Inshore and offshore fishing charter departing from Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica, with Amazing Adventures. This guided fishing charter targets roosterfish, snapper, mahi-mahi,...
El Vaquero Sportfishing puts you on the fish in Puerto Jiménez, one of Costa Rica's top sportfishing destinations. Work the inshore waters for hard-fighting roosterfish, snapper,...
All-inclusive fishing charter departing from Playa Jobo, Guanacaste, with Vida Del Mar. Built for anglers seeking true action and versatility, this guided fishing charter blends...
Fishing charter in Playas del Coco with Papagayo Fishing, offering both inshore and offshore fishing focused on action and species variety. Depending on conditions, anglers may...
Fishing charter and ocean tours departing from Flamingo, Costa Rica, aboard Jessica Dawn, captained by Edwin Murillo. These guided fishing tours blend active fishing, relaxed...
Sailfish numbers climb on the Central Pacific as the green-season tuna, marlin and dorado taper off. Conditions turn sunny and calm, with short runs from Los Sueños and Quepos. On the Caribbean, tarpon season opens as the seas settle. A great month to start a billfish trip.
Dry season
February
Prime time for sailfish — the Central Pacific peak is on, with double-digit release days possible out of Los Sueños and Quepos. Occasional marlin, tuna and dorado mix in. Calm seas and clear water make February one of the best months of the year.
Dry season
March
Sailfish fishing stays red-hot across the Central Pacific. Marlin show up more often, and inshore roosterfish and snapper bite well along the rocky points. Dry-season seas are flat and the marinas are buzzing — book early to land a top boat.
Dry season
April
Sailfish are still strong early before numbers ease mid-month, and blue marlin start to appear. Roosterfish fishing heats up inshore along Guanacaste and the South Pacific. The last of the calm dry-season weather makes April a reliable, do-it-all month.
Wet season
May
The rains arrive and the bite broadens. Sailfish begin moving north and the Guanacaste season fires up; dorado show on the weed lines and tuna feed offshore. Mornings stay bright, prices drop, and the variety is excellent across the Pacific.
Wet season
June
Peak variety. Guanacaste's sailfish and marlin bite is at its best, dorado are everywhere, and yellowfin tuna feed in big schools. Inshore roosterfish turn aggressive along the points. A superb month for a mixed-bag day on the water.
Wet season
July
Big-game season in the north — sailfish and blue marlin run strong off Guanacaste, while tuna and dorado keep rods bent on the Central Pacific. Roosterfish peak inshore. Expect afternoon showers, but the mornings are prime fishing time
Wet season
August
Marlin and sailfish stay hot off Guanacaste, tuna schools are thick, and the Caribbean snook run begins to build at Barra del Colorado. Roosterfish remain excellent inshore. Low-season prices meet high-season fishing — a smart angler's month.
Wet season
September
Offshore stays strong with blue marlin, sailfish and tuna, plus dorado around the floating debris. On the Caribbean, the tarpon and the big snook run hit their stride. It's the quietest, greenest time of year — and one of the most productive.
Wet season
October
Blue marlin and tuna keep producing on the Pacific, while the Caribbean tarpon-and-snook bite is excellent. Rain peaks this month, so plan morning departures. Few crowds, low prices and wide-open water reward anglers who make the trip.
Transition
November
The dry season returns to the Central Pacific and marlin fishing turns excellent off Quepos and Jacó. Sailfish numbers build back, tuna and dorado stay strong, and the seas begin to calm. A standout month for billfish before the high season.
Dry season
December
The marlin bite peaks off the Central Pacific and sailfish return in force as the dry season sets in. Calm seas, festive marinas and world-class offshore action make December one of Costa Rica's finest months on the water.
Frequently Asked Questions about Fishing Charters in Costa Rica
It ranges by trip. Inshore half-days run US$450–800 per boat; full-day offshore trips out of the top marinas are US$900–1,650; multi-day all-inclusive packages land around US$1,300–1,500 per person. Most boats carry 4–5 anglers, so splitting the cost is easy.
For billfish, the Central Pacific (Los Sueños, Quepos). For roosterfish and easy access, Guanacaste (Tamarindo — fly into Liberia). For remote trophy fishing, the South Pacific (Drake Bay, Golfito). For tarpon and snook, the Caribbean (Tortuguero, Barra del Colorado).
Sailfish peak December–April, with February–April the hottest stretch on the Central Pacific. Marlin are strongest November–December off Quepos and Jacó. Tuna bite year-round.
No. Most popular beach towns have charter fleets you can book by the day, so you can fish hard and still enjoy a regular beach vacation. Lodges shine for remote, multi-day trips in the South Pacific or Caribbean.
Costa Rica requires a sport-fishing license, but your charter includes or arranges it for you. You just show up ready to fish.
Costa Rica: The Sailfish Capital of the World
Ask a billfish angler where to go and Costa Rica comes up first. This is the place where a good day can mean double-digit sailfish releases, where blue, black and striped marlin prowl the same blue water, and where the famous “tuna decree” pushed commercial purse seiners offshore — so yellowfin now show up nearly every week of the year. Two coasts, dozens of gamefish and world-class marinas make fishing in Costa Rica a trip you'll book again.
Signature catch
Pacific sailfish
Oceans
Pacific & Caribbean
Tuna
Year-round
Top marinas
Los Sueños · Pez Vela
Season
Year-round
What You Can Catch — Species & Seasons
Offshore species
The Pacific is billfish country. Sailfish are the headline — they peak February through April, and a hot day can produce double-digit releases. Blue, black and striped marlin run alongside them, strongest November through December off Quepos and Jacó. Yellowfin tuna feed year-round thanks to Costa Rica's conservation laws, with the biggest schools in the green season, and mahi-mahi light up the weed lines from spring into fall.
