| The idea of fishing The Hannibal
Bank came as a result of monthly “dream trip” emails that I usually
send out trying to convince friends to plan a trip to various global fishing
locations. I sent Cole an email proposing such a trip and to my surprise,
he said he was in. That was a tough sell, this might be easier than I thought.
Apparently the thoughts of #500 Black Marlin feasting on acres of tuna was
too tempting to pass up. So, we made a short list of who we should invite
on such an adventure. Right off the bat we get confirmations from Scott and
YT….and Team Coiba was established. After almost a year of waiting,
our trip to “Jurassic Park” was upon us.
YT, Scott, and myself, flew out of Corpus with plans to meet Cole
in Houston, before the second leg of our trip to Panama City. After getting
settled in our hotel, we hit up an Argentine Steakhouse before making our
way to the casino that adjoined our hotel. With profits made by all parties
involved, we hit the sack in anticipation of our trip to Coiba in the morning.
The events leading up to takeoff made it an interesting hour flight
to the offshore islands. Shoeless airline workers, mechanics drinking on
the job, and a pilot that could not have been out of high school added to
the anticipation. As we came in for landing we were awed by the natural beauty
of this place. With the exception of a few concrete prison cells and an uphill
grass landing strip, the island is the same as it was when God created it.
As we disembarked our plane, Capt. Tom and a couple prisoners met
us to help carry our luggage down the airstrip to the freshly renovated 31’
Bertram. The 20 minute boat ride around the other side of the island was
as idyllic a landscape as I have ever seen, things were perfect….until
the boat came to a shuddering halt. We were suddenly all in a panic with
thoughts of our trip ending before it had a chance to begin. Did one of the
coral heads stick up higher than the rest? Did we wrap a floating rope in
the props? Capt. Tom jumped in and discovered we sheared one of the blades
off one of the props. No biggie, he had a spare at the camp.
While mates Giovanni and Burro changed the prop, we spent the day
freediving the waters within a mile of camp. One couldn’t believe the
amount of life right off our cove. We dove one particular point where the
bottom dropped from 6’ to about 30’ very sharply. On our first
dive we found an immense variety of fish, including Blue Fin Trevallys, Horse
Eye Jacks, #40 Cubera Snappers prowling the outcroppings, White Tip Reef
Sharks searching for prey, Parrotfish, Eels, and even had a Spotted Eagle
Ray glide by. This place really is the “Lost World”.
With darkness approaching, we swam back to shore completely engulfed
in what we just witnessed 200 yards from the beach. Before we had a chance
to sit down, we were greeted with Calamari, Octopus, ceviche and ice cold
beverages. After a dinner you would expect to find at a 5 Star restaurant
and a couple Panamanian beers, we hit the sack in anticipation of the upcoming
adventure.
Day 1- 5:30am and we were up eating breakfast as the mates loaded
the boat. The bank is only 10 miles offshore, but since we are on the leeward
side of the island, we had to make the 1 ½ hr run to the bank each morning.
As soon as we reached our destination we found acres of bonita, Yellow-Fin
Tuna, and Porpoise chasing bait. At 8:00am we dropped our squid chains to
catch some live bonito for bait and within seconds, we had all 4 bait rods
get slammed, 2-3 bonito on each rod. With the plentiful supply, we drop back
3 live baits and place the rest into the tuna tubes.
[attachment=12]sunrise.jpg[/attachment]
8:20am- One of the surface baits gets slammed, and since we are fishing
circle hooks, we let it eat for a while. As soon as I came tight on the drag,
the fish began to tear off the #80 mono. After a 20 minute standup battle
and 2 burning calfs, we had our first fish in the boat, a #125 Yellowfin
Tuna. What a great way to start the day, we had been fishing less than half
an hour and we already had a bruiser YFT on the deck.
Baits back out and 30 minutes go by before another livey gets drilled,
this time Scott is on the rod. A quick 5 minute fight and Scott has a #35
YFT subdued and boatside- we quickly established the size of the fish and
decided to try and bridle it up live on the Tiagra 80 in hopes of a grander
Black. Well, after several tries to bridle it in the water, the hook pulls
and the fish gains its freedom.
