Tues. May 15, 2012:    WHAT AN AMAZING ADVENTURE!! The Intrepid will be back at Point Loma Sportfishing on Wednesday May 16th from our Incredible Panama Sportfishing Adventure! Guests and friends alike are welcome to come down to the Vessel on Wed 5-16 through Sat 5-19 from 8:00am to 4:00pm for pick-up of personal gear. Any questions please call Steve @ 619-778-3110. "The Intrepid Team"

Sun. May 13, 2012:   HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!!!

      To all of the mothers out there, and especially to those of us here, thank you for everything you do, and we love you! Our travels continue north, even though good old mother nature is doing her best to slow us down. The calm seas and warm days have come to an end over the past couple days. The wind has steadily picked up and isn't giving us much of a break. Other than a little rocking and rolling as we make our way up the line, all is well here for the Intrepid travel team. We are currently just below Turtle Bay, will be passing Cedros Island late tonight, early tomorrow morning. Our ETA to the dock will be Tuesday, but the time will depend on clearing customs once back in San Diego. We are looking forward to getting tied up to the dock, and giving this big girl a nice break. She has taken us on one heck of a journey, and holding up very well considering the amount of continuous travel, along with the drastic changes in water temperature and weather.

A couple messages from the boys...       "Miss you, Love you, and see you in a couple days mom"... Deron

      "I can't thank you enough for everything you have ever done, you've always been there for me no matter what the situation. I'm so lucky your my mom, because your the best in the league!" ...Scott       "The Intrepid Travel Team"

Tues. May 8, 2012:   Leaving Acapulco...our halfway point... Our travel north has continued, after spending the night in the harbor, in Acapulco. We have been lucky to have made good time to the one stop made during our trip home. This morning we cleared customs and immigration, put some fuel on the boat, and got back on course. The weather this afternoon is beautiful with calm seas, and little to no breeze. Projects around the boat are getting worked on everyday, and the checklist is diminishing. We should be passing Cabo San Lucas in a few days and the final stretch will be in sight. "The Intrepid Travel Team"

Thur. May 3, 2012:   So far so good as we continue to make our way up the line. The weather has been great and the seas have been calm. The wind did pick up today, and as quick as the swell looked as if it was building, it layed down and was back to just the way we like it. Clear sky's and a beautiful sunset. As excited as we all are to be on our way home, the stories of the past couple months come up, the realization of how lucky we were to be in such a beautiful place, and experience all that Panama had to offer. The work list seems long, but items are getting crossed off every day. There is plenty to do to keep us all busy. We celebrated Demon's birthday yesterday in a style suited just for him...hula girl pinta, and chocolate cake with pink candles. We are taking turns playing chef, and dinners have been great. The little time we put the jigs out today, we did hook a marlin just before dark, but it didn't stick. Our travels will continue and not stop until Acapulco, which will be 3 or 4 days from now. All is well here on the Intrepid and we will continue reports of our travels every few days. Jason, Scott, Deron, Kona. "The Intrepid Team"

Sat. April 28, 2012:   Today is the final day of our last trip here in Panama and as we make way into port sitting in the wheelhouse chatting with the crew, and a few passengers poking their heads in to say hey, the many feelings and emotions of the entire journey begin to sink in. The stories shared are endless, and the excitement of more to live are just a part of it. This was another very successful trip for us down here, and I still feel like we have only begun to unlock the full potential of these rich offshore and inshore local waters. As excited as I am to get home and see all of my family and friends, I will sure miss this paradise. There are so many people that deserve a huge thank you for making this all possible. To all of the passengers, clients, friends, and families, to the new and old, regulars and 1st timers, experts and novices, we thank you all for joining, helping, and experiencing this adventure. Without all of your support, this would never be possible now or in our future endeavors. There are so many people in this fishing industry that also deserve thanks. Michael Fowlkes and his crew with Inside Sportfishing and Shimano, deserve an additional thank you for joining us and helping make it all happen. It was an honor and an absolute pleasure for all of us here, spending the many days in Panama as we did. To Peter Neal, what can we say, for everyone that has been with us you all understand, and for all of you at home, we couldn't have made this a success without him, no matter what the situation, no matter what the time, Peter made it happen. I am at a loss for words for what he has meant to me and the Intrepid family. He has been amazing to work with, and all of us here see him the same...a new friend, and a part of this family. We as a crew all owe our owner, Ken Price, a special Thank You for his vision and trust in us to make a dream come true, and offer the Ultimate Long Range Experience . "The Intrepid Team"

      

Fri. April 27, 2012:    Our final day of fishing / exploring was a festive one! Everyone was able to get out and do some angling and get in the water to explore the beaches or do some more snorkeling before heading for port tomorrow morning. Ken Bush caught yet another Trophy Snapper, he really has got it down! Throughout the 5 trips here it was the Cuberra Snapper that had everyone talking each night about the raw power of these fish and how they (the snapper) won most of the battles. The challenge those mean fish present to each angler became an obsession. Line size didn't matter, strength didn't matter, just button your drag to full and hold on, because this fish is going to pull you around like no other ever has, then snap, your in the rocks, absolutely amazing power! The evening had a popper casting contest organized by Larry Brown himself for all our new found friends, Capt's & mates that we have been working with during this Adventure. These guys are a class act and were such a pleasure to work with. The contest was a riot with Juan winning the whole deal, and in the end he passed out his winnings to all the other Capt's and mates, a real show of class and honor. Tomorrow will be spent traveling this section of beautiful coastline for the last time, then into port for a couple of days for provisions and preparations for the journey home. To all our friends and guests who made the journey down here with us "WE THANK YOU AND WILL CHERISH THE MEMORIES WE CREATED FOREVER." "The Intrepid Team"

             

      

Wed. April 25, 2012:    The Fisherman's Dream. Tuna in the morning and Trophy Snapper in the afternoon. The fishing, the company, the snorkeling and kayaking, the whole Adventure here in Panama keeps giving us more surprises and Great memories. The wind backed off today and everyone was able to get in the water and enjoy one activity or another. Kayaking into the beach is popular right now as guys are winding down from the fisherman's urge to get that Trophy on the line and just soaking it all in. With Parrots flying overhead while you relax under a Palm Tree listening to the gentle roll of the waves coming in, you realize once again that you are in Paradise. With an ample supply of Cabillito's and Blue Runners in the tanks we are geared up for one more day fishing/exploring every rocky point or long sand beach hunting for that inshore tug-o-war or maybe head offshore once again and chase down some Tuna or Marlin & Dorado's. Who Knows, but it will be fun. "The Intrepid Team"

             

      

Tues. April 24, 2012:   The Tuna wouldn't bite again for us even though they showed themselves all around in many different areas, so we headed to one of our favorite places down here to try for some Amber Jacks. The few of us here on the Intrepid for the day caught some good ones. Mike Boshard and Ken Bush both landed their first ever! After the drift fishing slowed down we sent the Kayaks out to the one of many beautiful secluded beaches we consider to be a sportsman's dream. Rooster Fish have been on the chew for a couple of weeks now and today they were at it again, exploding on baits and Poppers. There were several nice Roosters caught on the Poppers today. Jamie, you must have gotten them fired up with all the popping last week! The snorkeling is the finest around and the skiff fishing for Blue Star Jacks, Snapper, Amber Jacks, and even a couple of 35lb class Yellow fin was just outstanding this afternoon. Catch and release has been the theme for this group and the sharing of their daily fishing adventures in the galley of this Luxury Long Ranger during the evenings has been a riot. Tonight Chef Paul served us up some fresh Surf & Turf of Lobsters and London Broil backed with his home made Boston Cream Pie!! The Conway Family Vineyards and their sponsorship of the Intrepid in the form of some "Deep Sea Reds" puts the extra touch to the evenings dinner. Time to join the gang as they relax on the back deck with cocktails and Cigars while enjoying some music from our Soundcast Stereo System provided by Bill McCarty. Oh, I almost forgot about the Sailfish jumping around off the bow and a Lush Green Tropical Island off the stern. "The Intrepid Team"

             

             

             

             

Mon. April 23, 2012:    After another good night of catching bait we headed offshore to track down some of the Nice Tuna Schools we saw on the last voyage. We found em, but they did not want to bite at all, there were some big spots of fish crashing on very small(micro) fin bait and we could not pull them off with anything we had to throw at them. Even the smaller Anchoveta's did not work on the Tuna. We did pick up some Dorado offshore, then headed back in to Montuaso Island for some inshore action before getting the hook down. Several Snapper were landed, but these guys chose to release them again today. What great sportsmanship everyone has had on these adventures down here. Tomorrow we will give the offshore another shot before we change gears and head in for some fun along the beaches again and get the Kayaks and snorkel gear out.
          We would like to start giving some props to the numerous sponsors that contributed to this Very Successful Venture down here in Panama, or Paradise in this fisherman's eyes. Avet Reels and The Coral Star Operation has been a very big part in the success of the Intrepid here, Seeker Rods also has been a big supporter for us, Salas Jigs with a huge Donation for us, The gang at Squid-Co Tackle who helped in outfitting us with everything needed in the way of terminal gear, Tony Garza and Ultra Soft Steel Premium Fishing Line, to name just a few as there will be plenty more in reports throughout this adventure and along the way home. "The Intrepid Team"

             

Sun. April 22, 2012:   The inshore fishing for Jacks, Snappers, and Roosterfish was very good again on this first day of fishing. Everyone chose the inshore option for their first day and it did not disappoint anyone as the fishing around Isla Parida and all of the big rock outcropping's provided a scenic background . JC landed a Rooster estimated at 60lbs and there were several others in the 50lb range landed as well. The Big Snappers that didn't rock the guys, (most of them did) were released to fight again another day. This group as the last one down here are very happy in releasing their catch and only keeping a few for the galley, thanks guys. We will set up tonight in a different location and see if we can add some skip jacks to the great bait supply of Cabillito's and Blue Runners we have in the tanks from the last couple of nights. Wish us luck. "The Intrepid Team"

             

Fri. April 20, 2012:     The adventure continues with Avet Reels and Larry Brown for this final journey here in Panama. Late this evening after dinner we were treated to one of mother natures greatest shows in the form of a lightening storm that dazzled us all. It was spectacular! This was one of the longest lasting lightening shows many of us have ever seen, although there were many pictures being taken, it is quit hard to capture the perfect shot of a bolt shooting out of the clouds to the surface of the ocean. It appears we will be in for more of the same tonight, as there are several very large thunderstorms building all around us. The bait making should be very interesting tonight. Pictured are one of the storms currently building to the west of us and the new AVET PRO EX80 3 SPEED, WOW! This reel feels like it can handle anything of any size, from 300lb Tuna to 1,000lb Marlin, this reel is going to get-r-done. "The Intrepid Team"

             