Inshore species
Closer in, roosterfish are the prize — Costa Rica grows giants, and they're catchable all year along the rocky points of Guanacaste and the South Pacific. Cubera snapper, amberjack and hard-pulling jacks hold on the reefs and structure, and snook stack up at the river mouths. Inshore trips run in calmer water, perfect for families or a half-day taste of the action.
The Caribbean side
Costa Rica's other coast is a different world. Off Tortuguero and Barra del Colorado, tarpon and snook rule the rivers and lagoons, with the calmest, clearest conditions from mid-January through mid-May. It's remote, raw, and a fly- or light-tackle angler's dream.
Costa Rica Fishing Charters: Types & Prices
Costa Rica's fleet runs from simple inshore pangas to gleaming offshore sportfishers out of world-class marinas. Here's what trips actually cost, based on what anglers report paying.
Trip type
Duration
Typical price
Best for
Inshore half day
4–5 hrs
US$450–800 / boat
Roosterfish, snapper & jacks close to shore; families
Half-day offshore
4–5 hrs
US$750–1,250 / boat
A taste of billfish water without the full day
Full-day offshore
8–10 hrs
US$900–1,650 / boat
Sailfish, marlin & tuna out of Los Sueños or Quepos
Multi-day package
3–7 days
US$1,300–1,500 / person
Lodging, meals & daily fishing; South Pacific & Caribbean
You don't need an expensive lodge to fish well here — most popular beach towns (Tamarindo, Jacó, Quepos) have full charter fleets you can book by the day. Most boats carry 4–5 anglers, so splitting the cost is easy.
Costa Rica requires a sport-fishing license, but charters typically include or arrange it for you. Crews work hard for your billfish releases — a 10–15% tip is customary.
Where to Fish in Costa Rica — Top Regions
Central Pacific — the billfish heartland. Los Sueños Marina (Playa Herradura, near Jacó) and Marina Pez Vela (Quepos) are among the best-equipped sportfishing marinas in the world, with short runs to sailfish and marlin grounds. This is where most serious offshore trips launch.
Guanacaste (North Pacific) — Tamarindo, Flamingo and the Gulf of Papagayo pair easy access (fly into Liberia) with strong inshore roosterfish and solid offshore action. South Pacific — Drake Bay, Golfito and Zancudo are remote and wild, with trophy roosterfish, cubera and billfish for anglers willing to travel. Caribbean — Tortuguero and Barra del Colorado deliver the country's best tarpon and snook in a jungle-river setting.
Deep-Sea, Inshore & Fly Fishing
Offshore trips troll teasers and ballyhoo for sailfish and marlin, then switch to bait-and-switch fly casting when fish light up behind the boat — Costa Rica is one of the world's great billfish-on-fly destinations. Inshore, you'll throw poppers and live bait to roosterfish and cubera along the rocks. On the Caribbean, sight-casting tarpon and working snook through the river mouths is a fly angler's paradise.
Best Time to Fish in Costa Rica
There's good fishing every month — the trick is matching the season to your target. Sailfish peak December through April (best February–April) on the Central Pacific; marlin fire up November–December off Quepos and Jacó. Yellowfin tuna run year-round thanks to the offshore purse-seine restrictions. The green season (May–November) is prime for variety and dorado, often at lower prices, while Caribbean tarpon fish best from mid-January to mid-May.
Costa Rica has two coasts and several microclimates — the dry, breezy north (Guanacaste) and the wetter, calmer Central and South Pacific can fish very differently on the same dates. Tell PescaYa your dates and we'll point you to the coast that's on.
How to Book Your Costa Rica Fishing Trip with PescaYa
PescaYa lets you filter Costa Rica's charters by region, target species, trip length and budget. Every listing shows boat photos, the captain's profile, target species, departure marina and what's included, with real availability and prices. You get secure payment, bilingual support and flexible cancellation — and because PescaYa works only with verified local operators, your trip is safe and the quality is checked.
A 15% deposit confirms your booking; the balance is due on the day of your trip.
Plan Your Trip — Getting There & What to Pack
Fly into San José (SJO) for the Central Pacific — Jacó and Los Sueños are about 90 minutes away, Quepos a little further. For Guanacaste, fly into Liberia (LIR), close to Tamarindo and Flamingo. Remote spots like Drake Bay and Golfito are a short domestic hop. PescaYa can arrange transfers and lodging.
Pack high-SPF sun protection, polarized glasses, quick-dry layers, rain gear for the green season, and reef-safe sunscreen. Charters supply all tackle, but fly anglers often bring favorite billfish flies.
Rules & Regulations
Costa Rica takes conservation seriously, and a few rules apply to every trip. Under Law 8436, every angler aboard a sport-fishing boat must carry a valid INCOPESCA fishing license — your charter or lodge usually includes or arranges it, but confirm when you book. Billfish — marlin, sailfish and swordfish — are catch-and-release only by law (INCOPESCA Agreement 476/2009); your captain keeps the fish in the water for a quick photo and a safe release. Other species such as tuna, dorado and snapper may be kept, but no more than five fish may be landed per trip, no matter how many anglers are aboard (Decree 36782). Only rod-and-reel sport fishing is permitted — and crews are trained to release everything they don't keep.
At a glance: INCOPESCA license required for everyone fishing (Law 8436) · Billfish are releaseonly (Agreement 476/2009) · Max 5 fish landed per trip, any group size (Decree 36782) · Tuna, dorado & snapper may be kept · Photograph billfish in the water — never lift them aboard.
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