10 hard-earned lessons about big-game kayak fishing on Panama’s Wild Coast

I just got back from one of the great fishing experiences of my life: five days of kayak angling for bucket-list fish, on the Wild Coast of Panama. If you have a taste for angling adventure, the Wild Coast is a must-do. My week included sun, surf and seriously rough-and-tumble fishing for tough saltwater species, including two inshore marine giants: roosterfish and cubera snappers.

This was my second visit to the remote, off-grid Panama Kayak Adventure lodge. In December 2018, I had an eye-opening trip where I discovered the thrill and challenge of saltwater kayak angling. As I explained after my earlier visit, this kind of fishing is absolutely gruelling, and the learning curve is steep. The first time, it took half the trip for me to find my groove and start fishing competently, which is partly why I wanted to go back. Turns out, experience makes a huge difference. This second time around, I caught twice as many fish, including two memorable trophies, either of which would quality as the fish of a lifetime. In fact, everyone in my group of six anglers landed unforgettable fish. Incredibly, all the fish shots in this story were taken during my most-recent trip, from January 4 to 8, 2020.

In this new report, I’ll share practical information I’ve learned about this demanding, but immensely rewarding kind of fishing—along with some awesome fish shots, of course. So when you go, you’ll already be at the top of your game….

#1  You’ll quickly adapt to fishing from pedal kayaks

Let’s get this out of the way: Modern pedal kayaks are safe, stable, easy to use, and all-around incredible fishing machines. The lodge runs 12-foot Hobie Outback and Compass boats and, believe it or not, they’re arguably the most practical and effective way to fish this coast.

Why? Many prime Pacific gamefish live around shallow rocky structure. No sensible skipper would take his boat into these spots, but they can be handily negotiated by kayak. And active anglers like myself relish the independence of making your own fishing decisions, while the guides watch from the panga, ready if you need an assist.

I’m an experienced kayak angler, but on both my visits I watched anglers who’d never been in a kayak before, climb in, and become totally comfortable with their boats in 30 minutes.

Running a couple of pangas instead of a fleet of powerboats, also vastly reduces the lodge’s fuel consumption, keeping expenses down, and adding to the place’s laid-back vibe.

#2  Listen to every scrap of advice and instruction from the lodge’s expert staff

I promise you one thing: Unless you are already an experienced big-game saltwater kayak angler, you do not know how to do this kind of fishing. You simply have no clue. You don’t know how to cast and retrieve the huge lures, you don’t know how to handle, rig or fish the live bait, and you probably don’t even know how to use the level-wind trolling reels. But it doesn’t matter.

That’s because lodge founder Pascal Artieda and his partner Sam Wadman know these complex waters, and they’re very good teachers. They’re used to guests being a little overwhelmed, even shell-shocked, by the physicality of the fishing, and the brute power of the fish. But they will help you adapt your existing fishing skills to the Wild Coast’s unique conditions.

So here’s another promise: If you listen, learn, fish hard and ask for help when you need it, you will do things you never imagined you were capable of, and catch some amazing fish.