Losing My Rooster Virginity…Again

When we returned from Sport Fish Panama Island Lodge in April, I was generally on a high, but a tad bit depressed because I did not land a roosterfish on that trip. Others in our group had accomplished that task, including the petite redheaded woman I live with.

I’d caught roosters in Costa Rica in 1995, but that felt like it was so far in the past as not to count. Even though I had photographic evidence of those catches, it was so far in the rearview mirror that it seemed like a lifetime ago, which in some respects it was. Accordingly, I vowed in this space that the “only solution” I could envision would be to head back to Panama and lay hands on a rooster that I’d subdued.

Fortunately, that opportunity presented itself quickly. We arrived at the lodge late on the morning of Sunday, November 7th, put our stuff away, wolfed down a quick lunch and headed out to some inshore spots near Isla Parida. Very quickly, we started getting bit by a combination of Jack Crevalles and roosters, and by the time we had to head back to the lodge we’d landed about a half dozen of each. I got my shots and brought two roosters to the net, including a 40+ pound beast that stripped tons of line, tried to make it to the rocks to break us off, and didn’t give up even when in the boat. There, I’d done it. Now we could turn to other pursuits.

Those “other pursuits” primarily revolved around the prolific (and large) yellowfin tuna, but we took some time to play the inshore game, too. I added another new species – Bluefin Trevally. Hanna caught a baby wahoo. Our friend Samantha Sukupcak added a Horse-Eye jack.

Unfortunately, despite a bit of effort to catch my first Cubera Snapper, I rolled snake eyes on that one. I guess I’ll just have to go back.