A world-record class Dorado caught while jigging a small metal jig for bait off of the Osa Peninsula.
Costa Rica Fishing
Costa Rica is a beautiful country. It is very easy to visit as the people are friendly and it is easy to get around even if you do not speak Spanish. It is a good destination to take non-fishing people as well since there are so many other activities such as wildlife viewing in the jungle (in general much better than in neighboring countries), white water rafting, zip lining, etc. I lived there for a year and have taken a couple of fishing trips there since then. There is some decent fishing on the Pacific side, especially for Sailfish. There are usually a few around in addition to the migration that happens each year. During the peak season 5-10 releases per day or more are a real possibility. I got a simultaneous triple hookup on Sailfish there once. It was an amazing sight to see them all jumping simultaneously. In addition to Sailfish there are the usual offshore pelagic species such as Blue and Black Marlin, Dorado, Yellowfin Tuna, etc. Inshore there are some Roosterfish, Pacific Cubera Snapper, Snook, and other species. Some areas get quite a bit of fishing pressure, but some areas can be every bit as good as Panama. The Osa Peninsula is especially good; if you are out there I recommend Las Islas Lodge. Owner Oscar can put you on the fish.
The whole East coast of Costa Rica has Tarpon, but the main fisheries are concentrated in the Northeast near the Rio Colorado. There are several lodges up there that focus on Tarpon as well as Snook. My favorite one is the Rio Parismina Lodge. The facilities are comfortable (although not luxurious) and there are lots of Tarpon right at your door step. However, the weather can sometimes make it difficult to get out to fish for them, as exiting the river mouth to the ocean can be treacherous if it is not calm. If you go during a calm weather period you should be able to see the large schools of Tarpon that hang out at the river mouths. You can try to catch them on lures but you will lose more than you land due to their bony mouths. A more effective way to catch them is to jig up sardines and then use those as live or dead bait with a circle hook. Some days you can catch them until your arms are ready to fall off this way.
There are some interesting freshwater fish here including Rainbow Bass, Mojarra, and Gar. In addition to the Rio Parismina area, another good place to fish for these is the Cano Negro area near the border with Nicaragua.
Click Here for the Species Pages to find out how to catch these fish or click on a pic below to enlarge. See the video below of an inshore fishing trip to the Osa Peninsula.
Costa Rica is a beautiful country. It is very easy to visit as the people are friendly and it is easy to get around even if you do not speak Spanish. It is a good destination to take non-fishing people as well since there are so many other activities such as wildlife viewing in the jungle (in general much better than in neighboring countries), white water rafting, zip lining, etc. I lived there for a year and have taken a couple of fishing trips there since then. There is some decent fishing on the Pacific side, especially for Sailfish. There are usually a few around in addition to the migration that happens each year. During the peak season 5-10 releases per day or more are a real possibility. I got a simultaneous triple hookup on Sailfish there once. It was an amazing sight to see them all jumping simultaneously. In addition to Sailfish there are the usual offshore pelagic species such as Blue and Black Marlin, Dorado, Yellowfin Tuna, etc. Inshore there are some Roosterfish, Pacific Cubera Snapper, Snook, and other species. Some areas get quite a bit of fishing pressure, but some areas can be every bit as good as Panama. The Osa Peninsula is especially good; if you are out there I recommend Las Islas Lodge. Owner Oscar can put you on the fish.
The whole East coast of Costa Rica has Tarpon, but the main fisheries are concentrated in the Northeast near the Rio Colorado. There are several lodges up there that focus on Tarpon as well as Snook. My favorite one is the Rio Parismina Lodge. The facilities are comfortable (although not luxurious) and there are lots of Tarpon right at your door step. However, the weather can sometimes make it difficult to get out to fish for them, as exiting the river mouth to the ocean can be treacherous if it is not calm. If you go during a calm weather period you should be able to see the large schools of Tarpon that hang out at the river mouths. You can try to catch them on lures but you will lose more than you land due to their bony mouths. A more effective way to catch them is to jig up sardines and then use those as live or dead bait with a circle hook. Some days you can catch them until your arms are ready to fall off this way.
There are some interesting freshwater fish here including Rainbow Bass, Mojarra, and Gar. In addition to the Rio Parismina area, another good place to fish for these is the Cano Negro area near the border with Nicaragua.
Click Here for the Species Pages to find out how to catch these fish or click on a pic below to enlarge. See the video below of an inshore fishing trip to the Osa Peninsula.
Big Roosterfish caught on a popper in Drake Bay
A big plus of Costa Rica is the spectacular and abundant wildlife. Below are some shots the author took over the years.
