One annoying thing about the internet versus a magazine is images like this that get passed anonymously around the net. This is a stunning photo that I wish I knew who took it! Most of the times you get some crazy picture with a misleading story to go with it. If you know where this picture originated drop us a line.

We just got some cool news from Tropic Star Lodge in Panama. Tropic Star has teamed up with the International Game Fish Association to introduce more kids to our wonderful sport of fishing! Raleigh Werking from TSL tells us this June -August if you plan a trip you can bring your kids FREE!  (1 kid per fishing adult)

Find out more about this exciting program to get our youth outdoors!

Tropic Star Lodge Website

CALL TO MAKE YOUR RESERVATION TODAY!
In the U.S.A. 1-800-682-3424 Outside the U.S.A. 1-407-843-0125

Passport Safety Tips

PROTECT YOUR PASSPORT

On your fishing trip out of country your passport is the most valuable document you will carry abroad. It confirms your U.S. citizenship. Guard it carefully!

It is your best form of identification. You will need it when you pick up mail or check into hotels, embassies or consulates.

When entering some countries or registering at hotels, you may be asked to fill out a police card listing your name, passport number, destination, local address, and reason for traveling. You may be required to leave your passport at the hotel reception desk overnight so it may be checked by local police officials. These are normal procedures required by local laws. If your passport is not returned the following morning, immediately report the impoundment to local police authorities and the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.

PASSPORT FRAUD

Law enforcement records show that U.S. passports are sometimes used for illegal entry into the United States or by criminals abroad seeking to establish another identity. This can cause embarrassment to innocent citizens whose names become associated with illegal activities. To protect the integrity of the U.S. passport and the security of the person bearing it, consular officers overseas have found it necessary to take precautions in processing lost passport cases. These precautions may involve some delay before a new passport is issued.

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Until recently, Cabo San Lucas was regarded as the sport fishing capital of Mexico. However, the secret is now out and sports fishermen from around the world have figured out Puerto Vallarta is the real big fish hotspot. Large schools of giant Yellowfin Tuna, hefty Blue and Black Marlin, Sailfish, and Dorado, pile up and pile on off the beautiful coast of Puerto Vallarta.

One boat taking advantage of the incredible fishery in Puerto Vallarta is the brand new El Matador captained by Manny Ocaranza.

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Landing a sailfish or two on any day is good, but how about landing 20 or even 40? The International Game Fish Association is heading up its first expedition to Casa Vieja Lodge in Guatemala, where Capt. Ron Hamlin reports that 20 sail days not only happen – they are the typical average per boat! The sailfish are so plentiful off Guatemala’s west coast that the Lodge sees 40+ sail release days happen every month of the year. Not only that, but when you throw in the abundance of marlin, dolphin, yellowfin tuna, and roosterfish, you’ll hardly be able to cast your lines fast enough!

Guatemala is a billfisherman’s paradise, and the fleet at Casa Vieja fishes the Pacific like none other. The country holds conservation first and foremost, and so the Casa Vieja captains became innovators in using circle hooks with bait long before it was popular. Being conservation-minded doesn’t seem to stop the fish from biting – in 2006, fly tosser Jim Turner let 57 sails go in one day while on board the Release, all while conforming to IGFA rules and regulations.

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High up in the mountains of North Georgia where the spring fed trout streams run clear and cold year round, there is a two mile catch and release section of trophy trout water that offers fly anglers unbelievable dry fly hopper fishing during the summer months. This secret trout stream is Noontootla Creek, located in Fannin County Georgia, and it produces brilliant colored rainbow and brown trout consistently in the 20 inch range. The crazy thing about this is there are much bigger trout in this section of river. That twenty inch mark is about our average size trout that comes up and inhale’s our foam hopper and beetle patterns.

The two-mile stretch of trophy trout water sits on a 1500 acre private preserve that’s been unavailable to the public for well over fifty years. A pure genetic line of rainbow and brown trout has been passed down from the 1960s when the Georgia DNR ceased trout stockings on Noontootla Creek. Since then this pure genetic line has been protected and passed down from generation to generation through natural reproduction in the stream.

Generally you don’t see this kind of great hopper fishing in the higher elevation trout streams of the Appalachian mountains. The reason you see it on Noontootla Creek inside the preserve, is the farming of corn and milo on the property. This provides exceptional habitat and food for the land born terrestrials (Grasshoppers, Beetles, Ants) that end up in huge numbers floating down the stream and eventually in the stomachs of the resident trout. The trophy trout on the preserve gorge themselves on this available food source just like they do out west during the summer months.

