Jesse-Lee Collins

The offshore bite has been nothing short of electric over the last few weeks.

We have had loads of guests walking the plank for first-time billfish releases, all to the cheers of other anglers on the dock. We celebrated more grand slams in August than any of the summer months, including personal and boat grand slams. One lucky couple, Andrew Skwiat and Marlee Doms, got to release 2 billfish grand slams in 2 days – and it was their first time fishing for Marlin! The Grand Slams were made up of Blue Marlin, Black Marlin and Sailfish. The Blue Marlin bite has been around 25 miles offshore, along with Sailfish, Dorado and yellowfin Tuna. The current lines have been found from the drop off at 8 miles, continuing all the way out. We released a few Black Marlin further offshore, but most came from just 5 miles away from the lodge on the Zane Gray reef. We even released a Striped Marlin in August, which is rare for this time of year. Inshore, anglers worked hard to land monster Roosterfish and Cubera, as well as some big Grouper. 

The sea conditions were very good for most of August, however we did experience bigger swell than normal on some days. With some small storms coming through, seas were sporting at times. Rains were still quite frequent throughout August, with 2 to 3 days of beautiful sunshine, followed by 2 days of rain in the afternoon. These rains, however, helped with the flotsam lines forming offshore, resulting in happy anglers. Sea temperatures have been constant offshore in the 86 degree range, and inshore it has varied a lot with all of the rain, ranging from 80 to 87 degrees over the course of the month.

Guest Highlights

Gary and Laura Plum joined us from Florida, and it was their first time fishing at Tropic Star. The couple fished on the Miss Australia with captain Candelo, and they had an incredible time with their friends and the West family. By the end of their first night, Gary and Laura had made friends with pretty much everyone at the lodge. That is a big part of what makes Tropic Star Lodge so special – the genuine camaraderie. Laura was an incredible camera lady, making sure she captured some awesome shots of Garys’ Billfish. As the sole angler on the boat, Gary had his work cut out for him. Candelo certainly put him on the fish, and he managed to release half a dozen Blue Marlin, a Black Marlin, loads of Sailfish and some arm-stretching Dorado.

Brian and Stephanie Jinks Joined us for their honeymoon. The newlywed couple love fishing together, and are always up for fun. This trip held plenty of laughs and good memories for the pair. Their first day out on the water posed a real challenge for Stephanie – she hooked into a tuna of over 300lbs and had to fight it for close to 3 hours! Unfortunately, it popped the hook next to the boat, so there was no sashimi from that particular beast of a fish – but Stephanie still got to raise her flag and received praise (and commiseration) from everyone for taking on such an incredible fish. Any angler who has ever taken on a Tuna that big knows what she went through! The couple got to land a bunch more Yellowfin Tuna and Dorado. Both Brian and Stephanie have caught Billfish before, and on this trip, they managed to release a beauty of a Blue Marlin and some Sailfish.

Cristopher Johnston and Abbott (aka Moose) Stratford had a very memorable time fishing together at Tropic Star – so much so, that they extended their stay by a few days! Moose released his first Pacific Sailfish of 100lbs, and we got to watch him walk the plank. The anglers also managed to release 3 Blue Marlin, heaps of Sailfish, and a few Dorado and Yellowfin Tuna in between. 

Dana and Patty West have been fishing with Tropic Star for many years, and we have had the privilege of getting to know the entire family. Dana and Patty were joined by their kids, Hugh and Leah, as well as Hughs’ fiancé, Alicia. Over the years the West family have had a few fishing bets with my own family… and well, let’s just say that we have never really come out on top. The West family had some amazing fishing, and beat us yet again! Leah caught her personal best Tuna, weighing in at 170lbs and Alicia caught her first Blue Marlin, resulting in another satisfying “walk the plank” moment. Over the course of the week, team West got to smash some Billfish with Fidel on the Pollyanna, and Dana has some amazing photos of their catches to show off back home.

