Panama fishing report by: Captain Mike Love
Panama Big Game Fishing Club Isla Boca Brava Chiriqui
Republic of Panama
One of the translations for the word Panama is variety. Whoever
originated this translation must certainly have been a fisherman. After
broad experiences in Central and South America, it must be said that for
variety, Panama ranks among the best that the hemisphere has to offer.
This was my third trip to the Panama Big Game Fishing Club, and sixth
overall to the country. Club owners Bill Beck, and Lee Campbell are
both ex-charter boat captains, and this is reflected in their operation of
the club.
Captain Campbell manages the club on site and handles the in-country
arrangements. After a four-hour flight from Houston, we were greeted by
representatives from Starlite travel and escorted to the airport's VIP
lounge. While the agents took care of our luggage and passports, cocktails
were served. A waiting van took us to our first night accommodations, the
new five-star hotel Veneto in downtown Panama City. The city is
clean, modern and sophisticated. Exploring the restaurant scene is an
adventure for the palate.
Early the next morning our van took us to the local airport for our 6:00
am departure to David, the second largest city in Panama. A short 10
min. drive to the marina had us in a small transfer boat for about a one
hour scenic river cruise to Boca Brava, the home of Panama Big Game
Fishing Club. Capt. Lee was waiting on the dock when we arrived. I knew
the routine, so we wore our fishing clothes on the flight into David. A 36
ft. Palm Beach had her engines running at the dock when we got
there. While the staff carried our gear to our rooms, we stepped right
onto the boat and took off to fish around 9:00 am.
Our destination was Montosa Island, about 40 miles from the club. There
were reports of schooling yellow fin tuna in the area. After 30 minutes of
fishing, we heard a radio call about a big school of tuna on the other
side of the island. Our captain, Tatti, told me the voice from the other
boat's
radio belonged to his cousin. . It also turned out our mate, Virgel, was
the son of a captain I had fished with many years ago at the famous Club
Pacífico, on Coiba Island. From my visits to this part of Panama over the
years I've found that most of these excellent native fishermen are
related.
The sons follow in the footsteps of their fathers.
Moving quickly to the new location, we found the sea alive with surface
busting baitfish and diving birds. Speeding directly to the school's
perimeter, I cast a large popping plug into the action and began a rapid
retrieve. The lure only moved about 3 feet before the strike occurred.
This was a 30lb. yellow fin tuna, which provided great action on top water
with a spinning rod. The reels are loaded with 65lb.braided line. Capt.
Lee had just respooled with 65 because of breaking off some fish the week
before. We spent the rest of the afternoon casting to schools of 30 to 40
lb yellow fin. The fish would stay on top for only a few minutes before
they had to re-group and ball the bait again. Later that day, I
found out why Capt. Lee had added the heavier fishing line. Another cast
into a feeding frenzy brought an explosion of a strike. It was a
much larger tuna that took the line screaming off the reel.
Forty-five minutes later we finally saw the flash of the fish as it began
circling on its side. We timed it so as it circled toward the boat I
lifted the fish toward the surface, and two gaffs found their mark. A 125
lb. yellow fin was slapped on the deck. Cheers and high fives were
all around. During the next day we did more of the same. What great
sport on top-water casting outfits! Some of the other boats were also
live-baiting small bonito, to catch larger tuna over 250lbs. On day three
it was all sun and the yellow fin surfaced much less. So we fished much
closer to Montosa catching some Wahoo to 40lbs., and big jack crevalle to
30lbs. We even dropped down some cut bait for some barred snapper to about
10lbs.
Our last day's fishing took us south to another group of islands.
There were big schools of bonito, and we had no trouble with all the bait
we wanted. We even caught two dogtooth tuna mixed in with the bait.
Trolling around the islands, we caught more Wahoo and jack crevalle, and
then headed out to large under water pinnacle. We dropped down live baits
and immediately hooked up with a 50 lb. Amberjack. We lost a large
broomtail grouper and had an enormous cuberra snapper come off at the
boat.
We wanted to try some casting inshore, and headed back into islands'
shallows. This is my favorite type of fishing locally. The islands are
beautiful and the waves break on the rocky shoreline sending white foam
spray 20 ft. into the air. I caught a big blue trevalle on a top water
plug. Panama is the only place where I have encountered this amazing
species of jack. While casting, we also free-lined a dead ballyhoo.
Moments after boating the trevalle the free line went off. Fifteen minutes
later an 80lb. Roosterfish was photographed and released. The rest
of the afternoon we tried trolling ballyhoo. The sailfish weren't home but
we did manage three bull dolphins in the 40 lb. range.
Back at the Club we all shared our weeks full of stories over cocktails
and tuna sushi. Capt. Lee was also a chef earlier in his career and
brought out a
finale dinner of local beef and all the types of fish we had caught that
week prepared in different ways.
That's a glimpse of fishing Panama style. On two previous trips to Panama
Big Game, we caught hot marlin bites, averaging 6 to 8 marlin strikes per
day.
At other times we found huge logs floating offshore, which were loaded
with dolphin. There were so many dolphins that we would only catch the 30
to 40 pounders and then move on to the next floating hotel.
The hand made cottages that house the sleeping rooms are extremely nice.
They line the stairway, which meanders up the hillside to the main dining
room and lounge. The accommodations belie the Club's remote location.
So if you are interested in one of the most interesting places available
for variety big game fishing, then consider the Panama Big Game Fishing
Club. It is run by professional fishermen and is staffed by some of the
friendliest people imaginable. It's the place to be. El Capitan
Our thanks to: Captain Mike Love & Susan Maza
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