Fishing in the Jaco and Los Sueños area continues to deliver excellent offshore action this May, making it one of the best times of the year for anglers visiting the Central Pacific coast of Costa Rica. The combination of warm blue water, calm morning conditions, and active bait schools has created consistent opportunities for anglers targeting sailfish, mahi-mahi, yellowfin tuna, and marlin.
Right now, offshore fishing out of Jaco and Los Sueños Marina has been producing daily mahi-mahi catches, steady sailfish releases, and occasional yellowfin tuna. Blue marlin are also accessible to boats willing to make the longer offshore run, generally 40-plus miles from the coast, where cleaner blue water and stronger current lines hold bait.
Offshore Fishing in Jacó & Los Sueños
Offshore fishing remains the top attraction around Los Sueños and Jaco this week. Boats leaving from Herradura Bay and Los Sueños Marina are finding productive conditions early in the morning, with calm seas allowing crews to reach offshore grounds quickly.
Mahi-Mahi Fishing Costa Rica
Mahi-mahi fishing has been one of the most consistent bites recently. Almost every offshore charter has been catching dorado daily, especially around floating debris, weed lines, and current changes offshore. Most fish are medium-sized school fish, but several larger bulls have also been landed throughout the week.
Anglers trolling ballyhoo, small skirted lures, and live bait are finding the best success. The recent rain offshore has helped create excellent mahi-mahi conditions by concentrating baitfish in productive offshore areas.
For anglers visiting Costa Rica looking for action-packed fishing trips, mahi-mahi fishing around Jaco and Los Sueños continues to be one of the safest bets this May.
Sailfish Fishing in Los Sueños
Sailfish action continues to be very solid for anglers fishing offshore from Los Sueños Marina. While the peak numbers from the dry season have slowed slightly, crews are still consistently raising sailfish daily.
Most boats are reporting one to three sailfish releases per trip, with some boats experiencing even better action depending on water conditions and bait movement. Early mornings have been especially productive before afternoon rain showers begin building offshore.
The sailfish are aggressively attacking teasers and rigged baits, especially in clean blue water southwest of Jaco and Los Sueños. For anglers looking to experience Costa Rica billfishing, the sailfish bite remains reliable heading into late May.
Yellowfin Tuna Fishing Report
Yellowfin tuna fishing has been somewhat scattered but still productive for boats willing to cover water offshore. Tuna are being found around dolphin schools, bird activity, and offshore bait concentrations.
Several boats recently landed football-sized yellowfin tuna, along with a few larger fish mixed in. Historically, the tuna bite around Jaco and Los Sueños begins to improve significantly in May and continues to strengthen through the green season months.
As more rain pushes nutrients into the Pacific, bait activity usually increases rapidly, creating better tuna fishing opportunities throughout the Central Pacific.
Marlin Fishing Costa Rica
Blue marlin remain available offshore, although anglers targeting marlin should be prepared for longer runs. Most of the recent marlin activity has been happening 40 miles or more offshore, where boats are finding cleaner water temperatures and stronger current edges.
Several charters this week reported blue marlin sightings and hookups while trolling offshore structure and temperature breaks. Full-day charters continue to provide the best opportunities for marlin fishing because the boats have enough time to travel farther offshore and properly work productive water.
For serious offshore anglers visiting Costa Rica, marlin fishing around Los Sueños continues to offer exciting opportunities during May.
Inshore Fishing Around Jaco
While offshore fishing has been excellent, inshore fishing around Jaco and Playa Herradura continues to produce good action. Roosterfish, snapper, and jack crevalle remain active around rocky points, reefs, and river mouths.
Live bait fishing early in the morning has been especially productive for roosterfish. Snapper fishing has also improved recently, particularly around deeper rock structure and reef systems.
Many anglers visiting Jaco choose to combine offshore and inshore fishing during multi-day trips to experience the variety of species available in Costa Rica.
Weather & Ocean Conditions
Fishing conditions around Jaco and Los Sueños have been very favorable recently. Mornings continue to offer calm seas and light winds, ideal for offshore trolling. Afternoon rain showers are becoming more common as Costa Rica moves deeper into the green season, but the fishing overall remains excellent.
Water temperatures remain warm, bait activity is strong, and blue water is still accessible within a reasonable running distance from the marina and bay departures.
May is often considered one of the most underrated months for fishing in Costa Rica because anglers can still experience strong billfish action while also benefiting from improving mahi-mahi and tuna fishing.
Jaco & Los Sueños Fishing Outlook
Looking ahead into late May and June, fishing conditions around Jaco and Los Sueños are expected to remain very productive. Mahi-mahi fishing should continue improving, yellowfin tuna activity is expected to increase, and offshore marlin opportunities should remain consistent for boats making longer offshore runs.
Whether anglers are looking for sailfish, marlin, mahi-mahi, tuna, roosterfish, or snapper, fishing in Jaco and Los Sueños continues to offer some of the best sportfishing opportunities in Costa Rica right now.
For anglers planning a Costa Rica fishing trip, the Central Pacific remains one of the top destinations for offshore and inshore fishing adventures during May 2026.
