We’re Going Back
Recently I wrote about my 2025 goals, and at the top of the list was my quest to catch a marlin. Pete independently wrote up a list of 2025 goals for me – again, number one was for me to catch a marlin. We’ve been married long enough that we complete each other’s sentences
I knew that our January trip to Sport Fish Panama Island Lodge would feature popping for yellowfin tuna. It’s thrilling -- looking for tuna boils, throwing in poppers, holding your rod for dear life reeling like your life depended on it. As expected, we caught a lot of tuna and restocked our freezer. But I also knew that November through February is one of the best times to catch a marlin there.
I waited to see if we’d have an opportunity to target them.
Our first afternoon out was inshore fishing: no marlin.
On our first full day out we went offshore and exclusively caught tuna, but when we got back to the island one of the other boats reported catching a sailfish as well..
We spent the second and third day offshore near the Costa Rican border. More sailfish than ever before. I was one of the fortunate anglers.
On our fourth and final day we made a commitment to target billfish. THERE WAS STILL HOPE. Since the SFPIL fleet works together, we were all in a known productive area. We had a mix of “plastico” baits and our live bait in the spread and we trolled.
The Captains keep in touch with their radios, so we can hear what is going on. As opposed to keeping their success a secret, the Captains like to brag when they have a “fish on.” A lot of bragging was going on, on other boats.
There was still time. Come on, it had to happen.
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
“HANNAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!”
Jhonny the Captain, Carl, Lisa, Pete and there I went scrambling to get harnessed up. The mate Joel had his hands in places I am sure he didn’t want to have them but I was quickly suited up for my battle. My time had come.
I am smiling writing this. I am trying to remember what I was thinking. It was stressful and physically demanding. They are massive fish, hard to pull through the water. I’m getting support from everyone, they were rooting me on, Pete has his phone out videoing me.
During the fight, there’s not much for the others to do but root on the one behind the rod and watch the water. That’s what Carl was doing, watching the water, watching the water to see the sail (!#$!*) of my fish for a brief, brief moment. None of the rest of us saw it. He told Lisa, and they decided to not say a word.
I continued to sit back in the harness and then lean forward and reel and sit back in the harness and lean forward and reel to get that marlin to the boat. I remember thinking, good gosh, this could take a couple of hours but I did it and then Captain Jhonny yells “Yeah, a SAILFISH” and although the fish’s sail was lit up, my sail had the wind was let out of it.
I’m still thrilled I had the fight and got the fish in but sadly the first thing I thought was, “There goes my turn.”
We went inshore to catch some other species and then went back to trolling. We didn’t get another hit and it was time to head back to the island.
Talk about bragging rights, the other boats caught five marlin that last day, two 400--plus pound blacks, a couple of smaller (250 pound) blue marlin, and a few more sailfish.
Despite my disappointment, it’s hard to be mad about such an amazing trip. So many fish caught, so many friendships made and one goal that’ll be even sweeter when I accomplish it. Let’s be real – the most meaningful goals aren’t achieved easily.
It’s ok, we’re going back!
Our next hosted trip to Sport Fish Panama Island Lodge will be May 23-29, 2026, but I’m happy to help you go whenever it best fits your schedule – shoot me an email, let me know your goals, and let’s get you down there.
