Costa Rica Fishing Report out of Crocodile Bay Resort – October 12, 2017 . This past month we were joined by  Mike Haunton and Andrew Majury from Canada. They fished with us for five days. The bite was a little up and down but they ended up releasing fifteen roosterfish one day and another day they landed thirteen snappers. Mike and Andrew really enjoyed having fresh fish for dinner every night. Even on the slower days they managed to bring  something back for the table, including grouper, African pompano, margaritas and snapper. They ended up landing sixty seven fish in five days. 

In case you have been following our Gray Fish-Tag Project in cooperation with FECOP – Here is a video update on the first electronic roosterfish tagging project of it’s kind anywhere in the world out of Crocodile Bay Resort, Costa Rica.

 We are not very busy with guests right now as it is our off-season, but this gives us a chance to do some much needed maintenance on the boats. It takes a lot to keep this “fishing machine” running, and now is the time of year when we can catch up on all the “to do list” items. We are working very hard to be ready for another great year. We have already started seeing dorado which is a good signal that the marlin are not far behind. The Inshore fishing continues to be very good. There is plenty of  bait around and hungry roosterfish and snappers have been in good supply with a Pompano here and there. Most days you will not see another boat on the water. It is always nice when you have all the spots to yourself. 

Our most recent guests the Hubers enjoyed a little of everything catching and releasing lots of roosterfish, dorado and tuna. Here are some photos from this past week courtesy of the Huber family including some great humpback whale footage.

If you’re planning a trip to Crocodile Bay Resort over the Holidays, now is the best times to book your flights and reserve your trip with us. Airfare only goes up as time passes. We are currently also running a special for a one day complimentary VIP tower boat upgrade if you book during Christmas week (our gift to you Dec. 20th through 31st, 2017) must book a minimum three day fishing package (upgrade can be booked on any of those three days). Call 1.800.733.1115 for details and mention this fishing report.

Tight Lines,
Capt. Allan Smith

Book Your Crocodile Bay Resort Fishing Trip Today

Boston Whaler Raises 41 Marlin, Mark Davis of Big Water Adventures Visits, Ladies Lets Go Fishing and More at Crocodile Bay Resort

Costa Rica Fishing Report May 2017 – April was one of the craziest months I have seen in all my years at Crocodile Bay.  Fortunately, I lost my hair years ago or it would be falling out all over the place. Never have I seen sailfish so slow and marlin fishing so good in all my 25 years in Costa Rica. This following two years of the best sailfish numbers I have seen.  It started with Boston Whaler’s annual trip here.

Creating an Artificial Marine Eco- System
We all know what any type of object lost at sea can do whether it is a log, trash or other material. Over time small fish use it to seek refuge from predators. And just like the cartoon, small fish attract bigger fish which attract bigger fish until up to the top off the food chain is hanging out around it. Usually you get one or two days of fishing on it and then it floats out of range. If you can make it stay in one place you can return many times and find fish.

Annual Boston Whaler Visit
Boston Whaler has been bringing a group down every year for 15 years. Dennis Tilden hosts the group each year with Will Rogers with top sales dealers from around the world. This year they brought Lisa Pohlmann who has been doing the logistics of the annual trip for years but the first time she came down with them. She was the only one in the group to catch a sailfish.

Usually I would hang my head in shame to say something like that, but let’s back up for a minute. In February, my bosses decided to create several of our own “artificial marine eco-systems”.  It is at some expense when you have to anchor something to the bottom in 3 to 5 thousand feet of water and make it out of a material that is eco-friendly and has a substantial life span.

A week before Boston’s arrival we tested it again and though it had plenty of bait on it, nothing exciting was to be reported. Upon their arrival, I explained it was a shot in the dark but I thought they should be my Guinea pigs.

They rose 41 marlins in two days, catching and releasing fish between 200 and 400 lbs. Of course, they had their annual Calcutta fishing tournament and as every year donated all the prize money to community projects.

New Video for May – Video Fishing Highlights and Recap
Each month our audio/video department puts together a “highlight reel” featuring guest experiences at Crocodile Bay Resort. We hope you enjoy this month’s video fishing report – who knows…you may even be the star!

