SPORT FISHING IN THE REPUBLIC OF PANAMA

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 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 Pearl Islands could be a unique angling experience 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.

When it’s about offshore sport fishing trips 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 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 http://www.panamacruise.com.pa around the Gulf of Panama.

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 gets filled with 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.