Fishing Info

Costa Rica fishing boats like WaveDancer and other top charter boats, sport fishing is one of the main attractions along the Pacific coast, from Manuel Antonio and Quepos, all the way up to Guanacaste. The popular vacation town of Manuel Antonio is known to sportfishing aficionados as Sailfish City, though marlin, dorado, big tuna and wahoo also abound. Costa...

Sportfishing in Costa Rica on the WaveDancer means you will be sailing aboard one of the most comfortable boats you will find in the country. It can sleep 6 in two staterooms and the air conditioned salon, which also has TV, VCR and stereo. Sportfishing in Costa Rica on WaveDancer works out of Quepos and Playa Hermosa (near Jaco) and Flamingo in the winter months....

A fishing license is required in Costa Rica, and is not typically included in the cost of your boat. After paying over a thousand dollars for a full day of fishing, a few fishermen who don't know this in advance get a bit upset at having to shell out another $24 in cash at the dock. The license costs $24 and is good for one year. Were it a one-day license, the...

Jaco, Costa Rica fishing trips on the mid Pacific coast offers the closest offshore fishing boat charters from San Jose, the inland capital of Costa Rica. The beach town of Jaco and Sport fishing trips are just a very scenic, 90-minute drive from San Jose. The ride takes you from the capital to this bustling beach vacation town, which has the most vibrant nightlife...

Fishing from Quepos, Costa Rica, offers the best offshore sportfishing in the Western Hemisphere. When you go offshore fishing from Quepos, you can count on exciting action throughout most of the year Except maybe October, which is the rainiest month. The fishing town of Quepos is less than an hour south of Jaco on the Central Pacific coast. It's a four-hour...

Guys who go fishing from Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica, catch more sailfish and marlin than anywhere else in the country during high season. That's because December-May is the high water mark for big billfish in Manuel Antonio and Quepos. But the sportfishing charter boats only have to go farther out the rest of the year to find them. And there are vast fields of...

Fishing from Flamingo, the center of fishing on Costa Rica's Gold Coast, starts only twenty minutes from the new international airport in Liberia in the northwest part of Costa Rica. When you go sportfishing from Flamingo, Costa Rica, you can get in on the action anywhere from to the north (Bat Islands) to the south (as far as the Nicoya coast) and straight out to...

Fishing trips from Guanacaste, Costa Rica, offer some of the top sportfishing planet Earth. Billfish abound all year long, though certain times of the year are better than others for sport fishing trips from Guanacaste. Costa Rica anglers agree that April through September see the most billfish, but you will have to go a bit farther out the rest of the time. You...

Sailfish and marlin fishing from Playa Coco, Costa Rica, where Christmas kicks off the high season in December, rules Costa Rica fishing through April. But you can still catch 'em every month of the year. And Playa Coco is centrally located for fast access to the best sportfishing grounds in every direction (except inland, of course!). Playa Coco Fishing There is...

For black marlin fishing trips, Quepos or Guanacaste, Costa Rica, are two of the world's top locations. One of the biggest black marlin catches of 2004 in Costa Rica was on WaveDancer, a 44-foot Jersey that was running fishing trips from Quepos at the time. (The boat moves north to Guanacaste after high season). Captain Jesse Baletti was at the helm in March as...

Our Specialty……Marlin and Sailfish. "We specialize in fly fishing for billfish: Costa Rica marlin and sailfish," says Wavedancer's Captain Jesse Balleti. The big sailfish he's grinning about in the photo to the right is typical of the thousands of sails and marlin anglers have brought to the boat in Jesse's ten years of offshore fishing from Quepos on the...

Here you can see the latest marlin pictures and photos from Costa Rica fishing boats and captains, as well as photographs and pics like the one jumping to the right), tuna and other salt water fish taken on sportfishing charter boats based in Guanacaste and Quepos. If you have some of your own, email us about possible publication on this site and other Web sites...

By Captain Jesse Baletti, WaveDancer The first thing, the most important thing -- in fact, the only thing you really need to know about sportfishing -- is how to get on the boat without falling into the water. Tennis shoes are recommended. They may even prevent you from falling off the boat if you do manage to board without falling into the water. Also take a hat...

These sailfish and marlin pictures from Costa Rica are from one of many offshore fishing trips from Quepos/Manuel Antonio. A few dorado, tuna and wahoo, too; We'll add more salt water fish pics soon. Meanwhile, hit the captions with your mouse to see a bigger image of the photo. And if you happen to have taken any unusual photos or video - in particular, of wahoo,...

Pictures of tailwalking are not that common. "Tailwalking," in which the billfish appears to be skipping along the swells on its tail, is one of the most spectacular moves you will encounter. Greyhounding is the other. (See Greyhounding for more details). Both marlin and sails will tailwalk after running fast underwater for a brief time. So whenever it vanishes...

The Dorado, often called Mahi Mahi in the states, is definitely not a "catch and release" fish, as it is among the best-tasting species on the planet. Baked, fried broiled, and barbequed with olive oil salt and pepper are favorites of many fans of this fish. The one seen in this picture was caught off Quepos, Costa Rica on a twenty-three foot boat. This is one...