Mark Davis and Big Water Adventures Mark Davis host of “Big Water Adventures” on the Outdoor Channel also tested that area. Fishing at the same time was Steve Martin, maker of “Fish RaZr,” a heavy-duty teaser dredge. Our boats are equipped with them. Davis recorded, “my best day of marlin fishing ever” and you can catch it later this season on the Outdoor Channel.

What we have found is some days the area is loaded with fish and other days not. Lately it hasn’t made a difference. The last two days with 4 boats fishing offshore, all have been raising 2 to 8 marlin apiece within 12 miles of the beach. Brothers Harry and Luke had two fish at 600 lbs.

July and August are historically good months to target marlin with blacks and striped marlin in the mix – you may check availability below for summer Costa Rica fishing trips.

Ladies Lets Go Fishing
Inshore has been consistent all month. When Andrea Beuter and her group from “Ladies Let’s Go Fishing” tired of offshore they got plenty of roosters and deepwater inshore species like grouper, tilefish, and congria.

You won’t find many women as enthusiastic about fishing as Licia Shreves. Her boyfriend James Hutmacher was so impressed with her fishing ability he proposed while they were here. “Great fishing and getting engaged, Best trip ever,” she beamed.

On a Conservation Note:

The last several years the Williams family has been very generous by allowing me time to address conservation issues in this country. Our group FECOP, ( Federacion Costarrisence de Pesca) has had some major advances for marine conservation.

FECOP Conservation Initiatives and Advances in Costa Rica:

• Stopped exportation of sailfish
• Supplied the science for the proposed reduction of tuna licenses issued and total tonnage allowed from 25,000 metric tons a year to around 8.

Our organization has done a very poor job of letting the fishing community know who we are. Crocodile Bay Resort is allowing me 6 months off during the low season to work as Communications Director at FECOP. The boss has offered to send my newsletter on to Crocodile Bay folks.

So when you receive the first newsletter, you will have an option to keep receiving them or not but I hope you do. If you want to make sure you are on the list drop me a note at todd@crocodilebay.com and pass it on to a friend.

If you’ve ever dreamed of owning your own boat slip and fishing in one of the worlds foremost sport fishing destinations, Crocodile Bay Marina has released a limited number of private boat slips. If you are interested in owning a slip at the new Crocodile Bay Marina, please click the following link for more information and a video that will help you to better understand all aspects of this new offering. WATCH THE MARINA VIDEO

Muchas Gracias

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

Guest Testimonial of the Month:

Greetings friends at Crocodile Bay!

Dan, Adelyn, and I wanted to let you know what an amazing time we had visiting you at Crocodile Bay!  We really appreciate everything you did for us and the lifetime of memories you helped us create!  This is the best vacation our family has ever taken and we will smile every time we think of it.

Todd, Safari is doing very well and Adelyn will not let her leave her side.  Thank you for making Adelyn’s trip so great and for her new friend!

Dennis, thank you for all of the great times on the eco tours, such a phenomenal experience!

We hope to see you all again very soon!  Thank you again.

Becky, Dan, Adelyn, and of course Safari

Check Availability for your Costa Rica Fishing or Adventure Vacation Below

Costa Rica Fishing Report By Todd Staley, Fishing Director – Crocodile Bay Resort, Costa Rica – May 2016 – Who would think I would hate children after raising 10, but the last “El Niño” made me rethink the whole thing about “niños”. The El Niño which has officially passed made only one thing predictable about fishing in the Southern zone of Costa Rica. The only thing predictable was that it was unpredictable. We have a few months of normal weather patterns coming our way and if history repeats itself, a strong El Niño is usually followed a few months later by an “La Niña” which usually is favorable in this area.

In the coming months offshore fishing in the South means marlin. Most of the year we usually see blue marlin but now and then there are a few blacks and striped marlin mixed in with the blues. Find the spinner or spotted dolphins and you will find the yellowfin tuna.

Since the FECOP sponsored tuna decree moving purse seiners farther offshore, boats all along the Pacific coast have reported catching more tuna and have been seeing larger pods of dolphin. Sometimes during the Fiestas de San Juan when the schools are on vacation, an Indian summer will pass through and we will see sailfish numbers increase to double digit days.

Inshore our fishery is year round but the green season produces some of the biggest roosterfish of the year. Bridle up a live bonito and let him do his thing near Matapalo Rock and you have a chance at a 60 plus pound fish. A big cubera snapper may find your bait first and the tug-a-war is on to keep them out of the rocks.