Mon. April 16, 2012:    Good morning all from the tropical waters of Panama.
          A gentle breeze, slightly overcast skies and the distinct yet soothing smell of the mother nature's greatest creation, the ocean, once again greet us as we start this new and final day aboard the Intrepid. For the passengers I sense no hint of finality or sorrow as this great journey nears it's conclusion. Rather, we the passengers silently acknowledge to each other the incredible opportunity we were fortunate to experience together. As we review the pictorial images, taken from numerous digital cameras, downloaded onto several computers one cannot help but relive in our minds the experiences denoted in those great pictures. Regardless if the digitally captured experience was a personal one or shared by others from their own cache of adventures we all were close enough to the events to recognize we were individually drawn into the scene simply by being here, functioning as a family operating to the beat of one heart and one mindset. The crew and passengers clearly have bonded united in the knowledge we all played an integral in the creations of our fellow shipmates lifetime memories and experiences. To recognize, we each will be remembered, years or decades later, as one or more of our fellow passengers fondly revisits the greatest times in their lives, as one of the integreal partners in that individuals "Trip of a Lifetime", can be only described as heart warming and soul enhancing. Each of us knows we have put smiles on the faces of each other, reveled as one in the spirit of this trip and have now left an indelible imprint in the memory banks of our fellow shipmates. WOW!!!!!! And here I thought we just came here to get a sun tan and do some fishing. Okay, I never really thought that but no person could have realized the extent of how this adventure would enhance the rest of our lives.
         As Kona Mike and David C, I believe, are putting together some digital footage I am reminded how many great movies take a few minutes at the end to highlight and name the individuals who contributed to the film. In my case I would like to key in on the skipper and crew in an attempt to share the overwhelming feelings of family and commeraderie these carefully chosen gentlemen imbued into our fortunate group.
          Captain Kevin: The ambience and direction of each trip, the cadence and mood along with most all other aspects of a long range trip start and stop with the Skipper. Since I first met Kevin, as the replacement skipper for the Intrepid, I realized the owner Ken had found an investment opportunity. A special individual with the keen sense, foresight and ability to implement the prime directives, to "Boldly go where no man has gone before".... Okay, you caught me I plagerized that part. The point was from day one Kevin was about the experience. Though fishing does not actually take care of itself there is only so much a skipper can do to put the passengers onto fish. The Intrepid is so much more than just an incredible fishing machine as Kevin insures the prime directive of customer service and attention to individual details are carried out to the best ability of the crew. Leaders in the world (NO not flouro leaders) are few and far between. Great leaders are fewer yet. Great leaders who can in transfer their mandates and passions to their crew members who actually carry out those requirments with confidence and a sense of team spirit are worth their weight in Gold. Kevin is one of those rare individuals. After meeting his father, Robert, I can begin to understand why. Thank you Kevin for bringing out the best in both the crew and the passengers.
          Jason: Jason is a skipper in his own right who operates a 6 pack operation out of San Diego as well as a known crew member on long range boats such as the Shogun fits right into this great operation. Bringing in a wealth of experience and a certain stability which comes with a bit more age Jason adds another dimension to an already multi dimensional crew. Chatting about the old days is something many of us "Old Guys" just love to revisit. Jason has been there and done that so hours were spent just enjoying the day and chatting about old and new times. Somehow, I was enjoying one of our chats so much I forgot to get out on the Kayak at one of the bays we were anchored at. Yes, I enjoyed his company that much. So much knowledge, so much history and so much shear passion for the sport of fishing. Right on Jason.
          Kona Mike: Everyone who knows Mike just loves Kona. Eternally young and Eternally Kona Mike. Quite and gentle Mike can instill confedence in anglers be they in a skiff, fishing from a Kayak or on the big boat. Mike is the epitimy of "Born to water". Fresh water or Salt Mike clearly is in his element when surrounded by nature's perfect liquids. NO, not Scotch... Oceans and lakes. Catching trophy Trout or giant Tuna, Mike is all about it and fully understands how to make the passengers feel like they belong to the group as well as joyously conveying his knowledge of knots, history of the sport and fishing techniques to those who wish to learn. I was so glad to hear Mike would be here on the Intrepid for our adventure as he adds his own unique style and sense of Kona Karma to the trip.
          Scott: A fishing teddy bear is the first thought which comes to mind. However, Scott has the heart of a lion. Scott at first sight can be slightly imposing but in truth is the first person to be there when you need him. With a smile and grace, a laugh and a helping hand, Scott is "Johnny on the spot" be it getting a passenger a soda or glass for their Scotch in the Galley or all about helping an angler land a big fish from the big boat. Having learned what is important on a long range operation, which in some weird way can be a metaphor for getting along in life, Scott just "Gets It". As a crew member or friend Scott just makes each of our lives better, especially when he tends the deck wearing his L.A. Dodger Jammies, deck shoes, T shirt and of course his oversized belt filled with Dykes, Pliers and tools of the trade. A strong work ethic combinded with a Git ER Done attitude is Scott in spades. How can you not smile and enjoy the day just a bit more when Scott is around?
          Deron: Deron may be the blue print for eternal youth. When I found out Deron was about to turn 30 I just shook my head and wondered what magical DNA did his family have to keep him from aging. Deron is the blending of one part old soul and 10 parts eager youth. Always a huge smile and a helping hand the passengers and crews just know we are more than fortunate to have him aboard. Deron is one of those few folks who have NO hidden agenda. He has nothing to prove and does not operate from a place of insecurity. Don't let Deron's joyous demeanor fool you. He is all about enhancing the fishing experience for each and everyone of us. I for one, who never wished to grow up, cannot help but feel younger when hanging with Deron. The quick wit and banter along with sharing our own forms of self depricating humor make the Deron Experience so much more than just a Crew-Passenger sort of thing. I wish every boat had a Deron but you have to go on the Intrepid to get this experience.
          Chef Paul: The fishing Chef. The man with the golden touch...and hint of garlic. Be it a perfect Prime Rib, hand seasoned and rubbed to perfection, or a specialty breakfast made "Your way", Stir fry chicken or a Sushi platter made to perfection Paul is all about the customer service aspect. I am particularly tough in that I do not eat fish (Other than Paul's previously noted amazing Blackened Tuna) Paul always has my special needs met. Never a grumble, always a smile and Paul makes sure the crew members who help me out also know not to serve me the fish. Though certainly I would not at all be bothered should I accidentally be served the wrong meal there is a certain feeling of customer service when one of the guys says Jamie, your meal will be right here. In my business I was all about Customer Service and always measure others by my own level of expectation in this regard. Clearly the Intrepid is about Customer Service and Chef Paul takes that service to the next level. The only drawback to Paul are his home made desserts. Forget the term "Just say No". It is impossible when you see and smell the home made flakey Pie Crusts, the lighter than air cakes, the fruit medelys which somehow become the perfect topping for certain creations or his amazing bread pudding. Paul, those of us trying to reduce our waist lines by pushing away the desserts have no chance against your culinary skills. Oh Well, I guess my tailor will just make a few more bucks letting out the waist of my pants. Bummer.
          Back to the adventure. Sitting up here in the Non Wheel house the conversation just begun about how many times the fish won our battles. Rather than bad connections being our nemisis it was the Rocks and brute strength of the variety of species. Our jobs were to turn the heads of these driven beasts to keep them from "Rocking" us. No matter how much we think we know how to man-handle big Tuna or other species, some of the creatures just drove everyone crazy when they won their freedom by just being meaner than we were. How many times did we chalk up the scoreboard Fish-1, Fisherman-0??? Funny, here in Panama, we the fishermen really respect the accomplishments of the fish. Our job is not to kill them rather we only wish to be the victor in the bout where each of the participants, after the fight, lick their wounds knowing we would all be back to fight another day. Respect is given and earned on both sides of the reel. This is so much different thant trying to kill everything when the big tuna are biting. Did I mention I LOVE catch and release??
          I believe Kevin has been good about including some pictures in these reports. I am generally too tired to review the reports along with knowing which pictures Kevin included. However, this time, I know we have at least one of the 8 amazing sunsets we experienced. The other picture is of one of the Sushi Platters presented to us by Chef Paul. NO, this is not a photo from some of your favorite Sushi Bars unless, like many of us, our favorite Sushi bar is right here on the Intrepid. NIIIIIIIICEE!!!!!!!!
          In retrospect I must reiterate the nature of this trip. If all you care about is catching fish this trip may not be the best financial investment for you. Not to say you cannot get your fill of fish and variety in species as YOU CAN but the real revelation of this trip is all the other activities the Intrepid and her crew have arranged for us. Once you have snorkled any one or all of the myriad bays we anchored at you may never seeing the visual equal anywhere else in the world. I have fished and dived all over the world including the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and I have to say Panama certainly can rival that scenery on a much larger square mile scale. The only draw back to the snorkling in the beautiful waters of Panama is the realizeation and small amount of fisherman frustration when we discover just how many catchable fish are located on just about every square inch of the beaches and rocks. Our targeted species just would swim by every few seconds in sizes we wished would be on the end of our lines. Yet the beauty of the creatures swimming naturally and not trying to spit a hook out of its mouth is just breath taking. (Please do not take a breath of the top of your snorkel is under water) As a fisherman I want to hook them all, as an adventurer I can only marvel in their perfect creation and hope my children and grandchildren will one day experience what I have enjoyed on this amazing trip.
          Fishing from or just Paddling the Kayaks is a gas. Feeling the snap and turn of the bow when I hooked a fish on a popper from a Yak has little or no rival. Drag pressure if mostly how fast the finned creature can tow the Yak. Talk about exhileration knowing I was not on a 100 ton stable platform rather I am on a rather unstable 50 pound piece of plastic trying to land a fish. Even I would have a tough time putting into words this amazing experience.
          Traveling or fishing from the Intrepid's skiff adds another dimension to this trip. Somewhere between the cruisers and the Yaks the fishermen are just a bit closer and thus more intepmate with the whims of the surf or tidal surges as one is hooked up to another mean fish. Once just becomes more conciencous of just how powerful mother nature is. Though Kevin is the skipper in truth mother is really in charge. Thank goodness "Mom" allows us to participate in the joys only she can provide.
          Previously I mentioned you can swim with the porpoise or maybe a giant Manta. The greatness of the truth is knowing what we really do not know. That is what the next minute or the next day will present to us. Will we take the bull by the horns and jump in with both feet while our hearts pump loud and hard or will we play it safe preferring to witness the creatures from the boat. No option is wrong and no option is right but each of us pushed ourselves just a bit harder and a bit further than most of us thought we would go. None of us really know what we will do in the next situation but within the first few days those who said they would "Never" ended up "Doing"...... Everyone got out of their comfort zone. Everyone was a better man or woman for it.
          For those who are fortunate enough to be on one of the next Panama adventures be sure to try the popping experience. Everyone who tried it is hooked. By no means will you catch as many fish as with bait but the exhileration of the experience cannot be duplicated. Though the boat is fully equiped consider some big splash poppers with a bit of red yet smaller in size as the bait fish right now appear to be on the smaller side. Try some of the drop jigs for a change of pace. If you are not familiar with the techniques just ask a crew member to show you. Remember, getting out of your comfort zone and trying something new without fear of looking like a goofball should be a goal of everyone. Poppers are about numbers of casts as are drop jigs. The more casts or drops the better your chances of hooking something. Besides, the exercise will not kill us.
          In Closing, THANK YOU Ken for all that you have done for this fisherman and this sport. You continue to make contributions to this industry which in my opinion can only improve the experiences derived from Long Range Fishing for this and future generations. Unfortunately now I have to get back to reality and give you back your Yacht. Though the guys made it feel like we were the owners I have to come back to reality and recognize I am not the owner.... Ouch. Of course on the other hand I do not have to wash it down, pay the bills, fill it with fuel, etc. Hmmmmm Maybe it is just better to feel like the owner than actually be the owner. Oh Maaan, I feel even better than I did a minute ago. Thank you Ken and Thank you to the crew and passengers of the Intrepid Panama Trip number 4 for making the latest memories some of the best in my life.
          Jamie.
          "The Intrepid Team"

