Outstanding Yellowfin Tuna Fishing in Panama’s Gulf of Chiriquí

Anyone who has fished at Sport Fish Panama Island Lodge quickly realizes how true these words are. When Captain Shane Jarvis mentions them, you know it’s time to follow the action and head straight for the tuna.

We’re visiting in mid-May, which is the peak season for yellowfin tuna. And let me tell you, the fish are definitely showing up. Today, they’re cruising up top, creating a lively scene filled with flocks of birds and schools of baitfish in a frenzy. Captain Jarvis, glancing at the Simrad, spots a concentrated cluster of birds about a mile ahead. This is classic bird behavior in this region.

We sprint towards the marked area, full throttle. As we close in to about a quarter-mile, the action unfolds before our eyes. Hundreds of birds—boobies diving and frigates swooping—are vigorously hunting, while in the midst of all the commotion, yellowfin tunas are explosively breaking the surface around a floating pallet. It’s a vivid illustration of nature; a baitball, scared for its life, gathers tightly around the pallet, trying to evade the tuna and porpoises in hot pursuit.

Looking closer, it’s clear that some of the frightened prey—small blue runners and various triggerfish—have found themselves perched on top of the pallet, completely out of water, making them easy pickings for diving birds. The yellowfins are crashing the water in swirling patterns around the pallet, creating splashes that you can’t ignore—some as wide as 10 yards in diameter. Every now and then, a baitfish is launched skyward by an attacking tuna, soaring 6 to 8 feet above the water before splashing back down. Most of the tunas range from 40 to 80 pounds, with a few larger specimens in the mix, easily identified by the massive splashes they create.

“Hold on tight, everyone!” Captain Jarvis cautions as he skillfully maneuvers the boat, easing back on the throttle just enough to glide us closer to the chaotic action. His fleet features four 33-foot catamarans—three World Cats and one Freeman—each perfectly suited for this style of fishing. They are fast, agile, equipped with spacious casting platforms at the front, long open rails, and generous cockpit space.

As we approach the frenzy and the forward momentum of the boat slows, two Yo-Zuri Mag Poppers and a stickbait are launched into the melee. In less than a minute, we have five rods bent over, and the talented photographer Adrian Gray is in the water capturing the excitement. In many other fishing destinations, such a spectacle would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience; here, it feels like just another day at work.

Exploring Panama’s Gulf of Chiriqui

The Gulf of Chiriqui may still be a hidden gem for many, but it’s quickly becoming a hotspot for discerning traveling anglers. The remarkable concentrations of black marlin and hefty yellowfins around Coiba Island, Hannibal Bank, and Isla Montuosa have been drawing in experienced fishermen since the early 1980s, back in the days of The Madam and The Hooker. The black marlin fishing here can be sensational, while the yellowfin fishery is renowned for its consistency, size, and abundance—some of the best in the world. But there’s so much more to discover in this vibrant area.

Captain Jarvis, who runs Sport Fish Panama Island Lodge, has been fishing these waters since 2005. His operation has significantly contributed to the growing appeal of the Gulf of Chiriqui, thanks to the incredible variety of fishing options.

This diversity makes the Gulf of Chiriqui an exceptional destination for anglers eager to expand their species list. If you commit to the adventure and luck is on your side, you could realistically catch up to 15 different species during your stay. Offshore, you’ll find black marlin, blue marlin, sizable Pacific sailfish, yellowfin tuna, dorado, and wahoo. Inshore, big roosterfish and cubera snapper are waiting, along with plenty more. You could hook amberjack, mullet snapper, rock snapper, bluefin trevally, jack crevalle, horse-eye jacks, gigantic needlefish, Sierra mackerel, broomtail grouper, and more. Anglers here even land the occasional tarpon! You can also try jigging or bait-dropping on deepwater structures to catch an assortment of grouper and snapper that make those depths their home—who wouldn’t love to feast on a fresh snowy grouper?

The variety of species available here, many of which are trophy-sized, is just one aspect that sets the Gulf of Chiriqui apart. The region offers numerous targets, allowing anglers to mix it up during a single day of fishing, whether going offshore or inshore. The region’s geography plays a big role in this versatility. Sport Fish Panama Island Lodge is conveniently located on the eastern shore of Isla Parida. From the boats’ docking point, it’s about 40 miles to Coiba Island, with a multitude of islands and rocky pinnacles in between, along with deep blue waters that await exploration.

In locations like Islas Ladrones (just 17 miles from the lodge) and Isla Montuosa, rocky coastlines and underwater structures are in close proximity to the vast Pacific Ocean. This unique setting allows you to strategically live-bait for black marlin or cast poppers into busting schools of yellowfin tuna, all while being within sight of incredibly productive inshore habitats. It’s this remarkable concentration of diverse fishing territories that highlights the uniqueness of the Gulf of Chiriqui. While other places might offer both inshore and offshore fishing opportunities, those spots are often separated by significant distances—sometimes as much as 40 to 50 miles.