Here are a few monster roosterfish catches (all fish released) from the past at Crocodile Bay Resort, Costa Rica

The following photos are thanks to Jean and Hunter Michewicz and Garrett and Christina Hutto. The wives surprised their husbands with a surprise fishing trip to Crocodile Bay.

Keep your eye on the fish!

Don’t forget Father’s Day is right around the corner, and the kids are almost out of school – Summer is a perfect time to spend quality time with the family at Crocodile Bay Resort. We get lots of father/son teams down, but fishing is not just for the boys – and we offer a luxury spa as well as 30 eco, cultural and educational tours for those who want to do something other than fish. We know you’ll enjoy this video featuring local girls and some of our staff members catching a variety of inshore species including roosterfish, African pompano, and snapper.

Call and ask about our Father’s Day and Summer Introductory Costa Rica Fishing Packages – 1-855-945-4171 – perfect for families and groups of all sizes – Or you can check availability below.

Todd Staley, Fishing Director

Costa Rica Fishing Calendar

Note: On any given day it is possible to catch a Costa Rica Sailfish, they are here year-round, but tend to concentrate in greater numbers mid January, February and March. The inshore species such as Roosterfish, Snappers, Jacks and Grouper  are also here year-round.

Offshore Fishing Opportunities:

Marlin: The majority of marlin taken here are Pacific blue marlin, though occasionally a black or a striped marlin are taken as well. Blues peak from November to January when the big Dorado run is on. There is also a small peak in April as sailfish numbers drop. July through September there is a better chance at a black or striped marlin mixed in with the blues.

Costa Rica Sailfish: Again there is a year round opportunity for sailfish with the bigger numbers coming from late December/January through April. Read more about catching and releasing Costa Rica sailfish here.


Dorado: Dolphinfish, Dorado, Mahi Mahi (Mahi translates to “Strong” in Hawaiian) – whatever you prefer to call them run really thick from November through January and occasionally in February – averaging 20 to 40 lbs. We take Dorado year round but not in the same numbers as the months listed above.

Tuna: Yellowfin and Big Eye tuna can pass through any day of the year especially if the spinner or spotted dolphins are present. Football size tuna schools seem to appear every December. A new decree in Costa Rica has protected 44% of territorial waters from tuna purse seine activity.

Wahoo: They can surprise you any day of the year and are even sometimes taken inshore when the water is clear. Wahoo is not a prevalent species, but anglers are very happy when they are caught as they are a great fighting fish and make excellent table fare.

Inshore Fishing Opportunities:

There is no real peak time for inshore species as all are year round the residents are in this area.

Roosterfish: Our “bucket list” fish, famous for their unique looks and incredible fighting ability. Everyone should schedule at least one day of inshore fishing to challenge these and other inshore species. They are taken regularly on live bait, poppers, and jigs. Roosterfish are known as one of the most challenging fish on a fly and difficult to fool with fly tackle.

Cubera Snapper: Top dog of our list of nearly a dozen different snapper. Since the Golfo Dulce became the largest Marine Area of Responsible Fishing several years ago – and shrimp boats and gill nets were banned from the gulf, snappers and other inshore species have made a great comeback. A big Pumpkin size Cubera will rush from the depths and smash a fast moving popper.

Costa Rica Fishing Calendar (Southern Costa Rica – Osa Peninsula)

Other Inshore Fishing Species:

African pompano, bluefin trevally, a variety of jacks, grouper, mackerel, barracuda, bonitos, and an endless list of surprises including snook, wahoo and sharks make up the list of other fish caught while targeting roosters and snapper.

Crocodile Bay Sport Fishing Fleet:

Our fleet is comprised of 33 and 35 foot Strike Tower boats as well as several 27 foot Rambo inboard diesels. We also have 24 and 25 foot Boston Whaler Outrages. All of boats have the ability to fish either offshore or inshore because of our generally calm sea conditions. In 17 years of operation we have only had two days when the ocean was too rough to go fishing. You will be pleasantly surprised to find an English speaking crew member on your boat as that is not always the case in other fishing operations. Do to an increased demand, we haven also added a fleet of fully outfitted OldTown fishing kayaks to increase the variety of fishing options offered at Crocodile Bay Resort. Book Your Costa Rica Fishing Trip

Fishing Tackle:

Our boats are outfitted with Penn International 50’s and 30’s as well as both Penn spinning and conventional gear in 20 and 30 pound outfits. We always try to have live bait on-board before you leave the dock. We use Temple Fork Fly Fishing gear on-site but we welcome anglers to bring their own gear if they prefer.