Andrzej and Michal Bilip have been fishing at Tropic Star Lodge for around 18 years now, and it was amazing to have them back with us all the way from Poland. They made fast friends with the group at the lodge, with everyone swapping stories from the many different trips they had experienced over the years. They joined us for 6 days on the water, fishing with Captain Gavilan on the Miss Island Star. To say that they had incredible fishing would be an understatement. The father-son duo managed to release just 1 Black Marlin, but they more than made up for that with incredible Blue Marlin and Sailfish releases. They had nearly a dozen Marlin on the line, and brought back stunning filets of Dorado and Tuna for all to enjoy.

During August, I also got to spend time on the water with my father, Leroy White, who I hadn’t seen in 3 years! It was a great reminder of what the world has gone through lately, cementing just how important it is to spend time with loved ones. We got to catch up on just about everything. Leroy and his wife Elma got to watch their grandson, my son, Logan release his first Sailfish, as Mallory and I cheered him on. After Logan, the rest of the family got to catch Marlin, Sailfish, Dorado, and VW sized Tuna! 

In all, it was amazing sharing special moments with so many families, including my own. Every evening, all of our shared mutual congratulations and celebration, laughing with newfound friends. Emails were exchanged, and plans were made – for trips to other exciting destinations, as well as return trips to the legendary Tropic Star Lodge, all with the goal to fish together again. 

The only constant is change – and that was certainly the case for us this July. The bite offshore changed up on us constantly, so the captains and mates worked extra hard to find the bite each day. Anglers were rewarded with some great catches. We had some incredible Blue Marlin bites and the odd Black Marlin showing up along the edge. The Sailfish and Yellowfin bite was the most consistent bite offshore and we got some bruiser Yellowfin over the 150lb mark. Along with the rain came some of the largest current lines full of flotsam that we have ever seen. The baitfish offshore were thick all month, and we caught giant Dorado along these lines. Inshore seemed to be on fire all month long. Anglers released loads of different species, and we released Cubera Snapper and Roosterfish over 70lbs.

The weather and sea conditions have been strange the last few weeks. We have experienced a lot of rain along the coast in the afternoons, which is to be expected during our rainy season, but the winds have been switching on us from north to south which is uncommon for this time of year. The sea temperature has also been changing a lot. It has climbed all the way up to 90 degrees, and then back down to 84 in just a few days making the fish very lethargic. 

Guest Highlights 

Drew and Dona Thompson brought their daughters, Maya and Ava, for their annual visit. They are some of the nicest people you will ever meet, and oh my word, can they catch fish! On this trip to the Lodge, the family fished with Capt. Luis. They kicked things off with Drew getting an Offshore Super Slam with two Blues, a Sailfish, Yellowfin Tuna, and a Dorado over 50lb. The Dorado also made the IGFA trophy fish club. This was an epic start to a trip, but their good fortune just kept coming. Ava was able to snag another pending junior world record for a Rainbow Runner, that weighed in at just over 3 pounds more than the current world record. Then, Maya came in to weigh a pending females’ world record on 20lb test for a Broomtail Grouper. Dona joined her daughters with a pending world record on 20lb for a Mullet Snapper that we released after weighing it at the Tropic Star weigh station! It was an exciting week of fishing to say the least, and on the last day, Ava finished off in true style (as only Ava can) when she achieved an Offshore Super Slam! She got an absolute beauty of a Blue Marlin, a Sailfish, 11 Yellowfin and a Dorado.

Martin and Laura Curi came with their son, Mark, from Miami, Florida. They fished with Captain Mario, and Willie as their mate. The family took advantage of our beautiful beaches, and did some kayaking through the mangroves. Their fishing was absolutely on fire with the family getting a Billfish Grand Slam – releasing a Black Marlin, a Blue Marlin, and a Sailfish in a single day. They also managed to get some Dorado action, with most coming in at an impressive size. 

