Team Canada Heads to Panama: The Rivalry Begins

There are easier ways to spend a week than launching a fishing kayak into the Pacific Ocean, chasing fish powerful enough to tow you toward the horizon while Team USA watches from a few kayaks away.

But where’s the fun in easy?

This June, the newly formed Team Canada Saltwater Kayak Fishing Team heads to the legendary Los Buzos Resort for the first-ever Nations Cup showdown against Team USA — and if there’s one thing Canadians enjoy almost as much as fishing, it’s beating Americans at international competition.

Especially on the water.

Welcome to the Wild Coast

Tucked away on Panama’s remote Pacific coast near the village of Cambutal, Los Buzos has become one of the most talked-about saltwater kayak fishing destinations in the world. The fishery is raw, rugged, and absolutely loaded with big-game species. Deep ocean water pushes close to shore, bait piles up against volcanic reefs, and predators move in hard.

This isn’t dock fishing.
This isn’t “catch a few snapper and head in.”

This is full-contact kayak fishing. Multi-species, team oriented and amongst the waves and break of the Panamanian Pacific coast.

One cast could connect you to a screaming yellowfin tuna. The next drop might hook a cubera snapper determined to drag you straight into the rocks. Then there’s the fish every angler dreams about down there: roosterfish.

Big ones.

The kind that make grown adults forget how to breathe for a few seconds… if not longer.

Canada vs USA… on Kayaks

This year marks the beginning of Team Canada’s journey into international saltwater kayak fishing competition.

That sentence alone feels pretty good to write.

The Nations Cup isn’t just about catching fish. It’s about representing your country, your fishing culture, and your ability to adapt under pressure in one of the most intense fisheries on earth.

And let’s be honest — Canada enters this thing with a bit of an underdog mentality.

The Americans arrive experienced in these fisheries, confident, and fully convinced of a win.

Canadians? We tend to show up quieter.

Then we ruin everybody’s day.

The Fishery Will Decide Everything

Panama doesn’t care about your résumé.

It doesn’t care how many followers you have, what logos are on your jersey, or how many giant fish you’ve posted on Instagram.

The Pacific coast near Cambutal is unforgiving. Conditions change fast. One moment you’re paddling through calm blue water. The next you’re battling current, heat, swell, bait movement, and fish powerful enough to expose every weak point in your gear setup.

Species likely to play major roles in the competition include:

• Roosterfish
• Cubera snapper
• Yellowfin tuna
• Mahi-mahi
• Wahoo
• Grouper
• Trevally
• Pacific sailfish

And yes… there are marlin in these waters too.

The challenge won’t simply be finding fish. It’ll be making the right decisions under pressure while fishing from kayaks in tropical offshore conditions.

Every hookup matters.
Every landing matters.
Every mistake matters.

More Than Fishing

One of the coolest parts of this event is what it represents.

Team Canada is brand new. We’re building something from scratch — a community of Canadian kayak anglers who love adventure, competition, and life on the water.

This first Nations Cup is about planting a flag.

It’s about proving Canadian anglers belong on the international stage in saltwater kayak fishing.

It’s about building stories that future Team Canada anglers will want to become part of.

And yes… it’s also about talking a little friendly trash to Team USA along the way.

Help Support Team Canada

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing:

• Team angler profiles
• Gear breakdowns
• Panama fishing tactics
• Travel prep
• Species spotlights
• Behind-the-scenes training
• Daily updates from the event

We’ll also be launching Team Canada merchandise so Canadian anglers and supporters can help fund the team and represent Canada during the Nations Cup.

We are always looking for support, please let us know if you’d like to work with us in any way.

Because if we’re heading into battle against the Americans in tropical waters…

…we may as well look good doing it.

Stay tuned.
The rivalry starts now.