The Billfish Report is counting down its Top 10 Billfisheries of the Year, and coming in at #5 is Panama.

Criteria for our Top 10 list – taken from the daily billfish reports we receive from hundreds of captains around the world –  include the following: fish numbers, variety of billfish species, average size of fish and length of season.  These are then compiled, factoring in the number of boats regularly fishing that fishery, to derive a score.  The rankings of those scores yield this year’s Top 10 list.

Another Black Marlin for Tropic Star Lodge

Last season’s #1 billfishery had a very good 2011, but only slightly worse than its remarkable 2010.  Large numbers of blacks and blues, with multiple sails and some stripeys as well, saw Panama live up to the meaning of its name (“abundance of fish”).  Fishing is good for billfish year-round in Panama, which always helps its ranking.  2011 saw some seventeen (17) Black Marlin clear the 500-pound barrier and at least one Grander Black Marlin. We had too many days to even count the number of multiple species days, many with both a Black and a Blue Marlin, including several Billfish Grand Slams. This fishery continues to live up to its reputation as one of the best marlin grounds in the world.

Here are some of the Highlights from 2011 – 

Gotcha released a Grander Black Marlin, estimated at 1,100+ lbs.

Tropic Star Lodge sets lodge record with 96 Marlin released in 6 Days.