Juan March and Nella Sanchez joined us all the way from Spain. It was a trip that had been a long time in the making, and one that I don’t think they will soon forget. They went fishing on board Miss Costa Rica with Captain Libardo, and Ramiro as their mate. The couple had a great time enjoying the jungle, and the calm clear waters of Playa Blanca, but they also smashed the fish! They managed to release 3 Blue Marlin during their 4 days of fishing, and a hoard of Sailfish and Dorado. The best part was that they had our videographer Keishmer on the boat with them for some of the action, so they will be able to relive their memories for a lifetime. It’s a long flight from Europe – but one we are hoping they will board again in the near future to head down and see us.

3 generations of Cunningham men – Robert, Jacob, and Thomas, joined us for 4 days of fishing, and they crushed it all trip long. They fished on Island Star with Gavilan and Elio. Thomas had some incredible fishing. He released his first Blue Marlin, and was initiated into the Tropic Star tradition of walking the plank off of the dock. It was estimated to be around 300 pounds. Over the next few days, Thomas managed to release two more Marlin, and they only got bigger. He also released more than his fair share of Sailfish, and brought in some monster sized Dorado. To say Dad and Grandad were beaming with pride would be an understatement! The best part was that he hooked all of his own fish, making his impressive catch list all the more rewarding.

It has been a while since we got to hang out with Tony and Pam Coffman, and it was great to catch up with them. They fished on Miss Alaska with Flaco and Ricardo. Being returning guests, they are not new to the Tropic Star experience, but this was their first time fishing with Flaco. With the fishing they had, I think that Flaco has definitely not seen the last of them! They fished for a half day on arrival and casually went out and released a Grand Slam! Tony released a Black Marlin, a Blue Marlin and a Sailfish on his first half day back. This marked his third Grand Slam at Tropic Star Lodge. Pam was acting as Tony’s back up and caught a huge Dorado as Tony took on some more Billfish. His biggest Blue for this trip was called at 600lb and after seeing the video footage captured by Pam, that was a very conservative call. 

We were thrilled to welcome Archie and Tracy Solomon back for the third time in the last two years. They brought their friends, Will and Carmen, with them to enjoy 4 days of fishing in the jungle.  Carmen was up first, catching her first ever Sailfish and first ever Blue Marlin of about 200lb. The fishing proved a little tough, but then during a half day of fishing on their last day, Tracey got on her Marlin. The Marlin was really tough –  it didn’t jump much, and unfortunately came off just inches from the mate when he went for a leader touch. The couples had a great time catching all sorts of species inshore, and Dorado and Sails offshore. Catching up with Archie and Tracey is always loads of fun, and we have to say a big thank you to them for the wonderful donations they always bring for the village of Pinas.

Harry Brickley is a living legend. Not only in the when it comes to fishing, but in the hunting world and in life itself. Harry, who is 94 years young, brought his nephew, Jeff Blagauras, with him to take on some Billfish. Harry has caught fish all over the world, and we love seeing him here when he comes for his twice annual fishing trips. We have a phrase here at Tropic Star, which a lot of our other guests have come to know well. “If you want to know when the Marlin will be biting, just ask when Harry will be here, because you know the fishing will be exceptional when he is here.” Harry always fishes with Capt. Candelo on Australia. They have been fishing together for many years and are good friends. Jeff released his first ever Blue Marlin on day one, right at the start of the day. He also released his second, his third and his fourth during this trip with his uncle. 

We had 3 generations of Vergnolle men at the lodge this time around. Ron and Finch were back again for their FOURTH time since March of 2020, and this time, Ron brought his dad to the lodge for his first visit too. They were fishing with their usual choice of Capt. Jacob and Weimar on Miss Tropic Star, over 3 days of fishing. The Vergnolles have done a lot of fishing, and on this particular trip, they weren’t able to get a Marlin – but they did get Sailfish on spinning rods and giant Roosterfish. The Cubera teased them, following poppers, and Finch caught his personal best Yellowfin Tuna of 107 pounds which had everyone very excited. It’s always a treat seeing the Vergnolles, and although we missed Britt on this trip, we know we will see them all again soon.

