January 2017 – Costa Rica Fishing Report

costa rica fishingJanuary 16th Fishing Report – Crocodile Bay Resort, Costa Rica by Todd Staley, Fishing Director – I think for a time the hair can stop falling out of my head. Across the Golfo Dulce each year I look for the forest to explode in a bloom of florescent yellow from a tree I don’t even know the name of. All I know is when it happens the sailfish are here in good numbers. Usually this happens in early December. It finally happened last week and just like I have been seeing for the last 18 years, the population of billfish increased within days.

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Photo courtesy Janina Schan Green Life Volunteers. Make a difference

The fish are not here in giant numbers yet but most everyone is getting multiple fish in the teasers and a few marlin are cruising around the current lines. Top fish this week went at around 500 lbs.

Here is a great sequence of Lydia and Mike Baker with 1st Mate Mao Alvarado and Captain Melvin Sanchez  showing an exciting marlin catch and release. Thanks for the photos Mike!

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The Release

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Pictured above Capt. Melvin and Guest Lydia savoring the marlin moment

You’ve seen the photos, now watch the action in HD – New Video – Marlin Release
New Marlin Release Video at Crocodile Bay Resort, Costa Rica

Inshore continues to be a sure bet with lots of snapper over the reefs, roosterfish running the beaches and African pompano, jacks, amberjacks and Bluefin trevally in the mix. Several boats have logged numbers of a dozen to over 20 roosters a day.

As a highlight the humpback whales from the North are starting to appear in our backyard with their calves.

Costa Rica Humpback Whale Watching
Photo by Bryce Johnson

Paul Steven’s group traveled across the pond from the UK to visit us and experienced a good sailfish bite offshore and plenty of ravaging roosterfish inshore. Thanks for making the trip down guys! We hope to see you again next year

Image may contain: ocean, sky, outdoor, water and nature
Image may contain: one or more people, ocean, sky, outdoor, water and nature

Crocodile Bay was featured this past weekend on The Outdoor Channel’s Big Water Adventures with Mark Davis, and this trailer gives a great overview of the exciting offshore fishing action at Crocodile Bay Resort, Costa Rica. For show times and schedules check out www.bigwateradventures.com

Sashimi Time! – Alison B. with a nice yellowfin tuna this week. These fighters will deep dive  and test your lower back; but not to worry, we have a 5,000 square foot luxury spa waiting for you when you return from your exciting day on the water.

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More Fishing Action from the New Year

Crocodile Bay Resort – Costa Rica fishing report – December 31st by Todd Staley, Fishing Director – Seems like reading the same chapter over in a book except it is getting a little more exciting with every page turn.

Offshore is still a hunting game with little return except a sailfish here and there and a marlin here and there. The most consistence action is when coming across a pod of dolphin offshore, the tuna will be below.

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The yellowfin tuna that cooperate as of late are 50 and 60 pounders with much bigger fish hooked and lost.

Inshore is still producing roosters, snappers, jacks, African pompano and bluefin trevally. Deep droppers are getting smaller grouper along with some tilefish. The first of the humpbacks from the north have appeared a little early giving anglers and eco adventure folks a bonus to their time on the water.

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Many of our guests become good friends over the years and the Gorup family is no exception. Sadly I say the big fisherman in the sky took Daryl Gorup home after a two year battle with cancer. Daryl you will be sorely missed here but always remembered.

Baby Blue Year: Tom Boswell and his daughters had an amazing experience at Crocodile Bay Resort New Year’s Eve day with daughter Meghan releasing a marlin with dad and Rachel rounding up the roosterfish inshore!  See photos including an awesome marlin release below.

Costa Rica Marlin Fishing

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Todd Staley
Fishing Director
Crocodile Bay Resort,
Puerto Jimenez
Osa Peninsula
Costa Rica

Costa Rica Fishing Reservations

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.