Diveman wrote:
Any other info would be appreciated...
Diveman,
I'll give this one a shot. Since you're talking about billfish, I can only assume that you're interested in doing some offshore fishing, as opposed to inshore. With that in mind, I'll do my best to answer your questions:
Q - What are the charters that take singles and how much would I expect to pay?
A – There are many charter companies, captains & crews out there. And no two crews operate exactly the same way. Most, if not all, companies will take you out as a single angler. Nobody's going to turn down your money! But, unfortunately, the cost for the day on the water will be the same, whether you're a single or 4 guys. They're still using the same boat, equipment, tackle, fuel and time to run offshore, regardless of how many anglers are on the boat. The only difference is – if you've got 2 or 3 other anglers, naturally you can split that cost. But the boat's going to make the same money, regardless of how many guys there are.
The average cost for a full day offshore will vary between companies. Often, the cost will depend on the size of the boat. The bigger the boat, the more it costs. Full day prices should average around $750 - $900 for the full day. But don't be afraid to negotiate that price! After all, this is Costa Rica! The price should include all tackle, equipment, bait, drinks & snacks. And as always, a 15-20% gratuity to the crew is customary.
Q - Can I sign up online?
A – Yes, you can find lots of charter operations online. Also, most hotels in SJO & Jaco can arrange the trip & transportation for you. If you're already in Jaco, you can also just go down to the marina and talk to the different crews before they leave in the morning, or when they return to the docks in the afternoon. Then pick the one that gave you the best “vibeâ€. Again, don't be afraid to negotiate!
Q - ... if you catch a large fish, then what do you do with it? How do you bring a 100lb bill fish on the plane back to the states? Seriously, what do you do with all that fish? I would assume the charter guys would cut it up and all but can you pack all that fish and bring it home?
A – First of all, you won't be keeping any billfish, so you don't have to worry about that one. All sportfish are “catch & releaseâ€. This includes all Sailfish, Marlin (all species) and Roosterfish. Killing & keeping any type of sportfish is SERIOUSLY frowned upon by the majority of the captains/crews. This is their bread and butter, and they don't want to deplete the numbers of sportfish, so they'll let you take your pics and then revive & release the fish.
Regarding other species of fish (Tuna, Dorado/Mahi, Wahoo, Snapper, Grouper,etc.), you'll have to ask the captain about this. Most boats will let you keep your fish, but some will not. I've found that - as long as you give them (the captain/crew) a couple of filet's for their dinner, they're usually good about letting you keep your fish.
Now... What do you do with 100 lbs of fish filet's after the trip is over? This is something that you'd have to discuss with your airline. Every airline has different policies about bringing ANYTHING back into the states from a foreign country. If they allow you to bring back fish, you will have to declare it. Plus, it must be in an insulated, air-tight / water-tight container, and it must be checked in as regular luggage, not carry-on. But hold onto your ass, because it's a pretty good bet that they're going to charge you anywhere from $50 - $100 or more to do this.
A few years ago, I brought back 73 lbs of boneless fish filet's to SJO from Playa Flamingo for a CRT party at the Hotel M via one of the local airlines. I remember it was 73 lbs, because Nature Air charged me exactly $73 (one dollar per pound) for the cooler of fish to fly! But it was some damn good eatin' !!!
Normally, when we go offshore fishing in CR, we'll only keep what we can eat for dinner that night, and give the rest to the crew. But when we have a stellar day on the water, with tons of meat in the cooler, then we'll bring it back to the hotel and give some of it to the hotel staff, or we'll give it to a couple different local homeless shelters, or drop off some to the local police station, or distribute the meat to a bunch of the local townspeople, or all of the above. We've managed to make a LOT of friends over the years by doing this!
Hope this info helps. I've got a little experience in this area, but you may get lots of different answers from other guys. As I mentioned, every company is different, so nothing's in stone. But this info should hopefully give you a guideline and get you headed in the right direction. Good luck and let us know how it all turns out.
Pura Vida,
Mucho Gusto
