Ah, winter! Shoveling snow ’til your back aches, runny noses, and depressing weather. Already tired of being stuck in your own house? Imagine putting your Chapstick in a drawer and getting out your suntan lotion, heading to tropical beaches and being out on a boat fishing in sun kissed waters with not a care in the world. Suddenly, your rod bends nearly in half and the battle is on. If this sounds like what you need, a Costa Rica fishing vacation could be something for you!

Of course, you can always just fish close to home. It is always fun to catch that little trout. Six hours of fishing for three-and-a-half minutes of fun. Now, consider catching the little trout’s cousin (literally, its cousin), the great marlin, weighing in at hundreds of pounds and battling you for three-and-a-half hours!

On the North Pacific coast of Costa Rica, two of the favorite fishing centers are Tamarindo and Flamingo, both of which are along its famed Gold Coast. Sailfish are available here year round but the best fishing is May through August. Like tuna? Fish these waters from August to October. You can often find large schools of tuna from 40 to 400 pounds. If roosterfish appeal to you, visit the Bay of Papagayo around November to March, staying near the coastline. Depending on the time of year, you also might hook wahoo, marlin, or the shimmering dorado. And, for a terrific experience, rent an ocean kayak.

Many people fishing in Costa Rica want to find billfish and these beauties are most plentiful along the Central Pacific coast. Go to world famous Los Suenos Marina or the little town of Quepos and charter into the offshore waters for sailfish and marlin. The best fishing is during high tourist season, December through April. The vibrant dorado fish is often found here May to October while trolling. Closer to shore, you can land snook, snapper, roosters, and wahoo. Tuna schools can be found offshore.

Golfo Dulce, Drake Bay, and Puerto Jiminez are places to be aware of when fishing along the South Pacific coast down to Panama. In the months where the waters are warmer, you have a great chance at hooking marlin or sails. For the best inland fishing in Costa Rica, consider the Golfo Dulce area. It is heaven for many species of fish because of its rocky bottom and many coves. Expect to catch barracuda, grouper, tasty sea bass, snapper, amberjack, wahoo, and even roosters here. You will not be let down if you angle in these areas!

Five centuries 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 enthralled as Columbus. These waters can often be extremely choppy and for the best results should be generally avoided during rainy season. But, on flat days, these waters can offer some of the best fishing anywhere. This is where you can 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 bring in a Jack Crevalle, tripletail, giant grouper, or guapote.

Costa Rica fishing attracts serious fishermen who want a world-class experience and a great tropical vacation. The bordering waters off two oceans offer a staggering amount of fish species. For a terrific adventure, Costa Rica sportfishing vacation packages can be found online and through travel agencies. There are many outfitters if you decide to go on the spur-of-the-moment. So, get out of your cubicle, get away from your computer, and head to the tropical sun. See you here!

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