             

Sun. April 15, 2012:  Evening Report

   Another fun filled day here On The Intrepid. We had it all out today with the Kayaks, skiff, and our friends running the cruisers hunting down some fun fishing experiences. Everyone enjoyed coming in for lunch again today to get out of the heat for a few before heading back out to target whatever types of fish or fun one can think of. This week we have had less rain and cloud cover blocking the sun, so it has been a bit on the warm side. There were some very nice Snapper caught today, but most of them battled so hard and strong that they rocked us no matter what gear we went after them with. It sure is fun to go after a fish that you know will probably get the better of you when you hook into them. Exciting is the theme there. We will get some rest and then spend a little time on the beach in the morning before headed for port. "The Intrepid Team"

             

Sun. April 15, 2012:  Mid-day Report

         Wahoodad coming to you live from Panama. A mid-day report due to the fact I only wanted to fish a half day today. And, the mothership Intrepid is only a short run from where we are fishing. So, rather than the bag lunches, we have been coming in at noon and enjoying Paul's wonderfully cooked cuisine for lunch, along with a break from the heat by sitting in the air conditioned salon.
          Today, Silent Jim and I enjoyed a very special treat. We were invited to go fishing on the Star VIII with Harry from Avet Reels, our own personal cruiser. What a delight it was. Both Harry and Sarkis from Avet reels have been with us on this voyage since about day two. They brought their own boat, and their own skipper, Juan (although Harry drives the boat a lot).
          Now Harry fishes down here quite frequently, and he has developed his own tactics that I must admit are very effective, their 2nd day out he and Sarkis caught and released a 600lb Black Marlin . So, we left the Intrepid full of bait, fuel, and water, and a few minutes after we were fishing. Jim and I both enjoyed some fun fishing for inshore species, and after a small lull, Harry asked if we wanted to try for tuna. We both said YES!
          It wasn't a long run, and even before we arrived at our location, we saw a spot come up, and some nice grade tuna splashed around a bit. I got picked, missed my first shot, but oh well :-)
          Upon reaching the location, it wasn't long, and Harry latched into a tuna, his first this trip he noted. He fought it well, and we had blood on the boat in a short amount of time. Then Silent Jim got bit, and his was a little nicer grade fish. Jim fought it well on his 1X3 Super Seeker, and in short order, we had one just under a hundred pounds on the boat.
          After that, not much sign around. I had a request I asked of Harry. I wanted him to put me right on top of the Hannibal Bank, so I could jump in. It's just one of my things, get in the water in as many fishing locations as I can. Harry told me of all the poisonous sea snakes, the jellyfish, Bull Sharks, Hammerheads, etc etc. But there was no changing of my mind, and when I got the signal: sandals, shirt and glasses off, SPLASH!
          Now Harry, light hearted joker he is, drives off waving! HAHAHAHA! He came back, picked me up, and we all had a laugh. Jim and I had a wonderful time fishing with Harry and Juan. Harry had some watermelon, and fruit and nuts, loads of stories, pictures of past trips, just a fantastic host. It really was a great day. "The Intrepid Team"

             

Sat. April 14, 2012:    Good evening all, Jamie here again from MY personal Mega-Yacht the "Intrepid".
          Oh, I know, the title does not actually have my name on it but the way the guys on the boat make each of us feel, every minute of every day, we could all be kings and Rita could be a queen. This is NOT some sort of stereotypical "Cruise Line" event as this is SO much more intimate and personal than a cruise ship with 500 strangers could possibly be. Each evening "Our" Captain, Kevin, asks each of us what we would like to do the next day. Perhaps some may want to go out on the Cruisers to fish for the Inshore species of about a million (Yes, on this one issue only I am exaggerating) different varieties of finned critters. Maybe a few of us choose to go out on the Yaks to fish or paddle around the myriad number of secluded coves and beaches or possibly take a Kayak cruise up a rarely traveled river where adventures loom around every corner. Perhaps "Loom" is the not the correct term as the word seems to denote a certain amount of risk, however, I say "Loom" is the correct term as one really does not know what unknown adventure awaits, literally "Around every turn". Monkeys, crocodiles, fish, exotic vegetation or ??? certainly are on the agenda. For those of you who truly are happy and content in your daily routine then this adventure is definitely NOT for you. However, for those of you, like we passengers.... Errrr, Owners, of the Intrepid, who came here to get away from the daily grind and actually live life rather than let life live us, then this just might be the trip for you.
          I am sitting here in the non wheel house (The Intrepid does not actually have a steering wheel rather it is much more state of the art than a simple ships wheel) while a gentle breeze is another reminder of the tropical paradise we are in. On deck I hear the laughs and conversations of crew and passengers along with the wonderful local skippers and crews from the cruisers who are also totally content to hang out here on the Mother Ship. There are plenty of adult beverages and sodas for all along with the telling of the tales from the day's fishing and non fishing adventures. Ooops, let me change that the discussions have turned into loud frolicking fun for all the participants. Dinner is about to be served by Chef Paul whose culinary creations continue to delight each and everyone of us. I probably should not mention his deserts are legendary (No frozen or premade concoctions) rather each meal is properly completed "Intrepid Style" with freshly made pies, cakes or ????. Funny, even the deserts turn out to be an adventure in dining. Did I mention LIFE IS SWEET?? Since I began this report prior to dinner and now am finishing after our Warm Berry covered cake dessert, I must admit something I rarely am able to admit. I actually ate Tuna... Paul Style. Anyone who knows me is aware I grew up eating Tuna 3 times a day, 7 days a week, so to say I am not a lover of fish is an understatement. However, today is a landmark day as the Blackened style Tuna Paul served this evening simply smelled too good to pass up.... and it tasted better than it smelled. A half pound of Blackened Tuna later..... Well, Maybe I will eat Tuna again but only if Chef Paul makes it.
          I suppose at this point I should ask the following question. How many white sand, palm studded, secluded coves can a Mega Yacht owner, like myself, be exposed to before the magnificence of the surroundings begin to fade??? How many thousands of porpoise, or are they dolphins, must an individual be in the midst of... And possibly swim with, before the experience becomes Passe?? How many roads must a man walk down.... Oooops, I apologize for once again making reference to something some of you might not relate to but Oh well. The answer my friend is Blowin in the Wind ( Or in our case the gentle tropical evening breeze). And the answer to these questions is...... Drum roll Please...... WAAAY MORE than I have seen so far..... And I have seen one heck of a lot of each of those items.... but not nearly enough to diminish the thought of the next white sand beach, another secluded cove or the next group of porpoise who might just be sitting on the next mega school of tuna.
          The adventure of today was noted by Captain Kevin and his Dad Robert. Out on the boat's skiff they encountered two very large Manta Rays who seemed to take a shine to them. For the majority of you who have never seen a Giant Manta Ray up close and personal it is not something you will likely ever forget. These gentle giants, at least the ones I have seen, seem to be completely unphased by the likes of mere humans. With wing spans which can easily be wider than a long range boat and certainly a skiff the guys were ecstatic. The mere thought of snorkeling with one or two of these amazing creature is something I can only hope I will have the chance to do on this trip. At least knowing the opportunity exists, once again, makes this choice of getting out of my comfort zone and onto the Intrepid Panama Adventure, a "No Brainer".
          As a side note, this morning I fished with John K. and David Choate (Aka Wahoodad). Anyone who knows both of these outstanding long range fishermen knows these guys love fishing Tuna. The bigger the tuna the better for both of them. I suppose the easiest way to describe how much everyone on this trip is LOVING the inshore fishing is to repeat what David stated and John agreed to this morning. We had been doing the inshore thing much of the morning and the bite was just a bit tougher than usual though certainly still wonderful. Outside of where we were fishing we noticed someone on the Intrepid's skiff seemingly hooked up to a nice fish. Since we could see there was a large school of Tuna next to the skiff we could easily assume the hooked fish was a Tuna. Gee, are we smart or what?? None the less when I noted it might be fun to go out the half mile or so to see what we could do in the way of hooking a few of those Tuna, David, with absolute sincerity stated "It's too early to fish Tuna". I am not sure I need to say much more than that regarding the numerous options we fishermen and non fishermen/women have while participating in this adventure. WOW!!!!
          VERY IMPORTANT: Ken Bush would like to wish his Father the very best wishes on his Birthday. To Ken's Dad I would like to thank you for giving me one more opportunity to live life like there is no tomorrow as I was fortunate enough to fish with Ken today. Nice Job Sir.
          It's funny, normally I cannot wait to find out each day how the long range sport fishing boats fared as far as the daily fish counts. Tuning into the Intrepid's, and every other long range operation's reports, is something I just love to do on a daily basis. Perhaps you might have noticed I am not really applying that much time or verbiage to the fish reports from this trip. Without question, the numbers are almost irrelevant as it is the variety and rarity of the species we are catching and releasing. This is very much a catch and release trip as far as the fishing goes but the entire host of memories we experience are kept close and held tight every minute of every day. The fish are part of the scenery here. The catching of these exotics is an honor. The releasing of healthy fish a joy. Though there are plenty of fish caught every day a simple fish report just could not do this boat, these passengers,this crew, this adventure or this amazing part of the world, justice. No Way.
         Jamie.
          "The Intrepid Team"

             

             

