Panama

To stay, you have the choice of multiple rooms with bunk beds or luxury apartments in a separate hotel. These packages are offered as an all-inclusive program with all meals, beer, water and soft drinks, fully equipped fish kayak, accommodation and transfer to the lodge. In other words, you will be completely taken care of. But you can also bring your partner here. You can also go horseback riding and hiking on the 400 hectare adjacent estate, go surfing, kayaking, enjoy a massage and relax on the beach. So partners and family can also enjoy their holiday together.

Just a few kilometres away is the secluded and beautiful national park Cerro Hoya. It is a huge area which accommodates an enormous amount of plants and animals. From tropical rainforests more inland to the coral reefs just off the coast there are more than 95 species of birds here. Also the jaguar, anteater, sloth, paca, ocelot, white-tailed deer and howler monkeys. Furthermore, there are three large rivers that continuously supply the area with water and provide waterfalls.

There is also an important sales and service point for kayaks at the resort. This makes it possible to fish from different types of kayaks during your stay. The kayaks are of the brand Hobie and are equipped with the unique Mirage propulsion system which gives you two hands free to operate your rod and reel. The absolute top when it comes to fishing kayaks and comfortable fishing.

At the location there are 2, 4 and 6 person rooms available with bunk beds with for each room general bath and toilet facilities. If the location itself is fully booked there are extra 2 person rooms across the street with private bathrooms. We strive to have groups who travel together also stay together. Room layout is based on first registration. So for specific requests it is important to book early. Rooms can also be booked as single but there is an extra charge.

It is also possible to upgrade your stay. For this we work together with Hotel Playa Cambutal. Here you will stay in a double room with a beautiful swimming pool and accompanying bar at the beach. If you choose for this option you will be picked up daily by shuttle for breakfast and fishing trips. Dinner will be shared in the lodge and drinks are only included in the lodge. Food and drinks that you use in the hotel are based on surcharge and can be paid on the spot. The surcharge for this option is 250 euros per person based on a shared double room.

Breakfast and lunch bags are ready every morning about 2 hours before departure (on average at 5 am). The continental breakfast consists of cereals (cornflakes etc), muesli bars, fresh fruit (mango, papaya and pineapple all depending on the season) toast, jam, fresh coffee and tea. Lunch is ready at the place where also the dry bags for each day are packed. Lunch consists of sandwiches with jam, peanut butter, ham, turkey and cheese or fresh tuna salad and a snack.

On returning from a fishing day an afternoon snack awaits with fresh guacamole, salsa, bean and cheese dip with chips, beer, soft drinks, tea or water. Dinner is served in the evening for the whole group together. It generally consists of fresh fish, seafood and shellfish prepared as sashimi, smoked, grilled, fried or deep-fried. This is accompanied by local vegetables such as chayote, aubergines, broccoli, cabbage, asparagus but also rice, beans and yucca. In between all these delicacies a pizza evening is organized, but also chicken, spare ribs and the national meal SanCocho (a richly filled chicken soup with rice) is served. And afterwards there are several homemade desserts.

There is no minimum number of participants for this fishing trip. Prices are based on 4 or more persons. But individuals or couples can be accommodated in special single weeks which are kept free specifically for that purpose. During that week you are with other fishermen in the fishing camp.

Besides kayak fishing it is also possible to fish from a panga. These local boats are 6 to 8 meters long and offer each place to three fishermen. The boats are equipped with powerful 50 to 100 HP outboard motors that bring you easily and quickly to your destination. It is only a short trip to the different spots because everything is nice and close by. It is also possible to go trolling with live bait, lures, poppers and jigs. In total there are 3 panga's available so it is possible to fish up to 9 people with the panga. So you have the choice to diversify your fishing. This can be kayak, panga or a combination of these. For the use of the panga there is a surcharge compared to the standard package price.

There are 5 days fishing from Sunday to Thursday. The average kayak trip takes 6 hours. Usually during low to medium current. Because of the short distances it is even possible to have a break at the beach at lunchtime. The fishing day with the panga takes an average of 8 hours because they are less sensitive to currents.