Our sport fishing crews:

Most of our crew members grew up in the area and know the waters well. Our crews will give you as much or as little help as you want. We want this to be a great experience and communication with your crew enhances your visit here.

Costa Rica Fishing Report, October 2015 by Todd Staley Fishing Director

Todd Staley, Fishing Director

“Your patience shall be rewarded”. Don’t know how many times I have said that lately when it comes to offshore fishing. Everyone who ventured offshore lately has managed to add a marlin to their bucket list. Not really big fish, 200 to 300 lbs but a lot of drag burning energy none the less. Trent Schloneger and fishing buddies John Kerzan and Craig Bast scored a feisty 250 lb fish. They and everyone else here opted to stay inshore where if you listened closely you could hear the band “Deep Purple” because as of late it has really been “Smoke on the Water.”

Rick Sands down by himself from Canada boated 30 fish on a day inside including a dozen roosterfish one going 60 lbs, snapper and jacks. Norm and Karen Hart fished nearby waters and every picture tells a story as to how things went for them.

We have seen a few dorado coming to the baits and Sands even took a nice one jigging inshore. Hopefully that’s an indicator of the normal pattern for this time of year and things will only pick up from here. Todd Staley has been writing “The Direct Line” Costa Rica fishing reports for Crocodile Bay since 1999.

Read this Month’s New Fishing Feature by Todd Staley
“”It’s Not Always About The Fish”

One of the most exciting days of fishing I ever had was in a lagoon in Nicaragua accessible only by passing through myriad rivers and creeks on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica. That day, Mike Holliday and I hooked more than 60 tarpon on casting plugs. We tired of tarpon and went to the beach to cast for snook. The tarpon wouldn’t leave us alone. We were hooking them from shore. I watched as Holliday played and eventually landed a respectable tarpon from the beach with a fly rod. That was nearly 20 years ago. Read the Full Fishing Feature Here

Book Your Costa Rica Fishing Trip or Eco Vacation Below

Crocodile Bay, Costa Rica Fishing Features

by Fishing Director Todd Staley

It’s Not Always About the Fish

(Article by Todd Staley from Sol de Osa)

One of the most exciting days of fishing I ever had was in a lagoon in Nicaragua accessible only by passing through myriad rivers and creeks on the Caribbean side of  Costa Rica. That day, Mike Holiday and I hooked more than 60 tarpon on casting plugs. We tired of tarpon and went to the beach to cast for snook. The tarpon wouldn’t leave us alone. We were hooking them from shore. I watched as Holiday played and eventually landed a respectable tarpon from the beach with a fly rod. That was nearly 20 years ago.

What did I see that day? Fish, fish and more fish.

I fished that same lagoon many times over the years, and although I never matched that one fantastic day, I always had good fishing. Then, one day, the tropical rains had the lagoon all muddied up. I cast furiously for hours with memories of that fantastic day playing like a movie in my head. I had not one bite. I knew the next cast might be the one. It wasn’t. My arm tired of casting and I sat down to rest. I looked over toward the shoreline. Then it jumped out at me. A beautiful, fire-orange heliconia growing next to the riverbank. I scanned the shoreline. One after another, they rose from the jungle.

On the long fishless ride back into Costa Rica, I started to notice things I never saw before, even though I had traveled this road many times. Wild orchids hanging over the creeks, some of them humongous and all of them spectacular. There were so many different kinds. On all my previous trips, I had seen only water and fish. The normal trip back took one and a half hours; this day, it took me almost four hours. That was the day I learned it is not always about the fish.

I have had many similar experiences here on the Osa Peninsula. The waters off the Osa drops off fast. A couple of hundred yards off the beach, you’ll find a couple of hundred feet of water below your boat. By the time you reach 20 miles out, more than a mile of water separates you from the ocean floor. Most of the big game fishing is rarely done beyond 20 miles, unless green water forces the fleet farther out. Fishing the Pacific can be like living the Discovery Channel.