Fri. April 13, 2012:    I just realized it was Friday the 13th during dinner. OOOOOOHHHHHH, I got it. That explains a lot.
          All in all, it was indeed one of my best days of fishing, EVER! Really? EVER! You see, this was just one of those perfect days, flat calm glassy seas, warm (actually hot at times) weather to the point of being able to take your shirt off at any given moment. I have no clue what Heaven's going to be like, but I'm kinda guessing I won't need a jacket, just like today.
          Couple that great weather off with co-operating bait biting very well before we jumped on the cruisers, to top off our already ample bait supply. And fishing with friends, as I got to be in the cruiser with two of my absolute best fishing friends: Jim Odlum and John Keeler!
          Now, about that Friday the 13th stuff here for Wahoodad. I realize this is mostly a catch and release trip, but I was doing a lot of long distance releases today. These Pargo, Snappers, and Jacks absolutely had their way with me today. I lost fish every way imaginable today, these fish are tough tackle busting son of guns. And with all that, I still could not get mad, or let that bother me. It was simply beautiful today, etched in my mind forever. Plus, the helmet cam Go-Pro recorded a bunch of it. John and Jim had their casualties as well, but nothing like I did.
          And then, the strangest thing happened. As we were inshore, fishing these Pargo spots, we saw a spot of tuna come up and splash around. So, being that they were less than a 1/4 mile from us, we went after them, and they bit! We fished for these tuna until we ran out of bait. But the nice thing is, our mothership, the Intrepid, wasn't far away. So, we went back, got more water and bait, and headed back out on this perfect day on the ocean.
          Off to bed, to rest up before another day of adventure here in Panama! "The Intrepid Team"

             

      

Thur. April 12, 2012:    Wahoodad coming to you live, from the Intrepid, in Panama!
          Today was my first day fishing in the cruisers. Silent Jim and his wife Rita joined me on Luis's Coral Star cruiser for a fun filled day of fishing. I woke up early this morning, to a smiling Paul, who was finishing up the lunches for those departing on the cruisers. A nice little literal brown bag lunch with sandwich, chips, and some other goodies, all put into a chilled bag to keep it fresh. Come lunchtime, it was much appreciated. The guys were baiting up their cruisers, so that when we finished our breakfasts, off we go. So, right after Jim, Rita and I finished our ham and cheese omlettes we climbed on the boat and sped off.
          We looked for tuna on our way to our spot, looked like a small sign of fish, but not enough to dedicate much time to that endeavor. We did put out the skipjack catching dealios, and caught enough to fill the tuna tubes. I got bit on the slow trolled skipjack several times, but could not seem to hook the Cubera Snapper chewing on my bait. Jim started us off with a bigeye jack, and Rita caught a African Pompano, really nice sized one.
          One thing about being down here: If you don't like the weather, wait a few minutes. We had a downpour with huge drops, but I just kept fishing. Luis kept at it, and we ended up with a fantastic day: 8 Bluefin Trevally, 2 African Pompano, 2 Barred Pargo, 2 Cubera Snappers, and a few other species thrown in as well. They have a very innovative way of rigging, and you pretty much bring your rod and reel, and they do the rest.
          Paul prepared a fantastic dinner of Amberjack Piccata, Scalloped Potatoes, Candied Carrots, and Bread Pudding for dessert. Pretty tired here, but it's a good tired, from a great day of fishing. Thanks to Captain Kevin and the crew, along with the cruiser crews as well. Good night!
          For the rest of us here on the Intrepid or on the other Coral Star Cruiser we had a HUGE Day of catching Rooster Fish! We caught and released 7 beautiful Roosters from our 15ft Triumph Skiff here off the big boat. A double hook-up along a nice stretch of the beach started the big day that allowed Miles, Ken(2 today), Mike, Jason Reese, Kona, my father, and myself to all get in on the bite and land a good one! What a Day! The Star VII had a couple more Roosters to go along with several very nice Snapper along with the vast amounts of variety also caught and released. We will get some rest and do it again tomorrow. "The Intrepid Team"

             

             

             

Wed. April 11, 2012:     Good evening all from the Mother ship Intrepid.
          Captain Kevin was kind enough to allow this humble, well somewhat humble, passenger the honor of creating a report or two from the perspective of.... well, a passenger. My name is Jamie and I am a fishaholic. To make matters worse I am now hopelessly addicted to this incredible Intrepid Panamanian experience and I have only been here 2 days. As a note, if you think this is going to be a short and concise report please think again because that would just not be my style.
          Many of us boarded the red eye from LAX headed to Panama City. Even at the wee hours of the morning we all were chatting about the upcoming experience we were all fortunate enough to be a part of. Folks from all walks of life committed their time and financial resourses to try something entirely out of our comfort zones. Little did any of us know the first two days would fulfill all of our expectations and more.
          Though some of us had been to Panama previously the sights of the city from the Plane are just spectacular and will never become old or boring regardless how many trips we take down here. Just looking from above at the beauty contained in this fair city and its surrounding islands could still not prepare the newcomers for the sights which were yet to come.
          Upon clearing customs and grabbing our gear we were promptly met by the Van driver who was to take us to our home for the next 8 days. This operation went just as smoothly and just as efficiently as if we had the red shirts down at Fisherman's landing. No fuss, no muss, just a whole lot of excitement. Within minutes the entire gang felt like we had known each other and fished together for years.
          The launch boat was waiting for us at the landing to take us to the Intrepid. Gear was loaded and stowed and in no time at all we were underway. Captain Kevin and Scott gave a brief seminar as to what sort of things we might expect over the next 8 days and Maaaan did the agenda sound amazing. It was clear this would be much more than a fishing expedition rather it would be an adventure, filled with all sorts of experiences which reach far beyond our normal Long Range histories. Seeing 5 fishing Kayaks on the fore deck was only the first indication there was much more to come.
          The agenda was to include anchoring at numerous exotic and magnificent island bays where we would be treated to an entire host of choices of activities each day. As we continued our first day of travel the entire group was noting how relaxed the environment was and how we now felt like Multimillionaires being catered to as we made our way to the first Island paradise. Though I have been long ranging for over 5 decades I can honestly state I have never felt quite like I did on the first day of the trip. Normally, on a typical long range trip, I would see numerous individuals who just cannot wait to get to the fishing grounds and find travel more of an inconvenience and a necessity with the final goal of just getting a line wet. Not so with this adventure as I noted previously this trip would include so much more than just fishing with the need for most of us just to temporarily relieve ourselves of the burdens which each of us carry on a daily basis.
          With a full day of travel behind us we approached our first destination and dropped the anchor in plenty of time for those of us wishing to hop in the "Yaks" to get in a little paddling and maybe throw a popper or two. Since I have never fished from a Kayak previously it was a no brainer for me to hop in the kayak with my popping rod and little else other than a cigar and a glass of Scotch. Though I would never suggest anyone drinks and drives a boat or car I felt paddling a Kayak and fishing with these two companions would not be breaking any rules. Oh yeah, I also was wearing one heck of a big grin on my face which was the exact same expression on saw on everyone's else's faces. Though it was late in the afternoon, as we paddled away from the mother ship, we all glanced back as the sun hit the Intrepid in a manner to make her truly appear as the mega-yacht she is. We all could not help noting how each of us were made to feel like the Intrepid was "Our" Yacht and WE were the elite in a world were most of us only read about the exploits of the Hoi Poloy. Heck, we are and continue to be movie stars. here on the Intrepid, living the life normally only afforded to a few individuals. Of course unlike those fancy folks who are clearly overpaid, if they make more money than we do, we had our feet firmly planted on the ground with the only attitudes being those of shear bliss and joy which came with each stroke of the oars. As the sun set and we were forced to return to the ship all of us marveled at the shear beauty of the surroundings and the majesty of the lines of the Intrepid as she sat in the pure comfort of a secluded bay surrounded by white sand beaches, Palm trees and a variety of lush vegetation of which most have only seen in pictures. Rita, Jim's wife, noted the situation perfectly as she stated she had almost the identical picture on the wall of one of her rooms and could only have dreamt about being here in person. Yet here we all were.
          As usual the food on the Intrepid is outstanding with Chef Paul dishing up the delights. After dinner the bait fishing began in earnest. Moon fish and Caballitos, the bait fish of choice were mixed in with a myriad of needle fish and smaller bait fish so plentiful we filled our bait tanks to capacity. Though most of us had been up the day before for a long period of time, having taken the red eye, the overwhelming urge to just catch bait was upon us. And catch we did. By 11 or 12 PM most of the passengers finally said adios to the deck and hopped in their respective bunks only to wake up after an amazing nights sleep. Talk about sleeping like a baby... Oh my.
          This morning found the sport fishers tied up to the Intrepid by 8 AM. More than enough time to have a leisurely breakfast, gather our gear and hop on the boats for the days adventures. As a note, about half the boat decided they were loving the surroundings so much they preferred to NOT go out on the sport fishers opting to spend the day paddling the Yaks or just lounging in our Panamanian hideaway. I suppose while each of us has our own share of responsibilities, both real and perceived, when an opportunity comes along where it is just okay to while away the days in paradise we take it. Heck, how bad an offer is that? This is rarely the case when out long range fishing as the urge to fish generally overpowers most any other sort of thought processes. If being treated like royalty in the warm embrace of a magnificent cove in Panama is wrong then I guess at many points of this trip each of us is going to be wrong. The urge to just "Kick It" here is stronger than I have felt in many many moons.
          3 boats went out today armed with plenty of gear including everything passengers. who brought no fishing gear at all, could have asked for. This is an all inclusive trip and the Intrepid means that in every sense of the word. John K, a long time and very experienced long ranger, and myself were paired for the first days foray into the islands of Panama. John was particularly excited since most folks know I spend most of my time in front of the boat with nothing but poppers and a few jigs. This left John with bait rigs to the left of him and bait rigs to the right of him and no one stuck in the middle with you.. Sorry if you do not understand the reference. As a note, as surprising as this may sound, though Panama is noted as a Yellow fin Tuna haven it was clear the majority of us wanted to experience what the "Inshore" had to offer. Some had never caught or seen a Rooster fish, Amber jack, Cubera Snapper or the myriad of other Snappers and Jacks these Islands are famous for.
          For each of us the day was a resounding success. For John and I we had just an amazing day. John had an assortment pack of beautiful Amber jack, Mutton Snapper, Jacks, etc. For this popper thrower I was in my element getting pounced on by Rooster fish, Snapper and Jacks. That is certainly not to say I landed them all but watching many fully lit up Rooster fish and other species of fish attack my poppers was nothing short of incredible. Popper fishing is just something which has to be experienced in the magnificence and solitude of a Panamanian paradise. Yes, fishing with bait is still many time more efficient as far as a catch ratio goes there is just something overwhelmingly special each and every time any fish pounces on a well placed and retrieved popper. There is nothing I can think of which can rival the experience. Here on the Intrepid there is more than enough gear for anyone and everyone who wishes to give it a shot or 3. For those just wishing to fish bait this place is just amazing with hookups coming fairly regularly. Who knows what size or type of fish will next feel the impalement of the circle hooks the bait fishermen are using to insure a healthy catch and release program.
          For the other folks going out in the sport fishers there were Sailfish, numerous Rooster fish and all the assorted species I mentioned previously. Everyone came back extremely satisfied, still wearing those enormous grins on their faces, and just cherishing the moments we were sharing together. For those who stayed aboard the Intrepid, it was clear they all were refreshed and joyous having spent the day paddling, relaxing, fishing from the Yaks, having an adult beverage or soda and simply "Living the Dream". In all honesty Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, Movie Stars or ??? have absolutely nothing on us at this very minute nor for the next 6 days. Perhaps I should have stated we are all living like Billionaires. Regardless of how far each of had to stretch, be it time and or monies, there is no doubt this adventure is WAAAAY more than worth whatever we have given up to be here.
          I apologize now if my report is a bit run on or out of whack as I too am still feeling the dream and more than a bit ready to hit the sack as I just had one heck of day here in paradise. Will I wake from the dream tomorrow, stay tuned for the next report to find out.
         Jamie.
          "The Intrepid Team"

