Costa Rica Fishing Report – February 2016

costa rica fishingOne thing I really don’t like is to write a fishing report when the fishing is not good. But I always do and always tell it like it is. I have even had guests tell me they picked Crocodile Bay because after reading reports from other places, mine was the only one that did not always say the fishing was great. El Nino or something had the start of the season get off to a slow start but just like I don’t like to have to report slow fishing, I am superstitious enough to not want to report real good fishing. But what the heck……………FISHING IS GREAT!!!!!!!!

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Old friends Mike (pictured lower left) and Ann Pizzi thought their children, Eloise and Finn, ages 6 and 4 were finally big enough for a trip to the resort. Since they have been old enough to talk we have had phone conversations and they have always referred to me as Tio Fish, (Uncle Fish).

12715334_10153985858309165_7130949143548105998_ncosta rica fishing We tested them inshore where they reeled in 20 triggerfish and small snapper and the little ones decided they were ready for offshore. With Dad’s help they each wound in a sailfish and then watched Papi Mike take a nice sail on a fly rod. Kids come first, but enough sails were popping up for Ann to get her turn also. The kids even got to see a real life Shamu(Orca) on their way back to the dock. The Brits really tore up the waters lately when Stephen and Julia Ramshaw and Ken and Jan Parkinson told me it was there best trip ever. Ramshaw landed 43 sailfish during his stay and had two fantastic days where he raised 71 sailfish.

An Orca shows up to to greet the Pizzi’s during their phenomenal family vacation at Crocodile Bay Resort.

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Costa Rica Family Fishing Trip Vacation

Here are some shots of Mike Pizzi’s first sailfish on the fly!

Costa Rica Sailfish

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The Perfect WaveianAlso traveling from London were good friends Pip Earl and Ian McCormack. Earl served the Queen and was one of the guards that all the people try to make change their expression or smile while on duty. He would have been in big trouble back home because nobody could knock the smile off his face after catching his first sail on a fly rod. McCormack on the other hand caught plenty of fish but hearing his story of surviving the sting of 5 box jellyfish was amazing. He was clinically dead for over 20 minutes and came back. A movie called “The Perfect Wave” starring Scott SAILFISHEastwood, tells a Hollywood version of his story, but the book “A Glimpse of Eternity” tells a more detailed story of his visit with death. You can Google Ian.

Inshore, my saving grace for the last couple of months when fishing was wide open has slacked off. The rooster bite has slowed and apparently they have decided the sailfish needed to pick up the slack – because as soon as the sailfish bite picked up, the roosterfish numbers fell off. The snapper bite is still good. Guess you can’t have it all.

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Fishing Director Todd Staley (Tio Pez) Gets a nice photo with Eloise and Finn Pizzi after the two youngsters released their first sailfish. This is an experience these kids will never forget  – can’t wait to see you guys soon!

costa rica fishing

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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.