Los Suenos Resort & Marina

Avid fishermen will agree there is no place quite like Costa Rica for sport fishing. Because of the proximity to the sea, there are endless opportunities to catch the big one here! There are the Pacific ports as well as the many rivers and canals along the Atlantic coast. There is also a fair amount of fresh water fishing available in the larger rivers found in the northern areas of the country. What all this means is that whatever type of fishing you’re in the mood for, it can be found in Costa Rica, and because it’s such a compact country, if your visit is long enough you can try it all while you’re there. To get you started, here is a brief rundown of Costa Rica’s main fishing regions.

Northern Pacific

In the northern coastal area Gulf of Papagayo, Flamingo Beach is the hotspot for sport fishing. There is a full service marina here as well as charter boats to other good fishing spots. Here you can sport fish for sailfish, marlin, tuna, dorado, wahoo, and roosterfish. These fish can be caught pretty much all year but the best fishing often runs from November to March.

Pacific

The abundance of billfish has made this the most popular area for sport fishing in all of Costa Rica. In addition to the above mentioned fish you can also catch mahi-mahi, and snapper in this area. There are plenty of ports providing access to the sea, and charter boats offer tours of various duration and price points so everyone can find a tour to suit their interest and budget.

Central Pacific

From December to April, billfish are caught in this region in phenomenal numbers. It is almost guaranteed that you won’t leave your Costa Rica vacation without some pretty big fish tales to tell. Inshore fishing and even fishing from the shore in this area will produce a good day’s catch of tuna, roosterfish, wahoo, dorado, small snapper, and snook. You never have to travel very far to make a catch!

Southern Pacific

This area offers the fewest number of charters out to sea and they are somewhat scattered along the shoreline. If you want to fish where things are a little less busy, this might be the spot for you. What is more prevalent in this region is some good light tackle fishing in the many little inlets and caves. Don’t discount this as challenging fishing, however, light tackle fishing here often means you’ll still be pulling in 30 and 40 pound fish.

Whatever your choice of fishing style and wherever you plant yourself for your Costa Rica holiday, there will be no shortage of exciting sport fishing adventure!