Load the suitcase and get your passport ready—bucket-list fishing awaits on the far side of the horizon. If you dream of bonefish and permit, giant marlin and tuna, roosterfish and cubera snapper, there has never been a better time for travel fishing. Destinations are easy to reach, resorts are ready to host anglers, and fishing is better than ever.
Los Buzos, Panama
Terrible weather is a big concern for traveling anglers. Los Buzos, Panama, sits in the Panama Wind Gap, which protects the Pacific-side resort. “In the last 10 years, we’ve lost fewer than 10 trips to weather,” says owner Morris Palmer. Fishing is year-round, with the dry season (January through March) seeing the best action for snook and corvina. The wet season (April to December) brings offshore weed lines and great dolphin fishing. “Don’t be discouraged by the term ‘wet season’,” Morris says. “The weather is calm and offers the greatest variety of species and the most options for locations.” Reaching Los Buzos is easy, and the fishing is close to shore. A drop to 1,000 feet less than a mile out makes marlin, sailfish, roosterfish, cubera snapper and 30 other species accessible from boats. This easy access encouraged Los Buzos to add kayaks to the fleet, which has resulted in several kayak world records. Kayaks launch from the beach, and lines go in minutes from shore.
Great Barrier Reef, Australia
If you really want to get to know the Great Barrier Reef, spend a week living and fishing on it during prime season from December to April. Capt. Andy Dow, on Viking II out of Cairns, offers options. “You can do a four- or five-day live-aboard on our 45-foot sport-fish, or home base aboard a 100-foot mothership, or stay on land in a Lizard Island lodge,” Dow says. Fishing starts after 10 a.m. because it’s an afternoon bite. A short run offshore targets the world’s biggest black marlin. Dow assures anglers that beating a 1,000-pound marlin isn’t as hard as it sounds. Heavy-duty 130-pound-class tackle, angler skill and strategic boathandling allow anyone to catch a trophy. “I’ve seen 13-year-old kids catch 900-pound marlin,” he says. For the best chance, Dow recommends spending a week fishing. Reserve early, as space fills months before the season.
Madeira
Combine a European vacation with an island vacation and fishing at Madeira, 300 miles off the west coast of Morocco. In addition to old-world charm and island lifestyle, Madeira hosts some of the world’s best blue marlin fishing from June to September, wahoo between August and January, and yellowfin tuna between March and May. Capt. Frothy de Silva has fished Madeira for decades and claims, “There are more grander blue marlin in Madeira than anywhere else in the world.” The fishing kicks off around 10 a.m. each day. “We put out baits as soon as we leave the harbor,” de Silva says. He trolls, working the 1,000-foot drop a few miles off the beach. “It’s hard to predict how many blue marlin we’ll see, but the marlin we encounter are big,” he promises. Between fishing, anglers enjoy the history, nature and European vibe. “The restaurants are excellent, we have the best wine in the world and miles of hiking trails,” de Silva says. Ride a cable car to botanical gardens or watch the sunrise from the summit of Pico do Arieiro.
The Bahamas
Visitors can reach the Bahamas with a 30-minute flight or a three-hour ferry ride. Famous, world-traveling angler Capt. Robert “Fly” Navarro started his life’s journey there. While flats guides and offshore charters are plentiful, Navarro says anglers can pull off self-guided trips with spin or fly tackle from home bases on Andros and Harbor islands. “If you feel adventurous, you can head to one of the Out Islands,” he tempts. The Bahamas are surrounded by shallow bonefish and permit flats. Anglers wade for miles searching for bones and permit, and fish channels and deeper holes for mutton snapper. Navarro says the archipelago is a world away from real life and sums up the main attraction: “It’s island life, man!”
