Marlin October 2021

After more than three decades and 40-plus custom sport-fishers that bear his name, Paul Mann has decided that it’s time to turn the page. Paul and his wife, Robin, have retired. Paul was a charter captain fishing out of Oregon Inlet, North Carolina, when he turned to building boats during the winter—first for himself and then for others. He worked alongside local legends such as Omie Tillett, Buddy Cannady and Sunny Briggs, where he learned the traditional methods of boatbuilding while imparting his own spin. An award-winning craftsman, Paul’s interiors became known for their stunning beauty and intricate woodwork, while his hulls were arguably among the best-riding on the water. His passion, as well as the determination and drive to succeed in a competitive, demanding industry, served him well throughout his…

editor@marlinmag.com THREE GENERATIONS IN PANAMA Fishing has been very important in our family over the past 40 years. Back in the 1970s, a close friend invited me on a trip offshore, and soon I started organizing groups to go fishing because none of us had our own boats. We would fish out of the Balboa Yacht Club, located in Panama at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal. But due to my growing professional obligations, I never owned a boat of my own. During the 1980s, I continued planning trips, now including my wife, children and other family friends. We all have many fond memories of catching lots of mahi, snapper and Pacific sailfish, as well as short visits to the solitary, beautiful beaches of the Pearl Islands. One of the most memorable…

LASSOED Photographer Hannes Ribbner has been spending plenty of time at Panama’s Tropic Star Lodge, fishing nearly every day during the season. During that time, he’s seen a few unusual catches, such as this Pacific sailfish that was successfully released despite not being hooked; the leader was wrapped around the fish’s bill. “I expect this happens more often than we might think,” he says. LOCATION Tropic Star is located on the edge of the Darien Rainforest in Piñas Bay, Panama. TECH SPECS CAMERA: Canon 1DX Mk II LENS: Canon 100-400mm Mk II ISO: 400 APERTURE: f/5.6 SPEED: 1/8000 sec…

One of the most accomplished ambassadors in saltwater angling, Joan Vernon has traveled to the world’s best destinations to fish in—as well as host—tournaments, raising funds for conservation initiatives as well as overall awareness for sport-fishing tourism. Early in her career, Vernon was one of the few professional female light-tackle guides in South Florida. Decades of service earned her a well-deserved spot in the IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame in 2013; she was also named one of Field & Stream’s Heroes of Conservation in 2007. Today, she splits her time between the Florida Keys and Costa Rica, where she hosts several events under the Presidential Challenge Charitable Foundation banner. What are your earliest memories of fishing? My parents were from Arizona and Michigan, and they were both avid anglers. In the wintertime,…

COSTA UNTANGLED PERFORMANCE COLLECTION The use of recycled materials was one theme at this year’s show. Costa—winner for Best of Category in eyewear—introduced the Untangled performance collection. The four new styles—Antille, Pargo, Caleta and Santiago (shown)—are built with a functional and durable NetPlus material that is made from 97 percent recycled fishing nets. costa.com PENN SLAMMER IV REEL The new Slammer IV is optimized for hardcore offshore fishing, with an improved IPX6 sealed body and spool, as well as a redesigned drag system that delivers a much wider range of usable drag, all while being bearing-supported for extra smoothness. There’s all-brass CNC gear technology and an 8-plus-1 stainless-steel bearing system inside, and a new hydrophobic line-roller bearing as well. penn.com AFTCO ADAPT TACTICAL PHASE CHANGE HOODED SHIRT We really like hooded fishing shirts. The Adapt…

While it’s difficult to emerge victorious in a highly competitive tournament series like the Bermuda Triple Crown without a decisive win in at least one leg, having a “down but not out” mindset can prove to be the deciding factor. That was the case in this year’s series aboard Steve Deckoff’s Pescador, an 80-foot Bayliss captained by Jeremy Fowler and based in the US Virgin Islands. On just their fourth visit to Bermuda, the team stayed the course and walked away with the big win this year. The Triple Crown consists of three events held throughout the month of July each year. First up: the Bermuda Billfish Blast. Osceola, a 74-foot Viking owned by Alexander Fanjul and based in Palm Beach, Florida, came from behind on the final day of fishing…