Pontoon Boat Trips
I also have a 24 foot pontoon boat that can carry larger groups of 6 to 8 people safely without
problem, although more than six people fishing does get a little tight. I rent the pontoon boat to a couple of the local guides to take people out when they have more than two or three people or when the group wants or needs something more comfortable than a bench seat in a Jon boat all day. The rated capacity of the boat is ten people but six people can easily fish off the pontoon in a lot of comfort. There are comfortable chairs and even a stereo Radio/CD/MP3 system under a 13 X 8 foot canopy for the sun and side curtains in case of a heavy rain. (Bring your on CDs or MP3 player if you like.) Fishing trips on the pontoon boat are $150/day for the boat, fuel and guide. The guide can get live minnows for $5/100. Suggested amounts are 200 minnows for 2-3 fishermen and adding an additional hundred for every two fishermen over that. You can bring your own tackle if you like If you don't bring your own, rods reels and tackle and need fishing equipment, light spinning rods and reels and tackle can be rented for $5/person additional. The only other costs involved or than food and drinks would be a tip to the guide. If you don�t have a cooler there are also coolers on board for your use. Click here to see the pontoon boat.
Want to Eat Lunch in Arenosa?
If you want to grab a fried fish dinner or late lunch come on Thursday thru Sunday and have the guide show you the way over to the La Escondido Restaurant in right there in Arenosa. La Escondido is a nice clean open air waterfront restaurant in Arenosa. They have a limited menu of fried fish from Lake Gatun (Tilapia and Peacock Bass) plates with paticones, yuca or french fries. (They also have roasted chicken on Sundays) Prices are about $4.00/plate and cold local beer is 75 cents a bottle. They serve a few mixed drinks but don't look for a wine list. :-) By the way, if you have been fishing and want to eat the trophy you caught that day, let the guide know and he will get it cleaned and they will cook it up for you in the restaurant. (Still $4.00/plate I think, but hey, it is "your" fish.) :-)
Disclaimer Regarding My Involvement
Just to set the record straight, if you want to use a guide and a Jon boat, I do not charge anything for making the arrangements or do I receive any part of what you will be paying the guide if you go fishing with them in their Jon boats. (Well, other than good will from the friends I make among my local neighbors. I am building a home in Arenosa and plan on living there.) Furthermore, it does not matter to me whether the group goes with the guide in his boat or they use my pontoonboat. I am more than happy to help in either case. Just let me know which you prefer to use. Yes, if the guide rents my pontoon boat, I do get part of this money, but realistically, by the time the guide takes his cut and I pay for fuel what's left only offsets some of my expenses for maintenance and upgrades on the pontoon boat. The main reason I help with is that there are no telephone lines in Arenosa, cell phone reception is spotty at best and there is only one radio signal public telephone. Relaying messages through the public phone to whoever may answer is tricky at best. Therefore my wife Nidia and I try to help them out in any way we can. Obviously these local guides need all the help they can get. The other reason is that we get to meet some nice people and show off our little part of Panama along the way. That said, do not call me at 5:00 AM on the morning you decide you want to go fishing. Give me at least a couple days notice so I can get up with a guide and help make the arrangements for you. :-) Remember, if you want to go on a Saturday or Sunday, they are their busiest days.
If you want to try your hand at fishing or just experience the beauty of Lake Gatun come on out to
Arenosa and enjoy Panama.
Telephone : 011-507-6-650-4625
or 011-507-6-792-8027
Skype : dgmeltonjr