K…light tackle sure,but C’on Man….Unlike the last trip the Marlin bite is tough….Feb 5 our 3rd day on the Banko Hannibal grounds and we are finally on some fish.Bob Hansen from DC has brought the rig and I’m thinking sailfish but Charley@ fishthief.com is pushing with “up to 57 lbs. of drag,60 lbs.Power Pro Braid, we can do this”….The spinner looks substantial but the Trevala F XXH rod looks like something more suited for the spring White Shad run at Deer Creek MD.We have the business end rigged with a 5 foot double Bimini and 15 feet of 200 and a grande fresh ballyhoo on a 12/0 long shank J with a pink mini hooker in front…..I’ve had Beto set up a Moldcraft magnum softhead as the left teaser and have the rig in the cockpit ready to deploy if we get a “bait and switch” opportunity.Our 3rd fish raised that afternoon provides the shot and my team executes perfectly and the fight is on…..The video shows 36 jumps(got to love “His Majesty the Black”) as Bob, the Marlin, and Thumper do the dance and in 15 minutes Beto has the bill in hand,exits the hook and the 250 lbs class Black swims off.I know what I want for Christmas……..