             

      

             

Thur. April 5, 2012:    The Seeker Rods Gang put on an inshore clinic today with Capt's. Luis and Juan catching many nice Cubbera Snapper and Trophy Rooster Fish. The big Snappers were really putting up some great battles today inside along the rocky structure. The Rooster Fish have also started to become more aggressive with many of them caught and released this week that included several 40-50lb Trophy fish. In the afternoon there was some nice top water action on the MC Slugs with the Blue Star Jacks smashing the baits. There were also some Tuna that came in a little closer today and the guys were able to make a short run and get in on some offshore action as well. The fishing this trip has been very good and our group was very eager to release many fish to fight again another day. It is very gratifying to see fisherman being so happy to catch & release these beautiful fish down here to help keep the fishery strong. Tomorrow we will spend our final morning Kayaking along the coast line and walking over the sand beaches before heading for port. The Intrepid Team would like to give a big thanks to Seeker Rods and all who joined us on this adventure. It sure was a Great Trip!! "The Intrepid Team"

             

             

Wed. April 4, 2012:    A very fun day for everyone here in the Tropics. The day was mixed with Kayaking up a new found River and fishing with our local guides. The Yaking up the HUGE river was something special, there were crocodiles swimming across in front of us and Bull Sharks lurking around the surface feeding on bait fish. The wild life was spectacular to say the least. Iguanas and water fowl of all different species were abundant in the tress overhead providing lots of racket as we passed by. The fishing late in the day was very good for all who were inshore with us. We have relocated to an area we passed by at the end of our last trip that looked very scenic and promising in the way of structure fishing, and it is paying off big time! The Cuberra Snappers, Rooster fish, Pargo's, and Giant Amberjacks like the one Cameron shows off in the photo around 70lbs. are biting!! Chef Patrick Lawrence got into some of the action with me on our skiff and caught enough Pargo and Snapper to provide everyone with a tasty dinner tonight. "The Intrepid Team"

             

             

Tues. April 3, 2012:    The Coral Star Fleet we have working with us on all of our trips down here really had some exciting action today. The Star VII had the big hit when an estimated 700+ lb Black Marlin hit a trolled jig for John Basmadjian. An hour and a half later he had the beast along side the vessel, quickly unhooked and swam along side the rig for a few moments then watched as she powered away strongly. What A Fish! The excitement was felt throughout the entire boat at dinner as the angler and crew re-lived the experience of watching this Giant jump fully out of the water several times and the awesome feeling one gets when you get to see them swim away afterward.. The Star IV also had a nice day hooking into a smaller Black around 200lbs and then getting into some Yellow fin in the 120lb Range shown in the photo by Capt. Juan and angler Bob Woodard. Inshore the Star V had 3 more Trophy Rooster Fish, a big Bull Shark, and plenty of Snapper, Pargo and Jacks to keep a bend in the rods all day long. The Mothership Intrepid spent the day sending out the Kayaks and our Skiff which fished inshore as well hooking into a couple nice Snook and many Snappers. We have more exciting activities planned for tomorrow. "The Intrepid Team"

             

      

             

Mon. April 2, 2012:    Another fun filled day with Kayaks out along the island enjoying the beautiful scenery of the lush tropical jungle that is full of multi colored flora and fauna life after the recent rains. We also had decent fishing for many different species including some very nice Rooster Fish, Snappers,Pargo, Dorado, Tuna, and Marlin. Chefs Patrick Lawrence and Dave Traylor put out an amazing Snapper dinner from yesterdays catch that was out of this world here on the Mother ship Intrepid. Everyone is relaxing in style and sharing the experiences of the days adventures. "The Intrepid Team"

             

             

Sun. April 1, 2012:    What A Day!! Our first day of fishing on this ultimate Long Range adventure turned out some really good action. The afternoon bite was best for the JUMBO Cuberra Snappers with the Salas 6x Jr. Heavy in Blue & Chrome being the hot ticket! We found a nice Pinnacle outside of Montuosa Island and had some exciting action on the Snappers, Amberjacks, Pargo, and an assortment of Jacks of which most were released to fight again another day. The sportfishers also found some action on Tuna out around the Bank to round out the catch for the day. We want to stress to our up-coming guest that catch and release is highly encouraged of all fish with the exception of a few Trophy's and galley fillers. The weather has cooled off a bit with thunderstorms and cloud cover keeping the heat off us the last few days and providing some entertaining lightening storms. We will catch some bait tonight and enjoy more of this Great Region tomorrow. "The Intrepid Team"

             

             

Sat. March 31, 2012:     We are out in Paradise again everyone! Today was a travel day with seminars and rigging tackle taking up much of the day. We did make a quick stop along the way and get some lines wet and were rewarded with a very nice Snapper that was turned into excellent Cevichi Salad for tonight's dinner! We have a good bait supply on board and are working on more. We have three sport fishers meeting up with us in the early morning to take out some of our lucky friends and guests for a day of fun fishing while the rest of us will be enjoying the Luxury of the Intrepid. "The Intrepid Team"

Sun. March 25, 2012:     Our final day of fishing on this adventure saw Tuna in the 40-60lb range crashing on Surface Poppers along with epic inshore action that actually started yesterday evening when all of us on skiffs or Kayaks had the time of our lives with the Jacks and Snappers! It was an evening we will all remember and cherish for a long time. The fish erupted in a bay were we had noticed the birds and a few boils along the beach. We got in there and it just went off for us, a full on foamer of Jacks, Snappers, and Roosters, Kayaks being towed around, drags ripping off the Shimano Spinning outfits. It just could not have been any better of an ending to a great trip. "The Intrepid Team"

      

Sat. March 24, 2012:     Offshore Tuna fishing was much slower today as the Big Tuna pulled a disappearing act and just vanished, no where to be found. There were some smaller grade fish in the 40lb range and plenty of Sailfish up chasing the jigs and baits. The Sails provided the fun today with their feisty attitude jumping and showing off for all who hooked into one. The big hit came for Steve Weiner who was part of a double hook-up on Giant Black Marlin. The Big Marlins came up together and ate the slow trolled skip-jack. One of the beasts shook the hook free shortly after, but Steve managed to keep his on the line and got the estimated at over 500lbs Black to the boat in 1 hour. A few photos on the water and the beauty was released and swam away very strong. All our Sails and Marlin have been released thus far with a 100% survival rate that we are very proud of here on the Intrepid and our sport fishers as well. "The Intrepid Team"

             

      

Fri. March 23, 2012:    It was a very scenic day for us down here with thunderstorms mixed with the sunrise and sunset that was spectacular. The jungles and life around these tropical islands with the sunset in the background was just another one of those moments you just need to see for yourself. The fishing inshore was good again today for an assortment of Jacks, Snappers, and another nice Rooster Fish. Offshore was a bit slower than yesterday, but there were still some nice grade Tuna out chasing the bait schools around. At the end of the day all were relaxing in Intrepid Sport fishing Style enjoying more fresh Sashimi and a great wine selection. "The Intrepid Team"

             

      

Thur. March 22, 2012:     Fresh Sushi rolls for an afternoon snack and Yellow fin Dinner from yesterdays catch was just a taste of what today was like. It was good!! The inshore fishing was red hot today with Big Snappers putting every angler to the rail, a couple of really nice Rooster fish, Blue Star Jacks, were just some of the fun to be had close in. Offshore was even better with the Marlin and Big Yellow fin going off for us under the birds. Several personal best were caught and Black Marlin released to grow and fight again another day. The Kayaks were treated to Crocodiles out along the shoreline and one of our lucky Kayak anglers was towed around for some 20 min. by a monster fish that eventually won it's freedom. The skiff fishing was also a blast with the Snappers, Jacks, Grouper, and a few losses by fish that got down into the rocks before you could get them turned. It was just a fun day! Tomorrow, well we will just have to wait and see what Paradise has to offer. "The Intrepid Team"

             

      

Tues. March 20, 2012:     After a smooth transition from one trip to the next we are underway again on another great Intrepid Adventure. Inside SportFishing has Teamed up with Shimano once again and pulled out all the stops with tons of swag that included a new Tackle bag loaded with new WaxWing jigs and nice light fishing shirts for all aboard. Chef Patrick Lawrence started us out with a fresh Yellow fin Sushi platter as an appetizer then Seared Ahi Salad for lunch, backed with some incredible Caviar afternoon snacks! The Giant Sea Turtles were everywhere today as we traveled and stopped along the way catching live Skipjacks for tomorrows fishing. Wish us luck. "The Intrepid Team"

             

Sat. March 17, 2012:    A final report on our first 8 day adventure here in the Gulf Of Chirqui, Panama. We as a crew and our guests alike were amazed by the beauty of the tropical Islands that are abundant in this region. Isla Coiba was the destination of choice after exploring several other wonderful places. Coiba is a large Island (some 140,00 acres) with many rivers and calm bays for spending peaceful nights. The inshore fishing is a ton of fun on the light tackle and the Kayak trips up-river into the dense jungle are hard to describe. You just have to come and see for yourself how full of life and how beautiful the 133 different species of Birds living here are to watch and listen to. Howler Monkeys, White-faced Monkeys and Black & Green Iguanas are just some of the wildlife you will see while exploring the Rivers and banks of this Island. Today, as we prepare for another 8 day adventure departing tomorrow into this Region, we are excited to get back were we left off and show our guests the Paradise we are so fortunate to be exploring. "The Intrepid Team"

             

             

Thur. March 15, 2012:     What a GREAT Day! You couldn't ask for a more enjoyable day than we all had today. The Kayaks going up river is again the highlight as the jungle is full of surprises and astonishing sites and experiences. Everyone had an absolute blast either fishing off the skiff or snorkeling along the coastline. The inshore fishing picked up today as the water is turning blue again and the Snappers and Rooster fish are responding to the change. Throwing light tackle in among the rocks and getting hooked up with one of theses brutes is so much fun! The Yellow fin also were more active crashing on bait schools in the afternoon giving those we opted for them a shot at hooking into a 100lber or better on the surface poppers. The excitement you feel when a Big Tuna crashes on your Popper is really something you just need to experience yourself in order to understand the rush! This being our first trip down here and seeing/learning what we have this week I have to say we are very excited on what is to come in the next month as we are just scratching the surface of what this wonderful paradise has to offer. Tomorrow will be spent traveling along these beautiful islands on our way back to Panama. "The Intrepid Team"

