FishTravelEat’s Elliott Stark — Our Offshore Encyclopedia

I met Elliott Stark in a seemingly random manner, just as unexpected as the start of many of my other closest fishing friendships. I’d been invited to a remote freshwater fishing lodge, and I’d liked the experience so much that I told their public relations staff that I’d be happy to do any writing for them that I could, gratis. One member of the team, not particularly versed in the different types of angling, fanned out my offer to just about every fishing magazine under the sun.  

One of those publications was “In the Bite,” a magazine for offshore captains and mates – people chasing billfish and pelagics, not the freshwater targets I was going to write about. Nevertheless, Elliott thought that some of his readers might be interested in my story, and agreed to take it. We’d enjoyed our initial conversations, so after it was published we stayed in touch, and when Hanna and I went to Casa Vieja Lodge for the first time I picked his brain about it prior to our trip. When we made plans to return, he must’ve figured that I was ripe to head over to the dark side. He made me the “offer you can’t refuse” by setting up a group trip to Sport Fish Panama Island Lodge. He’s the one I have to thank – or perhaps blame – for my newly-born tuna popping addiction.

While we were in Panama I got him to sit for a few minutes to tell his story. 

Be sure to check out Elliott’s website, and if you want to develop a new unshakeable, unquenchable fishing obsession, reach out and ask him to offer up some suggestions.