| I had the chance to go fishing on
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| | two hours.
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| Panama's Lake Gatun recently. Located in
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| | We reached our first fishing hole and got
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| the canal, and in fact compromising much
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| | ready. We had purchased 200 minnows for
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| of the natural section of the Panama
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| | $16 at the pier and I was excited to use
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| Canal, Lake Gatun is a tropical paradise.
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| | live bait. With three poles in the water
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| Rich with wildlife, its beauty and
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| | it took less than 3 minutes before we had
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| seemingly untouched waterways and islands
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| | two keepers in the boat. This continued
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| are in sharp contrast with the cargo
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| | as we moved up and down one of the
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| ships, car carries, military destroyers
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| | fingers extending out from the main
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| and Panamax that are cruising through the
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| | channel of the Canal. Along the way we
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| canal. It was overcast when we arrived at
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| | saw toucans, turtles, howler monkeys,
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| the dock in Chames to board our 15 foot,
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| | caymans and two full size crocs, which
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| 25 horsepower skiff. Our captian was a 15
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| | quickly dissuaded us from taking that
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| year old Panamanian who told us that he
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| | much needed swim.
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| had been a skipper on Gatun for four
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| | With a full cooler and plenty of bait we
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| years and knew the lake in and out. The
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| | fished all morning, pulling in about 13
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| first hour was mostly sightseeing, due in
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| | fish an hour, or roughly one every five
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| main part to the lack of power coming out
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| | minutes. We only ended up throwing back
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| of the flooded two-stroke hanging off the
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| | three, most were in the 1-2 pound range
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| back. Getting out on the water at 7am
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| | and though not the fighters we had heard
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| gave us a great feeling of having the
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| | about in the Amazon, the amount of fish
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| whole day in front of us and no one
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| | caught made up a bit for size. Definitely
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| objected when our captain Daniel pulled
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| | quantity over quality, but by the time we
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| up to Monkey Island and let us feed the
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| | got back we had over 40 pounds of bass.
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| Spider Monkeys.
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| | For ten cents a fish, Danny filleted them
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| Lake Gatun is full of one of the best
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| | on the pier, in the pouring rain and by
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| lake sport fishing bass in the world, the
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| | the time we got home we were ready for a
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| Peacock Bass. Renowned in South America
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| | feast.
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| for its fight and size, especially on the
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| | Final thoughts on the trip: If you ever
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| Amazon, the Peacock Bass is a non-native,
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| | get the chance, go fishing on Lake Gatun
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| introduced fish to Panama. For this
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| | in Panama. We paid $70 for the boat for
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| reason, there is no limit on the number
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| | the morning, no limits, no permits, great
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| you can take out of the lake. Coming from
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| | tasting fish and good times all around.
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| the U.S. and use to limits and permits,
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| | There is plenty to see and plenty to do
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| this was like shooting ducks in a barrel.
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| | on the canal, a fishing trip of a
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| Danny told us that the week before he and
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| | lifetime.
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| his father had pulled in 75 in less than
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