Pedasi, Panama's Annual Fishing Derby

Pedasi Fishing Tournament

One Of The Many Large Fish Caught In Pedasi

Playa Arenal in Pednuasi hosted its annual fishing tournament this past weekend. The event is popular with Panamanians as well as foreigners. More than 50 boats took to the water off Pedasi to compete for the top prize of an outboard motor.

The event ran Friday through Sunday and drew not only fishermen, but hundreds of spectators as well. It didn’t hurt that there was a fully stocked beer tent on site. The scene was typical of most events in Panama. Loud music, lots of great food and families enjoying the beach.

The entrance fee was $150 per boat which isn’t bad considering you could win a motor worth thousands of dollars. Most of those competing took to the water around 4 in the morning, but many I talked to said they were a bit disappointed with their catch. A few of my Panamanian fishermen friends have told me that the past few weeks have not been very prosperous. (Though the dolphins and whales are back in the area!)

There were categories for various fish species: wahoo, tuna, dorado, etc. Some of the fish being hauled on to shore looked pretty impressive, but from what I saw, the largest fish caught was a 33 pound Amberjack. Though only one person could walk away with the top prize, it was still a fun weekend for those involved.