It was Father’s Day, a great time to catch a mega dorado, so we decided to go sport fishing in Panama.
It was Father’s Day, a great time to catch a mega dorado, so we decided to go sport fishing in Panama.
Sport fishing in Panama, particularly offshore fishing, is an activity that gets even better between June and November. In other words, the rainy season. With the rains, the rivers carry organic material and all kinds of debris out to sea, so the currents where large species gather become clearly defined.
Starting our day
Departing from Panama City, you have several islands and fishing grounds to choose from. We had plenty of time, so we could go far. Our main target area was the Las Perlas Archipelago, this group of islands stretches from north to south. The main and most visited islands are in the north. However, if you want to increase the size of your catch, consider heading farther south. There, you will find deeper waters that are more exposed to the southern open Pacific Ocean.
We set Isla Pedro González as a reference point in our GPS navigation system, more precisely the famous Niagara spot. This is a beautiful open-sea reef, surrounded by an average depth of 250 feet, and in the shallower parts it can rise to just 20 feet. GREAT for all kinds of species. Pedro González and Niagara Rock are located right in the middle of the Las Perlas archipelago, about 45 nautical miles from Panama.
During the crossing, you will definitely pass good fishing areas such as the drop-off behind Isla Taboga, the famous 20 Fathom drop. It will be hard to resist the temptation to put lines in the water at this point. However, the run is long, and the time you save in these closer areas can be better used at your more distant target.
First catch of the day
A few nautical miles from Pedro González, we saw some dolphins swimming at the bow of the boat. This means they are playing, not feeding. A clear sign of a lack of activity in the area. Suddenly, they all changed course and headed toward some feeding birds. We knew there were fish around, so we slowed down and put the lines out.
Our first strike came just a few minutes after setting the lines. The fish headed down. It was definitely a pelagic species, and the fight lasted 10 minutes until we saw the color, mostly grey and black. When it got closer I saw a yellowish golden shine. Oh yes! We were just seconds away from a sushi night! The yellowfin tuna landed safely on board.
Finally, our mega dorado
The atmosphere on board was electric. We kept circling, but the action disappeared completely. We reached Niagara Reef and decided to look for live bait before heading even farther south in Las Perlas, where Isla San José is located.
On the west side of San José there is a famous area called Ensenada de Bodega. It is well known for the good fishing in its surrounding waters. This was our next destination. However, on the way we noticed that rain was approaching and, with the advantage of being in a fast boat, we made the decision to head back offshore. Mainly to avoid the rain. But also to take advantage and run closer to Panama’s main continental drop-off.
The sea was a little rough, making it difficult to spot current lines and find action on the surface, however, we knew we were in a good area. We decided to put the lines out once more and troll for a while. We were starting to lose hope and, with one angler showing signs of seasickness, suddenly the magic happened! A big bull dorado hit a cedar plug we had in the water while searching for tuna. It struck a solid lure, with a wire leader, a heavy rod, and plenty of line for a good fight.
Lots of jumps, battles, breaks, explosive dives into the depths, before finally giving in and letting our angler grab the line and bring the giant bull mahi-mahi on board!
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