July served up some incredible fishing, and although we had some slow days in between, it did not disappoint. The one thing I have learnt here at Tropic Star is that if you fish for what is biting, you are going to have some incredible fishing! July proved this with crazy inshore bites and when the offshore was firing it was just insane! We had such a great time with all the families, and to have had so many multi-generational families fishing with us was truly something very special. We can’t wait to see what Neptune has in store for us come August!

June was a great month at Tropic Star. The Offshore bite picked up steadily, starting with the Yellowfin Tuna… then came the odd Dorado and Sailfish. By mid-June, the Sailfish bite was loads of fun with crews raising dozens each day. The Blue Marlin started to show up, along with gargantuan Dorado! We have been getting absolute monster Dorado almost every day, with crews coming back to the dock with stories of fish well over the 50lb mark. Some anglers were able to show off their monsters, brought back to the dock for some excellent eating. The Yellowfin have generally been within the 30 to 60lb range, with larger ones coming in at around 150lb. Inshore, the Roosterfish and Cubera Snapper were on fire and we got the biggest run of Mullet Snapper that I have ever seen during my time at Tropic Star Lodge. We were able to log a couple more pending world records during June, as well as numerous Slams both Offshore and Inshore.

This June we had massive rains washing out logs and other debris up and down the coast. It has been the wettest June we have had in quite a while. With all the rain came  huge logs and flotsam Offshore, which consistently makes for exciting fishing. The big rains made it tough for Inshore fishing over a few days though, as the water was a bit dirty along the rocks. The weather conditions have been immaculate for Offshore fishing, with a little wind and nice long intervals in the swell finding that flotsam all stacked up. It has been amazing and looks like it will continue into July.

Guest Highlights

Garreth Strydom and Kalyn Aschmann joined us from South Africa. The pair love adventure, and Garreth has been a keen fisherman his whole life. The couple fished with Gavilan and Arlin on Island Star. Garreth was really excited to get Kalyn hooked up to some Yellowfin Tuna and he was excited to add new species to his list. Kalyn got her arms aching fighting Yellowfin Tuna on poppers. The duo also caught huge Dorado, and Garreth released his first Blue Marlin. Inshore, Garreth released his first Cubera Snapper. The couple took a day off from fishing while here and had an awesome day all to themselves at the secluded White Beach with cocktails and snacks for the perfect day of recharging before getting back on the water.

Longtime friends, Larry Peardon from Kona Hawaii and Hal Westbrook from Oregan, joined us for their first time at the lodge. Fittingly, they fished on Miss Hawaii. Hal and Larry are both avid anglers, and it was great getting to spend time with them. The guys did a little Offshore fishing, releasing Sailfish, fighting Tuna and giant Mahi, but the gents had really come to target our Inshore species. In the rocky areas along the coastline, they both managed to release Cubera Snapper and Roosterfish. Larry also caught a massive Bluefin Trevally giving him an IGFA Inshore Slam for the day.

Gustavo and Beatriz Arvelo brought the whole family down to Tropic Star Lodge. Their son, Gustavo Jr., was joined by his lovely girlfriend, Kristen White. Their daughter, Veronica, was joined by her husband, Kyle Anderson. The Arvelos are no strangers to fishing or adventure, and they spent a full week with us chasing fish Inshore and Offshore. The family went out on two boats, Pollyanna – the 45’ Hatteras and Miss Island Star – an upgraded 31’ Bertram. Saying that the family had amazing fishing would be an understatement. The family released hordes of Sailfish, coming back to the dock flying flags in the double digits. They also released Blue Marlin Offshore and caught absolutely monster Mahi. The Yellowfin provided tasty sashimi while out on the water. Inshore, the group had to work for their fish. On one day, however, the team came back to the lodge having released 12 Roosterfish, along with different species of snappers, and a variety of different Jacks. Kristen released her first Roosterfish, of 50lb. Recapping their trip, Kyle released his first Sailfish, Roosterfish and Cubera Snapper. Kristen released her first Rooster, Sailfish, and Blue Marlin, and Gus Jr. released his first Pacific Sailfish. What an incredible trip for the big family and what a place to share these memories!

