Two Fish of a Lifetime in 24 Hours: Panama Fly Fishing at Its Best

The article describes a fly-fishing trip along Panama’s Pacific coast that produced two “fish of a lifetime” within 24 hours. The writer reports catching a 65-pound yellowfin tuna and a 90-pound sailfish using a fly rod, after choosing guides and locations tied to local knowledge of where fish feed. The fishing started near the Costa Rica border, out of Chorcha marina on a mangrove channel leading into the Gulf of Chiriquí, with captains and guides including Capt. Tomas Siano, Alberto Socarraz, Mathew Rodriguez, and Julio Rojas. Early action featured birds, bait, dolphins, and commercial boats using hand lines, but no tuna surfaced initially. After waiting while the captain and Alberto used conventional tackle and live bait to check conditions, the author later fished a seam identified as a rip, casting a roughly 40-foot line distance into current. The piece continues beyond the excerpted portion, with the next steps not included here.