PESCA ExtremO!

Paul Kiefner February 2006, Revised to add pictures March 2015 Page 1

PESCA ExtremO!

By Paul S. Kiefner

People who know me believe I have a one-track mind and obsessive tendencies. I suppose there’s an element of truth to this, and I’ve come to accept this “genetically programmed” obsession as part of my personality. And my latest obsession, which is revealed herein, is Panama’s Salt Water fishing!

This obsession kicked into high gear after reading an Internet article about the

Tuna Coast, the seventy–five-mile southern edge of Panama’s Azuero Peninsula along the Pacific Ocean. Written by Captain Tony Pena, the article’s vivid marine vocabulary and graphic descriptions of gargantuan fish fueled a powerful desire to experience this area first-hand, and the more of Captain Tony’s story I read, the more driven I became to visit the Tuna Coast.

And two years later, that’s where I found myself as the fusiform body of a

muscular four-foot Wahoo rocketed behind the transom of the Super Panga. The Wahoo struck a trolled Rapala and had already stripped fifty yards of line before I even touched the rod. After I grabbed the rod from its holder, the reel revved up like a two-stroke dirt bike engine as the line vaporized from the spool. Fifteen minutes later, I brought in my first ever Wahoo. I was so exhausted I could barely hold it for the camera. This is just one example of why I came, with my sister Melissa— another avid angler—to fish the Tuna Coast.

For our trip to fishing paradise we stayed at the Rio Negro Sports Fishing Club. The club lies on the western side of the Azuero Peninsula in Mariato, Panama, which is four hours southwest of Panama City by car. The owners and operators are three Americans retired from the former Panama Canal Commission, the US-Panama agency that managed the canal prior to 1999 and the US military. They have acquired a prolific knowledge of local customs and the fishing grounds of the Azuero Peninsula. Melissa I had the pleasure and good fortune of fishing with two of the owners, Captain Tommy Giles and Captain Alex Livingstone. We also met the third partner, Billy Boughner, but were dismayed not to have a chance (this time) to fish with this legendary saltwater angler. There was little else to be dismayed about, however. Our trip consisted of five days of beautiful weather, extreme fishing, incredible seafood, Passport Scotch and Soberana beer—all fused with warm camaraderie into an unforgettable experience.

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I first began thinking about fishing in Panama after a trip to Costa Rica in 2004. On that trip, my wife, stepson, and I sampled (with good results) the inshore and offshore fishing at Cabo Blanco and Quepos. After this trip, I kept reading about Panama and recalled that Ernest Hemingway and Zane Grey had both fished Pacific Panama, which further increased the area’s allure. I started researching all the lodges along the Tuna Coast. One day, I decided to book a trip to the Rio Negro Sports Fishing Club. Like a man in a trance, I rose from the computer chair, walked into the kitchen, and calmly announced to my wife that I was going to Panama with my sister for a week of fishing. I guess my overwhelming conviction was so apparent that she just looked at me and said, “OK.” So, as you see, there are distinct advantages to the diligent choice of your spouse.

Our trip to Rio Negro was scheduled for February 13th –17th, 2006. We arrived at Tocumen airport on Saturday, February 11th. Tocumen is slightly northeast of Panama City. We had arranged to overnight at the Country Inns Hotel, which overlooks the Panama Canal where it meets the Pacific Ocean. Sunday we awoke to a glorious warm day, had breakfast, and took a walk along the canal bike path. The setting was so beautiful and (unknown to us at the time) just a minor introduction to the incomparable natural beauty of the Azuero Peninsula.

