Sport Fishing at the Tuna Coast - Panama

The Azuero Peninsula, Pedasi or well known Tuna Coast is famous for its sport fishing charters opportunities to catch Mackerel, Wahoo and Yellowfin tuna. The tuna coast is located at a 5hr drive from Panama City or aprox 60 miles if navigating from Panama City on a Panama Cruise sport fishing charter. In difference to the Panama Gulf sport fishing charters, this area is not as strongly affected by the north winds as its coasts are blocked by mountains keeping away some of the prevailing offshore winds.

The Panama Tuna Coast, Pedasi or Azuero Peninsula has barely any continental shelf and its depths reach up to 600-1000 feet. These depths are encountered at only a few miles offshore in some areas making it great for short daily sport fishing charters or whale watching trips from Pedasi on one of our yacht tours . Whales can be seen around this area during the months of June to August as they proceed on their annual migration.

Usual sport fishing grounds in the Tuna Coast starts from Punta Mala to Punta Naranjo which is the SE to the SW points of the Peninsula de Azuero. However, there is another important area for fishing guides we must mention for sport fishing opportunities such as Los Frailes. You can see a video under this text. The Frailes Islands are two peaces of rocks that come out of the ocean right outside of the Gulf of Panama inside the Tuna Coast. Here, in this area of the open Pacific Ocean, tuna concentrates to reproduce, followed by big predators, including Wahoo, hammerheads, bull sharks, dolphins, and billfish. Big Groupers and Morays also inhabit Frailes’ rocky reefs that its also a great diving spot in the Republic of Panama.

The tuna coast is the best salt water sport fishing spot for Tuna deep sea fishing charters and Wahoo fly fishing charters in the Republic of Panama. These two pelagic gamefish are known for its speed and invisibility making it some of the fastest fish to be seen on a Panama Cruise sport fishing charter. The Tuna Coast is basically a mayor route for Big Eye Tuna, Yellowfin Tuna and other pelagic gamefish such as the famous Marlin and Swordfish who are usually found very far from mainland.

Because of the lack of natural ports in this area we recommend our clients “anglers” to charter a “panga” or “motor boat” for a Tuna or Whaoo sport fishing charter with Panama Cruise. Sport fishing charters on a “Panga” or “Motor Boat” is safe and very economical in comparison to chartering a luxury yacht. This allows anglers to visit some places in main land (Playa Venado, Pedasi, Tonosi, Cambutal, etc) for activities such as surfing, hiking, carnivals, and turtle watching or even go on a real estate tour in Azuero Peninsula for beachfront properties. However, if the case is chartering a luxury yacht from Panama City this is also possible hence more expensive.

Tuna Coast Map - Panama Fishing

What type of fish am I expecting to catch in a Tuna Coast sport fishing charter by Panama Cruise?

When cruising on a panamacruise.com.pa sport fishing charter at the Tuna Coast you can expect a great variety of fish. Besides from Mackerel, Wahoo and Tuna there are also a great variety of fish quarry or gamefish in this area.

Sport Fishing Quarry: Wahoo fishing, tuna fishing, sierra mackerel fishing, dolphin fishing, Cubera Snapper fishing, big grouper fishing, sailfish fishing, roosterfish fishing, black marlin fishing, blue marlin fishing, striped marlin, yellowfin tuna fishing, big eye tuna fishing, amberjack fishing, snapper fishing, sword fish fishing and other asorted types of fish.

Panama Fishing Video - Pedasi - Los Frailes  

Panama Sport Fishing Definitions

Big-game fishing: Is recreational fishing and it is also known as offshore sport fishing or offshore game fishing targeting big game fish such as Tuna and Marlin in the open sea.

Trolling: is a method of fishing in which some form of bait, such as a fishing lure or a living fish, is drawn on a line through the water. Trolling from a moving boat is a technique of Big-game fishing and is used when fishing from boats to catch large open-water species such as tuna and marlin. Trolling is also a freshwater angling technique.

Fly fishing is a distinct and ancient angling method, most renowned as a method for catching trout and salmon, but employed today for a wide variety of gamefish species including pike, bass, panfish, and carp, as well as saltwater marine species, such as, snook, tarpon, bonefish, bass and others.

Angling: is a technique use in sport fishing and it is basically catching fish of an “angle”.

Estuary Fish: Estuary fish congregate in deep holes. Fishing the low and rising tide in these areas is good for good catches.

Slope Fish: Slope or bottom fish are fish types that live deep in the water and off the continental shelf of Panama.

Demersal Fish (Bottom feeding fish): Demersal fish type is of commercial interest and are mostly located to the upper 200m. Demersal fish is mostly located in the near shore rocky bottom areas of the Panama gulf coast. Some of the demersal fish you will find in a panama gulf sport fishing charter are groupers, sappers, jacks, pompanos, corvine among others.

Pelagic Fish (Surface feeding or free swimming fish): Pelagic fish are usually fish that live alone or in schools at or near the surface or the shallower areas of the continental waters of the Gulf of Panama. Some of the pelagic fish found in the Gulf of Panama are Barracudas, Amberjacks, Roosterfish and Sierras among others.

FAQS?

Where do we get to sleep while in a Tuna Coast sport fishing charter by panamacruise.com.pa?Accommodations can be held on different resorts at Pedasi, Tonosi or simply stay in the yacht if comfortable enough. For further details on accommodations and availability please contact us.

Azuero Isla Iguana Tour (Iguana Island)

Isla Iguana is also known as a fishing paradise in the Republic of Panama. It is located at 320 km or 4 hrs south east of Panama City in the district of Pedasi, in Los Santos Province.

This paradisiacal Island is at only 7 kilometers offshore from mainland and counts with 16 hectares of beautiful coral reef. Here you will find 11 species of coral with over 4,800 years of age, over 500 species of fish and more than 2,000 frigate birds. Isla iguana is not just beautiful for its wild life and biodiversity but also for the whitest sandy beaches in the Republic of Panama. It’s just a great place to enjoy snorkeling, swimming and relaxation for all ages.

Isla Iguana has been a national park, an official protected ecological and tourist destination since 1980. This Island has been a mayor source of income for local fishermen that have depended on the prevailing marine life and marine resources for many years.

While on cruise you will most likely be impressed to see giant schools or red snapper, grouper and several other species mentioned on the sport fishing section of panamacruise.com.pa

The Humboldt Current is also responsible for the impressive sea life in this area. Its cold water currents from Peru bring a great amount of phytoplankton that is later fertilized by the fresh river waters and sun light into the ocean.

This phenomenon contributes to the marine food chain in the waters of the Azuero Penninsula bringing in a vast selection of sea life that includes; Whales, Orcas, Porpoises, Sharks, Manta Rays, Snapper, Grouper, Roosterfish, Yellowfin Tuna, Big Eye Tuna, Amberjack, various Pacific Jack species, Trevalley, Pacific Barracuda, billfish such as Sailfish, Black Marlin, Blue marlin, Striped Marlin, Swordfish plus plenty of Wahoo and all sorts of marine life that will be seen in astounding numbers.

Where do we get to sleep while in a Isla Iguana Island charter by Panama Cruise?

Accommodations can be held on different resorts at Pedasi, Tonosi or simply stay in the yacht if comfortable enough. For further details on accommodations and availability please contact us.