Panama Fly Fishing
At a Glance
Fly fish one of the world’s modern marvels for a variety of fresh water species! The main catch is peacock bass, snook, and tarpon – what we call the Panama Canal Grand Slam. Additional species like rainbow bass (guapote), Oscars, and tropical bluegill (vieja) are also available. At the end of the day come back to your luxury hotel in Panama City for fine dining, relaxation, and great nightlife.
Package Details
-
Day One
Fly into Panama City, Panama where you will be met at the airport and taken to your waiting private transfer. Stay downtown at the popular Veneto Hotel & Casino, one of the most popular hotels in the entire city. Luxurious rooms & suites, a pool, spa, great steak restaurant, and arguably the best casino in the city make the Veneto a favorite for this visiting the city.
-
Day Two
Let’s go fishing! You’ll be picked up early in the morning at your hotel for a full day of fly fishing on the Panama Canal. You’ll be fishing on Lake Gatun, which at 163 sq miles is one of the largest man-made lakes in the world. A combination of rain forest covered hills, islands, river mouths, and submerged forest provides plenty of habitat for peacock bass. These aggressive ambush feeders can travel in packs of 10-20 individuals, but when they do they typically weigh between 2-3 lbs. Larger trophy peacock bass in the 7-10 lb range typically swim in smaller groups or pairs, and although harder to catch, are still released on a regular basis.
-
Day Three
Let’s go fishing! Head back out on the water and try to complete the Panama Canal Grand Slam – snook, tarpon, and peacock bass. Our 23’ Hurricane Fundeck offers a nice casting platform on the bow as well as ample covered seating to hide from the sun and rain showers. A 5-6 wt rod with floating line will work great for both rainbow bass and peacock bass, but having another reel with intermediate sinking line to get to bigger, deeper dwelling bass is a good idea as well. For snook, which can reach 25-30 lbs, a heavier 8 wt rod is recommended. Landing a tarpon on the fly is one of the most difficult things for any angler to accomplish, so we recommend a 10-12 wt rod as we catch baby tarpon in the 30 lb range up to monsters at 150-200 lbs.
-
Day Four
Give your casting arm a rest and take a private tour of Panama City our bilingual guide. You’ll begin by touring Panama Viejo, the 500 yr old ruins of the first Spanish cities. Next you will venture out to the Amador Causeway, a set of four islands connected by a road built by the US military during the construction of the canal 100 years ago. The next stop will be the French colonial part of the city, Casco Antiguo, which is actually a UNESCO World Heritage site. Enjoy shopping, great local restaurants, and magnificent views of Panama City before you head to the last part of the tour – the Miraflores Locks at the Panama Canal. The most popular of three sets of locks on the canal, it’s incredible to see how the engineering 100 years ago still functions today to allow 100,000 ton ships take a short cut through the middle of the country.
-
Day Five
Let’s go fishing! By now you’ve probably landed plenty of peacock bass so focus on the bigger challenge – snook and tarpon. Streamers, shrimp patterns, poppers, and the black death are proven winners for these prehistoric targets. As always, remember to bow to the king when a hooked tarpon takes to the skies, turn their heads often to tire them out and guide them away from obstructions, and try not to let their sharp gill plates cut your line. Sound easy enough?
-
Day Six
Last day in Panama! Use this day as you please – sleep in and relax or we can set up another day of fishing if you haven’t had enough yet.
-
Day Seven
You will be picked up and taken back to the PTY Airport for your international flight home.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.
Peacock Bass
Snook
Tarpon
Rainbow Bass
Why Fish With CAF?
Media & Press
All fishing vacations booked with Central America Fishing include the following:
- Free Vacation Planning (no fees + direct rates)
- VIP Airport Meet & Greet upon arrival into SJO
- Private, air-conditioned transfers with English speaking driver.
- Luxury, private accommodations hand-picked and customized for your group. Choose between private condos & villas, luxury beach resorts, exclusive boutique hotels, and fishing lodges.
- Private fishing charters
- All eco / adventure tours you’d like to include
- All Costa Rican taxes
- Free quotes on travel insurance
- Pre-arrival assistance with dinner reservations, tee times, pre-stocking your condo or villa, hiring a private chef, and special requests.
- 24/7 support once you are here in country
Most Popular Fishing Packages
– COSTA RICA –
Los Suenos Fishing
Costa Rica Tarpon Fishing
Costa Rica Fly Fishing
– PANAMA –
Panama Sport Fishing
Panama Tuna Fishing
Panama Fishing Lodges
– BELIZE –
Belize Fly Fishing
Belize Permit Fishing
Belize Tarpon Fishing
– GUATEMALA –
Most Targeted Species