Mariato

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Tom Giles’ stateside sister, Lucie, arranged for us to be transported from the hotel to the Rio Negro lodge in Mariato. Joel, our driver, piled our gear into his yellow, diesel Toyota minivan. One hour later we stopped briefly in the bustling coastal town of Coronado to get groceries. Melissa was surprised by the reasonable prices. She disappeared down an aisle only to emerge ten minutes later with two six-packs of Panamanian beer. Who said you can’t choose your family members? Three hours later we arrived at the Rio Negro Lodge, where Tom Giles immediately greeted us. Tom’s friendliness and outgoing personality set the tone for our entire trip. Everyone we met was warm and inviting. Soon after, we met Tom’s charming wife, Julia, and Tom’s business partner Alex Livingstone, and their very good friend Dick Rathgeber. Together, they have created a very laid-back atmosphere at the lodge, with an emphasis on having a good time. And when it comes to the fishing, the emphasis is on catching big fish—and they know how to do it while still having a good time. Rounding out the cast of characters is Julia’s pet bird, Mickey the Quaker Parrot and Tom’s pet bird, Margarita the Macaw. We spent the rest of the day on Sunday talking, discussing tackle and methods, and taking a tour of the boat-building operation where the three boats that service the lodge were hand constructed. Generally, we were so overly excited we couldn’t think straight. I probably asked too many questions, and, oh my god, I felt so sorry for those guys having to deal with this wound-up obsessive from the States. After a nice dinner and some Soberana beer we retired in preparation for a 5 a.m. wakeup call. Five o’clock came way too early, especially since I live in Massachusetts and have no motivation to get up at that time during the winter. But here it was warm, close to the full moon, and I was energized despite not sleeping well. I kept thinking, “This is no time to be sleeping,” and this was my modus operandi for the entire trip. Mel emerged from her room somewhat later and we had a relaxing breakfast. After breakfast, we grabbed our gear and got into the double-cab, Toyota Hi-Lux pickup for the short drive down the gravel road to the river. There was just enough light to see The Magoo up against the riverbank. Designed by Billy Boughner, The Magoo is a 34-foot Super Panga that floats in a foot of water. Billy was a former tugboat engineer for the Panama Canal Commission, and when not working, spent every spare moment fishing. According to Alex Livingstone, Billy is one of the five best fishermen in Panama. Billy synthesized his boat design skills and fishing experience in creating The Magoo. Construction was done on-site as a group effort, resulting in a very seaworthy and functional fishing platform. Billy is also a master storyteller, and his fishing and Panama Canal tales were captivating. He smoked hand-rolled cigars whose sweet wafting smoke reminded me of my

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grandfather, who also smoked cigars and literally drove my grandmother crazy with their falling ashes.

Once down by the waters edge, we got out of the truck, waded into the river halfway up to our knees, stepped onto the motor bracket and climbed over the transom clutching our gear bags. Roger, the experienced mate, fired up the engines and soon we were motoring down the channel toward the mouth of the Rio Negro. The river channel acts as an amplifier of the surf, and we could hear its crashing sound as we headed toward the river mouth. Once at the river mouth though, the moonlit surf was benign. The Magoo quietly sliced through the gentle waves, and after a burst of throttle, was soon up on plane headed toward Isla Cebaco.

Cebaco is the second largest island in this part of the Pacific, the first being

Coiba Island, well known among saltwater anglers and eco-tourists. Cebaco is an ecosystem unto itself, including mountains, rain forest, and beaches of rock and sand with varying degrees of accessibility. Cebaco, as well as many of the other areas we fished, has a spectacular array of underwater structure, including huge ledges, caves, depressions, pinnacles, plateaus, and jagged reefs with dramatic changes in gradient and depth. These formations harbor a variety of baitfish, providing forage for powerful species of predatory saltwater game fish. Available species include African Pompano, Amberjack, Bonita, Blue Trevally, Broomtail Grouper, Corvina, Cubera Snapper, Goliath Grouper, Jack Crevalle, Rockhind Grouper, Roosterfish, Spanish Mackerel, Wahoo, and Yellowfin Tuna. There are numerous unexpected species, too, including Houndfish and small Snappers, which are less intense but equally entertaining to catch.

Catching such a wide range of species demands perseverance and a variety of

techniques. Weather also plays a critical role. Captains Tom and Alex and mate Roger have identified the best locations, and have developed proven techniques to put anglers onto fish. Some of the methods we used were trolling, vertical jigging, live-lining large baits and using surface lures. This makes for a challenging day of fishing as the methods are always changing to accommodate dynamic weather, surface, sub-surface, and feeding conditions. Of all the unknowns associated with fishing these expansive waters, one of the most exciting aspects is you never know what you’re going to catch. But you can be sure that most of the time it’s going to be a bruiser that’s going to have you bent over the gunnels for longer than you imagined. And, you better hope there’s a breeze to cool you down.

