Guatapé Reservoir Fishing – Black Bass & Mojarra Azul
Guatape
Fish the iconic Guatapé Reservoir with Captain David, one of the most knowledgeable local guides on the Embalse Peñol-Guatapé. This full-day experience puts you on the water...
Experience a full 10-hour sport fishing charter on the stunning El Peñol-Guatapé Reservoir, one of Colombia's top freshwater fishing destinations just a short drive from Medellín....
Go fishing at the Peñol–Guatapé reservoir for an action-packed day targeting black bass and blue mojarra. Fish from a fully equipped boat with quality spinning and casting gear,...
Peak season in the jungle — the Orinoco and Amazon rivers run low and clear, and peacock bass and payara feed aggressively. On the Pacific, offshore black marlin, sailfish and big yellowfin are at their best off Bahía Solano. Guatapé fishes well under sunny skies. A superb month nationwide.
Dry season
February
The jungle peacock bass and payara bite stays red-hot as dry season rolls on, and the Pacific offshore season for black marlin and sailfish peaks off Chocó. Calm Caribbean seas make Cartagena charters easy, and Guatapé's bass are active in clear weather.
Dry season
March
The Amazon and Orinoco are still prime before the rains, with strong peacock bass action in the lagoons. Pacific billfish ease slightly but tuna and dorado remain. Cartagena stays reliable on the Caribbean, and Guatapé fishes steadily. One of the last great months for the jungle.
Transition
April
The dry season winds down in the eastern jungle — the final window for low-water peacock bass and payara before the rivers rise. Pacific inshore roosterfish and cubera are strong, the Caribbean is calm, and Guatapé keeps producing bass year-round.
Wet season
May
Rains arrive across much of Colombia. The jungle rivers begin to swell and the Amazon season closes, but Nuquí on the Pacific is recommended now, with good inshore and offshore action. Guatapé and Cartagena fish on — a transition month to plan around the coasts.
Wet season
June
Coastal fishing leads. The Pacific off Chocó produces tuna, dorado and inshore roosterfish, and the Caribbean stays steady out of Cartagena. The eastern rivers are high and off-season. Guatapé's reservoir bass remain a dependable bet near Medellín.
Wet season
July
Humpback whales arrive on the Pacific (July–October), adding spectacle to offshore days off Bahía Solano, where tuna and billfish show. Caribbean charters run reliably from Cartagena. The jungle is in its wet, high-water lull — and Guatapé fishes year-round.
Wet season
August
Whale season continues on the Pacific and the offshore bite builds toward the autumn peak — marlin, sailfish and tuna. Cartagena's Caribbean fishing holds steady. Inland, it's still the rainy high-water lull for the jungle rivers, but Guatapé stays productive.
Wet season
September
The Pacific offshore season hits its second peak — billfish, dorado and tuna are abundant off Chocó, with whales still around early in the month. The Caribbean is solid out of Cartagena, and Guatapé's bass keep biting. A standout month for saltwater.
Wet season
October
Peak Pacific fishing continues with strong billfish and tuna, and the eastern jungle rivers begin to drop as the dry season nears — early peacock bass trips start up. Caribbean and Guatapé fishing remain reliable. The country shifts back toward its inland prime.
Transition
November
A great all-rounder. Pacific offshore stays strong through November, the Amazon and Orinoco dry season opens for peacock bass and payara, and the Caribbean calms down. Guatapé fishes well. Options open up coast to jungle.
Dry season
December
Dry season returns inland and the jungle peacock bass and payara fishing fires up. Pacific billfish and big tuna build toward their January peak, and calm Caribbean seas make Cartagena easy. Guatapé is a festive, scenic day trip from Medellín. Strong everywhere.
Frequently Asked Questions about Fishing Charters in Colombia
Yes — it's the most popular fishing day trip in Colombia. Guatapé is about two hours from Medellín, and full-day guided trips (from US$150) get you back the same day, often combined with the El Peñol rock.
In the eastern jungle rivers of the Orinoco and Amazon basins — not in Guatapé. Peacock bass (pavón) and payara are targeted on remote, multi-day expeditions, best in the dry season (December–April).
Yes. Cartagena offers easy Caribbean day charters for tuna, dorado, sailfish and snapper — a great fit alongside a city or beach trip.
Recreational anglers fish through licensed guides and operators who handle the required permits (issued by Colombia's fishing authority, AUNAP). For remote reserves and national waters, your operator arranges the permissions — confirm when you book.
Fishing in Colombia: Reservoirs, Two Oceans & the Amazon
Colombia is the rare destination with four fishing worlds in one country. You can chase largemouth black bass on a mountain reservoir near Medellín in the morning, troll two different oceans for billfish, or fly deep into the jungle for peacock bass and the fanged payara. Long overlooked by traveling anglers, Colombia is now one of South America's most exciting — and surprisingly accessible — places to fish. The easiest place to start? Guatapé.
Easy day trip
Guatapé (Medellín)
Oceans
Pacific & Caribbean
Jungle prize
Peacock bass & payara
Guatapé from
US$150
Season
Year-round (by region)
What You Can Catch in Colombia
Freshwater — bass, mojarra & jungle giants
On the Andean reservoirs around Medellín, largemouth black bass and blue mojarra (tilapia) are the targets — fun, accessible light-tackle fishing. Head east into the Orinoco and Amazon basins and the freshwater turns wild: peacock bass (pavón) over 20 pounds and the toothy payara, or “vampire fish,” that tops 30.