Yet, even with its proximity to offshore fishing grounds, the inshore fishing in the Gulf of Chiriqui remains exceptionally productive. If it weren’t for the incredible tuna fishing and the presence of giant black marlin, the inshore action would steal the spotlight. The consistent visibility of large roosterfish and cubera snapper around the rocky shorelines and pinnacles has enticed anglers to explore this region for decades. In fact, this area is among Central America’s best spots for catching 40-pound-plus cubera and roosterfish, with Jarvis’ team even landing specimens weighing up to 80 pounds!

One of my fondest memories involves an inshore-nearshore day atop the casting platform of one of Sport Fish Panama Island Lodge’s catamarans, casting poppers as close to the rugged shoreline wash as possible. Around Islas Ladrones, the stunningly clear blue waters reflect off the deep brown boulders that rise from the sea. The surf creates a mesmerizing mixture of white and blue, where the poppers make a distinctive sound as they draw forth the creatures lurking beneath the surface. Caught sight of a roosterfish cresting the frothy waters or witnessing a cubera explode from the serene surface just beyond the breaking waves is something that will remain etched in my memory long after I leave.

Alongside the thrilling fishing experiences, the scenery is breathtaking. Coiba Island, itself a national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, showcases stunning landscapes that are as productive as they are beautiful. A UN publication eloquently describes its charm, emphasizing its unmatched beauty across “a wide range of environments and habitats,” owing to the special “continental and oceanic influences” found here.

Read Next: Panama’s Topwater Yellowfins

Live Baits: Inshore and Offshore

Each of Sport Fish Panama Island Lodge’s fishing boats comes fully equipped with a livewell and an array of tuna tubes. Each morning, as the boats depart the lodge, the livewells are stocked with lively blue runners. These little guys make excellent bait for roosterfish inshore or yellowfin and dorado schooling offshore around floating logs. They can be slow-trolled from the center rigger when targeting larger species—a highly effective technique for both sailfish and tuna. The crews often seize the opportunity to top off their supply of blue runners if they encounter a baitball (scooping a few with a net is quite common).

Tuna tubes are essential gear for both inshore and offshore fishing. The schools of black bonito that gather around the high spots in the Gulf of Chiriqui attract not only pelagic fish but also nearshore gamefish. Just two live bonito in your spread can lead to captures of black marlin, blue marlin, sailfish, dorado, or yellowfin when fishing offshore. Inshore, those very same baits are prime targets for trophy-sized roosters and cubera snapper. There are even spots, like around Montuosa Island, where you can seamlessly switch from targeting black marlin to catching big roosterfish without the need to reel in your spread; they’re typically just 500 yards apart. And let’s not forget about wahoo, which can pop up just about anywhere. It’s not unusual to witness a wahoo unceremoniously severing a live bait in two right before your eyes, whether inshore or offshore.

Ultimately, anglers have the unique chance to not just experience the renowned yellowfin fishery, but also enjoy the incredible variety of gamefish that populate these waters. The choices seem endless!

Tuna Frenzies

The wealth of fishing opportunities in the Gulf of Chiriqui is truly impressive. However, it’s hard to overlook just how captivating tuna fishing can be, with its exhilarating bursts of action. Rarely will you find places beyond these waters where you can witness yellowfin tuna bait balls truly in a frenzy—not just a few tuna lunging after flying fish, but lively frenzies where vast stretches of water are foaming white as countless yellowfins leap out of the sea in energetic chaos. This scene unfolds here quite frequently. During our delightful three and a half days of fishing in May, we experienced several such spectacles.

Trip Planning Essentials

Sport Fish Panama Island Lodge is conveniently located just 12 miles offshore in the Gulf of Chiriqui on Isla Parida. The lodge boasts the capability to host 20 guests, all of whom can fish using any of four 33-foot power catamarans, easily making the journey to renowned fishing locales such as Hannibal Bank and Isla Montuosa. Despite the remote setting, guests enjoy the luxury of two- or three-bedroom guesthouses, complete with Wi-Fi, air conditioning, and all the comforts you’d expect at home.

The lodge takes care of all logistics once guests arrive in David, Panama. This includes a warm airport greeting, an overnight stay in Panama City, domestic transfers, and the final ride to the island.

No need to worry about hauling along a suitcase full of rods and reels; the boats are outfitted with top-notch, heavy spinning tackle along with a complete range of conventional gear. You’ll come across Accurate jigging outfits, Mustad jigs, and a variety of reels suited for trolling and live-baiting—sizes 30, 50, and 80, all paired with Blackfin rods. Every boat carries an electric deep-drop outfit designed for targeting deep structures. The lodge’s assortment of lures is just as expansive, featuring gems like Yo-Zuri Mag Poppers and Hydro twitchbaits that seamlessly transition from the offshore waters marking the advance of a porpoise school (the perfect place to find tuna) to ledges, pinnacles, and rocky shorelines nearby.