It is also possible to undertake a kayak trip with boat support. The kayaks go on or behind the panga and you will be taken to one of the nearby reef structures where you can go fishing accompanied by the boat that stays with you. Here you can fish from the shallows to the drop off of up to 300 meters and all within a distance of 25 kilometres. And that's what makes this location so unique. It's all close by and there are really big ones swimming here where catch & release is stimulated.

The kayaks are equipped with:

• Hobie Mirage drive system
• Paddle
• Plastic permeable stock crate
• Rod holders 3 x
• Garmin Striker 4 Fish-finder/GPS
• Attachment / cord material
• A Kage gaff
• NRS drying bag
• Lifejackets
• Go Pro camera mounts

From May to mid December is the wet season and from mid December to April is the dry season. The wet season is cooler and generally has showers in the afternoon but there are also weeks with lots of rain. Fishing in this period is good because it is also less warm. The rain is often short and thunderstorms or wind showers are rare so the weather has little influence on fishing. As an exception the months of February and March in which no bookings are accepted but only day fishermen are welcome.

The dry season is warm and without rain. And then it is necessary to use enough sun lotion because the sun is strong in this period. Panama has no hurricanes, earthquakes or volcanoes so it is a safe place to travel.

In April and May the sailfish and marlin come close to the coast and these are then targeted. In September and October the Cubera Snappers are extra good to catch here while the roosterfish, jack crevelle and also Cubera are present throughout the year. And from July to September the humpback whales come here on their migration route and can be seen regularly.

Like in many South American countries, the electricity can sometimes fail. At this location there is a private emergency generator so that problem can be solved on the spot. To be able to use the electricity here, an adaptor plug for electricity is necessary. Think of long-sleeved t-shirts. Cotton clothing is NOT recommended here! But light material made of nylon or polyester which dries quickly. Also short (swimming) pants, long sleeves, fish cap, sunglasses, water shoes with good soles and flip-flops.

To make your fishing trip easier, there are two packages with rental equipment:

The fishing rod package. This consists of two Star jigging rods extra heavy (1 conventional and 1 spinning) and a spinning rod from Wright & McGill. The costs are € 100,- for one week.

Complete fishing package. This consists of the rod package and a right-handed Accurate Fury FX-500 reel with 65 lbs Diamond braided and a 60 lbs Momoi High-Catch mono leader, a Shimano 8000 Bait-runner or Penn Spinfisher 6500 with 60 lbs Diamond braided and a Penn Spinfisher 4500 or Diawa BG 4000. The costs are € 250,- for one week.

At the location there is an excellent stock of poppers, crankbaits, jigs, bucktails, GT-ice cream products, fluo carbon, Eagle Claw hooks and ready-made bottom lines for live bait fishing. All these materials are sold locally for regular American prices.

The cost of the whole package is € 2795,- per person.

Including

• Room in the lodge in two to six person rooms with bunk beds
• Hobie kayak Outback Mirage Drive
• Meals: continental breakfast, packed lunch and dinner on site
• Drinks: unlimited beer, soft drinks, water, tea and coffee on site
• Transfer in a private bus from Panama city to location and return.
• Saturday return and Friday. Surcharge for extra transport or for 3 or less persons applies.
• Activities such as supplements, regular kayaks, hiking, beaches etc.
• Fishing license

Additional costs

• Fishing rod package € 150,- week or complete fishing package € 295,- week
• Terminal tackle to consumption and checkout on site
• Panga guided kayak trip € 175,- pp p day
• Panga fishing € 425,- panga day (max 3 persons)
• Massage € 60,- p hour
• VHF radio 40
• Horse riding € 75,- pp 1 to 4 hours
• Flight to Panama, taxi to hotel Milan
• Meals and drinks in Panama city
• Tip for the local crew. The average tip is 10 to 20 % of the package amount divided over all employees of the fishing camp. So both the roomstaff, reception, kitchen, service and guides.
• Possible extra night in hotel Milan depending on the return flight.

The costs in the lodge can be paid in cash or by credit card in US dollars