Another 20 minutes goes by and something takes the deep bait- heavy
and fast! Then the starboard rigger bait gets slammed….30 yards off
the side of the boat a Big black comes thrashing to the surface. In its hunger,
it had taken 2 baits and was now greyhounding across the surface ripping
heavy drag off an 80W and 50VSW as if they were a pair of Barbie and Snoopy
reels. Cole jumped on the 80W while YT grabbed the 50W. This fish put on
an aerial display unlike any marlin I have ever seen, trying valiantly to
free itself from the 20/0 circle hooks lodged in its jaw. With the line quickly
decreasing from the reels, Captain Tom jams the throttles in reverse and
we start backing down on her. After a good 20 minute fight, we get her within
wiring range where she puts on another aerial clinic, almost coming in the
boat as Giovanni hangs on to the leader while Cole and YT get a great release
on an estimated #500+ Black Marlin. High Fives all around, check the clock-
10:20am, we have been fishing a little over 2 hours and already have two
nice YellowFin and a Trophy Black.
After taking a beating all morning, we take some time to eat lunch
and scour the horizon for activity. Around noon we run out of live bait and
put out a spread to see if we can pick anything up. A few minutes after lines
in and YT comes tight on a #30 Dorado, which earned itself a date with our
Peruvian chef back on the island.
IMG 15
A couple more missed shots and we are out of live bait…so on
the Captains suggestion, we put out a couple of skipbaits and continue to
comb the high spots on the bank. 2:45- The short rigger pops and there is
a hole where the bonito used to
be….freespool!.....10sec….15sec…..I ease the drag up and we
are tight on a heavy fish. Immediately the marlin goes airborn and the fight
is on. Luckily we were set up for the chair on this fish and after a solid
30 minute battle, we have a #400 Blue Marlin boatside ready for the release.
More high fives and we find ourselves in the middle of an epic day. Cole
starts talking about trolling some belly baits or lures to try and secure
a Grand Slam, but in our Marlin Mania, we decide to keep after the Marlin.
In hindsight, had we know how many sails were in the area, there is good
evidence that we would have most likely been able to attain the Slam had
we tried. The day would conclude with a couple more missed strikes and quick
freedive before dinner.
Day 2 started off pretty similar to Day 1, tons of bait and tons of
fish. With the tuna tubes full of liveys, we began our week long mission-
“Troll live baits all day, every day”. With YT, Cole, and myself
all catching marlin the day before, it was Scotts turn to get his black.
8:50am and the downrigger gets a solid hit. Scott gets in the chair but knows
immediately it is not the bill we are looking for. To our surprise, it turned
out to be a #35 Cubera Snapper that was promptly released. Twenty minutes
later and Scott connects, this time with a #20 dorado that was also
released….then a #20 Mullet Snapper. We couldn’t keep baits out,
they were getting demolished by a myriad of different species. Around 11:45
a bait gets smacked a couple of times and we see a dorado from the bridge.
He finally managed to find the hook and I swiftly land a #20 mahi. Scott
finishes the day off with a nice #50 AJ before heading back to the cove.
More of the same come dinner time- Fried Mahi appetizers, USDA Steaks, Calamari,
Tuna sashimi and potatoes.
Day 3- That action picked up where we left if off. Just as baits were
in the water, Cole connects with a #25 Cubera Snapper. As the mates bring
the Cubera into the boat in preparation for Cigautera Soup, I hook up and
release a #15 Mullet Snapper. At 8:30 Scott picks off a #10 Dorado that was
quickly released. After the last dorado came in, we decided to rig up a belly
bait to have standby on my spinner. Well, a little more than an hour later
a nice mahi makes its way into the spread. Cole tossed him a belly and after
an aerobatic fight, we were about to release another #30 dorado. Twenty minutes
doesn’t go by before Scott nails a heavy #50 Cubera Snapper.
10:45- After a couple of missed strikes, YT connects with a slightly
heavier fish on a 50W. Within minutes we have a #120 Pacific Sail dancing
behind the boat. YT was able to get the beautifully lit up sail to the boat
in just a few minutes. After a couple quick pics, she was released to go
terrorize more marlin baits.
Fifteen minutes later, I manage to toss a strip bait in front of a
hungry #15 Mahi.
Within minutes of my dorado release Scott hooks up to another estimated
#120 Sail and brought her to the boat in short order.
Just before we head in, we decide to drop some jigs to see what lurks
below. Within seconds, Cole is hooked up to a #35 AJ while I bring in a #15
Mullet Snapper. Back to the cove for more diving, eating, eating, and eating.
