pedasi, panama

[PESCADORTICO]

need help!!!
i am looking at going to pedasi from costa rica via bus.
can anyone who has been there offer me guidance as to prices for fishing, lodging, etc?? i plan on going in december and also wonder what can be caught at that time of year??
thnxxxxxxxx

[tap]

Pedasi is on the eastern edge of the Tuna Coast where panga-style fishing predominates. There is a new B&B ($60 per room) called the "Sereia del Mar" owned by Augusto "Pimply" Lopez and managed by Jose "Muni" Vera (cell: 507-6-663-3212) that overlooks the cove at Ciruelo Beach. They have a couple of center console pangas there that will charter for $60 to $250 depending on where you want to go. If you fish the Canas river mouth with Rafa for roosterfish (poppers work well there), snook, parguitos (juvenile snapper) and corvina he will charge about $40. The Hotel Residencial is located at the entrance to Pedasi and they charge about $20 with A/C but are about a ten minute drive to the commercial panga anchorage. The Villa Marina (Villa Marina Retreat) is the best facility at $75 per person double occupancy with a nice pool located right on Playa Venado (popular surfing beach). The pangas can pick you up right from the beach since it is calm in front of the hotel.

John Shyne (johns@panamayachtours.com; info@panamayachtours.com; Panama Yacht Tours > Home) can make all the arrangements for you. Richard Castaneda at Cass Tours (800-593-6510; casstours@sbcglobal.net; Cass Tours - Discounted fishing and vacation packages) can hook you up with one of the best panga guides at pedasi Algis "Negro" Garsia as well as others. Manuel Zambrano lives in Panama City but fishes the Pedasi area on a regular basis (507-260-8361; imazad@ayayai.com) and can also help you.

December is nearing the end of the wet season so there should be good numbers of seasonal wahoo at Islas Frailes and Banco Puerco. Sportfishing here is still relatively new and most of the local guides are lacking in skill. I always recommend this area for experienced anglers that know how to adapt to conditions and can try different techniques. The veteran Baja-type panga angler is perfect here. This area of coast is sensitive to currents and tides (strong currents = poor fishing). If you hit it right you should be able to have good action with everything from roosterfish to yellowfin tuna with maybe a black marlin thrown in just to surprise you.

Tony Pena
"The Roving Angler"

[squirtis]

Originally Posted by tap

Pedasi is on the eastern edge of the Tuna Coast where panga-style fishing predominates. There is a new B&B ($60 per room) called the "Sereia del Mar" owned by Augusto "Pimply" Lopez and managed by Jose "Muni" Vera (cell: 507-6-663-3212) that overlooks the cove at Ciruelo Beach. They have a couple of center console pangas there that will charter for $60 to $250 depending on where you want to go. If you fish the Canas river mouth with Rafa for roosterfish (poppers work well there), snook, parguitos (juvenile snapper) and corvina he will charge about $40. The Hotel Residencial is located at the entrance to Pedasi and they charge about $20 with A/C but are about a ten minute drive to the commercial panga anchorage. The Villa Marina (Villa Marina Retreat) is the best facility at $75 per person double occupancy with a nice pool located right on Playa Venado (popular surfing beach). The pangas can pick you up right from the beach since it is calm in front of the hotel.

John Shyne (johns@panamayachtours.com; info@panamayachtours.com; Panama Yacht Tours > Home) can make all the arrangements for you. Richard Castaneda at Cass Tours (800-593-6510; casstours@sbcglobal.net; Cass Tours - Discounted fishing and vacation packages) can hook you up with one of the best panga guides at pedasi Algis "Negro" Garsia as well as others. Manuel Zambrano lives in Panama City but fishes the Pedasi area on a regular basis (507-260-8361; imazad@ayayai.com) and can also help you.

December is nearing the end of the wet season so there should be good numbers of seasonal wahoo at Islas Frailes and Banco Puerco. Sportfishing here is still relatively new and most of the local guides are lacking in skill. I always recommend this area for experienced anglers that know how to adapt to conditions and can try different techniques. The veteran Baja-type panga angler is perfect here. This area of coast is sensitive to currents and tides (strong currents = poor fishing). If you hit it right you should be able to have good action with everything from roosterfish to yellowfin tuna with maybe a black marlin thrown in just to surprise you.

Tony Pena
"The Roving Angler"

Well said Tony....

I concur with "pimply" being the man....

Take the bus from San Jose express to David panama. It will take about 10 hours or so. Then you switch, or maybe the same one express to panama city. I believe you will have to get off the bus in Santiago and change there to a different bus going out towards venado or cambutal. You can do it for sure, just a long trip. I would bus to santiago and then hire a car or something similar to take you the two or three hours to pedasi area from there. Definately check out pimply's place while you are there.

[Manhe]

If on a tight budget leave the bus in Santiago, take a cab to bus terminal and take a Santiago - Las Tablas bus, from Las Tablas take another bus to Pedasi.

Lodging is pretty cheap in Pedasi town, about $20 per night, Pension Moscoso or Hotel Residencial are the choices in that price range, for inexpensive panga fishing your best bet is contacting Nego Garcia cel 66955356, if he is already booked you can go fishing with Marcelino or Irving, Nego can contact them for you, fees are $50 plus tackle renting (if necessary) and gas expenses.

December is prime time for lots of football Yellow Fin Tuna in Frailes mostly, some wahoo can be had early morning in Frailes and Isla Iguana but season is coming to an end by that time, if water is cooler than usual deep jigging is very productive for cuberas, amberjack and various grouper, some popping can be tried at Frailes, Monjas and La Saína for roosterfish and cubera, hope you have a great time, Manuel.

[TsTime]

We went with Richard Castaneda in June 07, fly into PCity overnight at airport hotel and private bus to Pedasi. Stayed there at Hotel Residential and motored to beach and pangas set up by Negro at Ciruelo Cove. Jose (Muni) was my guide and it was great. Next trip we will stay at the Villa Marina to avoid the daily drive, but Pedasi is a very friendly as a materr of fact everywhere and one we met or visited in Panama was very warm and genuine. Great trip

[PESCADORTICO]

thnxxxx all for all your feedback. if i was to stay in pedasi, are there taxis that can take me every morning to the water where the pangas are at??

[TsTime]

I would say Negro would get you there, or hire a local for the arrangement.

[Manhe]

Yeah as Gary said Negro can contact you with a taxi to take you back and forth Arenal beach where the pangas are anchored, also if leaving from Ciruelo beach which is the best choice for fishing Frailes to avoid the usually annoying and long trip from Arenal to Frailes, Manuel.