The humpback whales come twice a year, from the Northern Hemisphere in January and February, and again in August and September from the Southern Hemisphere. I have been lucky enough to see a pod of 50 or more migrating offshore to the south. Mothers will bring their calves into the Golfo Dulce, and when they are here, sighting them is almost a daily occurrence as they prepare their young for a long open water voyage.

On another occasion, I was chatting with the guests below when the captain suddenly changed course. That is always a surefire sign that he has seen something. He pointed to the horizon, and there, way off in the distance, were silhouettes of something large jumping and making tremendous splashes. We were sure it was a huge school of very big tuna. As we got close enough to see what it was, it turned out to be a mammoth group of pilot whales. There were literally hundreds of them. As the boat got closer, they came over to check us out and began to swim alongside the boat the way porpoises do. We watched them for over an hour with not one tuna in sight.

I’ve seen killer whales here several times, usually about 10 miles off the beach. But once, three of them were headed up the coast only a few hundred yards off the coast. Mike Grace of Cummins Motors got the most spectacular shot of one as it raced in out of nowhere and began surfing the wake only inches off the transom.

Huge pods of spinner dolphins are common offshore. They may travel in groups of 50 or fewer, or as many as a thousand. You can bet there will always beyellowfin tuna near them. The tuna might not always bite, but they will be there.

March and April are the best months to bump into whale sharks in the gulf. These gentle giants show up almost yearly and feed on plankton in the calm waters on the upper end of the gulf. The most I’ve seen at one time is eight. They are not fully mature and average about 30 feet long.

Turtles are an everyday sight here while fishing. Most are olive ridley and green turtles, but on a rare occasion you might stumble upon a giant leatherback turtle roughly the size of a pool table.

This is not to mention the flora and fauna one sees while inshore fishing. The beaches are pristine, and a wide variety of macaws and seabirds hang close to the beach. This blended with an emerald surf line makes for a spectacular near shore experience.

On every one of those Discovery Channel days, I have no recollection of what I caught. But forever etched in my memory is what I saw.

Read More Fishing Reports and Special Fishing Features by Todd Staley Here:

Costa Rica Fishing Report – October 2015 by Todd Staley

Play the broken record, still a hunting game offshore and some very good days inshore. I’ve said the same thing for the last couple reports and expect the same until the dorado move in offshore next month which will change the whole offshore picture for the better. In the mean time, here is what Captain Smity a recent guest had to say about his September fishing experience at Crocodile Bay Resort, Costa Rica.
 

Photo of the Month – Kris Lindsay with a 70lb Roosterfish – September 2015 at Crocodile Bay Resort.

The Crocodile Bay Experience – A Testimonial by Captain Smity

“First of all, Crocodile Resort is 1st class all the way. All the travel arrangements, over night hotel in San Jose, pick up at the International airport (SJO), next morning pick up at hotel for hop to the airstrip in Puerto Jimenez. Everything went like clock work. Great job on your part making these arrangements!

Early morning breakfast at Crocodile Bay included a traditional American style, and off to the pier to meet our guide and mate. Great boat and 1st class gear. All Penn reels and rods with live bait we caught each morning.

The 25 foot Boston Whaler with twin Merc 150 Verados took the chop like a champ. We trolled most of the day with the two motors and you could barely hear them. Here’s the best part. Captains Johnnie and Anthony puts us on fish straight away. We got into some huge Jack Crevelle which got our motivation right on track. We didn’t catch that many roosterfish that day, but I did manage a trophy of about 30 lbs. After trolling inside close to surf, it got slow and our Captain suggested deep water for red snapper and cubera which we caught in about 200 feet of water. We caught yellowfin tuna, rainbow runners, mackerel, some fish I have never heard of. We kept the snapper as Todd, the Resort’s fishing director told us to do. Man, talk about good eating. Small red snapper gutted, scaled and deep fried whole. Yes, I said whole. The meat fell off the bone and melted in your mouth. Next day just got better. We worked mostly for roosterfish and caught several up to 30 lbs. More Jacks, snapper and one African pompano.

