Sport Fish Panama Island Lodge in the Gulf of Chiriquí offers quick access to world-class fishing for prized offshore and inshore species. As the name suggests, it’s on a private island a dozen miles out into the gulf, so you’ll spend less time running and more time chasing tuna, trolling for billfish, or targeting roosterfish and cubera snapper.

Despite its remote “Gilligan’s Island” feel (if Gilligan and the Skipper had enjoyed wi-fi, air conditioning and a five-star chef), getting to this exceptional fishing lodge is surprisingly easy. Guests fly directly into David, Panama’s Enrique Malek International Airport. Unlike other lodges that require long, uncertain drives, SFPIL guests can leave Panama City from one of multiple convenient airports, take a short flight of under an hour, and be on the water that same day. For anglers short on time, that convenience is a game-changer.

Why David, Panama Matters for Anglers

David, Panama feels like a small town, but it also offers the benefits of a major cosmopolitan city – like the efficient Enrique Malek International Airport – making it a favorite for expats, tourists and ESPECIALLY anglers. You’re about 20 miles (a 40-45 drive) from the Costa Rican border, but almost 300 miles from Panama City, a drive that would take six or seven hours on the Inter-American Highway.

You’re also close to legendary fishing spots like Coiba Island, the Hannibal Bank and Montuosa. You can fish several of those key spots in a single day, and then fish several more the next day. No matter the prevailing winds or weather conditions, there are protected and hungry fish to chase. At some other hard-to-reach lodges, you can travel for days and then get shut out by bad conditions. That’s not the case here. It’s rare that a day gets canceled.

Cowboy Boat at Sport Fish Panama Island Lodge

Why We Overnight in Panama City

What we recommend that guests do in order get to Sport Fish Panama Island Lodge is to fly into Panama City, a safe, cosmopolitan location with tons of culture – and just as importantly, tons of direct flights from the US. Indeed, you can get there from all over the world without too much trouble.

Through the Sport Fish Panama Island Lodge VIP package, we put you up in a luxury hotel in the city and then fly you out to Enrique Malek in David the next morning. We’ve done that through the small Albrook Airport (PAC) as well as through the larger Tocumen International Airport (PTY).

You can do the entire trip to Sport Fish Panama Island Lodge in one day, as there are afternoon flights from Panama City to David. The risk here is that either some or all of your group will be late getting to Panama, or that inclement weather will prevent the afternoon flight from going out. The latter is rare, but it does happen.

If you’re really in a rush during your fishing vacation to Panama, you can accept that risk. Alternatively, we can set up private air via Elevair which will operate on your timetable (weather permitting)

Flight Options to David Airport

Both Copa Airlines (PTY → DAV) and Air Panama (PAC → DAV) offer multiple daily flights to David, Panama. We prefer early departures so that by the time we reach the airport, ride to the marina, boat out to the fishing lodge on the island, and grab a quick lunch, we can still enjoy a half-day of fishing.

Note: Flights to David now depart from the main terminal at Tocumen rather than a separate domestic terminal. This doesn’t change the process but there’s a small “holding area” with limited amenities—grab coffee or essentials beforehand.

Baggage Tips:

Clothing needs are minimal (daily laundry is provided).
Consider a cooler to bring home sushi-grade yellowfin fillets.
If bringing your own rods and reels, note that Copa can be restrictive; the lodge provides top-tier gear, so personal equipment is usually unnecessary.

What Travelers Should Expect at Enrique Malek

One of the best parts of this particular bespoke fishing trip to Panama: no customs delays. You land, grab your luggage, and move on.

The airport is small: you disembark outside, walk into the building, and head to baggage claim. Even though there are few simultaneous arrivals, that area can get congested, so claim a spot quickly.

Every time we’ve arrived, Shane and his team have been right outside the building, maybe a 30 second walk from the baggage claim, with an air-conditioned van. There’s no need to wait around, find an Uber, or call someone to pick you up. If the van is going to be full, they bring a second vehicle to tote the luggage. You can even stop at a store on the 10 minute drive between the airport and the marina if you forgot something essential – that’s not possible at many remote fishing locations.

Once you get to the marina, the boats will be waiting and again Shane will have a group of energetic young men to move all of your luggage for the almost exactly 60 minute ride to Isla Parida.

Boats going from Pedregal Marina to Isla Parida

Leaving From Enrique Malek Airport

On the way home, after a hearty breakfast, you will simply reverse the path – taking the comfortable Freeman or World Cat boats through the estuary to the marina and then hopping in the waiting van for the 10 minute ride to the airport.

Once there, again you get the benefit of a small airport with major carriers present. It’s a quick and simple check-in – we’ve never waited more than 10 minutes. One huge advantage of the Copa flight is that if you’re flying Copa to your eventual destination you can check your luggage all the way through.

Inside the airport, there aren’t many amenities. There’s a small souvenir shop and places to buy both to-go cups of hot coffee as well as souvenir local coffee to take home. There are no dining options beyond that but you’ll have gorged yourself back at the lodge. Surely you can wait until you’re back in Panama City for more.

Security is quick. You’ll need to show your passport and boarding pass again (you already showed them to the agent at the counter) and then you’ll be inside a large air-conditioned room with restrooms and vending machines. When your plane is called, you’ll return outside to the tarmac and board.

Travel Tips for Anglers & Couples

If for some reason you want to explore a bit of Chiriqui on the way in or the way out, there are numerous nearby hotels nearby to extend your trip.
There are even “relocation tours” for retirees considering the area. They’ll pick you up at Enrique Malek and take you around the region.
There are multiple car rental sites at the airport in David. Through a few basic searches I found their rates to be exceptionally inexpensive.

Best of all, because the Sport Fish Panama Island Lodge VIP package includes an on-call travel agent, if you run into any delays or cancellations you’re not stuck in a foreign country figuring things out on your own. The one time our flight out of David was substantially delayed, the travel agent had everyone rescheduled (including comped overnight accommodations in Panama City for a few) before we’d made it to Panama City.

The process is not just seamless. It’s what you deserve after battling giant fish for the better part of a week.

The fishing at Sport Fish Panama Island Lodge seems remote and exotic, but getting there is straightforward and remarkably easy. If you’re ready to experience world-class fishing with a first-world travel plan, join us on our next trip to Sport Fish Panama Island Lodge. Email us and let’s get you on that plane!