Tropic Star Lodge

This was our second trip to tropic star, both during December and the fishing was dramatically better this trip. My wife and I caught 5 blue Marlin, 9 sailfish and a bunch of dorado. We had 4 more Marlin hooked that we didn’t get in and many more bites. We fished with Captain Armondo and Alio they were fantastic and there were no communication issues. Captain Armondo was genuinely excited when my wife got her first marlin in. At one point there were 5 boats all within a quarter of a mile and all had marlin on. Everyone at the resort were catching what they targeted, offshore slams and inshore slams, the most important thing was everyone was happy and I didn’t hear any complaints.|The land staff was incredible, Ross Alford makes everything run smooth and his enthusiasm is contagious. Richard Martinez is very good as well as is Brandon. Chef Mike had our coffee to us an hour early Every morning as we requested so we could enjoy the morning without being rushed. |This was the best vacation or fishing trip I have ever experienced by far. Ross and Captain Mario were amazing.

Please understand, I am 53 years old. I have been a Captain for 2 decades. I have work for elite, wealthy demanding yet Christian raised thoughtful gracious 3rd generation Families. That like myself have fishing in their DNA.||No matter what you read regarding Trop Star and the family type efficiency they strive for every single minute. The perfection cannot be relayed in words... Simply, Anyone's trip of a lifetime. A true 5 star experience, not trip... Experience. From the shuttle/greeter/translation expert at the airport. |To our bilingual professional photographer (John-Austin). To all the rest of the people "with names". Meaning, we were informed that 192 fabulous people are employed at this paradise. So, the nameless don't go unnoticed. Thank you to them as well. ||Food... stop worrying. Baked Alaska for dessert the 2nd night. And a small personal b-day cake for my best friend of over 40 years. THE most amazing French toast in my existence.|| Lastly, the fishing. "We were asked" what are ya'll after fish wise, how would you like to go about it? FLY, Lures or Live baiting? This type communication rarely or NEVER HAPPENS on the normal charter. We got to express our goal for the trip. It was relayed so perfectly . ||Ross, JJ, Patterson, Marvin, Annie, Gabriel, Edgar, John-Austin, Jose, Jeffer, Verde' and my personal fisherman-little kid meet and sit and talk fishing FAV- Mr. Bill Boyce. When I saw him at the airstrip in the jungle. I had stage fright and my googly eyed brain stopped working. I assumed he was flying out. It was 1 of my greatest fishing talks with him at breakfast the morning after catching my first Black. Humbling...||God bless all the hard working members at Tropic Star and Merry Christmas

First Class from stat to finish, from the moment we stepped off the plane we were treated like friends/family! The management, support staff, service, lodging and food were all absolutely amazing! This was our first visit but definitely will not be our last!

We had high expectations based on the cost of fishing and accommodation, it doesn't feel like those expectations were met.||Positives:|- Diverse range of species, both inshore and offshore at all times of the year.|- Captain and mate were excellent.|- Logistics at the Lodge was very efficient.|- Lot of options for all meals, you could order as much or as little as you wanted. |- Kitchen, waiters and servers excellent, we came in late one day and snacks were made for us because we missed the main group.|- We had the most basic room, it was very spacious and bed comfortable.||Negatives:|- No footplates on the fighting chairs on a lot of the Bertam boats. My wife had to play Marlin standup, with someone holding the belt/harness.|- Fighting belt/harness had no clips, just l shaped pieces of metal which kept sliding off the reel during the fight.|- A number of groups had never caught Marlin before, the fishing orientation did not cover fish playing techniques, etc which would aid quicker fights and releases. Morning fishing update could have given a summary of the previous day instead of telling us to use sunscreen.|- Long fights (1.5 to 2 hrs) on other boats which is not good for billfish mortality.|- Reservations team were poor, they said that they would send a final balance reminder email. This didn't happen, I enquired when balance was due and I was told that I had to pay within 4 days or reservation would be cancelled. This did not give me time to transfer from my USD bank account (for free) so paying with my UK credit card cost me £250 in credit card fees.|In addition the the guidance sheet sent a few days before the start of our trip was out of date, room tax was down as $70 per week, upon check out it was $224, we queried this but ended up having to pay the $224. Gratuity on the guidance sheet was also wrong, we got the full amount plus a 10% buffer out of the ATM when connecting in USA. However the tip guidance sheet given 2 days before check out had vastly different ranges, we gave our Captain and mate all of the USD we had, but this below the full tip (which they deserved).||Be aware, there is communal dining twice a day with between 50 and 70 other guests, some people may not like that environment.||There is also additional building work going on so that there are more residences etc, TropicStar have already increased the number of boats operating from 12 to 17, this will only increase in addition to private boats being allowed to moor up and fish. Focus appears to be on a resort rather than fishing, wish I had visited 20 years ago when it was much less commercial.||All of the above was left in the TSL feedback survey, no response received from that.