The 3rd day was the gravy day. We targeted roosterfish and caught 14 with me catching 3 over 40lbs one of which was 50lbs. We were getting bites all morning and there were some nice fish that broke off and the hook just pulled out. Just part of fishing, but we should have boated well over 20 rooster fish. Troy and I agreed that it was one of the best fishing trips we had ever been on together. I remain a die hard peacock bass fisherman, but I now have a healthy respect for that roosterfish. I have never had a hold of a more powerful fish in open water. When they take off, all you can do is hold on. They do come up and show themselves and I liked that. When you think you have them whipped and they see the boat, off they go like a streak of greased lightning and again all you can do is hold on. I have never seen a fish that can move that fast in the water. All were safely released to fight again.

We managed to catch one more African pompano on about the last fish. It fought bravely, but when we tried to release it, it could not be revived. Anthony filed it out for us and told us to tell the cook to fix it on the grill. Allan, that undoubtedly was the best fish I ever put into my mouth. I cannot fully explain the flavor and texture of the filet. You would just have to experience for yourself. Thanks buddy for all your help. Troy wants to go back the same time next year and take his youngest son who will be 17 then. Of course, I will gladly tag along. Although the Todd said that December through March were the best months, Sept is off-season and both our Captains agreed that was a good time to come and we were the only boat out and the pressure on the fish was minimal.

That was a trip and I finished my “bucket” list of fish I wanted to catch and experienced a fishing trip beyond my wildest dream. How fortunate I am to have been able to be healthy enough to have fished all over the world as I have.”

– Capt Smity

September Highlights from Crocodile Bay Resort

Lightning strikes twice – The ladies had all the luck on this September day as two of our female anglers released two 70lb roosterfish in the same day!

Below Jeri Heiser the winner of our annual VIP fishing trip strikes gold with this huge roosterfish – Read about Jeri Heiser’s fishing experience here

David Hardin and Mark Kaiser hooked up with several inshore species this week, but this 60lb roosterfish was the icing on the cake!

Pictured above – Ryan Lindsay shows off one of the fattest rock snappers we’ve ever seen

New Video – Costa Rica Fishing at Crocodile Bay Resort, Costa Rica

*Thanksgiving Special (Valid for vacations taken Nov. 23 to Nov. 30) Thanksgiving week at Crocodile Bay Resort offers guests an experience not to be missed. We put on a great feast with fun for the whole family. Book any standard fishing package of three days or more and we’ll give you a complimentary Strike tower boat upgrade for one of your three fishing days! We have a 5,000 square foot luxury spa and feature 30 exciting eco tours for the whole family! restrictions apply – limited availability of upgrades. Check Availability

*Christmas Special(Valid for vacations taken Dec. 22 – Dec. 30) Give your family or significant other the Holiday gift of a lifetime with a vacation at one of the worlds foremost sport fishing and adventure destinations. *Book any standard fishing package of three days or more (booked by Oct. 7, 2015) for vacations between December 23rd and December 30th, 2015 and we’ll give you a one day complimentary Tower Strike Yacht upgrade ($700/day value)  restrictions apply – limited availability of upgrades. Check Availability *All above specials are valid for new reservations (booked by Oct. 7, 2015) for fishing packages of three or more days. Specials may not be combined with other offers. Boat upgrades are based on availability and supplies are limited. Specials may be changed at any time.

Where the World Comes to Fish!

Crocodile Bay Resort has been featured in major Sport Fishing magazines world wide – but this is one of the more interesting covers we’ve seen. From a recent Chinese fishing magazine (Lure Vision).

Check Availability Online

Crocodile Bay Hosts Central American Billfish Association (CABA) Summit

Crocodile Bay Hosts CABA

The Direct Line Fishing Report by Todd Staley

Anglers from several different countries met last week to discuss the state of billfish (marlin and sailfish) in the Eastern Tropical Pacific and how to better manage them.

The guest speaker was Dr. Nelson Ehrhardt from the University of Miami who explained the effects of currents, temperatures, winds and overfishing on the populations of billfish in Central America. The same population of fish roam from Mexico to Ecuador so what happens in one country can have an affect on other countries fish populations. He also shared information gained from the over 60 satellite tags that have been placed on billfish in Costa Rica and Guatemala.

The biggest advance was the petition made by the group to OSPESCA, the governmental group that oversees all fishing in Central America to have a representative of sport fishing interest work with the panel that has historically represented the commercial fleet.

