Costa Rica’s waters are home to an abundance of big fish, which lure fisherman from around the world.

Just a few of the species caught in large numbers off the Pacific Coast are sailfish, blue marlin, striped marlin, roosterfish, tuna, and snapper; while in the Caribbean coast tarpon and snook fishing is unexcelled.

Because Costa Rica’s two oceans are so close, you can actually fish both during your vacation.

According to the International Game Fish Association, Costa Rica holds 44 line class records, 17 fly rod records, and 18 all-tackle records for a total of 79 records!!

Out in the sea, Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast offers outstanding saltwater action, from the Papagayo Gulf and Flamingo in the north, to Quepos-Manuel Antonio in the mid-Pacific, down to Golfo Dulce in the south. On the other hand, the canals and rivers of the northern Atlantic coast feature world-class snook and tarpon fishing. Billfish are the country's biggest attractions, with abundant sailfish and marlin off the Pacific coast, but the fishermen also hook plenty of other feisty fighters, such as wahoo and roosterfish. Though deep sea fishing is the country's forte, there is also has great fresh water fishing in Lake Arenal and the larger rivers in the Northern Zone, where anglers can fight with the small but ornery guapote, a hump-backed fish also known as the rainbow bass.

Costa Rica is a world leader for tropical fishing vacations, and we offer first rate lodging on both the Pacific and the Caribbean Coasts, activities for the entire family, well-equipped, safe boats, and best of all and abundance of big fish!!

 FLAMINGO, OCOTAL, TAMARINDO, SAMARA

This area is famous by the abundance of billfish, with sailfish and marlin being taken in phenomenal numbers. Flamingo Beach is the major sportfishing center in the northern coastal area of the country offering a full-service marina, but boats also charter out of nearby Coco's beach, Tamarindo, Ocotal, Brasilito, Potrero and a few points in between. A bit further south, there are boats operating below Cabo Blanco, out of Nosara, Garza, Samara and Carillo beach--a region that gets more protection from the winds that normally blow late December into March and April

The fertile fishing grounds of the North Pacific provides year round action for approximately 25 varieties of sportfish. Although most famous for its sailfishing from April through September, these same waters produce great marling catches almost every month of the year.

Popular sportfish in the area include Sailfish, Marlin, Dogtooth Snapper, Wahoo, Dorado, mackerel and Yellow Fin Tuna.

PUNTARENAS, QUEPOS

Quepos is the major sportfishing center in the central coast, but there are charters available out of Puntarenas and Herradura. The Los Sueños Marina and Yacht Club in Herradura offers the best facilities offering a world-class commercial and pleasure boating facilities and services. This fully engineered breakwater and marina is a Port of Entry into Costa Rica.

Billfish is the major attraction for visiting anglers.  Inshore sport includes tuna, roosterfish, wahoo, dorado, jacks, mackerel, snapper and even snook. The snook can be taken trolling just outside the breaker line of the river months in the area, but are more often fished from shore.

DRAKE BAY, GOLFITO, CAÑO ISLAND

BARRA DEL COLORADO

The canals and rivers of the northern Caribbean coast boast some of the best snook and tarpon fishing in the world, and they are lined with lush rain forest, which adds to the natural experience.

Historically, tarpon fishing has been promoted by the lodges on Costa Rica's east coast during the dry season, from about December through mid May, while snook traditionally peak from about September through November. But the fish are there year round, and it's mostly a matter of weather, which can change overnight. About half a dozen fishing lodges are located in Barra del Colorado, Tortuguero and Parismina. You can also get outside the channels for not only tarpon but the blue water species like sails, blue marlin, wahoo, dorado, barracuda, kingfish, spanish mackarel, jack, grouper, snapper. There is a canyon that drops from 260 ft. to about 1200 ft. about 30 minutes run from the Barra mouth. This is a dream come true for the real fishermans. On the inside you can fish light tackle for rainbow bass, mojarra, vieja, drum , gar, fat snook. There is a species of snook that run 4 to 8 lbs that move into the rivers for 4 months every year and catches of 25 a day are not uncommon.

Lake Arenal is the premier fishing lake in Costa Rica, fed by a multitude of rivers and loaded with rainbow bass.  Arenal Volcano is the major attraction in the area and is one of the most actives of the world. Arenal rumbles regularly and bursts into occasional explosions that send molten lava and incandescent boulders flying in all directions.

The most common fish is the rainbow bass (even is not from bass family), locally known as guapote Winds that average 25 miles per hour—and sometimes whip up to twice that velocity—blow out of the north from November through April, earning the northern end of Lake Arenal a reputation as one of the world's top windsurfing locations. But the many small coves and points on the more protected lower end of the lake make it possible to fish Arenal year around. The bite depends more on water level and angler's skill than it does the wind.