Re: Trip of a Lifetime
 

Tropic Star for sure. Read Guy Harvey's book "Panama Paradise". Friends have been there and describe the fishing and accommodations as fantastic.

Re: Trip of a Lifetime
 

I'd opt for San Diego...we did a long range trip on the Excel back in '99...was great...would love to do another one...don't know if it's still offered, but one could fly down South and meet the boat, cutting out a 2-3 day boat ride...I think the hot spot--Reivelligas(I butchered the spelling)is still closed to all fishing by the Mexican Govt....

Then, there's always Guam!!!

Re: Trip of a Lifetime
 

Check out Panama Big Game Club, going there this February !

Re: Trip of a Lifetime
 

What Andy said. That to me would be the trip of a lifetime.

Re: Trip of a Lifetime
 

My trip of a life time would be fishing Cairns Australia for grander black marlin followed by fish New Zealand for yellowfin tuna & trevally.

Re: Trip of a Lifetime
 

If I was heading back to Panama, I'd go with Capt. Rich.

Any trip is going to depend a lot on your budget. Do your homework and make sure the place fits what you want. I have been doing trip to Central America since 1996, to many different location, mostley Costa Rica. Some have been great and some have been not so great. A lot will also depend on who you go with. Not such a great adventure if you have one or two guys in your group that want to complain about everything. Some go to fish and some go to party. Go with your eyes and mind open and enjoy, as you said it is the trip of a lifetime!

Re: Trip of a Lifetime
 

I only did one trip like this 6 years ago when I finished my undergrad, figured i owed it to myself :)

I did Alaska and it was absolutely amazing. I will be trying something warmer next time. This way I can drink beer while sunning my mammoth mound of masculinity.

Re: Trip of a Lifetime
 

all great suggestions..thanks guys. I have been to alaska, caught halibut over 100 lbs, some nice salmon etc. Anchorage is only a three hour flight from los angeles and I know a lot of people that fish kenai Peninsula on extended weekends. I will fish up there again, but trolling for salmon and bottom fishing for ling cod, halibut etc is not the end all trip for me. The party boat the Intrepid out of san diego is running "mothership" trips down to Panama...fly to panama city, meet the boat and take off on a ten day fishing trip. that is a new possibility.

Re: Trip of a Lifetime
 

they now fish a place called hurricane bank. I saw the red rooster come back one day with a yellowfin tuna over 300 lbs. I could not believe what I was looking at. :eek: I am amazed that they land these fish from an anchored boat, no getting off the ball, no chair etc. In talking to a bunch of people that have caught giant bluefins, marlin, big eyes etc many will tell you monster yellowfins over 200 lbs caught stand up from an anchored boat on these trips may be the toughest fight in the world.

Re: Trip of a Lifetime
 

I worked the deck aboard the Apollo for the 1999 season which was one of the best on record in SD. There's rarely a day that goes by that I don't think about those days of pitching live dine and chovy to tuna exploding off the transom, sticking one head shot after another, and hosing down a bloody deck but it can be a bit of a grind - and not just for the deckhands! For a trip of a lifetime I think I'd like to get off a rocking boat at the end of a day of killer fishing, take a hot shower and enjoy a few cocktails before doing it again the next day - I'd go for Panama!!!!