costa rica fishing

Friday March 28th, 2008 I was fortunate enough to go out with one of our clients fishing. My friend and I left the town we live in at 5:30AM to make it down the mountain to Los Suenos by 6:30AM. The cool mountain temperatures soon dwindled and the hot tropical weather even of the early morning took over. The sky was clear and there was no wind down at the docks, which is very typical actually. There was a lot of activity with everyone boarding their boats and you could feel the excitement mounting. Actually a good cup of coffee would have fit well into things for me.

Fandango, the most used privately owned boat in Los Suenos Marina Within in minutes the other two in the party showed up and after introductions we headed out to open water aboard the Fandango. Our group of four included Mr. Nolan and his son, Bill (my neighbor), and myself. I manage the website in which you are currently on, www.costa-rica-fishing.info. Boat after boat was leaving the marina and Playa Herradura (the home of Los Suenos Resort and Marina) behind for a day of Costa Rica deep sea fishing and those wonderful billfish. We were on the Fandango, a 31′ Custom Sportfisher built here in Costa Rica and is privately owned by Eduardo Lizano who is the dockmaster at Los Suenos. With a single 350hp cat engine she’s not the fastest boat on the water, but she gets the job done. As many of you know, it’s not the speed that makes the difference. What you want is a boat that raises fish. In other words how the hull, engine, and prop work together in relation to how it effects the fish. Each boat is very different and all have there own traits making some much better than the others.

(Note: you should ask about how the boat is for raising fish. Specifically ask is it rated as one of the best in this area, because if it’s not, you might end a day disappointed)

All the boats headed out to the fishing grounds at slightly different angles. I was speaking with captain (who actually was the first mate because the captain had the day off) and he said the previous day was very good fishing and so everyone would be going to the same area to fish. Sure enough, he was right. Even the the long liners were there which you don’t like to see, but they follow the sport fishing boats when the bite is on. We went out about 21 miles taking just over an hour on very smooth seas. The second mate was preparing bate most of the trip. On our arrival you could no longer see land in any direction.

These teasers were almost a foot longThe outriggers were dropped, then two teasers which look like monster size lures were hung out about 15 to 20 yards behind the boat suspended out and away from the boat by the outriggers themselves. That was followed by the two main rods located directly on the deck trailing their lines directly behind the boat with Ballyhoo (sometimes called Balao) on circle hooks. Marlin, Dorado, and Sailfish bait, pre-tied and ready to go.The bait was trolled about 20 yards back which I thought was very close. Then two more lines went out off the outriggers and one more off the tower which was the long line out about 50 to 60 yards. Most of the day we ran 5 lines and sometimes six with a combination of baited lures, and just simple hook bait combinations.

Father and son catching two Dorado at the same time while deep sea fishing in Costa RicaWithin about 15 or 20 minutes of dropping the lines both father and son hooked into two Dorado (mahi-mahi or dolphin fish) at the same time. What more could Dad want for the vacation just before his son goes off to college? Within a few minutes Dad had his dorado up to the boat, gaffed, and what I would call “hog tied” fish on the deck. The crew does everything for you with a smile while remaining focused.