Sometime during the second morning I asked Tom Giles his opinion of the full

moon’s effect on fishing. This seemed relevant as there was a full moon on the 12th and this day was the 13th. Tom, our guide for three of the five days, has a theory based on experience and the solunar calendar that the fishing is usually better several

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days before and several days after a full moon. This point is argued ad infinitum among anglers, but based on our experience at Rio Negro I’d have to agree with Tom’s hypothesis. Then again, if you look at the pictures on the Rio Negro website, you’ll come away thinking the fishing is great all the time!

By now we were ten miles from the launch and on the south side of Cebaco Island. Alex has a position stored on his GPS for catching bait so we stopped there, and using Sabiki rigs jigged up some very lively bait, which went into the live well. I don’t recall the exact details of what happened next, but we were fishing near the Sombrero, a hat shaped rock formation, when Melissa got into a large Roosterfish that took live bait in deep structure, and an epic battle ensued leaving Melissa spent. Sometime later she got into an Amberjack, and between these two fish her modest expectations were already exceeded for the first morning of fishing. I, on the other hand, had not yet caught a fish. My sister was concerned that my ego was getting bruised. She asked if I was alright. I looked at her and said, “Mel, I have never been all right?” And so, the first morning was off to a grand start and any Doubting Thomas thoughts began to dissipate.

Throughout our five days of action-packed fishing, we had the most success

using live bait, with the exception of catching deep-water Corvina, which preferred jigs. Occasionally, Roosters, Cuberas and Blue Trevally will take top water lures, but this was not the case on our trip, with a minor exception. One afternoon, after crossing open water from Cebaco Island to Punta Mariato in three-foot seas we were fishing very rocky shoreline with top-water lures. Melissa was using a seven-inch Tsunami Talking Popper that excited a Blue Trevally. The Trevally responded by slamming the lure and frantically tunneling into the structure. Despite a 20-pound drag setting, the Trevally easily took line and broke off in the blink of an eye. Melissa was clearly disappointed and in a state of stunned bewilderment. She reeled in to find the popper still attached to the line, but the rear treble hook was missing. The staple, once anchored into the lure body, had torn out!

Roger and I did not fare much better working the surface. We were both casting

three-ounce, red and white Robert’s Rangers using 60-80 pound braided line with stiff seven-foot rods and Shimano spinning reels. We cast the lures as close to the shoreline as possible and then skipped them quickly across the surface. I can’t recall who lost their fish first. But I do recall a strike and blistering uncontrolled run. In no time the fish wrapped the line and broke off — ditto for Roger. We did, however, tangle with some four-foot Houndfish that would leap to take the Ranger lures. That was the extent of our top-water action. We took rain checks for Blue Trevally.

“Pesca Extremo!” was coined during our fishing trip on the second day, while

crossing a turbulent expanse of open water going from Cebaco Island to Cerro Hoya

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National Park. The wind was very strong, and spray from steep waves sheeted over us. Bracing against the center console of the rocking Magoo, I yelled to Tom, “this is extreme fishing!” and he nodded in agreement. Make no mistake about it; this type of fishing is not for the South Beach types. It’s very dynamic, with constant exposure to the elements and the pressure of fighting powerful saltwater fish. But it’s one of the best ways to experience the raw beauty of this exhilarating marine environment.

Every day was unpredictable and our Wednesday trip was even more so. Using

Sabiki rigs, we quickly caught twenty prime live baits. We headed out to an area known for Goliath Grouper and Cubera Snapper and what transpired was the stuff of fables—pardon me, fish stories. Roger rigged live bait and tossed it over the side. Within minutes, the rod was bent like a horseshoe and 100-pound braid was screaming off the reel and seconds later the line snapped like firecracker. Melissa was somewhat shaken by this, knowing that whatever did this was big—a Monster. In the next half hour, more Monsters got away, frustrating Mel and me. The details of this experience are best left as memories--such are the vagaries of fishing.