David Cummings brought his wife, Maricela, and two sons, Hunter and Chase, for some fishing fun in Panama. They flew in from San Antonio Texas for 4 days of fishing. They went out with Capt. Luis and mate, Ligorio, on Miss Darien. The anglers spent day-one Offshore – the bite was a little slow, with just a handful of decent-sized Yellowfin Tuna. But, oh man, did Neptune have something in store for them the next day! On their second day, they returned to the dock early with a Mullet Snapper caught by Chase, now pending an IGFA World Record. They headed back out fishing and when they returned, Hunter released his first ever Sailfish, and they fought and released two Blue Marlin. Everyone on the boat was super excited about the fishing and it was great getting to see their dreams come true.

Don and Sammie Bricker have taken on many a fish at Tropic Star Lodge over the years, and I would say the fish should have learnt to fear them, but clearly not with the fishing they had! The Brickers joined us all the way from Colorado, and they had some incredible fishing. They released Billfish every day. They also fought and brought home Yellowfin over 100lb. Sammie fought and won against the biggest of the lot at an estimated 140lb. On the last day, Sammie showed us why I always say that ladies make better anglers than men. Sammie released three Sailfish, a Shark, four Dorado, and a 350lb Blue Marlin. It was just the cherry on top of a fantastic fishing trip. We can’t wait to see them again next August when they return.

The fishing in June was loads of fun and we got to share it with both new guests, and many familiar faces. The rains were erratic at times, but the atmosphere was as intoxicating as ever, proving that there is not much that gets in the way of a good time at Tropic Star. There is nothing better than seeing everyone having a good time in the pool, around the table,or down at the Marlin Bar swapping stories and giving out high fives as they celebrate the culmination of those dream catches.

The waters of change are upon us. The Roosterfish are starting to turn on and come through in larger numbers, giant Cubera Snapper are still beating up unsuspecting anglers, Bluefin Trevally are making reels scream leaving anglers freaking out over how strong they are. These 3 species make up the Inshore Slam and our anglers are achieving this more consistently with every year that passes. There are not many places in the world that you can catch and release trophy-sized Cubera, Rooster, and Bluefin Trevally, never mind in a single day, but at Tropic Star Lodge you certainly can! Roosterfish are aggressive and give run after run as you get them closer to the boat. Cubera Snapper is all power in the beginning, but if you can stop that initial run, then you normally have him. Bluefin Trevally, however, are pure strength from start to finish, hitting baits like a crazy fish with a vendetta. This incredibly beautiful fish is all power, which has us all wondering – “how could something this size fight so hard?”. 

Sailfish have started to show up, and although not in consistent numbers, they are targetable with boats being able to have a few shots each day. The Offshore bite improved throughout the month, with more Dorado being caught. The Tuna are becoming more plentiful and the odd Marlin has even been making an appearance.

We never really experienced a normal dry season this year, so the change of season was not what it normally is in May. The mangos started to ripen, though, which is usually a sign of the Roosterfish hoard taking up their usual residence along the coastline. Due to warmer water temperatures and a very short period where the cooler water came through the bait acted differently to years past. There wasn’t as much bait close to the coastline, which meant that the fish were hungry and when live baits were trolled Inshore was MADNESS!

