Fishing

Costa Rica is like a dream come true for anglers. The ports and tourist centers of the Pacific Ocean provide access to the best places for deep fishing in the world. While the Canals and rivers of the North Atlantic Coast are highly praised for "snook" and "tarpon" fishing at world class level. Billfish is the biggest attraction of the country, besides the abundant sailfish and marlin outside the Pacific Coast, but it is also possible to hook a great amount of fighting fish such as the "wahoo" and the roosterfish. Besides deep water fishing there is also freshwater fishing in the Arenal Lake and in the longest river that runs on the north part of the country., where the lovers of this sport can struggle with the small but daring hunch back fish known as the "rainbow bass"; the giant marlin, the sailfish, the high jumping tarpon, the flying fish, the snook, or at least one dozen or more fresh water fighting fish.

Costa Rica has them all!!!

Fishing is not all that you are going to find in the peaceful and friendly Costa Rica; because this is a small country it is possible to see all of it in one single visit. In addition you can enjoy the rapids, the volcanoes, or a tour by the rain forest.

On the Pacific, it is common to release one dozen or more seals or even one marlin or two in one single day, and it is not unusual to release more 30 sailfish in one day. There are also dolphins, yellow fin tuna, wahoo, cubera, roosterfish, plenty of snapper, grouper, rainbow, snook and countless more. Costa Rican boat operators release all the “billfish” that are not record contenders, assuring thus the future of the resource.

Pacífico

The Pacific coast in Costa Rica provides a more reliable and exiting fishing action, fish such as sailfish, tuna, roosterfish, macarela, wahoo, mahi-mahi and snapper, is usually caught in this area. It’s the abundance of "billfish" that makes this region famous; the amazing quantity of sailfish and marlin caught here also contributes to its fame. There are numerous ports in the Pacific where you can practice this sport. In the north of the province of Guanacaste, private rental boats are available, the following are well known: Playas del Coco, Ocotal, Flamingo, Tamarindo, and Carrillo. Further south you can fish in Punta Arenas, Tambor, Punta Leona, Quepos and Manuel Antonio, Dominical, Bahía Drake and Zancudo.

North Pacific

From Cabo Blanco to Papagayo Gulf, Flamingo Beach is the major sportfishing center in the northern cost, they provide services with a full-service marina, but boats also charter out of nearby Coco’s Beach, Tamarindo, Ocotal, Potrero, and Brasilito and from some small places in between. A bit further south, there are boats operating in Cabo Blanco, Nosara, Garza, Sámara and Carrillo. The latter is a region that gets more protection from the winds that normally blow from late December through March or April. Some boats from the foremost northern areas often station at Carrillo from December to March, when the wind slows down and the “billfish” population moves north from the central coast area.

Seasons

Marlin: Caught during the whole year, but by mid-November and early March is exceptional, and it decreases from April through early June when it increases again, peaking in August and September

Sailfish: Caught all through the year, the top season is from March through August. It begins to decrease in late August through November.

Tuna fish: The peak season is probable from August through October, but when everything else fails there is always tuna, any season of the year you want to fish them, and more often than not when you try to elude them to concentrate in the ’billfish". The yellow fin and some big eye tune are often found in Santa Catalina islands, 30 minutes time or less from the beach, while schools of 12 to 20 pounds fish are usually abundant on the outside. Concentration of 40 to 60 pounds tuna can be often found, and there is abundant fish that weights from 200 to 400 pounds caught every year.

Dorado:  Properly known as dolphin, these colorful fish are plentiful from late May through October when the seasonal rains flood the rivers, carrying out sediments that forms trash lines close to shore where they like to lie-down.

Wahoo: They first appear at the beginning of the rain season, i.e. the month of May, peaking in July and August. They are mostly caught near the rocky points and islands, but some times it’s possible to catch one offshore.

Roosterfish: Available year round, but, there are more caught in the Papagayo Gulf from November trough March. Perhaps because there are more boats fishing in the north area during those months that are quite windy closer to shore. The roosters like the islands and the shoreline where they are found in 50 to 60 feet of water

Central Pacific

From Cape Blanco to Bahía Drake, Quepos is the first fishing center in the Pacific coast, but there are charter boats available out of Punta Arenas. There are also boat operators in the southern tourist complexes of the Nicoya Peninsula, Punta Leona, Playa Jacó, and Bahía Drake. The "billfish" is the main objective for most anglers, but they could get a little bit disappointed between the months of December through April.
Some sailfish and marlin are caught all year round. Most of the action with “billfish” takes place in the blue waters, and it is a trip of only 12 to 20 miles from almost all the above mentioned locations.

