November 29th, 2009 - Going to Costa Rica? Take A Costa Rica Fishing Vacation
You know the maxim: The worst day of fishing is better than the best day of work. Are you an avid fisherman (or woman) a bit tired of being confined to local lakes and streams? Think about winter fishing. Cold days on a frozen lake or boating in blue, tropical waters. Hard choice? Not!!! Trade in your Chapstick and runny nose for suntan lotion, shorts and a flowered shirt, hop a jet to Costa Rica and enjoy fishing like you have always dreamed about. Costa Rica fishing is exactly what the doctor orders for winter time blues.
Certainly, fishing in your frozen lake is fun because you get to be all dressed up in your heavy parka, long underwear, scarf, mittens, and two pair of socks. Then, you have the pleasure of sitting on your butt all day over the ice. All in pursuit of crappies or sunnies nearly as cold as you. Of, you can hop a jet and travel to Costa Rica where the only ice you will see will be in your glass. Think about it. What sounds better: Costa Rica fishing or a frozen butt?
If you want to try coast, the Gold Coast around Tamarindo and Flamingo offer the most popular Costa Rica fishing spots. There, sails are caught throughout the entire year but often the best fishing is from May to August . Tuna are abundant here between August to October. Do not be surprised to see tuna schools of 40 to 60 pounders as well as groups with some fishing weighing 200 to 400 pounds. The bay of Papagayo from November to March is a great place to catch roosterfish. They tend to like shorelines and are usually caught in around 60 feet of water. Good sized marlin, colorful dorado, and wahoo can also be caught here at different times of the year.
Billfish are a popular quarry for those angling in Costa Rica and the Central Pacific coast offers lots of them. Visit the waters off Quepos or the Los Suenos Marina from December to April to catch large marlin or sailfish. Between May though October many folks catch a vibrant dorado while trolling offshore. Tuna, wahoo, snapper, roosters, and snook are also available along these shores and are found closer in. You will not be disappointed fishing here!
The South Pacific coast is home to the angling centers of Drake Bay, Puerto Jiminez, and the Golfo Dulce. Marlin and sailfish are frequently caught when the waters are warm. There are plenty snappers, roosterfish, wahoo, and amberjacks inshore. The areas around Golfo Dulce are considered to have the best inshore fishing in the entire country. There the bottom is very rocky with many coves where certain types of fish like to hide. Sea bass, groupers, and barracuda are some other examples of what you might fun into here.
Five hundred years ago, a fellow named Columbus landed in the Caribbean waters off Costa Rica and gave the country its name. Fish of every type filled the waters, millions of sea turtles came ashore to nest, and wildlife was incredibly abundant. When you fish the prominent fishing centers of Barra del Colorado and Tortuguero, you will be just as thrilled as Columbus. These waters can often be extremely choppy and for the best results should be generally avoided during rainy season. But, on calm, this region can provide some of the best fishing anywhere. You will find the large and spectacular tarpon fish fighting fish from May to November. This is also one of the very few places a lucky fisherman might catch the rare Atlantic sail. Snook (some really big) are abundant here. You could also catch Jack Crevalle, tripletail, giant grouper, or guapote.
If you want to get out of the office, a Costa Rica fishing trip may be just what you need! There are many Costa Rica vacation packages available online for sportfishing. With dozens of fishing world fishing records to its credit, Costa Rica is said to have the best deep sea fishing in the world. See for yourself. Pura Vida!!!
The writer lives in sunny Costa Rica and has a popular website about Costa Rica Vacations. For many fishermen, Costa Rica Fishing is the spectacular culmination of their Costa Rica trip.
