Costa Rica Fishing Report December 30th, 2014

Crocodile Bay Resort – Costa Rica Fishing Report
December 30th, 2014

Todd Staley Fishing DirectorI wish John and CJ Mork came every month. Although the airlines temporarily lost their perishable care package it finally arrived in good shape. Our web guy Will Briegel is a big Detroit fan and I am a Packers fan. While the Mork’s were out bagging three sailfish, not only did I get to see the Packers beat the Lions, I also got to do it in true mid-western style enjoying the bratwurst the Morks brought for me.

The sailfish still aren’t making me as happy as I would like to be. There is enough action that everyone is happy but the big wads of fish that arrive annually must be waiting for the New Year’s party to end. Some nice marlin have be coming into the spread mostly in the 200 pound range but a giant 600 pound fish hooked up long enough for a huge adrenaline rush before coughing up the hook. Dorado are averaging around 25 pounds and being prepared by the chef in several fashions to the pleasure of everyone. Just after this was written John Mork was able to release a 300lb marlin before his return trip home.

Costa Rica Sailfish
Sailfish from this past week at Crocodile Bay Resort


Jim with a nice roosterfish

Inshore, roosterfish have been for the most part cooperative but big numbers are not being landed. One angler had 19 raise to a popper but most were short-strikes. Plate size snapper are common and a few cuberas have reached 20 pounds are better.

Outdoor writer Larry Backman from Boston caught one of the fattest Gulf grouper I have seen. Not a monster, tipping the scale at just over 20 pounds but for its length, it sure was chubby.

Gulf Grouper

The dry season is rolling in and the days are clearer and warmer and as the water temperature creeps up a couple of degrees the sailfish should be roaming around in much bigger numbers.

jimandal
Jim and Ali with a pair of nice dorado

Todd Staley
Fishing Director
Crocodile Bay Resort, Costa Rica

Sportfishing Calendar

January

Tuna, marlin and dorado taper off. Number of sailfish begins to increase.

February

Prime time for sailfish. Occassional marlin, tuna or dorado.

March

Prime time for sailfish.

April

Sailfish numbers drop mid-April and some marlin begin to appear.

May

Slower for billfish. Typically we start seeing schools of spinner dolphins with yellowfin tuna.

June

Slower for billfish. Spinner dolphins with yellowfin tuna.

July

Marlin begin to appear. A chance for black marlin as well as blues and striped marlin. A chance for tuna.

August

Marlin and tuna.

September

Slower for billfish. A chance for tuna and dorado.

October

Dorado begin to appear in numbers with marlin close behind.

November

A mixed bag of dorado, marlin and some big tuna.

December

Marlin, dorado, tuna and sailfish are all possibilities.