Bocas Del Toro

HI All,

Currious if anyone has ever done any fishing in Bocas Del Toro, and can recomend any guides. The only guides that I can seem to find are out of Tranquilo Bay, and their prices are pretty steep for a non-staying guest (we are staying at another place). It seems to me that Bocas has great fly fishing opportunities, so I would assume there are more outfits around. Currious to know if anyone here knows anyone, or has any thoughts on just renting a boat and driver for a day and just exploring the mangroves and flats on my own. I will be travelling in October, and from what I understand this is a great time for tarpon, snook, etc.

Thanks!

There are phenomenal opportunities all over this place. I hired the best tuna guy on the island, and got skunked. You find him next to Aqua Lounge on Caraneros. He took us probably twenty miles offshore. It was driving rain, then blinding sunshine, then blistering sunburn, but no fish. I hear this guy is truly amazing. Has a decent boat, too. I think it was $350 for the day.

Any panga can get you to the mangroves. I suggest getting a guy, negotiating for 2-3 hours, then have him drop you off in town for lunch. If you like him, have him pick you up after lunch. If not, find another. There's a guy down near the port that took me to CQ for $80. We spent four hours with him, snorkeling included. On the way back, in the straight between the mangroves(just before the abandoned pirate ship), I hooked into a barracuda that was every bit of four feet. Only two bonito to the boat, but there are amazing opportunities everywhere here.