Pedasi Fishing

There are a number of lures to hook a person on Pedasi Panama, but great sport-fishing in its coastal waters is perhaps one of the most universal. Whether it’s for the thrill of the reel whizzing out to a massive marlin, or the truly delectable pleasure of fresh caught yellow fin tuna seared and served with a splash of soy sauce, the fish of Pedasi Panama have made a bit of a name for the area.

Sandwiched between two world-renowned fishing spots, Piñas Bay to the east (where the luxurious Tropic Star Lodge is located) and Hannibal Banks to the west, Pedasi lies along a stretch of water is known as the ‘Tuna Coast’.

Here the Pacific waters are heavily frequented by yellow-fin tuna, drawn in on the Humboldt currant from South America. This cold upwelling — in addition to creating the drier climate that marks the Azuero Peninsula where Pedasi is situated, known as the ‘Arco Seco’ — provides the rich nutrients that tuna and the many other species of fish in these waters thrive on, making it one of the most diverse marine ecosystems in the world.

For the sport and leisure Pedasi fishing, this means a plethora of catches to be hauled aboard virtually year-round, just minutes from shore. Sailfish, amberjack, roosterfish, grouper, Spanish mackerel and red snapper are in steady supply throughout the year. Other species, like mahi-mahi (a.k.a dorado or dolphin-fish), wahoo and tuna peak seasonally during the region’s summer months, from November to April.

Because the continental shelf falls away sharply quite close to the coast, in some cases as close as one kilometer out, deep waters are easily accessible and bring big catches.

While some may argue the virtues of trolling versus jigging or popping, light tackle versus the simple, traditional pleasure of hand-line fishing, others say knowing where the deep waters lie is the key to a successful catch.

The Frailes Islands, next to Playa Venao (incidentally a world-renowned surfing spot), is a much-favoured spot. In addition to great scuba-diving, these rocky islands close to shore house a number of bottom-dwellers, as well as attracting passing tuna and snapper. They also offer some shelter in the ‘dry months’, from January to March, when strong trade winds make fishing difficult on the peninsula’s tip.

Isla Iguana, an island nature reserve 20 minutes off Pedasi Real Estate that is home to nesting frigate birds and surrounded by an extensive coral reef, is also much-visited by local pangas to snare a tasty dinner catch. A little further west, Isla Cañas, an island known for prolific turtle nesting on its 14 kilometer-long beach, is another favored spot for light tackle.

However Bob Grimes, the owner of Dive-n-Fish Pedasi, a local scuba-diving and sport fishing operation, says Cambutal, at the end of the paved roads on the tip of the peninsula, the best bet for the bigger prizes.

“That’s where the best fishing is for miles around, the continental shelf drops about a kilometre from shore,” he says. “That’s where you get the marlin and the big tuna.”