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Golfito is the largest town on Costa Rica’s Southern Pacific coast, but there are about a half a dozen Sport Fishing operators scattered between Drake Bay, Golfo Dulce, Golfito, Puerto Jimenez, and Zancudo Beach. The Southern Pacific is famous for its incredible inshore fishing. The really big Snapper and Roosterfish are consistently caught |
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here every year. The Southern Pacific, like the rest of the Pacific Coast has excellent offshore fishing for Sailfish, Marlin, Tuna, Dorado and Wahoo. |
Fishing Species and Seasons:
| ROOSTER FISH AND VARIOUS JACK |
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The bite is good year round and this region is known for it’s giant Roosterfish and giant Amberjack. Fish live bait or cast poppers and hold on because they |
hit like a freight train. These hard hitting Jacks are one my favorite and if you want to catch a big Roosterfish this is the place to go. more... |
SNAPPER  |
The Snapper bite is good year round. There are several different species of Snapper on the Pacific Coast. The Southern Pacific is famous for its huge |
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Cubera Snapper. Cubera Snappers in the 50 to 80 pound range are common. Fish the rocks, reefs and rivers mouths with live bait or poppers. The Snapper fishing is good along the entire Pacific Coast. more... |
| SAILFISH |
The Sailfish bite is above average year round. When the fishing is good, boats can average 20-30 Sailfish a day. When the fishing is slow, boats can average 5- |
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10 fish per day. The best months are normally December through March. The Sailfish bite can slow a bit from April through June but usually picks back up in July and peaks in August and September. more... |
| MARLIN |
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Blue Marlin, Black Marlin and the occasional Stripped Marlin can be caught anytime if the water temperature is right. The peak months are normally |
August, September, November and December. Many operators will fish the drop off outside the Matapalo Cape and those that target Marlin will usually catch fish. more... |
| TUNA |
Yellowfin Tuna are caught throughout the year on the Southern Pacific coast. The best Tuna fishing normally corresponds with best Marlin and Sailfish seasons. |
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Schools of 12-20 pound Tuna are common, frequented by groups in the 40-60 pound range and every year there are plenty of 200 pounders caught. more... |
| DORADO |
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The Dorado fishing is above average year round. May through October are normally the best months when the seasonal rains flood the rivers and wash out debris |
that forms trash lines inshore, the Dorado use these trash lines as cover. The rest of the year, the bigger Dorado are further offshore in the blue water, 30 to 50 pound Dorado are very common. more... |
| WAHOO |
Wahoo can be a pleasant surprise anytime of the year. Wahoo are not abundant in this area but can be caught trolling offshore or fishing around the structure near the Matapalo Cape. more...
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| SNOOK |
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Snook are usually caught trolling or casting near the many river mouths that run into the Pacific Ocean. There are a lot of 20 to 40 pound Snook caught every |
year. The locals have known about these big Snook for years, now a few of the smaller charter boats are targeting them. There is a good Snook bite inside the Zancudo Peninsula and at the mouth of the Esquinas River. more...
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The first question many fishermen ask is “when is the best time to come to Costa Rica?” The truth is, it depends more on the quality of the water and food chain than it does the time of year. I have fished in the middle of “slow season” and caught 20 Yellowfin Tuna that averaged 100 pounds each. I have fished the middle of "slow season" and caught a dozen
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Sailfish before noon. I have also fished in the middle of “high season” and been skunked, but only twice. So…when is the best time to come to Costa Rica and catch fish? My answer is usually… anytime you come to Costa Rica you will catch fish.
One of the best things about ocean fishing is you never know what you will see. I have seen a Killer Whale and her calf, several groups of Pilot Whales, a Whale Shark, a half a dozen Giant Manta Rays, one bright red in color with a 15 foot wingspan, dozens of Sea Turtles, hundreds of small jumping Rays, and thousands of Dolphin (the Flipper type). For me, it’s like the t-shirt says “a bad day fishing is better than a good day at work.” Luckily we don’t have many bad days. |
FISHING REGIONS:
Northern Pacific | Central Pacific | Southern Pacific
Caribbean Coast | North Central Region |
Northern Pacific