Ospesca agreed to permit CABA to form a work group with OSPESCA dealing only with billfish and their socio/economic importance to the region as a catch and release billfish is valued much more and supplies jobs to to Central Americans.

You can watch the video on the Changing Seas Website that aired on PBS “Billfish: Battle on the Line” Here.

There will also be free screenings of the film at The Guy Harvey Oceanographic Center Wednesday August, 26th. Seating is limited so please email Dive-in@list.nova.edu  or Call 954-262-3678 to reserve your seat!

We encourage you to visit CABA on Facebook and “Like” their page to support their efforts in maintaining healthy billfish populations in Central America.Click Here to Visit CABA on Facebook.

SouthWest Airlines is offering amazing round trip airfares from select hubs to San Jose, Costa Rica. Fares are starting as low as $465 and now is a great time to lock in your flight. You may check flight availability in your area here

Christmas is only 145 days away – and Crocodile Bay Resort has just received some top secret information that Santa Clause will be visiting in December as he scouts his Latin American route. In celebration of his visit we will be offering a special for those who book their vacation between now and December 15th, 2015. Kids 15 and under can stay, eat, and fish free with any two paying adults on a *fishing vacation of three days more. (see restrictions below) This in combination with great airfares is a great way to get the whole family down for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Check SouthWest Routes Below

Plan your Fishing Trip to Crocodile Bay Resort, Costa Rica

If you’re looking for an amazing destination to pursue billfish and other exotic species this upcoming Holiday season, November is historically a good time to target marlin and our peak billfish season runs December through April. Space is limited during our peak season so please make your reservations soon.

Check Availability Online

*Kids free special is for new fishing reservations of three days or more only and must be booked and taken between July 30th and December 15th, 2015. This special is not valid in combination with other offers. SouthWest airfares mentioned above may change at any time. Crocodile Bay Resort is not affiliated with Southwest airlines in any way nor are we responsible for fluctuations in airfare or Southwest special offers.

The Direct Line Fishing Report by Todd Staley

Columbia Sportswear Pro Staffers and Media Members Visit Crocodile Bay – Shark Eats Half of Guests’ Snapper and Tuna and Marlin Show Up as Predicted.

I like it when I am right. According to my wife that’s not very often. When I said last report that the tuna and marlin should be rolling in any day, they made me a hero.

Mark Hettervig’s group pulled on a big yellowfin estimated at 200 lbs and it came unbuttoned after two hours. They did bring in enough tuna for sashimi and also boated a bunch of roosters during their stay.

Mike and David Kurfess also took nice roosters while Buck Pollister and his fiancé Blair Campell caught just about everything that swims here especially inshore.

Harold Odell fished with his granddaughter Kaity Box and got some nice fish also. Kaity got a big surprise when she ended up sharing her snapper for dinner with a big shark that wanted to have it for lunch.

Columbia Sportswear was down with a group of pro staff, sports celebs and outdoor media to introduce their spring line of outdoor wear. The group landed over 100 fish including, marlin, sails, tuna, roosters, snapper, African pompano and more.

Offshore the tuna have been sporadic, making an appearance one day and not showing the next. Marlin have been hanging around trash lines and floating structure and as many as five a boat, have come up into the spread. A few sails are popping up here and there. Inshore has been very consistent. Every picture tells a story.

Photo Courtesy Cindy Nguyen – Getting horizontal with Kelly Bastone ☆ She makes this look easy!

June Fishing Gallery (click ESC to exit gallery photos!!)

Todd Staley returns next month for the Crocodile Bay, Costa Rica fishing report.

Summer Vacations at Crocodile Bay – Marlin Fishing

Summer Family Eco Adventures at Crocodile Bay ( we can create eco & fishing combo packages for the whole family)

For non-anglers we offer 30 unique eco expeditions and a luxury spa making Crocodile Bay a complete vacation destination. Check out our new videos for a sample of what you can expect during your trip to Crocodile Bay Resort including our new kayak fishing and paddle boarding.