This epic terrestrial fishing starts mid-June and runs through September every year, and it offers fly fishermen some of the most exciting hopper fishing on the east coast for trophy trout. If you like seeing explosive strikes, toilet bowl flushes, and giant white mouths sucking in dry flies this is a place you need to check out.

If this testimony doesn’t convince you, take a couple minutes to check out this video that was filmed last year on Noontootla Creek during the hopper season.

If your serious about fishing this pristine trout stream during this amazing annual event, please contact Capt. Kent Klewein with Reel Job Fishing to set up your fishing trip reservations. He lives two miles from this stream and is the local guide and expert on this killer trout water.

Don’t make the mistake of waiting until the last minute to book your trip. To ensure you get in on the action during the terrestrial feeding frenzy, you’ll need to start looking at booking your trip the month of March or April.

For more information on Booking Reservations on Noontootla Creek Farms please visit or contact:

Capt. Kent Klewein
Reel Job Fishing, LLC
www.kent-klewein.com
info@kent-klewein.com
770-330-7583

It was only week 3 in the year 2010 and vacationing in Panama, at Tropic Star Lodge proved to be a perfect way to start the year for some visitors.  Mark and Cathy Hamilton, were at Pinas Bay for the week and landed some pretty amazing fish. Cathy caught and released her first Pacific Blue Marlin estimated at 400lbs, another first was a Black Marlin around 450lbs and her first Pacific Sailfish for a week’s slam.  Her husband Mark, released his first Black Marlin estimated around 450lbs.

The Blue Marlin were feeding in the bait schools and were caught off Jacque, a town further south of Pinas Bay, which they typically roam the 100 fathom curve offshore. There was great action while the schools of dorado were invading the territory while waiting on the bills to show up.  It’s always interesting to see what will be encountered, like the monster sailfish that was released and estimated at 180lbs.  All the sails were rather large, which is unusual for this time of year. Here are some more folks the same week that scored big, like the Hamilton’s.

Dan Spalding released his first Pacific Blue Marlin, estimated at 350 lbs. Pete Holehouse also got his first Pacific Blue Marlin around 280 lbs and Art Lancaster released his first Pacific Blue Marlin.

Elias Zaher released his first Black Marlin on their first day of fishing, estimated at 500 lbs. George Zaher also released his first Black Marlin the same week, a decent 350 lb fish.  John Robinson released his first Black Marlin around 300 lbs, John Siegrist released his first Black Marlin around 250 lbs and Dave Copeland also released his first Black Marlin.

For More On Tropic Star Lodge- CLICK HERE!

Capt. Greg Dini, has another exceptional day on the water the other day! Fly fishing at its finest in the Louisiana Marsh and Fly Water Expeditions Greg could not be more excited.  He said fish were aggressive and chomping at the fly as soon as it touched the water.  A total of 7 redfish that were over 25lbs, but had two weighing in at 30 and 38lbs. The redfish weren’t the only fish, there were a number of black drum caught as well.  Days like this make the Louisiana Marsh stand out as such an incredible destination for fly fishing!

Fly fishing in the Louisiana Marsh has been amazing for Captain Greg Dini.  Captain Greg, owner of Fly Water Expeditions, is having some stellar fishing days. If planning a trip to New Orleans and you love to do some fly fishing, he is the guide you want to book a trip with.  To have the opportunity to catch a hefty size Redfish or Black Drum up to 50lbs, just might be worth taking a trip to New Orleans regardless.  Fly Water Expeditions, is making a name for himself around the Louisiana Marsh, simply because Capt. Greg enjoys what he does and wants the same for you.

If you are local or planning a visit, please check out Fly Water Expeditions. I highly recommend this guide as the first pick to do some fly fishing with out there. He’s only forty minutes from downtown New Orleans, which is convenient even for those on a short weekend trip.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE FLY WATER EXPEDITIONS INFORMATION!

Crackerjack Sport Fishing Charters, offer a variety of different fishing and captains that give 100% effort on each trip.  Captains Andy Mezirow and Nik Ranta have over 15 yrs experience in the Seward, Alaska area.  They are ramped up for 2010, hoping it will be just as good, of not better than last year.  Crackerjack Sport Fishing Charters, fish for Salmon, Halibut and Lingcod using top of the line fishing rods and tackle. Andy Mezirow, is a regular in some of the world’s best known fishing magazines, just to name a few… Sport Fishing, Big Game Journal and Saltwater Sportsmans (CLICK HERE FOR STORIES).

The entire crew would like for you to join them on an exciting fishing excursion in beautiful Seward, Alaska.  A place to experience some of the best fishing variety fishing.  Not sure where to lodge?  We offer that too….. enjoy our cabin.  An authentic log home, 4 bedroom, private bath, WIFI, full kitchen and more (MORE DETAILS on Nick and Beulah’s Place).

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