One of our favorite mothershipping locations here at Los Buzos Panama is this reef called San Patricio. It is incredibly rugged with a wild rocky coastline and miles of gnarly ledges that make a perfect home for these big cubera snappers.
One of the most common questions I get is "How long do I let it eat?" The answer is not so simple. It's all about how strong the bite is and how fast and steady the line is coming out. Once you get that fast steady run, that is when you want to set the hook. If line is coming out fast it generally means the fish has the bait and is running away from you. Setting the drag then will give you the best chance at getting a good hook set. If no line is coming out or its coming out slowly, generally that means either the fish does not have the whole bait in its mouth, it's playing with the bait, or swimming at you... none of which make for a good time to set the hook.
However sometimes after a strong hit, the line will slack. If it is slack for more than 5 seconds its a good idea to tighten up or set the hook if you think the fish might be there. Sometimes a cubera will grab the bait and swim to their cave which may only be a couple of feet away... and just sit there in one spot.
A good rod is also very important. Some flexibility and strong backbone is ideal and I never could find the perfect rod… so I custom made a series of them! I use the SLEIGHRIDERS Marlin Special which is also included in the package if you are renting gear for a trip to Los Buzos! So you can use it too!
I hope this helps some of you! Ill be back down to Los Buzos in September which is also prime time for cuberas!
Interested in a trip? Check out losbuzos.com and email us at info@losbuzos.com to book!
