An Introduction to Costa Rica Fishing at Crocodile Bay by Todd Staley

Costa Rica Fishing Director Crocodile Bay

The Direct Line Fishing Report by Todd Staley

The tide had just turned and was slowly pushing toward the open ocean. The peak of the reef reaches up 83 feet below the surface. The volcanic terrain sits in the middle of the Golfo Dulce in Costa Rica’s southern Pacific region and the underwater structure is 120 feet below.

Bright orange cubera snapper hover just below the slick surface like a field strewn with huge Halloween pumpkins. An angler tosses a lively blue runner over the side and the nervous bait races back to the boat.

snapper-fishLike a huge fireball, a cubera explodes on the surface and throws water in every direction. Line screams off the reel. Even the blister raised on the thumb, as extra pressure is applied to the drag, is not enough. The snapper’s power is too much and it escapes into a rocky cavern below. The fisherman is left with the lasting memory of having a runaway freight train on the end of his line.

Scenes like this are among the reasons businessman Robin Williams (not the actor) chose Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica – located on the Golfo Dulce, to build his dream project, Crocodile Bay Resort (formerly Crocodile Bay Lodge)

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Not only is offshore fishing for billfish sensational, in Costa Rica’s cobalt offshore waters, but the 30-mile long, 15 mile wide Golfo Dulce also offers some of the best inshore fishing action in Costa Rica. More than 40 IGFA world records have been established in the area. Several major rivers wind through the mangroves and dump rich nutrients into the gulf.

Fly Fishing Costa RicaCrocodile Bay’s 40-vessel fleet includes 33-foot Strike tower boats  and 26′ Boston Whalers and is currently Central America’s largest private sport fishing fleet.

Costa Rica Fishing and Spa Packages

The Spa at Crocodile Bay

The Crocodile Bay Resort project began with the purchase of a sprawling 44-acre farm adjacent to the airport in Puerto Jimenez, including 600 feet of frontage on the Gulf. Construction of the 6 quadroplexes and main resort began in June of 1999. Crocodile Bay Resort (as Crocodile Bay Lodge) opened it’s doors in September of that year, and the 750 foot private pier was completed in April of 2000. A new 5000 square foot luxury spa was completed in 2007 and currently offers 30 rejuvenating treatments, a big draw to anglers who opt to bring their spouses or for large groups including non-anglers. Other facilities include a conference and meeting center that seats up to 80 people, a crocodile lagoon, pool with swim-up-bar and raised jacuzzi, game room, restaurant and bar with outdoor grill, as well as countless walking and hiking trails. On these grounds you have a chance to witness 3 of the 4 species of indigenous monkeys, and 400 plus exotic bird species (including the surprisingly common scarlet macaws and toucans – which you normally will not see in many parts of Costa Rica)

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The Rooms at Crocodile Bay Resort, Costa Rica

Rustic Elegance
Built of concrete and local native hardwoods, the 34 rooms are spacious with queen sized beds and private Jacuzzi tubs (available in deluxe rooms) and air conditioning. Mr. Williams had a vision of the project more than a two decades ago. He began assembling his team by bringing Hardy Corea aboard as company president and manager of the resort. Todd staley joined the team as Director of Fishing and is currently still in charge of the fishing operations and was recently awarded the IGFA Chester H. Wolfe award for Outstanding Sportsman of the Year (2015 – for his work helping to push commercial fishing boats 60 miles offshore). Corea (no longer with the operation) and Staley both trained under the wing of the late Archie Fields, founder of the Rio Colorado tarpon and snook resort on the Caribbean coast and pioneer of early Costa Rica tourism. In all, Crocodile Bay Resort created more than 100 new jobs in Puerto Jimenez.

Fantastic Costa Rica Fishing

Costa Rica Sailfish

Offshore Fishing at Crocodile Bay – Sailfish

It is the dance of the sailfish and the lightning speed of the marlin that that attract most anglers to the Osa Peninsula. It is not uncommon to raise more than 15 billfish in a days fishing during peak months. Most dorado (mahi-mahi) coming to the dock have been over 30 lbs with Tuna in the mix. You can likely have a shot at catching a billfish any day of the year, with January through April the top months for marlin and sailfish along this region of the Southern coast. there is also a good showing of marlin in July -August and November, while months during and just after the rains produce more dorado, as the debris washed out of the rivers forms the inshore trash lines they feed under. Football-size tuna are almost always present and sometimes those that top out at 300 pounds.

Anglers trolling in the blue-water are often treated to pleasant surprises. Humpback and pilot whales blow geysers high in the air. Sea turtles sun on the surface. Manta rays free-jump and belly-flop with a loud slap on the water. The most awesome sight, though, is the sighed sight of a pod of killer whales migrating s along the coast.

 

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An orca belly flops onto the wake of a groups Strike fishing boat only 15 miles offshore heading back to the pier after a day of sport fishing.

The Rio Esquinas enters the northwest corner of the gulf in a massive estuary system of creeks and mangroves. The dropoff at the revermouth quickly falls to more than 200 feet in depth, creating an ambush point for roosterfish, jack crevalle, snook and snapper. A local fisherman took a 63 pound black snook on a handline several years back that would have crushed the current world record for conventional tackle.

Rio Coto at Zancudo is also famous for its snook. Large schools of herring congregate on the flats in front of the river and with it schools of sierra mackerel, jacks and other game fish. The Zancudo beach has an inshore corbina population and gets rocky again as it turns the corner to Pavones, where roosterfish and surfers share the famous left break.The puerto Jimenez side of the gulf is made up mostly of mangrove shoreline.

Two volcanic reefs lay in the shallows offshore. One is nearly a mile long. Small cubera snappers in the 5 to 10 pound range jump all over a topwater plug worked over the rocks. Roosterfish to fifty pounds patrol these same mirrored waters, though they prefer a frisky live bait.

A humpback whale at Matapalo Rock

A humpback whale at Matapalo Rock

Matapalo Rock at the mouth of the gulf acts as a reference point for the blue water angler. “So many degrees” and “so many miles” off the rock is the common terminology used when talking about locating fish. The rock also has been described as and “underwater Jurassic Park.” It produces snapper so big you could never turn them on conventional tackle. Large schools of amberjack, massive goliath grouper, and sharks call it home. On rare occasions, anglers trying for roosterfish are surprised when a mako shark takes to the air after swallowing a bait.

The fishing tourism business in Southern Costa Rica has gone through a change in the past decade, attracting more couples and families in addition to groups of hardcore fishermen. Crocodile Bay brought in Eco Director and Photographer Dennis Atencio to coordinate activities for anglers taking a day off the water and for non fishing guests. Corcovado National Park, spanning the 2nd largest area in Costa Rica’s world famous National Park system, and contains the highest number of endangered species in all of Central America The area contains an estimated five percent of the planet’s bio diversity.

Costa Rica Zip Line Tour

Zip Lining – One of Thirty Eco Tours Available at Crocodile Bay Resort, Costa Rica

Parrots, macaws, toucans and other exotic birds abound. Four species of monkeys, sloth, crocodiles and may other animals call the park home. Occasional sightings of the rare jaguar and other members of the cat family have been reported inside the park.

Tours include flying through the rainforest via a canopy by zip-line, relaxing jaunts, ocean and mangrove kayaking (and all new guided kayak fishing tours), mountain biking, bird watching, jungle and rainforest hikes, snorkeling, waterfall rappelling, botanical garden hikes and more. The world class fishing Costa Rica has to offer combined with a vision that began 20 years ago, has made Robin Williams and many a traveling angler’s dreams come true.

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