As told by Scott Nelson-
Day 4
Up again early to hit the Bank, with howler monkeys screaming in the
distance. Captain Tom asked us if we wanted to try for roosterfish or something
else, but we wanted to stick with the Marlin plan. A little before 9:00,
two outrigger bonita go off, resulting in 20# mullet snapper caught by Gabe
and I. About 30 minutes later, Gabe lands a 15-20# dolphin on a Panama Strip
bait with his new spinning rod, expertly built by Oz.
At noon, one of the surface baits gets blasted, so I hop in the chair.
After 20 minutes of a very heavy fish staying deep, we wonder if it’s
a marlin or a big yellowfin. Finally, the fish greyhounds to the surface–a
solid 350# Black Marlin. After a few more minutes, I bring the fish to the
boat, where Giovanni leaders her up for release.
The hot afternoon slows the bite down, with only a 20# dolphin in
4 hours. About 4:45, a big bonita gets blasted. We look up and see a big
Black Marlin greyhounding 300 yards off the stern. Cole jumps into the chair
and endures a 45 minute fight. Giovanni grabs the leader ensuring the release,
however, the big black stays deep, finally cutting the leader with vicious
swipes of its bill. Although we never got a close look at her on the surface,
we estimate her to be well over 500#--probably even 600#. Back to the island
and beers all around.
Day 5
We get out to the Bank about 9:00, seeing several free jumping marlin
and sails. One marlin free jumped over a dozen times, which Captain Tom said
was really rare (usually black marlin only jump once, while sails jump like
crackheads). At 9:15, a sailfish ate Gabe’s bonita off the bait rods
at the back of the boat, so he put another one out and promptly brings in
another 120# sailfish.
A few minutes later, Cole catches a 25-30# cubera which had snagged
the downrigger bonita. At 11:00, Gabe hooks up yet again with another solid
100-120# Pacific sailfish, which did some amazing acrobatics.
As the day progresses, we see more sailfish jumping all around us.
Had we downsized our baits or used more strip baits, we could have caught
them all day, but we decided to stick with the Marlin plan. No marlin showed,
so we headed back to the island.
On the way in, we passed a nice beach on the island, so Captain Tom
gave us a history lesson. Several years ago, 5 prisoners from the same gang
escaped their cells and were living on the island before trying to escape
to the mainland. The guards were unable to recapture them, so they released
a bunch of prisoners from a rival prison gang and told them to track them
down. Long story short, they found the 5 prisoners, chopped their heads off,
and put them on stakes on the beach.
Day 6
We had heard reports of a good marlin bite at Montuosa Island, about
an hour and a half from Coiba, so we decided to skip Hannibal Bank. As we
arrive, we see several boats, including the Go Fisch and her mothership.
The Go Fisch and her crew are featured on a great fishing show-Offshore
Adventures-- on ESPN 2. Essentially they cruise around the world on a primo
yacht and mothership catching monster fish. Tough life.
As the day progresses, we see several boats hooked up with Black Marlin
and sailfish. We also see lots of sea snakes on the surface.
About 1:00, one of the big bonita on an outrigger gets absolutely
blasted, leaving a massive hole in the water. Gabe hops in the chair, but
the fish keeps taking line and taking line. Big fish. After 30 minutes or
so of back and forth struggle, the line stops moving and there is dead weight
at the bottom (only 120 feet of water). We think that the big Black Marlin
got tailwrapped and died at the bottom. We bring some line end hand over
hand, but eventually the hook pulls. It is possible that the fish got wrapped
up in some bottom structure, but the bottom was flat. Who knows, but one
thing is clear, it was a huge fish.
About 3:15, we hook up on a solid fish. YT jumps on it and quickly
brings in a 50# Amberjack. Although not the marlin we were hoping for,
nevertheless a good fish.
About 5:30, we decide to bottom fish before going in. Cole quickly
catches a 35# Cubera on a Grouper jig. Gabe and I then catch a couple mullet
snapper before heading in.
The next day, we fly out to Panama City. One of the prisoners said
he was being released that week after 10 years on the island. That night
it’s back to the casino tables. One of our group (who wishes to remain
unnamed) was up $1600 at the tables, before Lady Luck turned. Glad he bought
us sushi while still having some cash.
Altogether an incredible trip to a pristine environment. Captain Tom
Yust and his crew are top notch in every way. Thanks guys for putting such
an incredible trip together.
- Team Coiba
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