In-shore fishing includes tuna, roosterfish, dorado, jacks, wahoo, macarela, cubera and a smaller quantity of snapper and even snook.
The snook can be caught trolling just outside the breaking line of a river mouth, but they are generally caught from the water’s edge. Some boats out of Quepos also offer multi-day trips to Drake Bay and the area of Cano Island, staying for the night in one of the small lodging centers near Drake Bay. This region is typically known for the wahoo, great cubera, snapper and roosterfish, but also for tuna, dorado, sailfish, and marlin in smaller quantities.

Seasons

Marlin: October is normally the high season for marlin in this area, but the action is also good during September and November. Although infrequently, the blue and the rare black marlin can be found any time of the year. Usually these are in far away waters where the boat owners would rather not go.

Sailfish: Starts moving northward from mid-December through late April, and this is the best season, but the larger schools usually move in October and they occasionally stay a bit longer. Some sailfish always fall behind and they can be caught from June through September amongst other species that can be found near the beach during those months.

Tuna fish: Always available along the Pacific Coast, but its more plentiful from June to September, specially the 8 -12 pound, and there can be a dozen or two that weight between 100 and 200 pounds to be caught every year.

Wahoo: It is not usual near Quepos, but there is more further south, specially in Drake Bay and Caño Island at the end of summer, from June trough August,

Dorado: The best action begins with the winter rains that starts at the end of May and washes debris lines at the mouth of the rivers attracting big quantities of Dorado fish.

Roosterfish: Pulling off this shore fish is incredible rewarding. The best places for the action are the rocky areas and the river-mouths; specially the ones of Parrita River, Palo Seco, and between Parrita and Damas just outside Damas, at the Naranjo River-mouth, near the points of Dominical, flanking Drake Bay, and in the area of Cano Island. The best fishing season is from June through early September.

Snook: The most popular places are of course the river’s mouths along the coast, up the Sierpe River and in the Grand Sierpe Lagoon. The black snook IGFA world record of the Pacific was caught at the Rio Naranjo’s mouth from a pulley fishing boat, just outside the braking line. This is a relatively new objective for small rental boats, and the best months seem to be from July through November, during the peak of the rainy season.

South Pacific: Golfito and Zancudo Beach
Golfito is the biggest city in the south coast of Costa Rica, but there are only half a dozen boat operators scattered between the northern part of Dulce Bay, Golfito, Puerto Jiménez in the Osa Peninsula and Zancudo Beach. Zancudo is a narrow peninsula with miles of coastline on one side and surrounded by rivers on the other side. You can expect to fish more than a dozen sailfish and one or two merlin outside Cape Matapalo during the high season. There is also a lot of “jacks", "runners", macarela, "amberjack", roosterfish and the big snapper near the coast.

There are two modern marinas in Golfito; both offer special fishing trips, as well as services to yachts passing through.

There is light tackle fishing in Dulce Bay, with its profusion of small coves and rocky islets in the coastal line, is also good for small barracuda and snapper, weakfish and sometimes for 40-plus pound snook. Snook fishing is excellent inside the area of the Zancudo Peninsula and farther north at the Rio Esquinas mouth.

Seasons

Marlin: The high season is from August through December, but occasionally "striped", blue or black marlin can be caught at any time of the year, when the water temperature is high.

Sailfish: It’s possible to catch some during the whole year, but the best fishing takes place from December through March. It frequently decreases in April and September.

Tuna: The best season for 100 pound yellow fin tuna fish is the same as for marlin and sailfish, but the 30 pound schools can be found at any time in deep waters.

Dorado: Best action occurs from late May through October, when the rivers run full.

Wahoo: It’s not abundant, but occasionally found while trolling offshore for billfish in the area near Mata Palo Cape, at any time of the year.

Roosterfish: This region is famous for its big roosterfish; they can be caught year round.

Snook: All year round, but better at the end of May through July, and from January to February.

Caribe

The Canals and rivers of the Caribbean north coast can brag about the best snook and tarpon fishing in the World, and the location is surrounded by the exuberant rain forest, which is another plus added to the experience. The tarpon has an average weight of 80 pounds in the Caribbean Canals, and even when the snook are smaller in size they are good fighters. There are about half a dozen lodging facilities located in the canals of Barra Del Colorado, Tortuguero and Parismina, and the boat house “Rain Goddess" offers a quiet adventure for anglers to fish in the canals, some rivers and hidden lakes.

Seasons

Tarpon:  They are always near; high season is from December through May.

Snook: The big snook normally increases from March through May and again from September through the end of November.

Fat Snook: (Calba) it’s possible to find them from mid November through the end of January, but sometimes they appear earlier.

Billfish: You’ll find them any time you reach the blue waters of the Atlantic, almost any time of the year. They are mostly caught from February through September.

Wahoo: Plentiful on the outside from early February through mid June.

Dorado: Can be found near the river mouths during the whole year. The best action occurs during the rainy season when the water carries out debris from the shoreline forming trash lines.

Tripletail:  From January through June

Pez Rey, Macarela española, Jack Crevalle, Barracuda: Abundant near the seaside when the ocean is calm.