Fishing trip Costa Rica
Fishing trip to the Pacific coast of Costa Rica: sailfish, marlin, roosterfish
Sailfish and marlin offshore, roosterfish and jacks in the surf, rainforest down to the water: the Pacific coast between Quepos and Golfito is one of the best big-game regions in the world.
Licence and rules
To fish from a boat you need a personal fishing card (carné) from the agency INCOPESCA, for visitors for 8 days, 30 days or a year; charter operators usually arrange it. Marlin and sailfish are released. Whether visitors need a licence from the shore is not clearly set out. Sources on our Costa Rica page. All rules with source
Which fish when
Rules of thumb per month, weather and closed seasons decide on the day.
- January good timeDry season, sailfish at their best off Quepos and Los Sueños, calm sea.
- February good timeSailfish, mahi-mahi, roosterfish on the beaches, best weather.
- March good timeSailfish, marlin, yellowfin, end of the dry season.
- April good timeSailfish, marlin, roosterfish, first afternoon showers.
- May possibleRainy season begins, marlin and yellowfin in the south, roosterfish.
- June possibleYellowfin tuna in the south, marlin, afternoon rain, mornings often good.
- July possibleTuna, mahi, roosterfish, short dry spell.
- August possibleMarlin in the south (Golfito), tuna, rain.
- September possibleMarlin time in the south, lots of rain, charter prices lower.
- October quietWettest month, many lodges closed, marlin in the south.
- November possibleRain eases, sailfish return, marlin.
- December good timeDry season begins, sailfish, mahi, main season starts.
Getting there
- Flight To San José (SJO) or Liberia (LIR), then a domestic flight or hire car; Quepos and Golfito have small airports.
- Car Hire car with four-wheel drive for the coastal roads in the rainy season, driving times are longer than the distances suggest.
- Entry Passport and return ticket, no visa for short stays from most European countries and the US; tackle in luggage is normal.
Boat and shore
- Charter Offshore charters from Quepos, Los Sueños, Jacó and Golfito for sailfish and marlin, half and full days, carné and tackle usually included.
- Inshore Smaller boats for roosterfish, snapper and jacks along rocky coast and river mouths.
- From the beach Roosterfish and jacks with poppers and stickbaits in the surf, the licence question for shore fishing is open.
Lodging and camping
Fishing lodges with charters in the package, hotels and holiday houses in Quepos, Jacó and on the Golfo Dulce, campsites on some beaches and in national parks only with permission from the park administration. Wild camping on beaches is not common and is regulated differently by each municipality.
- Fishing lodge with charter
- Hotel or holiday house
- Beach campsite
- National park (tent, permit only)
Official sites: Visit Costa Rica (official tourism site, ICT) · National parks (SINAC)
Trip calculator: what does it cost per person?
Enter people, days, licence, boat, lodging and travel, Pescaday works it out per person and shows the season for your month. Everything stays on your device.
Quick questions
Do I need a fishing licence in Costa Rica?
From a boat yes, the carné from the agency INCOPESCA, for visitors for 8 days, 30 days or a year. Charters usually arrange it. From the shore it is not clearly set out for visitors.
When is the best time for sailfish in Costa Rica?
In the dry season from December to April off the central Pacific coast. Marlin is more a southern, rainy-season fish, roosterfish all year.
Can I camp in Costa Rica?
On campsites on some beaches and in national parks with a permit from the park administration. Wild camping is not common and is regulated by each municipality.
Other destinations
We do not broker lodging, boats or charters, the links lead to the official tourism and nature sites. You enter the prices yourself.
Know more?
Additions, photos of your catches or a mistake in the text: write to us and we will gladly credit you as a helper.
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