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Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2005 11:30 am
Posts: 8005
Location: Where Am I ???
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I agree Igualmente. But you've gotta remember, that the billfish will be moving / migrating all the time. They don't all just sit off the coast of Flamingo all year long. Granted, you can catch billfish there every month of the year, but your chances (and opportunities) will fluxuate throughout the year.
For any newbies out there reading this thread, here's a copy of a PM that I sent to a new member a few months ago, who asked me to send him some general information about fishing in CR.
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I've spent most of my time in North/West Guanacaste, and I usually fish out of the Flamingo Marina in Playa Flamingo, or out of Playa del Coco. But, I've fished the entire West Coast.... to the North (into Nicaraguan waters), all the way down to the South (Herradura, Jaco, Quepos) and everything in between. But I've never gone further South than that. Some day, I'd like to try fishing the waters, way down South, around the Osa Peninsula, and into Panama.
Billfish are usually the most sought after species (Blue Marlin, Black Marlin, Striped Marlin, Sailfish), and they migrate from the South (the Golfo Dulce area - Zancudo / Golfito) to the Central part of the country (Dominical, Los Sueños, Manuel Antonio,Quepos, Jaco), then up to the North part of the country (Playa Carillo, Tamarindo, Flamingo, Playa del Coco).
Although they are caught year-round along the entire Pacific Coast, they're primarily located in the Southern region from November thru February. Then, the bigger concentration of fish migrate to the Central region of the country from February thru May or June. Then, they'll travel to the Northern part of the region from June through October. And remember, you can not keep any billfish. They're all catch-and-release.
As far as "meat" fish for the dinner table, they're around throughout the entire year. The only factor is, depending on the season, they might be closer to shore or farther out, based on water temperature. Dorado (mahi) can be caught anywhere, anytime. Same thing with Tuna and Wahoo. All 3 species are great eating fish, and they'll all yank your arms off! You can always pick up Dorado and/or Wahoo while trolling for billfish. For tuna, all you need to do is find a school of porpoise's. There'll always be tuna in the mix. They like to swim hand-in-hand with the porpoises. They usually range in the 20-30 lb range, but they are great for tuna steaks and sushi!
Some of the inshore species are very strong also. Roosterfish, Cubera Snapper, Barracuda, Needlefish, Bonita, Jack Crevalle, grouper, etc... They're all fun to catch, and most of them fight like a freight train. But, keep in mind, that you can't keep the Roosterfish. It is considered to be a prized sportfish. Most (if not all) captains will let you take a picture, then you must release the fish (same as billfish). Cubera Snapper and Grouper are great table fare, and you can keep those, but they're not as plentiful. Needlefish, Barracuda, Jack's, and Bonita are shit fish. Great fight for the angler, but the meat sucks.
Cost for a day of fishing??? Naturally it varies, but the biggest factor is the size of the boat. Most of the boats (25' - 31') will average around $600 - $800 for a full day. But keep in mind, these boats will usually take a maximum of 4 anglers. Any more than that, it's too crowded. The bigger boats (35' - 50') will accomodate up to 6 or 7 anglers, but their price is higher. I've seen prices (for the bigger boats) range from $800 per day, all the way up to $1,500 per day. Granted, the bigger boats are nice, with air conditioned cabins, and much more room. But that doesn't make them any more successful when it comes to catching fish!!!
If you want to fish out of Flamingo, I can get you set up through my new company. My Tico partner runs the day to day operations, and our office is located in the lobby of the Flamingo Beach Resort Hotel. As one of our clients, you can also get a 10 % discount on lodging at the hotel. There's also another hotel in town (Flamingo Marina Hotel) that I can get you a 20% discount on lodging, but it is considerably more expensive.
If you're staying in San Jose and want to go fishing, you're better off going over to Playa Herradura (Los Sueños Resort), Jaco or Quepos. Out of those 3 locations, I'd recommend Quepos. It's a little less expensive than Jaco, and a lot less expensive than Los Sueños. Plus, there's a ton of boats to choose from, and they all fish the same waters.
The key is to let the captain know exactly what you'd like to do. As I said, most people want to go after billfish, and 99 percent of the time, the boats are set up and rigged for Marlin and Sailfish. But if you want "meat" for dinner and the freezer, you must let them know this in advance. It makes a big difference in where they'll take you, and what type of lures / bait they'll use, and what type of trolling spread they'll put out, and what type of speed they'll run.
Either way, I'm sure that you'll have a good time fishing the very fertile waters of Costa Rica. Most boats will provide beer, soda and water, along with cut fruit, snacks and lunch for everyone on the boat. But don't, under any circumstances, forget your sunblock! The sun will reflect off the water and burn the shit out of you. You'll even get a sunburn on a cloudy day! Personally, I don't wear that crap, as my Sicilian skin can take it, but many friends of mine have been fried without sunblock.
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For anyone looking to fish in CR, I hope this helps. And Igualmente..... rest assured, we'll do it again!  You NEVER forget your 1st billfish!
Pura Vida Gentlemen,
Mucho Gusto  _________________ You ALWAYS have an option ....... "NEXT" !!! 
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