Fishing for tuna in Pedasi, Panama

ZEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeee!

The sound that brings instant delight to any fisherman. No matter how old you are or how many “keepers” you’ve landed, hearing a fish hit the line evokes some primal instinct. It’s a magical sound that can cause any or all of the following symptoms:

• sweaty palms
• increased heart rate
• perma-grin

Fortunately, it’s a sound I heard more than a dozen times one beautiful June morning while fishing just off Pedasi, Panama in the remote Azuero Peninsula.

Rob Harper lands a Dorado (Mahi Mahi)

The Guides

I’ve been fishing a few times in the area with various guides and had mixed results. This time, I went with a pro. Jose Goldner is the owner and operator of Pedasi Fishing. He’s also a die-hard fisherman who has been bagging tuna, snapper and other game fish by the boatload in the Auzero area since he was a kid. Jose was kind enough to invite me and a few visiting friends to join him for a day on the Pacific Ocean just off Isla Iguana.

We took out two mid-size lanchas, similar to what the local fishermen use. Jose has his boats fitted with some modern gear and comfy seat cushions. So it was a notable step up from what is typically offered in the area, yet far more reasonable than larger sport fishing boats. His business fills a very nice niche in the area and the humble yet functional boats make a clear statement to customers: this is about FISHING. We were fortunate that the water was nearly glass-flat that day and the sun was shining — our prospects were good.

Trip Highlights

It wasn’t but 30 minutes or so into our trip that both boats started running into schools of Yellowfin and Bluefin Tuna. My buddy Jose Enrique and I each reeled in a few, along with a few smaller Bonito. My Atlantan amigos Rob and Josh snagged a female Dorado (Mahi Mahi) and a Mero (Grouper). The highlight of my day was when Jose cast a his fly rod into a school of running Tuna and let me reel one in. What a fight!

Reeling in a Tuna on a fly rod with light tackle

As we circled around the lovely Isla Iguana National Park, the scenery became exceedingly beautiful. A series of events occured that bordered on the surreal. First, a school of dolphins followed along our boat. They playfully raced ahead just off our bow for a solid ten minutes. Shortly thereafter, a massive school of tuna ran off our Starboard side, closely pursued by a variety of hovering gulls. Stunned, I momentarily forgot I was fishing and more closely observed the surroundings. I was rewarded. A turtle paddled lazily by a floating pelican who seemed uninterested in all those Tuna. Just when I thought my National Geograhpic moment would expire, in the distance, a whale breached the surface.

I swear, I’m not making this up!

Dolphins run and jump off our bow

Halftime

We’d enjoyed wonderful weather all morning, but light showers had begun so we decided to take a quick break. We headed toward Islana Iguana for snorkeling and lunch. The boatmen guided us ashore and we jumped into the shallows for some underwater site seeing. The rain had stirred up the water a bit, so visibility wasn’t as good as usual, but we did manage to see a few enormous fish. We snacked on some excellent turkey sandwiches that Jose’s wife had made that morning, ate a Snickers or two and piled back into the boats for some more fishing. We were all beginning to feel like amateur Jacque Cousteaus.

The Reward: Sashimi

When it seemed like the day couldn’t get any better, it did. We headed back to downtown Pedasi to enjoy the spoils. Jose Goldner and his crew took our fish fillets to the local restaurant Isla Iguana, named after the neary National Park. There he prepared an appetizer of Tuna Sashimi, followed by our Grouper, Tuna and Mahi Mahi, each prepared differently. The feast of fish and beers concluded with plenty of fishermen’s stories and a few laughs.

Tuna Sashimi caught just hours earlier

It was one of those wonderful days that will stay etched in my memory forever. I cannot thank Jose Goldner, Brian, and the crew of Pedasi Fishing enough for their exceptional hospitality and noteworthy sportsman’s skills.

Even after a decade of living in Latin America, experiences like these, just like the ZEEEEEEeeeeeee! sound…never, ever get old.

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Filed under: Country Guide, Sports on July 2nd, 2008