New Items for The Third Round Tuna Beatdown in Panama
It’s been almost a full year since we returned from our second trip to Sport Fish Panama Island Lodge, and to say that I’ve been looking forward to Round Three is an understatement. They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder, but I would have been thrilled to squeeze in another tip to Isla Parida earlier this year.
One way that I normally cope with my anticipation between fishing adventures is through retail therapy. Whether I’m headed to Mexico or Brazil or some other semi-conventional freshwater location, I can make a Tackle Warehouse order and then speculate about whether the new items will work. When it comes to chasing tuna and cuberas and billfish, however, I wouldn’t even know where to start. Captain Shane Jarvis provides everything we need – first class rods, reels and lures – so you could show up with just a few sets of clothing, your toiletries, and a cooler to take home some tuna.
Nevertheless, I’ve managed to accumulate a few items that will make the trip to the island with me. I’ll report back after the fact with how they work out, but in the meantime, here’s a list, in no particular order.
The exceptional fishing and the hospitality are the main draws in Panama, but I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t care about bringing home a cooler full of yellowfin tuna fillets. After carefully rationing them we’re running low from last year’s haul and need to replenish. Our Yeti M30 Hopper has done and admirable job of getting them home still frozen, but we do worry about what should happen if we suffer a major flight delay. These maxxed out ice packs won’t take up much room in the cooler, but might guard against any disasters. I’ve been using them in the boat cooler this summer and so far I’ve been impressed.
Ugly Stik 150 Pound Tuff Scale
Whether it’s a mahi or a roosterfish or some sort of snapper, up until now we’ve taken our captains’ word on their approximate weight. Being the fish geeks that we are, however, it would be nice to get some exact weights. I’ve previously catalogued some of the “heavyweight scales” on the market and this new addition stands out because of the T-Wing handle that should make it easier to hoist a 30-pound mahi or 60-pound cubera until the weight locks in.
As I’ve documented before, when the tuna are flying on the gaff, so is tuna blood. It can get messy in a hurry. Not only do I want to be able to clean myself off for cosmetic and safety reasons, but I really don’t want to lose a thousand-dollar-plus combo, nor the fish that’s attached to it, because my hands are slippery. I like the fact that these towels are not only soft and “grippy,” but also remind me of what I’m trying to catch.
On both trips to Panama we’ve encountered sudden rainstorms of varying intensity. The boat has limited cover, and unless there’s lightning or some other safety concern there’s no reason to stop fishing. Still, adequate raingear is a must. Taking my stormproof bibs and parka would be overkill (especially with limited luggage space) but this little jacket might be just the deal. It weighs only 8 ounce and packs into itself. I brought it to Mexico in June and was glad that I did because we experienced some surprise unseasonal rain while we were there.
I’m a sunglasses junky, and have a basket of them in the office and pairs sprinkled in every vehicle, but I always revert to a few favorites. For a trip to a blue water paradise, it makes sense to bring these blue mirrored glasses from legendary saltwater brand Fin-Nor. They’re comfortable and provide wide coverage to protect my eyes from UV glare and flying bills.