Our Roosterfish tournament was a huge success. We broke the record with 131 Roosterfish released in three days by just six boats. It came down to the wire in the end with the two top teams being just 50 points apart. It was loads of fun all round and we are excited for team Dilly Dilly who won and will be heading to the Offshore World Champs in 2022. You can read our full tournament update here. 

Guest Highlights

Paul Castranova and his good friend Thomas Barba finally made it back to Tropic Star Lodge with their sons, Anthony and Thomas. It was great getting to see the guys again and they brought one hell of a group with them. The trip was in celebration of Anthony’s Birthday and it was oh so much fun. The gentlemen had some fun angling Offshore, smashing some Yellowfin and Dorado. Tommy managed to get his first Pacific Sailfish and a Cubera Snapper by casting to the rocks. Paul, at the last minute on their last day, hooked up to his nemesis – a big red and orange bruiser. He got to release his Cubera Snapper. On the last night, Paul did a hilarious roasting of the group and Anthony had everyone in hysterics as he did his best impersonation of me. His accent was pretty spot on. 

One of our most loved guests at Tropic Star, Mr. Mike Myatt,  joined Paul’s group with longtime friends of the Lodge; Steve Groth, Nick Dyle and Eric Lear. Steve had his eye on a Black Marlin to complete his Royal Slam, but alas, it didn’t happen – not for a lack of trying! Mike did, however, manage to get Eric his first ever Pacific Sailfish. The gents were all able to catch some nice-sized Dorado. On one day in particular, Eric and Nick caught 10 Tuna and a bunch of Dorado, as well as releasing two Roosterfish. I know we will be seeing Mike back at the lodge soon, and we hope that Steve, Nick and Eric will return with him!

Miles Sawyer-Whicker and Angela Chang joined us all the way from Fort Worth Texas. The couple love the outdoors, and it showed, with Angela catching the biggest fish of the week. The couple are newly engaged and decided on Tropic Star as a getaway to enjoy some pure R&R. They crushed the fishing with Capt. Walter on Darien. The pair enjoyed some Yellowfin action Offshore, as well as getting stuck into the Inshore species on offer this time of year… but it was Angela’s 300lb Black Marlin that really left all the other anglers green with envy. 

Keith Talley joined us with longtime friend John Walker.  It was John’s first foray into the Offshore fishing world. Keith is an avid angler and he and John fished with Capt. Candelo, whom Keith has been fishing with for many years. The Inshore fishing was absolutely exceptional with Keith, John and the gents releasing over 10 Roosterfish in the first 2 days. As well as going Offshore and getting double digits of Yellowfin Tuna and Dorado, John released an 85lb Sailfish as his first ever Billfish. It was hard to tell who was most excited – Capt. Candelo, Keith, or John. On the same day, they released 5 Roosterfish and brought home a beautiful Almaco Jack for dinner. It was such an epic fishing trip that on their last day they decided to play on the rocks, coming back flying 14 green flags, having successfully released a horde of Roosterfish. 

This month we had a buddy week where we paired single anglers together. Ken Musgrave, Jay Robinson, Joseph Townsend, and Brad Hassal all joined us for the buddy trip. They were thrilled to be a part of the buddy system and all of the gents became fast friends. Ken, joined by Jay on the boat, released his first Roosterfish of 60lb and his first Pacific Sailfish of 85lb. In one awesome day they caught 23 Yellowfin to get warmed up for the following day, where they caught 9 different species of fish including 5 Roosterfish and a couple of very nice-sized Cubera Snapper. Joseph and Brad teamed up and fished on a boat together, with Joseph releasing his first Cubera Snapper of 40lb, first Sailfish of 90lb and first Roosterfish of 35lb. Brad released his first Pacific Sailfish of 85lb and first Roosterfish of 40lb. All 4 guys had such a great fishing adventure, made possible by the buddy system.

May was an epic month in every sense! We got to see, catch and release MONSTER Roosterfish in crazy numbers. We also saw past guests return, and it was great catching up and sharing good memories with old friends.