Panama

Panama is a country located in North America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica. Panama is located on the narrow and low Isthmus of Panama. This S-shaped isthmus is situated between 7° and 10° north latitude and 77° and 83° west longitude. Panama encompasses approximately 77,082 square kilometers, is 772 kilometers in length, and is between 60 and 177 kilometers in width.

Nearly 500 rivers lace Panama's rugged landscape. Mostly unnavigable, many originate as swift highland streams, meander in valleys, and form coastal deltas. However, the Río Chagres is a source of enormous hydroelectric power. The Kampia and Madden Lakes (also filled with water from the Río Chagres) provide hydroelectricity for the area of the former Canal Zone.

The Río Chepo, another source of hydroelectric power, is one of the more than 300 rivers emptying into the Pacific. These Pacific-oriented rivers are longer and slower running than those of the Caribbean side. Their basins are also more extensive. One of the longest is the Río Tuira which flows into the Golfo de San Miguel and is the nation's only river navigable by larger vessels.

Fishing

Panama, in one of the indigenous Indian dialects, translates literally to ‘ an abundance of fishes’.  It’s not difficult to understand why with both prolific inshore and offshore fisheries ranging all the way along its Pacific coastline.  The Hannibal Bank and Zane Grey Reef are justifiably famous in sportfishing circles.

And it was in 1949 that the Schmidt brothers fishing from the Caiman 2 – a wooden 40 footer powered by a 100HP in-line six-cylinder Caterpillar diesel – landed the area’s first grander.  That was a 1006lb Black Marlin taken on a Penn Senator 16/0 and 18-ounce lemonwood rod after a near 4 hour battle.

Amongst this abundance of fishes if I was to single out a species for which Panama is justifiably famous though it has to be its Black Marlin.  Over the years it’s had several more granders, but the mainstay of its fisheries are fish in the 250 to 700lb bracket.  But you can also catch Blue & Striped Marlin there, and masses of 100lb plus Sailfish.  And, at times, the water’s thick with decent sized Dorado and Wahoo.  Also there’s the Spring run of Yellowfin Tuna to consider.  That contains hefty fish - many over 200lbs in weight with some nudging up to over 300.  Additionally there have been what are admittedly occasional reports of Broadbill finning during the day off places like Tropic Star Lodge.  This has to be the classic way to target Swordfish.

Then you have the inshore species – the Jacks, Groupers and Snappers – with the prize catches being the Cuberas and Roosterfish.  These can be up to 80lbs in weight!

More recently though, and certainly not widely reported, are those isolated pockets of big Tarpon.  Fish that have migrated through the Panama Canal and established breeding populations.  There’re reports of fish to over 260lbs, taken by Tony Herdon, from the Bayano River in Darien province.  And several Club members have hooked, but not landed, these classic gamefish fishing with Tom Yust from Isla Coiba.

Also Lake Gatun that surrounds the Panama Canal has a thriving population of Peacock Bass.  Most are in the 3 to 5lb range, but they do catch a sprinkling of double-figured fish.

I’ve provided hyperlinks below to the web sites of those operations Club members have fished with.  Further, more detailed information on Panama is included within the Members Only section of this web site.

Coiba Adventure   Tom Yust has fished the Pacific off Isla Coiba and the its surrounding archipelago for the past 10 years.  Offering flexible three and seven day packages for small groups Tom currently operates a classic 31' customised Bertram and a 24' Mako.  Both vessels are fully equipped with tuna tubes and are capable of operating both off and inshore.  In terms of variety this fishery is probably the best I've ever experienced.  You can literally target Black Marlin on the Hannibal Bank and then 20 minutes later be fishing the back of the surfline for Roosterfish.