      

             

Tues. March 13, 2012:     Our morning was filled with excitement, adrenalin rushes, and heart breaks, which is what big Tuna fishing brings to the table anywhere you choose to target them. The early morning hours had the bird life, porpoise, and Tuna racing through the areas. We were able to get in on some of the action and hook into some good ones. Daniel Zirilli landed a new personal best at 120lbs, but he also lost a jumbo Tuna we estimated around 230lbs right at color when the hook pulled!! We had a few more chances at the big fish and Phillip Huffman also landed a new personal best with a Shimano Spinning reel and Rod at 100+ lbs. A few smaller 60lbers also found their way on board. The midday lull is a great time to take advantage of the Awesome Snorkeling this region has to offer. The Kayaks and skiff go out and the fun continues on. Wish You Were Here!! "The Intrepid Team"

             

      

Mon. March 12, 2012:     Our good Friends Bud & Marylin were the stars today. Marylin, who has caught many Tuna over 200lbs, and 1 over 300lbs here on the Intrepid wanted to catch a Marlin, something she had never done. In the afternoon Capt. Luis on the Star VIII took them out to look again, as they had spent all the day before trying with no luck, but today would be different. Very near the big boat they put out some jigs and a Big Blue came up chasing very aggressively, Luis slid back a live Cavito and the Marlin ate it instantly, the show was on! This fish really gave us all a great show, jumping multiple times close enough for the whole battle to be witnessed from the big boat. After an hour and a half they had the Marlin at leader, a very nice 400+ lber with great color was then released and swam away very strong.. What a great job capt. Luis did with his boat and the experience of fighting giants like this really showed. Inshore we had a fun day catching Grouper, Bluefin Travely, snappers, and some very colorful exotics. The Tuna were out there once again, but still were reluctant to bite. When they decide to bite it will be fun as there were multiple schools showing up today. Tomorrow is another day here in paradise! "The Intrepid Team"

             

             

Sun. March 11, 2012:    It was a busy, adventurous day for us here on the Intrepid. From the sport-fishers taking off to go after Tuna, Black & Blue Marlin, Sailfish, and our Luxury Sport-fisher / Mother ship Intrepid heading out to another Island Paradise for Kayaking, Snorkeling, fishing inshore from the skiff, we were living the dream all day long. Black Marlin were found and enticed into biting, Sailfish, and then the Big Tuna were found, but they had lockjaw on us today. Inshore there were Snappers, groupers, Jacks of all kinds caught and released. Tomorrow we will do more of the same exciting Island fishing adventures that this Panama region has to offer. "The Intrepid Team"

             

      

             

Thur. March 8, 2012:    We spent the first half yesterday catching bait of different variety and were able to catch Ken Price in action contributing to the supply. The second half was spent moving the vessel from our first anchorage by Flamenco Island around the corner and down the Canal a couple of miles to the Balboa Yacht Club. The club sits just to the South of the" Bridge Of The Americas" shown in an afternoon photo from Chad. The amount and size of some of the container vessels that pass along here 24/7 is very impressive. Today we have the boat all clean and shined up for our first guest that will be arriving on board tomorrow. Chef Patrick Lawrence has some special meals lined up for friends and guests that will be joining us on this adventure starting tomorrow afternoon. Fishing, kayaking, snorkeling, sport fishing and beach combing will make up the bulk of the activities for the next week. The Port Authority's and services here in Panama have been extremely helpful in making this as smooth an adventure as one could possibly hope for. From the Port Captains to the immigration services everyone has been a huge help. The Intrepid Team would like to give all of you a BIG "Thank You"

             

Mon. March 5, 2012:     We made our way into beautiful Gulfito Costa Rica yesterday afternoon in what can only be described as absolutely incredible scenery! The rain forest meeting the Pacific with beaches lined with all kinds of Palms is breath taking. Our cameras were flashing away all evening with the sunset over this paradise. Before we entered the bay Deron provided us with some fresh Wahoo for the galley. Tonight we will begin our bait making before we continue on south to Panama. "The Intrepid Team"

Stop by and see us at the Fred Hall Show in Long Beach, March 7 thru 11....

             

      

Sat. March 3, 2012:     A day of relaxing as Capt. Chad Smith demonstrates here in his custom pool on the back deck of the Intrepid!! We trolled along for most of the day in somewhat off colored water, although we did see several Sailfish today we did not hook any. The Giant Sea Turtles were once again very abundant all day long with some of them very impressive in size, like this one that followed a jig right up to the boat before turning away. Tomorrow we will make the northern coast of Costa Rica. "The Intrepid Team"

             

Thur. March 1, 2012:    We had a fun day fishing for Sailfish while we traveled today. We had many fish come in behind the boat chasing our jigs and teasers. Chad landed a very nice Sail estimated at over 100lbs. Dave T. also landed a couple of good sized fish, one that was part of an exciting double hook-up. We also hooked into one Blue Marlin that tossed the jig on the surface shortly after taking the lure. Flat calm weather, sunny skies, and all the Giant Sea Turtles you could imagine. Looking forward to more Big Game Sport fishing from our Luxury Long Range Sport fisher Intrepid. "The Intrepid Team"

             

      

Wed. February 29, 2012:    A night in Acapulco that included a very nice dinner and then a trip to the cliff diving area on the north side of town under lights at night from 150 feet above the ocean was an experience we are still talking about!! Those guys were truly amazing pulling off perfect back-flips and gainers off the side of cliffs with flaming wands in each hand..Today we have made our way south along the coast another 200 miles and the highlight of our day has been crewman Deron Kochis hooking and landing his first ever Sailfish. We did not get a photo of the beauty as she was full of energy and wanted to be free so we released her immediately. The 100% release of all Bill fish on this adventure will be practiced throughout and our first 2 Sails have swam away unharmed. The Intrepid Team would like to give a HUGE thanks to the authorities and port Captains of Acapulco for their outstanding work and organization for our stay along with their hospitality that goes unmatched anywhere we have been and welcomed us with open arms. "The Intrepid Team"

      

Mon. February 27, 2012:     What a pleasant day we have had cruising into Acapulco. Landing a nice Sailfish this morning was just the start of a wonderful day. This place is Awesome! What a site. We have a nice anchorage for the night and will be headed out for dinner here in a few. We would all like to give a big hello to our friends and family back home, all is well here on the cruise ship Intrepid.. "The Intrepid Team"

             

Sun. February 26, 2012:     After a couple of hard days work while we travel south, today was some R & R with a little fishing, swimming, and some practice at the Intrepid Driving Range on the upper deck. It was good times all day long with lots of laughter at balls shanked by novices like myself or big power shots from the master Dave Taylor who can easily launch a 200 yard shot out into the sea. Chad had some enjoyment with a troll fish during the afternoon and a nice photo of our girl from the swimming pool Pacific. Next stop Acapulco. "The Intrepid Team"

             

      

Fri. February 24, 2012:    The last two days have been very busy with boat work as we travel south bound. The guys sure are putting their all into the Intrepid and she really shines as a result. I couldn't be more proud of any team than I am of this one right now,the four of us working side by side from daylight until dark, the pride they show in their work is amazing to say the least, as it is with all the Intrepid crew members. With new paint around the hatches, freshly oiled rails, a fully waxed house, the Intrepid is really showing off her lines. We just crossed the 1,000mi mark of the journey and are excited about the next 1900 miles in front of us. We know this is only the beginning of her voyages on the oceans. Yesterday evening as we passed by Cabo San Lucas the BBQ was in full swing with Bratwurst and Bacon Wrapped Hotdog's( a Baja Tradition) grilling up, it was a great way to finish up the day. We will be cruising south along the Mexico Coastline some 100mi. south of Puerto Vallarta starting tomorrow. "The Intrepid Team"

Thur. February 23, 2012:     A quick stop yesterday for a handful of Yellowtail to give us some Hamachi along with fresh Yellows for the BBQ and some crew fun with the light tackle, then back on the road to the tropics. We have been blessed with excellent weather so far along with great meals provided by Capt. Chad Smith. We are enjoying the time on our Big private yacht and getting some projects completed along the way. It has only been a few days since we left port and a few more days before we reach the coastline of Central America, but the excitement of this Adventure grows by the minute within us all. Your crew on this southbound leg of the journey is Kevin O. Capt. Chad Smith, crewman's Dave Taylor and Deron Kochis. "The Intrepid Team"

Tues. February 21, 2012:    The Adventure Begins!!

We departed yesterday at daylight with a beautiful sunrise leaving San Diego Bay. Calm sea's welcomed us on the outside along with an escort from hundreds of Dolphins that cruised with us for hours playing in our wake along side the vessel. We have our skiff on board along with kayaks, dive gear, snorkel gear and many fun activities planned for our lucky friends and guests who will join us in Panama. Reports will come in as we cruise along the coast of Mexico then into Central America. The Excitement level grows with each mile we put behind us. With the rain forest meeting the Pacific, some of the worlds best Sport Fishing, the rich history of the region and the chance to explore some of the hundreds of tropical islands, this is truly an "Adventure Of A Lifetime". There are a few spots left on select trips, so give Carol a call @ 1-877-686-7827. "The Intrepid Team"

             

Sun. February 12, 2012:     We returned today from our Catchy Tackle / Soft Steel 15 day trip with Wayne Martin and Tony Garza as hosts and unloaded a fine catch of Tuna, Wahoo and Yellowtail. Thanks everyone for a great trip. Jackpot winners are : Charles Lowe with a 216.6 lb. YFT...Seiji Iwamura with his 216.2 lb. YFT and Mitch Chivara with a 198.2 lb. YFT. "The Intrepid Team"

             

Sat. February 11, 2012:     Final leg of this 15 day Catchy Tackle / Soft Steel voyage is a bit windy with some white caps here and there, but not bad at all on this Big Boat. We are very grateful to have Wayne Martin from Catchy and Tony Garza of Soft Steel Ultra Mono-filament here on the Intrepid. Catchy has always been a big supporter and now with Tony and his Soft Steel we are really set up well. The Soft Steel Mono-filament is some of the best Mono on the market and we are stoked to have it available once again. Thanks Tony!! The trip overall was a success with over 200 Yellowfin , close to 100 Wahoo, and a layer of Yellows on top for our limited load of 20 anglers. The Giant Tuna did not show as they had been during the week prior to this trip and only a few cows made it into the holds, but plenty of quality fish for everyone made up for the lack of Big Boys. Great times with a wonderful group and calm sea's for 90% of the trip made for a pleasant experience.
E.T.A 0600 Sunday morning. "The Intrepid Team"

