Costa Rica Fishing Report - July 2018

Last month was served as another example of why Costa Rica has earned the nickname "the billfish capital of the world" as the sailfish bite remained steady and the marlin bite phenomenal. Most anglers and travelers know by now that Costa Rica's peak billfish season and dry season run from December through April, so they assume that coming to fish in the green season, or rainy season, is a waste of time and money. They'd be wrong as the below numbers can attest to. The sailfish numbers in the northern region of Guanacaste rivaled reports from the peak season, and boats from Los Suenos and the Marina Pez Vela in Quepos found marlin just about every single day. These aren't overnight trips to the FADs or seamounts either, these are regular day charter boats that are seeing multiple marlin bites on a daily basis. Traditionally Dec-Feb are the peak marlin months here, but we often refer to June-Aug as our 'second season' and this is exactly why.

All year long Costa Rica has been able to do more than just serve up billfish as the new tuna laws put into affect a couple years ago seem to be paying off. Combine that with the best mahi bite in the past several years and the meat fishing has been almost a guarantee. Normally only found in our rainy season, there have also been plenty of wahoo that have completed the journey from the gaff to fish box to dinner plate.

July 1 – Bushwacker – 1 blue marlin, 3 dorado, 8 yellow-fin tuna
July 2 – Wet Ass II – 1 blue marlin, 1 sailfish, 14 tuna
July 3 – Good Day – 1 blue marlin, 1 sailfish, 1 tuna, and 6 mahi
July 4 – Epic – 3 for 3 on blue marlin, 1 sailfish, 1 wahoo, 4 mahi, and 15 tunas
July 5 – Captain Tom’s – 9 sailfish released and one mahi
July 6 – Gamefisher II – 7 for 9 on sailfish, 1 tuna, and 5 dorado
July 7 – Good Day Too – Released 3 blue marlin and 2 sailfish
July 8 – Reel Escape – 20 tuna, 1 wahoo, and 1 mahi
July 9 – Pescadora – 6 dorado, 3 tuna, 2 wahoo, and 1 sailfish
July 10 – Circle Hook – 1/3 on marlin, 10/15 on sails, 7 mahi, 1 wahoo
July 11 – Pescadora – 8 yellowfin tuna, 1 Wahoo, 11 dorado
July 12 – Captain Tom’s – 5 tunas and 2 dorado
July 13 – Good Day Too – 4 sailfish released, 10 dorado, and a tuna
July 14 – Good Day – 2 blue marlin, 1 sailfish, 2 tuna, 1 mahi
July 14 – Super Fly – 4 blue marlin released and 5 dorado
July 15 – Reel Escape – 20 tuna, 3 wahoo, 1 mahi and 1 roosterfish
July 15 – Super Fly – 7 blue marlin, 2 sailfish, and 6 dorados
July 16 – Captain Tom’s – 2 blue marlin and 10 mahi
July 16 – El Jefe – 11 sailfish released
July 17 – Gamefisher II – 3 for 4 on sails and 8 dorado
July 18 – Captain Tom’s – 3 blue marlin, 1 sailfish, 5 mahi, 4 yellow-fin tuna
July 18 – Sea Fly – 6 Blue Marlin, 2 Sails and 7 Mahi
July 19 – Super Fly – 1 blue marlin and 4 sailfish released
July 20 – Good Day Too – 1 sailfish, 6 tuna, 6 dorado
July 21 – Gamefisher II – 5 for 6 on sailfish, 0 for 3 on marlin, 8 dorado, 3 yellow-fin tuna
July 22 – Bushwacker – 1 sailfish, 1 blue marlin, 1 tuna, a dozen dorado
July 23 – Epic – 2 for 2 on blue marlin and 4/5 on sailfish
July 24 – Permit III – 4 for 7 on sails
July 25 – Spanish Fly – Released 2 blue marlin, 4 sailfish, and a mahi for dinner
July 26 – Epic – 2 for 5 on marlin, 2 for 2 on sails, and 2 tuna
July 27 – Gamefisher II – 2 for 2 on marlin, 7 for 11 on sailfish, 5 dorados
July 28 – Sea Fly – 2 blue marlin and 2 sailfish
July 29 – Good Day – 1 for 1 on blue marlin, 4 dorado, and 1 wahoo
July 30 – Talking Fish – 2 sailfish and 6 mahi
July 31 – Wet Ass II – Released 7 sails and 2 dorado for dinner

Speaking of the FADs, they continued to live up to their lofty expectations with most boats reporting double digit marlin on every single 2-day trip. While the main target out here is certainly blue marlin, this year there have been quite a few grand slams with sailfish, stripeys, and even a few black marlin taking bait out there.

Open Fly – July 5 – 19 for 26 on blue marlin in 2 days
Double Nickel – July 9 – 18 for 30 on blue marlin, 1 striped marlin, 1 sailfish in 3 days
Tranquilo – July 14 – 24 Blues, 1 Black, 2 Sails, and 1
Chaser – July 15 – 31 marlin bites & 20 dorado
Geaux Fly – July 19 – 12 blue marlin, 2 sailfish, and 4 tuna
Spanish Fly – July 22 – 14 blue marlin
Tranquilo – July 23 – 16 Blues, 1 Black, and 1 Striped Marlin