PANAMA 



watch one of the stern matrons discipline her offspring by 

 butting him with her snout. I suppose it's a disciplinary ges- 

 ture—maybe it's only play. I have taken sailfish right out of 

 schools of porpoises that were rolling and cavorting all 

 around the line. 



In Panama Bay they put out more lines than I have ever 

 seen employed anywhere. The usual procedure is to use the 

 outriggers for black marlin and baits with 39-thread. Two 

 teasers were towed halfway down the outriggers; then come 

 two rods with feathers for bait at the end of 15 -thread line. 

 Next come the sailfish rigs which in this case consist of 6- or 

 9-thread and in between them a hand line is trolled for more 

 bait. If I had been running the boat I would have had the 

 sailfish rigs in the middle with nothing but a handline out 

 for bait if it was needed. The anglers down there have a 

 tough time catching some black marlin. I believe one of the 

 reasons is the bizarre assortment of baits. When the fish is 

 hooked they lose so much time getting the outfits aboard 

 that the quarry is a long way off and has a chance to sound 

 before the boat can be turned to after him. In Panama, more 

 than any other place I know, a great number of black marlin 

 have been hauled up from the bottom stone dead, with their 

 mouths and gills full of silt. I'm sure this is because they have 

 been fought too far away from the boat. But I also know 

 that black marlin taken in shoal water sometimes have a 

 trick of sticking their bill in the sand, if they get crazy 

 enough, as will the swordfish on occasion. 



I had wonderful luck and received the most hospitable 

 treatment in Panama Bay and I only wish I could afford the 

 time to give it another whirl. 



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