Pacific — offshore & inshore
Colombia's Pacific coast off Chocó is serious big-game water — black and blue marlin, sailfish, yellowfin tuna over 100 pounds, dorado and wahoo offshore, with roosterfish, cubera snapper, snook and tarpon close to the jungle shoreline.
Caribbean
From Cartagena and the islands, the warm Caribbean gives up sailfish, tuna, dorado, wahoo, snapper and hard-fighting jacks within an easy run of the coast — fishing that pairs perfectly with a city or beach trip.
Guatapé: Bass Fishing Near Medellín
If you fish only one place in Colombia, make it Guatapé. The Peñol-Guatapé reservoir — that postcard lake beneath the towering El Peñol rock, about two hours from Medellín — is the country's most popular fishing day trip. Local guides like Captain David put you on largemouth black bass and blue mojarra around the flooded points and islands, casting jerkbaits, jigs and topwater. It's beginner-friendly, scenic, and easy to pair with a climb up La Piedra. Full-day trips start around US$150, with VIP 10-hour options for anglers who want more water.
Cartagena & the Caribbean Coast
Colombia's Caribbean is the easy saltwater option. Out of Cartagena, day charters run offshore and around the Rosario Islands for tuna, dorado, sailfish and snapper, then drop you back in one of South America's great colonial cities by evening. It's the rare trip that fits a family beach holiday and a serious fishing day into the same week.
Colombia's Wild Frontiers: Pacific & Amazon
The Pacific — Bahía Solano & Nuquí
The Chocó coast is remote, rainforest-backed and loaded. Bahía Solano, El Valle and Nuquí are launch points for offshore black marlin, sailfish and 100-pound-plus yellowfin, with the bonus of humpback whales breaching offshore from July to October. Inshore, fly anglers find roosterfish, cubera and snook along the jungle coast. Offshore peaks roughly January–February and again September–November.
The Amazon & Orinoco — peacock bass & payara
For the trip of a lifetime, the eastern jungle rivers — the Orinoco, Bita, Tomo and beyond — deliver explosive peacock bass in crystal lagoons and acrobatic payara in the rapids. These are remote, multi-day expeditions run in the dry season, roughly December through April, when low water concentrates the fish and the bite turns ferocious.
Fishing Charters & Tours: Types & Prices
Colombia spans easy reservoir day trips and serious multi-day expeditions. Here's what trips cost, using PescaYa's own Guatapé and Cartagena rates plus typical expedition pricing.
Bahía Solano billfish or Orinoco peacock bass & payara
Guatapé and Cartagena are easy add-ons to a Medellín or coast trip; the Pacific and Amazon are multi-day expeditions best planned well ahead. Tell PescaYa your dates and target species and we'll match you to the right operator.
Best Time to Fish in Colombia
Something bites year-round in Colombia, but each region has its window. Guatapé fishes all year. The Pacific's offshore billfish and big tuna peak in two stretches — roughly January–February and September–November — while inshore fishing holds up year-round. The Caribbean is reliable all year. The Amazon and Orinoco jungle trips run in the dry season, about December through April, when the rivers drop and the peacock bass and payara feed hard.
Colombia is huge and its seasons are regional — the Pacific, Caribbean, Andes and Amazon can be doing completely different things on the same dates. Check the month-by-month calendar, or tell PescaYa your travel window and we'll point you to what's biting.
How to Book Your Colombia Fishing Trip with PescaYa
Most Colombia fishing starts from a city hub. Fly into Medellín (MDE) for Guatapé, Cartagena (CTG) for the Caribbean, and connect onward to Bahía Solano (BSC) for the Pacific or to Puerto Carreño / Inírida for the Amazon and Orinoco. PescaYa books verified local guides and operators, with photos, captain profiles, real prices and availability, secure payment, bilingual support and flexible cancellation.
Pack light tackle and topwater for Guatapé, sun and rain protection for the Pacific, and be ready for heat and humidity in the jungle. Charters supply gear, but bring your favorite lures.
Rules & Regulations
Colombia regulates sport fishing through AUNAP, the National Authority of Aquaculture and Fisheries. Under Resolution 549 of 2022, anyone fishing recreationally — nationals and foreign visitors alike — must hold a sport-fishing permit issued by AUNAP, which also sets the areas, species, seasons, gear and catch limits (Resolution 2609 of 2020). In practice your guide or operator arranges the permit and works within the local rules, but confirm it's included when you book. Only rod-and-reel and handline methods are allowed — no nets or longlines. Billfish and trophy peacock bass are released as standard practice, and catch-and-release is often required inside national parks and protected reserves. Protected species — sea turtles, sharks, rays and marine mammals — may never be targeted or kept. Respect protected areas, follow your captain's guidance, and pack out everything you bring in. [note]At a glance: AUNAP sport-fishing permit required for everyone, foreigners included (Resolution 549/2022) · AUNAP sets areas, species, seasons & limits (Resolution 2609/2020) · Rod-and-reel / handline only — no nets or longlines · Billfish & trophy peacock bass released as standard; catch-andrelease often required in parks & reserves · Sea turtles, sharks, rays & marine mammals fully
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