excellent fishing and service all over the place. Every detail was taking care.|This is a place you will probably become a regular.|From the moment you arrive to the hangar to take the plane to the last moment in their airport to fly back to Panama City, what a great experience.|It was just GREAT

I have been going to Tropic Star Lodge since 2010. It has always been a spectacular experience with impecable service. You can never get enough. Recently the Marlin fishing has been the greatest of all times, beyond any expectation. I'm talking a 5 marlin day on Tuesday and a billfish grandslam on wednesday, and the week is just starting. Unforgetable place. My wife and I always make sure we stay at their Private Residence #5 !!! It has a very private setting, with the most beautiful vistas of the bay with an overlooking stone deck and private plunge pool . Spectacular!

Tropic Star Lodge is truly one of the most remarkable places I’ve visited. The location itself is breathtaking and the fishing grounds, boats, and tackle are second to none. But what sets this experience apart is the people: from the operations team to the restaurant staff, and boat crews, every single person works tirelessly to make your trip special.||I visited with my 12-year-old son in July, and the staff went out of their way to make sure he felt included and supported, even when seasickness and dehydration hit hard early on. The care and encouragement they showed turned what could have been a very tough situation into an amazing experience. Small gestures, like bringing a milkshake to the room when we came in early on day one, meant a ton and helped him stay motivated to get to fishing on day two. Ross was extremely helpful when my son was sick and went out of his way to ensure our trip remained first class; it takes a special personality to keep you reassured when you may be looking for medical attention in the jungle. That’s when being a 100+ miles from a road becomes real.||The fishing itself was world-class. Across four days we landed multiple blue marlin, sailfish, yellowfin tuna, mahi, and a variety of inshore species. Remember, Youtubers turn a great four day trip into 15 minutes of highlights and excitement. This is fishing and you should expect some time watching the spread enjoying your lunch, drinks, and music. The boats are about perfect for this type of fishing, the AC upgrade is worth the money. I recommend you get with Bill or someone dock side if you are unfamiliar with the tackle. Our fishing team (Yiyo and Verde on our trip) combined professionalism with plenty of enthusiasm however English is limited, as expected. We shared plenty of high fives, laughter, and bilingual chaos when a big fish hit. The fishing was exhilarating and made for unforgettable memories. Speaking of memories, be sure to book Didrick or one of the Ribner team for photography. While it may not seem cheap, they take amazing action shots and truly capture the day. Their efforts let you focus on enjoying yourself and making memories vs remembering to capture moments when the inevitable craziness begins.||The lodge facilities are excellent, blending necessity, comfort, and some luxury. Onshore, Patterson and the service team kept everything running smoothly, and their attention to detail created an environment where you could relax. Meals were outstanding, whether buffet-style or in the restaurant, and the fresh-caught tuna turned sashimi was a highlight.||What makes Tropic Star truly special is the combination of adventure, hospitality, and camaraderie. It is rare to find a place where both the fishing, the guests, and the staff exceed expectations.||If you are considering Tropic Star Lodge, Go! Unless it’s the week I’m planning to return.

Took a father and son(14) trip and had a blast. We caught a ton fish inshore and offshore. I even hooked up with a tarpon and it was a fun fight. I would highly recommend this place and we are definitely going back. Food was great and staff was wonderful. My son left his clothes on the floor and the cleaning crew folded it and put on the shelves while we were fishing. I wouldn’t recommend that but was truly surprised. They truly go above and beyond. Also, they have a turtle box on every boat. Nice to listen to music when trolling.