Panama, April 16th to 24th/25th, 2010
$3,000.00 PP, deposit to hold spot $1,000 pp.
2nd payment due Feb 15th, Balances due April 1st.
Round Trip Coach air is $380 including taxes and fees.

Join Tacklenow.com ‘s Pro Staffers for a V.I.P access trip to Panama. This will be our fourth trip in less than 12 months to Panama, so go with someone that is plugged in to Panama and knows what the deal is.  I can assure you a fantastic experience, reasonable prices and of course the safety of our guests is paramount.

This trip begins at Newark International where we will board a Non-Stop Continental Flight Friday April 16th at 5:15PM for Panama City.  All anglers will meet at the airport together and the trip will begin as a group for our Northeast customers. 

We meet as a group as the trip leaders have extensive experience with Continental and specifically the transport of the rod tubes – so this is best in case there is an issue.  The flight to Panama is pleasant and direct, non-stop.

** Optional.  We are going to send one Large Rod Tube DHL directly from the shop to Hotel Veneto.  If you wish to participate and share the costs of this, I highly recommend this option.   Aprrox. $100 PP additional.

We arrive PTY Tucumen International Airport at 9:55PM Local time, , pay $5.00 tourist tax. We go to the Priority/Diplomat line, clear customs.

10:30PM new modern buses from Hotel Veneto pick up at the airport, yes the vans have A/C and yes they will have coolers of Beer, water, and soda for the 25-minute ride to Veneto.

Though our exclusive arrangement with the Silverman Group, we are treated like royalty at Veneto. All rooms are Jr. Suites or better, all guests will receive the following complimentary:  Wi-Fi Access, 6-8PM free Happy Hour, and Buffet Breakfast.   Hotel Veneto is the only 4 Star, US Owned, 24/7 Casino hotel in Panama City.

Friday Evening:
Your T/N hosts will take for a night on the town in Panama City.  It’s a late night town, so not an issue to go out at 11:30/midnight.  We will likely go to a local nightclub with a relaxed dress code night one, so night one shorts/sandles/sneakers are ok.

Saturday morning April 17th:
Your T/N hosts will take you for one of the best Dim Sum experiences you will have short of traveling to China.  After we can’t eat anymore, we take a short tour of the Japanese fish market about ¼ mile from Dim Sum.  From there we take a walking tour and souvenir shopping experience in the very historic and pictures old town of Panama City.  We will see the forts, canons, ruins, old Churches, and visit many of the merchants where you can purchase trinkets right from the Mayan Indians who setup shop along the embankments at the fort.

Saturday Night 17th:
Saturday night starts with a group dinner at the Wine bar, an open air Italian Restaurant only 1 block from Hotel Veneto.  We dine in outdoor courtyard; the food is plentiful and inexpensive.  You will have a full dinner with wine or drinks for $15 to $20.

Sunday 18th:
Buffet breakfast at Veneto is included in the cost of the trip, so get your grub on, go hang at the pool for a bit, Bus for Fishing Lodge arrives 11:30AM.  We load the Bus and depart Veneto promptly at 12:30PM.

Enroute to the lodge we will stop once for a quick lunch and shopping. The wholesale clubs have really caught on in Panama and we will stop at one of these midway btw Panama City and Boca Chica where the lodge is located.  Here we will stock up on any essentials for the week at the lodge – as the lodge is remote perhaps 45 minutes to the next major town. We load in cases of Gatorade, Beer, Liquor, smokes – btw the Price Club has better prices than duty free. So you can get your Panama Rum, excellent Coffee, etc for taking home as well.

We arrive the lodge at approximately 5:30PM, we get our rooms, everyone settles in.  Drinks and Apps are served nightly at approximately 7:00PM, with a full sit down Dinner nightly at 8PM.

After dinner, we normally break out all the rods and prep our tackle for the next day fishing.

The lodge has a 58” Plasma with Sat Dish, Internet and Wi-Fi Access.  If your cell phone supports Wife you can call the States for free, or you can use a Tacklenow staffer’s phone to call home.  All room has Plasmas, Sat TV and many have Wi-Fi but not all.

 

Monday ~ Friday

6AM wake up.

You will awaken to fresh Panamanian Coffee, fresh eggs, bacon, sausage, fruit, pancakes and toast. 
We like to have a nice hearty breakfast and then at about 7AM the boats launch.

Fishing 7AM – 5PM

We generally return to the lodge about 5PM, they are NO restrictions on where you go or how much fuel you burn.  So some days if we fish inshore we might be back at 4:30PM days we fish Hannibal Bank maybe 5:30.

The attractive and attentive staff will be waiting with drinks on our return. The staff unloads the boats, washes all the rods and once dry stages all gear for the next day’s fishing.  Just walk off the boat and relax!

The fish is cut and chilled immediately and generally we will be sashimi and cooked fish, Fillet, Salad, rice and vegetables for dinner each night.  When local lobsters are available we will have those too, or Shrimps, Flounder or whatever local catch is available to spice up the offshore catches.

Nightlife at the lodge.

After a long day on the water many will be happy to have a few drinks, watch the sunset, take a dip in the pool.  For those needing some excitement we will be doing a Casino Night.  After dinner, we board the bus for a 45 minute drive to David (pronounced Dah Veed not David).  Here will find some Casino and nightclubs. Its always a good time that ends up being a drunken fest topped off with tacos and midnight snacks.

Should you wish to reflex at the Lodge after a long day on the water, want to get a massage for your back and shoulders – not a problem, let us a know the day before if possible or as soon as you return from fishing.

Other options include night time Snook and tarpon fishing around the lodge. There are two large bait pens and any contributions are welcomed in the form of blue runners, small snapper or whatever you catch, throw it in the bait pen. 

If the jig bite is slow, throwing live bait in Panama is like cast, count to 20 hold on.