Fishing trips are a great way to get away from everything and relax, as well as catch your dinner. Fishing in Costa Rica is a popular sport as its waters are teeming with aquatic creatures. Competition fishers also come to Costa Rica to train for their next event. You can sail around the country and encounter hundreds of different creatures. Read on if you want to take to the waters!
Where to Fish?
In short, you can fish anywhere where there’s water and still be successful. Sail off the west coast in the Pacific Ocean to catch sailfish.
The costs of hiring a boat are quite high, though. For a full day, prices can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars. Move away from the more popular areas for lower prices. Most tourists settle on the central coasts where there’s a high concentration of marinas. For proficient fishers, it’s not uncommon to catch a fish every hour.
You might also want to consider paying a visit to the Osa Peninsula. As well as fish, you can spend some time whale watching. Make sure you arrive at the right time, though!
Contact us before you book to ensure your visit coincides with prime whale watching time if this adventure appeals to you.
If you want to stay on dry land, try some fly fishing. Many of the inlets and waterways have their fair share of fish to catch. It’s ideal if you intend on combining hiking through the jungles with fishing.
Guides and Experts
Always take a guide with you. If you charter a boat from a marina you’ll get someone automatically. If you’re hiring a boat yourself, hire some help alongside it. The local Ticos know about the tides and when and where to fish. They’ll keep you safe and show you some of the best fishing action around.
Here at Shaka we have two great nearby fishing spots to set off from, the cost is around $60 per hour for hire of the boat, skipper and bait. The boats have a capacity of four. Contact us for more details.
Splitting the Cost
A great tactic to use to keep the costs of fishing in Costa Rica down is to meet some other visitors and split the costs with them as part of a joint fishing trip. Most boats are not full and they can accommodate large numbers of people. You can meet some new friends and potentially find someone new to travel with as you make your way through this colorful country.
Fishing Gear
Most marinas will have fishing stores nearby. Since fishing in Costa Rica is popular for both autonomous settlements and visitors, there are big fishing stores in most major towns. In the smaller villages you can probably find someone who will refill your stores of bait and hooks.
