Costa Rica Fishing Recommendations

[Millhouse2020]

Hi everyone,

 

My wife and I will be attending a wedding in Costa Rica in February and since fishing Costa Rica is on my bucket list I#m saving my nickels and dimes for a day of inshore and a day of offshore fishing with my wife.

 

Im looking for recommendations on charters for anyone who has fished there and had a good experience. We will be staying at the Hilton Papagayo Costa Rica Resort & Spa on the Pacific side on the Gulf of Papagayo. I have found a couple recommended charters on trip advisor but thought I would ask here in case anyone has any good info they can share.

 

Im really looking forward to this opportunity. Any information you can share is appreciated, thanks all.

 

Cheers,

Millhouse

[chris.brock]

 

I can't help with the fishing, but it's a safe country to rent a cheap car, get off the resort and tour around. Great surfing and cool little hippy, surfing towns south of you near Mal Pais.

[Court R]

Let me know what you find out I'm gonna be down there in the same area end of January.

[Big Cliff]

My sister is there right now, my nephew owns a large car parts supply chain of stores there. I will send her an email and see what she/they can suggest (she loves to fish but I think she is coming home next week or she'd probably arange to get you out.). I'll see what I can find out for you.

 

Send me your email address to [email protected]

[Moosebunk]

If Rugger is on this board he took a good and cheaper charter out of Cocoa Beach for roosters... and did well. I'd say that the inshore is pretty shotty, we nailed tonnes of jacks, bonitos, mackerels and needlefish back in 2002 on a morning charter, but then last year went inshore a day and a half and it was pretty slow. That and, the gear was shart and tackle old and extremely limited. Lost a rooster, big cuda, mahi mahi and some other fish. You may want to take gear of your own unless paying really "good" money. Offshore opps usually more expensive can be where it's at. Costa Rica tourism has grown a tonne in the past 15-20 years... so much so it's expensive now with many people looking to just take you for a ride. If any charter advertises like $50-100 PP, you're pretty well garunteed you'll be packed on a boat with a dozen people to just go out to sea and pray you're on a rod that may fire.

[J-M]

I fished Costa Rica this past January on the Pacific Side in Tamarindo (Langosta Beach area). I wasn't able to take a fishing charter but I did bring down a 4 piece 6.5 foot rod and a tackle box of assorted swimbaits, rapalas, topwaters etc.

 

I ended up fishing right off the beaches (best time was just as high tide was coming in). Didn't catch anything the first few days, threw just about everything I had in my tacklebox but then I spoke with one of the local fishermen and he pointed at my Silver Acme Kastmaster (one of the only lures I hadn't tried) and said "that's all you need to use". After tying on that lure, it was literally fish after fish - mostly small 'Green Jacks' - AMAZING fighters and also caught a small bonefish which just about spooled me. The key was fishing during high tide and keeping an eye on jumping baitfish.

 

If you do plan on chucking gear on the beaches (highly recommended), another lure to bring down is a white/pearl zara spook type topwater bait. Skip that bait along the surface during high tide and look for schools of jumping baitfish and you could get yourself into a few Jack Crevalle.

 

JM

[troutologist]

Check out Tropic Fins. Cory is the best angler I have ever met.

[didoban]

Most offshore charters are catch n keep but on some charters, the CAPTAIN KEEP THE FISH. Check first if you can live release or keep or share the fish. Prevent surprises. Some resort will gladly cook your catch, some don't. Mahi mahi are the best eating fish, and gives you acrobatic display!

[limeyangler]

I recommend some of these….they work in Antigua. Jacks and Cuda like 'em.

 

Look for bait on the surface…cast…..WHAM!

 

Rapala Clackin Rap CNR-8, Glass Ghost.

Edited December 10, 2014 by limeyangler

[jimmer]

Definitely bring a telescopic rod and reel for the area you are going. I went snorkelling in that area and the shoreline is loaded with fish. I was kicking myself for not bringing a rod. I did pay a guy named Captain Al to take my wife and I out for some Roosters. Didn't get any but saw a marlin, two sea turtles mating and other fish surfacing. Had one fish on, but it let go. Would have done great if we told him to go for small fish, but we decided to go for the gusto. We went and caught our bait and that was a blast in its self. Catching lady fish that jump 6 feet when you hooked them.

[Millhouse2020]

Thanks for all the info everybody. I do appreciate it! So far I have found a couple decent looking charters near the Papagayo Hilton where we are staying. Papagayo Sportfishing and North Pacific Tours. I will have to do some more work to narrow it down.

 

Big Cliff, you got mail...

 

I`m really looking forward to the chance to spend a couple days fishing Costa Rica. :-)

 

Cheers,

Millhouse