The Gulf of Panama - Sport Fishing Charters

The Republic of Panama has always been known for its fishing, tropical islands and beautiful beaches. It took about 3 million years for the Republic of Panama to emerge as it was a vast archipelago of volcanic islands. Due to volcanic activities during that period, Panama became an isthmus with over 1,500 islands, 2,988 kilometers of coast and a total of 480 rivers that empty their waters into the ocean. Once this phenomenon was over, there was a reduction on genetic mixing among different types of fish quarry and a reduction of fish migration in between the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean.

Archeologists have proven that people has been living in the Republic of Panama for at least 11,000 years. The first inhabitants of the Republic of Panama lived on the Pacific Ocean and practiced fishing as their main occupation in 1500 B.C. and their ancient fishing techniques are still being used today! Due to the tremendous importance that fish had in the lives of Isthmians, they decided to name the Isthmus “Panama" as the word means “abundance of fish”.

SPORT FISHING IN THE GULF OF PANAMA - PINAS BAY - PEARL ISLANDS

The Gulf of Panama is where Panama City is located. It extends to approximately 12,000 square miles in size and counts with over 100 volcanic spectacular islands including the famous Pear Islands. Sport fishing in the Gulf of Panama could be a unique angling experience for fishing guides once we provide a boat rental as the underwater geography in this fairly large area is relatively shallow and well geographically positioned. This makes it special for a wide variety of sea life to immigrate and breed in the extensive Panamanian gulf waters. It is most likely you will tell once on a Panama Cruise yacht tour, Panama fishing tour or sailing adventure at the Gulf of Panama.

When it’s about offshore sport fishing trips or boat tours in the Gulf of Panama you can expect some of the best sport fishing in the world. As a matter of fact, Darien’s Bahia Piñas has more International Game Fish Association world records broken than any where else in the world.

In the Gulf of Panama you will find the presence of a great number of game fish species “pelagic gamefish / demersal gamefish” among others.

The Republic of Panama has fishing opportunities all year round. However, there is not a bad season for fishing but different types of fish during each season. In between the months of late May thru December sport fishing opportunities will most likely be pelagic gamefish “Barracudas, Amberjacks, Roosterfish and Sierras among others” with off season chances on catching big game slope fish “larger groupers, sappers, jacks, pompanos and corvine among others”.

During our dry season (Jan – May), the Republic of Panama experiences some changes that are convenient for deep sea sport fishing charters in the Gulf of Panama. First off, a southern Pacific strong cold saltwater current know as the “Humboldt” starts to move up north from South America bordering the Colombian Pacific coastline into Panama’s famous Tuna Coast or Azuero Peninsula “Pedasi” and also the Gulf of Panama’s “Pearl Islands and Piñas Bay”.

Furthermore, the Panama Gulf starts to receive strong north winds from Panama’s Atlantic coast "Colon City, Bocas del Toro, San Blas" creating what oceanographers call the “Panama Current”. A constant strong north wind blows the surface of the Panamanian Gulf waters creating a vertical current from down under. Water from the surface of the ocean gets blown miles offshore making a necessity for deep cold water (62-69 F) to move in replacing it. This phenomenon causes slope fish or bottom fish to migrate from the continental slope drop-off into the Gulf of Panama. When the cold nutrient rich offshore waters emerge to a certain depth, sunlight makes a reaction where tons of plankton supplies are spread all over the Gulf of Panama making it special for any type of game fish or quarry to immigrate to this area. While this period is in process, the opportunities to catch deep sea big game fish, shelf demersal or slope gamefish are extraordinary once you are on a fly fishing or regular fishing charter with Panama Cruise around the Gulf of Panama.

The yellow-green color is blooms of microscopic plankton that emerged due to the deep Humboldt currents that traveled fromm South America into our bay and tuna coast of Pedasi. This is a picture taken by a NASA satellite.

The sport fishing phenomenon lasts for about 1 month to 1 ½ months depending on the winds. This wind effect is only experienced in the gulf area as else where in Panama’s Pacific Coast is blocked by mountains. However, the cold water temperature stays while the Humboldt Current flows around the whole Pacific coast of the Republic of Panama making it hard for surfers and people to swim as the beaches get some gelly-fish. Water temperature in Panama changes drastically during the year. The Republic of Panama has warm waters (82-84F) for 8-10 months in between (May-December) and the cold water from the vertical current (62-69F) for 2-3 months in between (December-May) once a year.

What type of fish am I expecting to catch in a Gulf of Panama sport fishing charter by Panama Cruise? When cruising on a panamacruise.com.pa sport fishing charter you can expect a great variety of fish. This will depend on the type of charter you will be cruising on (Nearshore or Offshore).

Nearshore Fishing Charter Quarry: Corvina Fishing, Grouper Fishing, Snapper Fishing, Dorado Fishing, Sierra Fishing, Pompano Fishing, different types of Jack, Sharks and bonito among others.

Offshore Fishing Charter Quarry: Jack, Sierra, Grouper, different types of Snapper, Amberjack, Rockfish, Dorado, Sailfish, Sharks, different types of Tuna Fishing and different types of Marlin Fishing(Blue, Striped and Black Marlin).

Panama Fishing Chart

Panama Fishing Video - Marlin 

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 Gulf of Panama sport fishing charter by Panama Cruise? Accommodations can be held on different resorts we operate with on Contadora Island, San Jose Island or simply stay in the yacht if comfortable enough. To learn more on accommodations please contact us.