             

Fri. February 10, 2012:    Beautiful sunset and a Buffet Dinner as we roll up the line. Everyone is enjoying the feast this evening as the trip comes to a close. A little rain and a slight wind is all we have had to deal with as far as weather goes this trip. We have been blessed in that department anyway. Fishing was tough, but we made the most of what was available to us. One more day of travel and we will be home.. "The Intrepid Team"

             

             

Thur. February 9, 2012:    We made it up to the islands just after lunch and found a small spot of Yellows to play with for our afternoon. It was a mix of Yo-Yo Iron fishing and bait fishing with a small sliding sinker working best. The bite was a scratch style bite as we moved from spot to spot picking a few to ten fish each time. By sundown we had 60 Yellows for our efforts and some happy, smiling anglers that after the 2 days of travel in wet rain weather were able to pull on something. We will give it a little time tomorrow before heading up the line for home. "The Intrepid Team"

Tues. February 7, 2012:     Bill " Hurricane" Goodwin puts on a chunking clinic landing Tuna after Tuna on the chunk rig and would like to give a shout out to our good friend Dick Stokes," We missed you Dick." The morning action was best again before the current changed and left us no option but to look for more Wahoo. With the conditions not being very good we chose to leave early and fish our way home. The weather for traveling up is good right now and we are taking advantage of it. "The Intrepid Team"

             

Mon. February 6, 2012:    Again this morning the bite started around 3:00 am with the first fish hooked on the chunk. The it was another, and another chunk fish hitting the deck, and just before daylight the kite began to hook some good Tuna. It was a steady early morning bite, but unlike yesterdays all day bite of 89 Tuna and 30 Wahoo , today they shut down and vanished around 8:00 am. It was clear it would be a different day, which has been the theme on this trip with changing current and conditions on a regular basis. So we began our search for more Wahoo and found some fun action on the skinny's to round out the day. P.S... Cole , dad got his Wahoo and a few more!! "The Intrepid Team"

             

             

Sun. February 5, 2012:     Much better flow today and some good fishing is the result. So far today we have 2 cows and many fish from 50-150 lbs. to go along with some good bait fishing for Wahoo. The weather is nice and we are all having a good time listening to the super bowl on our Outcast Sound System while catching Tuna and Wahoo. So far today we have 71 Tuna and 30 Wahoo. There was a mid day slow period, but things are starting to pick up again, got to go!! "The Intrepid Team"

             

      

             

Sat. February 4, 2012:     Sorry for the lack of reports, but the signal has been very bad the last couple of days. We had very poor conditions for Tuna fishing for most of the day yesterday, but made up for it with some nice Wahoo fishing. The evening was the best time for a shot at the Tuna and we were able to catch a few and loose a few. There have been several personal bests for this group, with many of these guys on their first long trip. We have only caught a couple of 200 lbers and a few 100-170 so far, but at times have had some good hits on the 50-100 lb. fish. We hope the current comes back soon and we can get a few trophy's. Wish us luck. "The Intrepid Team"

             

      

Thur. February 2, 2012:    Our day was similar to yesterday with an up-hill current giving us a slow morning and slower mid-day bite. We did however pick up some Wahoo during the lull, most of which are on the smaller side, but we did find one wolf pack of better grade skinnies that provided good action and gave us all a shot at the tasty speedsters. In the afternoon we got set up and had a decent evening bite on nice grade Tuna. With plenty of time on our side we are confident that conditions will turn around for the better. Wish us luck. "The Intrepid Team"

             

      

             

Wed. February 1, 2012:    We made it here to the Buffer Zone in the early a.m hours and were able to get a tank of big baits before sunrise to use throughout the day. The morning was pretty slow for us with very little sign around, but the afternoon gave up some scratch fishing on Tuna in the 70-120 lb. range along with a couple dozen Wahoo. Conditions are pretty good, just not much big fish sign around, although we did hook into one Tuna that looked like the real deal, but it swam away after earning it's freedom. We made the most of our first day and will see what day two brings along for us tomorrow. The weather is perfect with a slight breeze to keep you cool and keep the kites flying high. Wish us luck. "The Intrepid Team"

             

      

             

Tues. January 31, 2012:     A fun day of rigging up our tackle in prep. for the week ahead. Wayne Martin styled everyone out with Catchy Tackle jigs and Tony Garza loaded us all up with Soft Steel Ultra. We all made out with the jigs and line for the trip! With one more day before we get into the action we will double check our gear and have the last seminars tomorrow . Wish us luck. "The Intrepid Team"

             

Mon. January 30, 2012:    Beautiful flat weather for our travels south. The day was spent relaxing and visiting with friends. Tomorrow we will be getting started with our seminars and rigging up the tackle. We are in high spirits with the fishing that's going on right now and can't wait to get into some big fish action. If you are considering joining us on one of our Panama trips we have a few spots left, so give us a call and come down for an adventure that you'll never forget. The activities we have planned for you are sure to fill you with excitement in a fishery that's full of surprises! "The Intrepid Team"

Fri. January 20, 2012:    We returned this morning from our WestCoastFishing.com 14 day trip with a load of quality Tuna. Thank you Jon Bakos for a great trip and we will see you guys again soon. Here are the Jackpot results: First Place goes to Corey Burak with his 332.2 lb. Super Cow. Second Place goes to David Rouse with his 266.7 lb. Cow and Third Place goes to Jerry Oshea Green with his 250.8 lb. Cow. "The Intrepid Team"

      

Thur. January 19, 2012:    What a trip! Taking a flyer and heading into the unknown with this group was a real treat. Everyone was very enthusiastic and pumped to go exploring/fishing in the true sense of the word. It started off slow, but with a team like this one it was only a matter of time before we found what we were hoping to find and it paid off in the form of great quality Yellow fin for everyone on board. Final weights of everyone's trophy's will be determined tomorrow at the dock scales, but we know we have many very happy anglers that caught their biggest Tuna ever on this trip. Our last day of travel didn't include a stop for reds or lings as the wind is blowing around 20 knots. We slid in behind San Martin Island for an hour to give us time to break down the rest of our gear and get the vessel all scrubbed up. We would like to give a big thank you to all of the sponsors who continue to support the Intrepid Team starting with Charter-master John Bakos and WestCoastFishing.Com, Team Marine USA, Peoria Ford, Seeker Rods, Avet Reels, Maxima Fishing Line, Okuma Reels, Five Star Fish Processing, TuffLine Spectra, and Salas Jigs. ETA 0630 Friday morning.

Wed. January 18, 2012:     We made it up to Benito's Island around midday and again scratched away at some Yellowtail with the Yo-Yo Iron. Crewman Dave Taylor demonstrates how to fight Yellows on the ultra light gear this afternoon. What a riot!! We spent the evening tucked into one of the coves sheltered from the wind and enjoyed our Seafood Buffet before continuing up the line. We will make a short stop tomorrow and try for some reds and lings. Wish us luck. "The Intrepid Team"

             

             

Tues. January 17, 2012:     We spent the morning scratching away at some nice grade Yellows. There was one short flurry were it looked like they might really get going, but they just didn't want to come up. Most of the fish were caught on the Yo-Yo jig or a bait dropped down to the bottom. The rest of our day was spent watching movies, poker tournaments, or just relaxing. The weather has started to change with some wind and a little chop, but not bad at all with our stabilizers working to give us a smooth ride. Tomorrow we will duck in behind Cedros and enjoy a nice Buffet. "The Intrepid Team"

             

             

Mon. January 16, 2012:    We made it up to our first fishing stop along the way home around noon today and started scratching away at the nice grade Yellows. It was one of those spots that is very rocky with lots of sharp pinnacle's that makes getting the Yellowtail off the bottom before they rock you a real challenge. Lots of shouting and yelling words of encouragement to each fish hooked throughout the afternoon made for some fun times, as many of these fish found their freedom along the rocky bottom. Fish of a Lifetime of a different variety was landed by Charter master John Bakos who battled it out with a very large Grouper around 100 lbs. and won. We will be moving up the line a ways tonight and try our hand at more fun fishing times tomorrow. Wish us luck. "The Intrepid Team"

             

             

Sun. January 15, 2012:    Beautiful sunsets, a smooth ride, and great times! That's what today was all about. Everyone spent the day relaxing watching football or hanging out keeping an eye out on the trolling rigs watching for a Marlin strike or anything else that wanted to jump on. The story telling about the Tuna fishing we experienced over the last four days is the big topic around the boat. We had some seriously epic battles with those brutes, some of them we won and some the Giants won, but that's how Giant Yellow fin Tuna fishing goes. Over the next few days we will try to get everyone's photo on the site for your enjoyment. Tomorrow we will stop along the way to get our lines wet once again. "The Intrepid Team"

             

             

             

Sat. January 14, 2012:     Again today we woke up to find that conditions were changing quickly around us. The water temp dropped 2 degrees overnight and green dirty water pushed it's way in. Immediately we began searching for the clean warm water holding Tuna. It was only a couple of hours and 20 miles down the road when we found our zone again. The fishing was slower today, but we did manage to catch a couple dozen more nice Yellow fin that included 4 more Cows. Big fish of the day was caught by Jim Hart, who again topped his personal best with a 253 lb. Tuna. There were several other personal bests caught again today making the trip down here so special for many of our anglers. So, with the conditions changing we have decided to start working towards home in order to give us more fishing time along the way and add some more variety to the RSW for everyone.