Any frustration during the fishing trips was always eclipsed by many more

positive experiences. Tom and Alex are very confident and relaxed and they know successful fishing is a game of patience and perseverance. This attitude paid off handsomely, and our catches of arm-wrenching Amberjack and Roosterfish were never disappointing. Some of our best fishing took place at the Sombrero. The waters surrounding the Sombrero are extremely confused and require a high level of seamanship to negotiate safely in close proximity. Huge waves, surges, and cross currents are the gatekeepers for the larger fish, yet Tom and Alex skillfully maneuvered The Magoo in radical marine conditions and put us onto some very large fish. Melissa and I caught nice Roosterfish near the Sombrero in these conditions and as a result of that experience became more fervent believers in the excellent seamanship of Captains Tom and Alex and Roger, the mate.

After a typical fishing day we would head back to the lodge around four o’clock. By then we were quite tired, yet always pleased with our experience and accomplishments. Once back at the lodge, we would stand under an outdoor shower and rinse off the accumulated salt, sweat and sun block—one of the simplest and most memorable pleasures. These showers were taken under the watchful eye of Margarita the Macaw as she was suspended upside down from a rope clothesline. An indoor shower and clean clothes followed. Then, to begin the evening, Dick would serve a platter of fresh sashimi marinated in limejuice and topped with sweet, thinly sliced onions. Delicious! Soon after we were served dinner, which typically consisted of at least two species of fresh fish prepared to perfection, rice and beans, and a tasty mixed-greens salad. We also had Cerviche, a cold salad made with fresh marinated Corvina. The selection of food was diverse and the preparation and presentation were

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both thoughtful and elegantly simple. Elizabeth, the cook, deserves a lot of credit for her efforts in preparing the meals. Last, but not least, we always ended the evenings with Scotch. If you travel to Rio Negro by car, stop enroute and buy some Passport Scotch for $9.00 a bottle. It’s the best recommendation you’ll get from me!

Fishing is the main attraction at Rio Negro; however, there are other less intense

activities to pursue. The lodge has several sea kayaks that can be used on the river. A shuttle can be arranged to drop you off upstream. We paddled a two-mile section of the tree-lined river. It consisted of mild riffles and there were numerous species of birds whose descriptions I’ll leave to the ornithologists - so take a pair of binoculars. Sea kayaks could be used to explore the mouth of the river if the tidal conditions permit. The river and ocean water temperatures are very conducive to swimming, although the ocean poses the threat of riptides. You can walk the beach forever, or make arrangements to explore Cerro Hoya National Park, which is accessible by road or boat. A wealth of potential experiences awaits the adventurous spirit, and you are limited only by your imagination.

If you’re not the adventurous type you can hang out at the lodge where there is a

large veranda with several hammocks and chairs. The veranda is surrounded by beautiful flowering plants and trees and is quite intoxicating. After dinner you can always walk down to the ocean to watch the sunset over Cebaco Island, a most befitting way to conclude a day at Rio Negro.

Friday was our last fishing day at the Rio Negro Sports Fishing Club. Of course,

there was a bit of sadness knowing this would be our last day so we decided to give it our all and savor every moment of the experience. It was the warmest day with the calmest sea conditions but the bite was slow. Around two-thirty, Tom decided to go catch some Corvina, the rationale being that he could position the boat over them without drifting too quickly. Boy was he on the mark! As soon as the four of us started jigging we were into large Corvina. I got snagged on the bottom and as I was trying to free the immovable jig it started moving and I realized I had a large fish—a Monster Corvina. This Corvina was the reward for a week of sweat equity.

The trip ended on a very positive note and we celebrated accordingly that night. Saturday was restful and we paddled a lazy section of the river late morning. Around noon, our driver, Joel, met us for the trip back to Panama City. The drive was uneventful except for the constant stream of memories from the past week. It goes without saying that we truly miss Tom, Julia, Alex, Dick, and the entire staff at the Rio Negro Sport Fishing Club.

We’re planning to go back soon. I have to go back. After all, I am obsessed! And

I did take a rain check for a Blue Trevally. A Monster!

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Mel’s first Roosterfish