Spouse on the House

Back by popular demand, we’re offering our classic “Spouse on the House” Spa Package this summer season (now through Dec 1, 2015). For every day you fish, your spouse gets a free spa treatment (up to $125/credit per day in the spa)! This special is only available for a short time so call and mention “spouse on the house” to take advantage of this great offer. 1-855-945-4171

Check Availability for Summer Vacation Packages

The Direct Line Fishing Report by Todd Staley

School is getting out this month and we will start to see lots of families around here. Speaking of school, the first big school of spinner dolphins came through yesterday so the yellowfin tuna bite should be good. Now that 44% of Costa Rica territorial waters are protected from purse sein boats when they arrive they won’t be snatched up or chased off quickly.

We just finished filming an episode of a new reality show here for the last 8 days. I can’t say which one it is but there is lots of fishing involved and they got great pictures of some Orcas offshore. The photos will show how much fun it was and I managed to stick a sail with the fly and land it.
Offshore has been a little tough lately with warm water moving in but some sails are popping up and marlin have been found around floating logs. Inshore has been the best bet with plenty of snapper and roosters around. Lots of small roosters but several in the 40 pound range are being caught.

Photos of the film set from this past week at Crocodile Bay Resort

Francine and Robert Schreiber came in the day the film crew left and had the whole resort to themselves receiving house Olimpias’ (the house mom) special king and queen treatment. They also got a boat load of snapper, both cubera, and Pacific yellowtail. Francine took a 40 plus size roosterfish and a sail offshore and still have a couple of days left to fish.

Inshore has been producing a nice variety – Just ask the Schreibers who have released roosterfish, caught a variety of snapper, and sailfish offshore.

Give Dad the Gift of a Lifetime this Father’s Day – A Costa Rica Family Fishing Adventure

Treat Dad to an amazing fishing and eco adventure vacation with family or friends – July through August are historically good months to target marlin and other exotic inshore species like roosterfish and snapper. Check availability here

Summer Vacations at Crocodile Bay – Marlin Fishing

Summer Family Eco Adventures at Crocodile Bay ( we can create eco & fishing combo packages for the whole family)

For non-anglers we offer 30 unique eco expeditions  and a luxury spa making Crocodile Bay a complete vacation destination. Check out our new videos for a sample of what you can expect during your trip to Crocodile Bay Resort including our new kayak fishing and paddle boarding.

Spouse on the House
Back by popular demand, we’re offering our classic “Spouse on the House” Spa Package  this summer season. For every day you fish, your spouse gets a free spa treatment (up to $125/credit per day in the spa)! This special is only available for a short time so call and mention “spouse on the house” to take advantage of this great offer.

Jeri Heiser, owner of Tan Express in Bismarck North Dakota will be joining us at Crocodile Bay Resort for a four night vacation including all meals, three full days fishing on a VIP Strike Tower boat, and an eco adventure tour in Costa Rica’s most biologically intense region. We will be running a new contest for 2015/2016 soon, check www.crocodilebay.com for details.

Crocodile Bay has long been known as one of the premier sport fishing destinations in the world. What is little known is that Crocodile Bay is a complete vacation destination located in the area of Costa Rica National Geographic Magazine has referred to as “The most biologically intense place on Earth.”  The other little known fact is that Crocodile Bay Resort offers 30 unique Costa Rica tour options that include zip lining, snorkeling, birding, hiking, biking, dolphin and whale watching, monkey tours, guided kayak fishing, surf casting, chocolate tour, botanical gardens, paddle boarding, surfing, sea turtle rescue and more.

It’s very common for elite anglers to wrap up a great Costa Rica vacation at Crocodile Bay Resort and say “Wow..I’m coming back here with the whole family”. With a luxury Spa to top off the experience, Crocodile Bay Resort truly is  a unique vacation destination that has something to offer those of all ages and skill levels.

We hope you enjoy this Costa Rica travel video designed to educate you about the magic you and your family or significant other can experience in one of the most amazing vacation destinations on Earth.

For reservation information call 1-855-945-4171 or visit www.crocodilebay.com

Crocodile Bay Resort offers the most extensive selection of private, guided ecotours and expeditions designed to introduce you to Costa Rica’s most biologically intense region. With over 30 Costa Rica ecotours and activities, we are the perfect destination to discover the magic of Costa Rica Osa Peninsula. Enjoy kayaking, zip lining, snorkeling, surfing, birding, hiking, biking, waterfall rappelling, and more!

For more information on customizing your Costa Rica eco tour or sport fishing vacation call 1-855-945-4171 or Reserve Online