# Caution to Panama Trips



## ksong (Jun 30, 2004)

I know many fishermen go to Panama for fishing from January.
On my last trip to Pamana during Christmas Holidays, I experience two new things.

One is *Tourist Card*
When I went to the gate to aboard Continental, they announced to purchase Panam Tourist Card for $5 before boarding. They insist it would be higher when they purchased after aboarding and didn't say who are required.

I found out later that only passengers with American passport are required to purchase the Tourist Card. You can purchase the Tourist card exactly same amount of $5 before immigration check at Panama.

The other thing is *FISHING LINE.*
I traveled to many different countries and the only country which prohibit fishing lines on carry-on bags at security point is Costa Rica. You have to get rid of all lines from reels at security point.
I traveled to Panama four times last season and I never had problem to bring reels filled with lines at security check in Panama until last trip.
I checked in all reels and I put a few rolls of fishing lines in my carry-on bag. They try to forfeit those lines at security point when I flied back to NJ from Panama. I protested it, but even the supervisor told me fishing lines are not permitted.







You can not fight against stupidity. So I told the security lady that I would go back to check-in counter and check in the bag with the lines, but the lady said NO. I did not back off this time and protested hard. The supervisor reluctantly let me go back to the check-in counter and I checked in the luggage ( I had one more room for check-in. ).


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## JFLORES (Dec 12, 2009)

Kil,

Thank you for sharing.


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## firephil (Jul 11, 2006)

So what is up with fishing line?


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## Swells (Nov 27, 2007)

firephil said:


> So what is up with fishing line?


Yea I don't get that part at all, seems crazy.


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## Africanut (Jan 15, 2008)

Happened to me last time coming out of CR--guy said --and get this--"you could cut somebodys head off with it"----Um, okay whatever...


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## ksong (Jun 30, 2004)

Africanut said:


> Happened to me last time coming out of CR--guy said --and get this--"you could cut somebodys head off with it"----Um, okay whatever...


Howabout belt ? You can suffocate with it.
How about reel ? You can hurt by hitting someone's head with it.
Maybe they ask not to wear hard shoes on the plane in the future.


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## GSMAN (May 22, 2004)

Thanks for the information. I am heading to Panama for some tuna fishing in March. The "string" commments remind me of a mule deer hunting trip I took to New Mexico one time. I was boarding a puddle jumper carrying a backpack with some misc. items in it. No knives or anything that would be considered a weapon...so I thought. During the xray exam of the contents of the back pack the security guy asks me to step aside. He pulls out my mag lite and tells me I can't board with it. He said I could hurt or beat someone with it. I was ticked. Left it behind. So as soon as I get on the plane, I look up and see one of those rechargeable flashlights on the wall where anybody could grab it. Still bugs me to this day!!


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## fishytx (Jan 22, 2010)

This is funny. My wife and I board a ship to go do a little gambling right. They tell me that I can not board with this little pocket knife that have, so I get rid of it and they allow me to board. While we were on our little ten mile journey out to sea to gamble, wife and I are walking around on the different decks to check everything out. On the back of the second deck, there was a guy there that would hand you a loaded 12 gage pump for like 10 or 15 dollars so you could shoot some skeet off the back of the ship. Something is wrong with this picture. Can’t bring on a little knife, but once on the ship, they’ll hand you a load shotgun.


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## BretABaker (Dec 31, 2008)

the US is not a great country to travel into. i knew abt the line so put my spools and conventionals in my bag (thankfully, they were fine) when i was leaving panama. willy thought he could bring his lures (no hooks) and jigs (no hooks) back via carryon since he brought them to panama via carry-on. Think again, lol. he had to go back and check them.

Also, they would ask where you were going and if you said a city in the US you were absolutely patted down. I don't think the Panama gov't wants to hear any flack if something happened on a flight from their country to the US. unfortunately, the staff at the airport isnt the same as at the veneto so the pat down wasn't welcomed.


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## drfishalot (Sep 9, 2004)

I tried to take a small frying pan to my grandma 2-3 years ago. wouldn't let me on-same reason:used as a weapon.
I wouldn't try to board with line anywhere these days-just to be safe


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