COSTA RICA FISHING: SALTWATER
When you think of Costa Rica fishing, what comes to mind?
200-pound tarpon on the Caribbean?
Gigantic marlin in the Pacific?
Magnificent fighting swordfish.
Tasty tuna or red snappers?
OK, maybe you’ve heard a few stories.
But I bet you have no idea just HOW MANY KINDS of hungry, battling, and sometimes huge saltwater fish are waiting for your Costa Rica vacation fishing adventure.
Take a look for yourself (I know I’ve forgotten some, sorry).
Black Drum Common up to 25 pounds, but can weigh up to 40 pounds
Black Grouper Common up to 40 pounds and may attain weights exceeding 100 pounds
Black Sea Bass
Bluefin Trevally
Cobia Common up to 40 pounds and may attain weights exceeding 100 pounds
Flounder
Gag Grouper
Gray Snapper
Jack Crevalle Can reach 40 pounds
King Mackerel
Ladyfish
Permit Common up to 25 pounds but can weigh up to 40 pounds
Pompano
Redfish
Sheepshead
Snook (several species) Can reach 50 pounds
Spanish Mackerel
Sea Trout
Sailfish Common up to 7 feet.
Tarpon (Editor’s note: No Costa Rica fishing trip is complete without going after Silver Kings) If you fish, you HAVE to go to Tortuguero click
Yellowfin Tuna Can reach 6 feet in length and weigh over 400 lbs
Other Tuna (several species)
Blue Marlin Common up to 11 feet
White Marlin Common to 8 feet
Black Marlin Can reach 1,500 pounds
Striped Marlin
Mutton
Snapper
Bonefish
Dorado (Mahi Mahi or Dolphin) Common to 40 pounds and can reach 90 pounds
American Shad
Yellowtail Snapper
Greater Amberjack Common up to 40 pounds and can reach more than 80 pounds
Swordfish Large swordfish are all females, males rarely exceed 200 pounds
Red Snapper
Shark
Barracuda
Costa Rica Fishing World Records
It’s kind of mind-boggling to consider the incredible variety of saltwater gamefish you’ll find on your trip to Costa Rica.
I bet you’d make the Guinness Book of World Records if you caught just one of each of these critters (you’d probably have to make more than one trip to Costa Rica).
And, along the way, you’d have a good chance at catching a world record fish.
Why?
Because this tiny country regularly produces world records.
And why are so many big ones here? Because the word’s gone out in the fish world: Costa Rica fishing is Pura Vida!
Where’d they hear it? In school, of course. That’s why so many schools of fish are here. Home of the big ones.