Our Charter Master John Bakos landed a big fish today and would like to send a message back home: Lots of love to my beautiful wife and daughter, Jess and Andie. Thank you! Love you! "The Intrepid Team"

             

             

Fri. January 13, 2012:     The day we were looking for!! With conditions changing daily here, we woke up to find the water off color and different than yesterday, right when we thought we had it all figured out..So, we went hunting to find the water structure we wanted and man did we find it!! It couldn't have been any better, we ended with 62 Yellow fin today, with four more Cows and one Jumbo Super Cow... Of coarse with this comes heartbreaks, like Mike Stiny who hooked into a real monster super and battled perfectly for 2 hours only to see it break off at color. It was a Very Big fish to say the least, but Mike, being the sportsman that he is, just smiled and said "man what a fight that was." Dave Rouse landed his first ever Cow, a 270 lber! FishyBuzz landed another nice one at 225, Jim Hart with a good one, David Manning with a solid fish, but the big fish honors go to Corey Burak who landed a Tuna today that taped out at 330 lbs.. Again many personal best were caught today. Time to get back to work and get ready for tomorrow.. "The Intrepid Team"

             

             

Thur. January 12, 2012:     What A Day! We decided to make a move and check out a different body of water and it paid off big time. We had a good day yesterday, but we felt that the conditions could have been better and that there were more fish to be had elsewhere. It was just after lunch when we got to the area and it was instant. A couple of Frigate birds showed the way to a body of fish breezing on the surface and all it took was a few baits to spark interest. These fish are down right mean! Four out of the six fish hooked on the slide found freedom whether it was a chew off a pulled hook or what ever, some after 2 hours. At times we had 10 fish hanging, fly lined baits, squid, kite, it all worked. We ended up with 22 fish from 140 to 250 pounds with a few even bigger fish lost after long battles. There were a couple handfuls of smaller fish in the 60 to 80 pound range to go with it, but hooking one of these lunkers was not difficult for the period of time that they were on the corner. We will be starting in the same area in the morning, we can't hardly wait and see what a full day here will produce. Some times thinking outside the box really pays off and the best part is that we have it all to ourselves. "The Intrepid Team"

             

      

             

Wed. January 11, 2012:     We ended up having a fun day over here. We got on a couple of spots of good fish and finished off our day with smaller grade 40 lbers that were hitting everything, including the Poppers. It was a popper fest, with several of the guys catching multiple Tuna on the poppers. During the early morning hours some of the gang caught some huge Pargo, including this one caught by David Rouse, a 22 lber!! Excited to see what tomorrow brings now that we have located these fish and have a better idea of what's up.. Wish us luck. "The Intrepid Team"

             

             

Wed. January 11, 2012:     Good afternoon all. With the hurricane bank crowded and no room for another boat and the island having very little sign, we made the move to Puerto Vallarta! We arrived last night and began our search this morning. Around lunch time today we found-em, and they are good ones. In the last couple of hours we have put 11 Yellow fin on deck ranging from 140-190+ lbs. We have a couple of 190's, a couple in the 180lb. class, and the rest at the 140-170 class. We have a few fish hooked at the moment and are having a nice drift in beautiful weather. Check back later.. "The Intrepid Team"

             

Tues. January 10, 2012:    We had another nice day of travel mixed in with seminars and lots of rigging. The weather is getting better as we make our way south with less cloud cover and warmer temps. The WestCoastFishing.com group is enjoying the relaxing time with poker games, cribbage and movie watching. Yesterday we took a look at the Lower Banks hoping things had changed, but we only found lots of bait and Marlin jumping around. Water temps and structure was fine, just no Big Tuna. We continue on southbound with our eyes open on the lookout for Yellow fin. The Satellite signal is in and out, so we will send reports whenever the signal is good enough. Wish us luck. "The Intrepid Team"

Sun. January 8, 2012:    Traveling along in a nice sea state with our WestCoastFishing.com friends. We have spent the last couple of days watching football and slowly putting together some of our tackle. With a seminar today and a couple of them on the schedule for tomorrow we will be ready for our fishing to begin. John Bakos raffled off a new Okuma Makira 30 2 speed that was won by Jerry Oshea and a new custom built rod by Salty Dog Bill Haven which was won by Corey Burak. "The Intrepid Team"

             

      

Fri. January 6, 2012:    We returned this morning from a fantastic 11 day trip to perfect San Diego style Winter weather. Sunny and warm is hard to beat the first week of January. A big THANK YOU to Wahoodad, Shauna Barton and the group onboard for making this a memorable trip once again. Here are the Jackpot results: First Place goes to Ed Otero with his 321.6 lb. Super Cow. Second Place goes to Nick Rekrut with his 251.6 lb. Cow and Third Place goes to Gerald Green with his 233 lb. Cow.

Here are the final Cow results:

Ed Otero....321.6
David Choate...274.6 - 209
Drew Cole......229 - 200
Nick Rekrut....251.6 - 215 - 207 "You da man"
Gerald Green...233
Bill Brown....230
Brady Daniels..220
Mark Selman...220
Jerrod Weymer..219
Joseph Chinovsky..219
Jeff Tedmori...219
Robert Ehret...218
Scott Brickell..207
Alex Selman.....200.6
Mitch Chivara...200

There were lots of fish that just missed the coveted 200 lb. mark and a few Wahoo mixed in. Great job!!!!

We departed before noon on our annual WestCoastFishing.com 14 day trip with charter master John Bakos and will report back soon. "The Intrepid Team"

             

Wed. January 4, 2012:    Today started out with our famous Buffet prepared by Chef's Paul and Kyle. One angler was quoted saying "this spread rivals any high end hotel I've ever stayed at" and yes it does. Eggs Benedict, Fried rice, Oysters, Shrimp, Crab, Bacon, Sausage, fresh baked pastries and the list goes on. And what buffet wouldn't be complete with out a few bottles of Champagne for a tasty Mimosa? What a great way to spend a travel day, life is good. With the spectacular fishing that we have had lately it would be a good time to get on one of these long trips. There have been several fish in the 300 pound range lately and countless fish over 200. We can't put in to words how good our fishing has been in the last month, but if you would like to give one of these giants a shot, we have spots available on our January 28th, 15 day. We put a great catch together in the three and a half day's down here, 15 + Cow's with one over 300 and another one close, just imagine having another four day's. Now's the time, give us a call. "The Intrepid Team"

Tues. January 3, 2012:    Good evening Anglers. Today was a relaxing travel day, our Crew and our Anglers took a day off after fishing hard for the last 4 day's. Poker tournaments, Cribbage and movies proved to reign supreme over any kind of work. Bacon and cheese Elk burger's courtesy of Angler and avid hunter Brady Daniels helped to seal the relaxing atmosphere. Here are some more pic's from the zone. "The Intrepid Team"

             

             

Mon. January 2, 2012:    One more for the road....Or, 3 more? This morning, like the others, started nice and early with a fish eating a squid under the kite before daylight. This one though, was bigger. Ed Otero was the first one up this morning and was in the right place at the right time with the right gear. After 45 minutes his fish came over the rail and a big one it was. Ed's fish tapes out at 310 pounds and was accompanied by 6 other fish this morning, two of which topped the 200 pound mark and one at 140. We also picked up a half dozen Wahoo before calling it quits and heading for home. The Tuna fishing that we have experienced over the last 4 day's is still the hot topic on the upper deck, where Cigars are being smoked and hand shakes are abundant. "The Intrepid Team"

             

             

Sun. January 1, 2012:    Another great day of fishing. Again our morning started bright and early with fish being hooked right at daylight and then continuing on. A steady pick with a flurry here and there, but few dry spells during the first day of 2012. We offered up a friendly wager to get the New year rolling. The first Cow of the New Year would be worth a $300.00 dollar credit to wards a future trip. Several fish were hooked that seemed to push the 200 pound mark and the race was on. Jeffrey Tedmori seemed to have it in the bag, a steady tail beat showed signs of a Cow Tuna, but he was not alone. Nick Rekrut, Shauna Barton, Bob Ehret and Brady Daniels all had nice fish hanging. In the end it was Brady Daniels with a 207 pounder that would take the honors. At the end of the day we ended up with 24 tuna with 5 over 200, 2 in the 190s, 3 in the 180s, 10 between 130 and 170 and a few smaller one's went in to our RSW. Just great fishing. Our top fish of the day went to Okuma rep David Choate with a 281, I think that makes 42 total Cow's for this well seasoned Long Ranger. We still have half a day tomorrow, but what a great way to start the New Year. "The Intrepid Team"

             

      

             

Sat. December 31, 2011:    What a day. Our morning started out great with fish hanging before daylight. Our first fish on the boat was a 241 for Nick Rekrut followed by a 208 for Joe Chinovsky. The list goes on and on and we feel guilty for not writing down all of the big fish for the day. But, then again they were all big. We finished off our day with 3 more coming on board after dark, pulling them from the sharp teeth of hungry Brown Sharks. We lost more than our fair share for a number of different reasons, but we did boat 28 fish from 140 to 241 pounds with probably 13 over 200. A final weigh in at the dock will be the judge. Great weather, great fishing and a boat load off happy Anglers. Happy New Years. "The Intrepid Team"

             

      

             

Fri. December 30, 2011:    Today started off with 4 Yellowfin just after daylight in the 110 to 140 pound class and then conditions seemed to change and it wasn't until after lunch before the Tuna showed themselves again. We picked up another 7 fish in the 80 to 130 pound class in the afternoon as well. There is great sign of life around, we picked up a few handfuls of wahoo in our travels, but the sign of smaller Yellowfin is outstanding. We released lot's of fish in the 15 to 30 pound range, but it's nice to see all the future Giants fattening themselves on flying fish. The sharks took a fair share of what we hooked today as well. Tonight's dinner was phenomenal. Tortilla crusted and baked Grouper with homemade salsa and Spanish rice. We will let you know how tomorrow transpires. "The Intrepid Team"

             

      

             

Thur. December 29, 2011:    Good evening Anglers. Today we finished our seminars, going over all the different aspects of big Tuna fishing, tackle and techniques. Then our raffle prizes were handed out with thousands of dollars worth of tackle from our many generous sponsors. A Okuma Makaira 20 loaded with spectra, several rods from Seeker and Calstar, tackle and line from Catchy, Izorline, Accurate and many others were given to our Anglers. Not to be out done Chefs Paul and Kyle used some of the fish we picked up yesterday to make some delicious fish enchiladas with home made salsa. Man they were good. We were able to pick up some perfect kite sized squid last night and hope they will go to good use tomorrow morning. We'll keep you posted. "The Intrepid Team"

             

      

Wed. December 28, 2011:    We arrived at Alijos Bank at 1030 and made a couple of drifts in choppy conditions. On our first drift Mitch Chivira tied in to a very nice Yellowtail then followed it up with an equally impressive Snowy Grouper. Drew Cole also landed a very nice Grouper on the Butterfly Jig. We made several drifts over the next hour in a half picking up some Rockfish, Sculpin and Whitefish like the one Joe Cinovsky is displaying. These tasty morsels will be used for a dinner and some Sushi over the next couple of day's. We are headed south again ETA to Clarion 0400. We will be taking care of some seminars and a raffle or two tomorrow, but the rest of today seems to be set aside for poker tournaments. "The Intrepid Team"

             

      

Tues. Dec. 27, 2011:    Good evening Anglers. We departed yesterday on our 11 day WahooDad / Izorline trip. A stop at the bait receiver and then on our way South with a good load of bait and a GREAT group of anglers. We will be making a stop by the Alijos Bank in the morning to see if we can welcome some Yellowtail aboard for lunch. We hope all had a great Christmas and will keep you posted through out the New Year. "The Intrepid Team"

Sun. Dec. 25, 2011:

Mon. December 19, 2011:    We returned today from our Avet / Larry Brown 13 day trip. Thank you Larry and a great group of anglers. Jackpot winners are....1st Place : Gary Arndt with his 211.8 lb. Cow YFT...2nd Place goes to Dennis Smith with his 201.6 lb. Cow YFT and 3rd place Bruce Saurer with his 183.4 lb. YFT. Honorable mention goes to David Berutich with his 326.8 lb. Super Cow. We hope to see you all next year. "The Intrepid Team"