Greyhounding and tailwalking are the most common, yet spectacular, moves seen in sportfishing. This marlin is seen "greyhounding" across the ocean on the Pacific side of Costa Rica, which sport fishing enthusiasts say has some of the best offshore action on the planet. Sails often perform the same tactic, striving to break free from the hook. When a billfish...

Next time take the kids and wife fishing with you in Costa Rica. This family shows how easy it can be to catch and release a monster the first time out. With an experience crew and captain, fishing on the ocean can be fun for all. On the trip illustrated in this picture, the family brought in a pair of sailfish. Mom, the kids and dad all shared in the struggle,...

Often dubbed a "football tuna" due to its shape, this one was reeled in south of Jaco. When the boat gets over a big school of these babies, you can catch as many as you have the stamina for. Not so many years ago you could count on catching a much wider variety of tuna in Costa Rica than is possible today. Nowadays, with all the long lines fishing boats...

When it comes to fishing for sailfish, you can sometimes do great on a small boat. This sail was brought in on a 29-footer. The size of this one is pretty typical of what you will catch in Costa Rica, from eight to ten feet from tail to spike and averaging anywhere from ninety to one hundred and ten pounds. It is not uncommon for a boat to bring in ten or...

Marlin like to "reach for the sky" to shake loose the hook. The marlin seen jumping in this photo fought for five hours before it was brought alongside the boat, tagged and released. When a big one leaps high into the air like the one seen here, all you can do is grip the rod tightly and hang on for a great ride. (The average weight of marlins caught in this...

This sail was caught by Don Schroder in March, 2004, on a 45-foot Jersey fishing from the port of Quepos. He is the guy standing behind the fish. The other guy is Danny, the boat's first mate. Note how he grips the sail and the bill simultaneously in order to prevent the fisherman or any of the other passengers from being poked in the eye or another sensitive part...

Marlin fishing in Costa Rica -- for the top marlin fishing here, we suggest one of the beach from towns along the Pacific coast. Quepos is recommended from December through May, with Guanacaste and Nicoya better the rest of the year. (October is generally too rainy no matter where you go). The Atlantic is better for tarpon, though you may find the big billfish...

Only the top Costa Rica charter boats from fishing towns such as Flamingo, Quepos and Jaco appear here. These are the hottest boat charters in Costa Rica, so be sure to make your reservations in advance. Hit these small photographs with your mouse to see a bigger image. See bottom of page for more info on specific areas and boats. Reel Deal, Quepos WaveDancer,...

In the waters of Costa Rica's Caribbean coast, tarpon fishing excels near the river mouths. The "silver rockets" weigh in at an average 80 pounds, but often fight harder than a big billfish. Snook also thrive in the rivers and streams. Barra Colorado, near the Nicaraguan border, and Tortuguero to the south, have been popular tarpon and snook fishing spots for...

Costa Rica sailfish Hook a big sailfish and marlin off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica this year, where sailfish abound. All the boats here observe the "catch and release" technique. Some of the World sportfishing records for fly fishing have been set off the shore of Guanacaste, Quepos and Nicoya, where offshore fly fishing for sailfish and marlin continues to...

The Costa Rica sportfishing we knew ten years ago has changed faster than a Quepos flash, especially since the summer of 1999. From coast to coast, it's a whole new ball game for anglers who travel and vacation here for offshore fishing.. Costa Rica sportfishing: Quepos and Manuel Antonio The palm-lined beaches and luxurious hotels and resorts of Quepos and...

The best Costa Rica fishing seasons are the times of year when you catch the most fish! Luckily, the best fishing seasons for Quepos and Guanacaste, occur at different times of the year. The biggest runs of billfish hit off Guanacaste in April, and the action lasts through August-September. Playa Coco and Flamingo are the prime spots in Guanacaste. Boats based...

Costa Rica fishing boats like Wave Dancer, pictured below, with its combination of offshore fishing design, combined with luxury and comfort, are hard to find anywhere. A sleek 45-foot Jersey, (similar to Hatteras) the Wave Dancer features the following equipment and amenities: * Twin Detroit Diesel Engines (fully rebuilt in March, 2004) * High-end electronics...

Salt water fish pictures and photos -- thrilling salt water fish pictures and photos of Costa Rica marlin, sailfish and other fightin' game fish taken on sportfishing charter boats in the country. The sultry Pacific coast of this tropical paradise has the finest beaches and best fishing in the country. are practically all year 'round. From December through April,...

Sportfishing charters in Flamingo Costa Rica are based in either Flamingo or Playa Coco. A few sportfishing charters are based in other towns along the coast, but in Flamingo and Coco are the home port for most Costa Rica boats. All boats provide everything you need. Gear and tackle, bait, food and beer are part of the package. Most captains won't permit drinking...

It's no secret that sportfishing charters in Quepos, Costa Rica, are the fast track to fishing grounds that are world famous for their numbers of sailfish. Five to ten sails a day is not uncommon in high season. And the sportfishing charters also account for more than a few monster marlin off Quepos. In addition to billfish, Tuna, Roosterfish, Dorado, Cubera...

Costa Rica, the real fishermen know how to find the fish without a fancy electronic fishfinder, sonar or other expensive equipment. As a result, sportfishing has never been easier, or more fun! A resourceful crew will not hesitate to be held from the stern of the boat by another crewmember in order to get a better idea of where to find the fish. Of course, more...