WordWiz wrote:
Greetings all. I am bringing a friend down in november who wants to deep sea fish. I am in search of info for the best deals and guides. Your suggestions are greatly appreciated.
WordWiz,
Where are you staying?
Where (what town) do you want to fish out of?
What kind of fish would you like to catch?
How many days are you in CR?
Are you looking to fish for a 1/2 day or full day?
How many anglers will there be on the boat?
What's your target price range?
Are you an experienced angler?
Do you plan to take chicas with you?
Are you prone to sea-sickness?
If you can give me some more info, I might be able to steer you in the right direction.
Here's a copy of a PM that I sent to another guy a few weeks ago with a similar question. It'll save me some typing:
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I've spent most of my time in North/West Guanacaste, and I've usually fished out of the Flamingo Marina in Playa Flamingo, or out of Playa del Coco. We've fished the entire West Coast - to the North (up into Nicaragua), all the way down to the South (towards the bottom of the Nicoya Peninsula, around MalPais and Cabo Blanco) and everything in between. I've fished as far South as Los Sueños, Jaco & Quepos, but I've never fished further South than that.
The 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 from February thru May or June. Then, they'll travel to the Northern part of the region from June through October.
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 will 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 usually range in the 20-30 lb range, but they are great for tuna steaks, or sushi!
Some of the inshore species are very strong also. Roosterfish, Cubera Snapper, Barracuda, Needlefish, Bonita, Jack Crevalle, Amberjacks, Grouper, etc... They're all fun to catch, and most of them fight like a freight train, but you can't keep the Roosterfish, as it is a sportfish, and most (if not all) captains will let you take a picture, then you must release the fish. 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. Good fight, but the meat sucks.
Cost ? Naturally it varies, but the biggest factor is the size of the boat. Most of the boats (25' - 31') will average around $700 - $900 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 more room, but that doesn't make them any more successful when it comes to catching fish.
The key is to let the captain know exactly what you'd like. 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. The boats usually 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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WordWiz,
I hope this helps.
Enjoy your trip.
Mucho Gusto
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