Los Suenos Marina is by far the nicest marina in Costa Rica on the Pacific side. There is a new marina being built in Quepos, but it is not at the same level as Los Suenos. The Los Suenos Marina is located in the Central Pacific side, nearest San Jose, only an hour to hour and fifteen minute drive with the new highway. The marina has many amenities, and modern conveniences, including a 200 room Marriott Hotel, 18-hole golf course, fine dining, boutique shopping, and vacation properties from condos to luxury homes available. Fishing out of Los Suenos, you have the option to fish either to the north or to the south, and it also has many options right in its own back yard waters. During January, February and March, the sailfish and marlin are typically here, making these waters a great place to fish. Tuna show here primarily in the summer months. Rooster fishing is good in the nearby rock piles and over on the Nicoya Peninsula side, less than an hour run from Los Suenos marina, and bottom fishing is always excellent right in front of Los Suenos. The key with fishing out of Los Suenos is the number of boat options available here, with boat sizes from 26 ft. pangas to 100 ft. luxury yachts, as well as any boat in between. The inshore fishing here (aside from heading over to the Nicoya) basically sucks.  Our captains have been pulling up some good roosters nearby, but it isn't as consistent as Golfito.  Los Suenos does have excellent bottom fishing, and with the right captain, every trip can produce 30 to 40+ bottom fish (grouper, snapper, and other excellent edible fish).

Many of our clients who choose to fish out of Los Suenos stay in the beach town of Jaco.  Jaco is one of the more developed beach town in Costa Rica, while retaining its natural beauty.  Never have I seen so many iguanas or heard so many scarlet macaws squaking away.  It has a great downtown area full of restaurants, a few bars, souvenir shops, hotels, condos, and tourist amenities.  Here in Jaco, you can find things like ATV rides, bungee jumping, and zipline adventures.  Some other cool adventures includes a tour down the Tarcoles river, which is home to massive crocodiles and wildlife.  Also, a boat ride to nearby Tortuga Island makes for a great day of snorkeling and laying on white sand beaches.  Jaco is most known for its surfing, and it hosts great waves for any level of surfer.  Jaco has hosted many international surfing tournaments, and is home to a few surf schools along the beach.  You will always find dozens of surfers out on the break right around high tide.  Right down the road is Hermosa beach, which has even better surfing for those experienced surfers looking for a challenge.  Come to Los Suenos and Jaco on your next trip to Costa Rica and enjoy all that is has to offer.

Quepos has a new marina. Marina Pez Vela is open in limited operation. Access to loading and unloading is excellent. The proximity to the Furuno banks, which everyone knows is the most famous fishing grounds in Costa Rica (about an hour away in a good boat). Inshore rooster fishing is excellent when the sardines are available. The key with the Quepos marina is that is located next to Manuel Antonio which offers budget hotels to luxury cliffside estates. There are private homes, many hotels, and just a lot of options for lodging. Inshore in Quepos there is some rooster fishing and some snook fishing in the spring. Fishing out of Quepos, you will find yourself fishing with boats from Los Suenos. The reason to choose Quepos over Los Suenos is the quicker run to the Furuno banks and the multitude of lodging opportunities. It is slightly less expensive to fish in Quepos due to the lower cost of moorage.

Golfito has always had my heart. It was the first place I pulled into when I got here. I looked into the mountains and the country side and it reminded me of Southeast Alaska. It was just home, I was there (excluding the fact that it in Alaska it is freezing cold and here in Golfito it's 96 degrees every day in the summertime). The fish are on the surface and they bite real good and it is just beautiful, beautiful country. In Golfito you seem to have more quality locations with lots of mounds and crevices where the marlin like to hangout. The most important thing in Golfito you have Bobby McGuinness. This guy has been fishing in the area since he was 14 years old. Hands down, I have always caught more fish on Bobby's boat than any other in Golfito. Inshore fishing in Golfito is outrageous. It is far, far better in Golfito than anywhere else in Costa Rica. If a client wants to catch a roosterfish on a fly, there is only one place in Costa Rica that I can guarantee it, and that is Golfito; typically on the first day too (if you can cast). Golfito is in the Golfo Dulce (sweet bay) and in the bay; there are millions of tons of sardines and blue runner bait, and where you find that, you will also find roosterfish. Snapper congregate here as well. In Golfito you have less choice for accommodations, but you do have a very nice option, Casa Roland Marina Resort. This is the best Golfito has to offer and while not exactly five stars, it is the closest you will find in the area.

Drake Bay is a very unique location on the Osa Peninsula. In fact I just received a phone call from a client I sent there a couple of weeks ago. Not only did he call but sent an email, thanking me, thanking me, and then called to thank me personally for insisting that he go fishing in Drake Bay. In Drake Bay, you have a lot of options for lodging as well. From $50/night standard rooms to several hundred/night, depending on your budget, you can find very nice accommodations. In Drake Bay, you are away from any concrete, any city, you’re out in the jungle, in the wilderness. You also have Corcovado National Park if you want to spend the day taking in other wildlife. Fishing in Drake Bay, you do not have options for a ton of boats, but we know a few good boats with good captains who are excellent fishermen. There is no doubt that you are going to have a good time. Inshore rooster fishing is outrageous (equal or maybe even better than Golfito). Drakes Bay is perfectly situated to fish around Cano Island and the Furuno Banks. Around the island is great for rooster fishing and snapper, while the banks are spectacular for billfish.

Tamarindo in the spring time (March, April, May), is known for marlin because of its proximity to the outer most edge of Costa Rica, right on the drop offs. While you can definitely catch billfish in other locations during these months, it is not uncommon for good boats to pull 8-10 billfish into the boat in a day. There is a bit more wind to contend with when fishing in this area. Tamarindo is a great place to go fishing, inshore is ok too, but if I were going fishing in Costa Rica, I would not choose Tamarindo. If I were going on a family vacation and wanted the white sand beaches Tamarindo is known for, ok then, let's get some fishing in while you're here in Costa Rica; otherwise, fish to the south.

Flamingo is a great fishing location in the opposite seasons of the rest of the country. December, February, March, the winds are blowing and it is tough to get out on the water more than a few days a week. The Costa Rica "winter" June, July, August, this is the place to go fishing, the wind is down and the fish are typically biting. The inshore is good here as well roosterfish and billfish are around, making this an ok destination in what is otherwise our typical off-season.

Papagayo is a great location for fishing in the winter months of May, June, July, August, and September. You've got good marlin fishing offshore, tuna are along the coast of Costa Rica at this time as well, and roosterfish are around if you go to the north toward Nicaragua. Again this is a destination if you are planning a Costa Rica family vacation as there are a few very nice resorts in the area.

Fishing on the Caribbean side, there are 2 or 3 fishing lodges, but I personally do not like to go to a fishing lodge and get stuck fishing with a captain I don't know. He may be a good captain, but only has a few years of experience, it's not personal, I just don't fish that way. I fish out of one lodge in Tortugureo and I only use one captain, my good friend, and longtime fisherman, Eddie. Eddie has been fishing the Caribbean side of Costa Rica all his life and there is no better. If there are tarpon, this guy will find them. Over the last 11 years, I have fished more than 40 days on the Caribbean, in Costa Rica, with Eddie, and over those years, not one of my clients has ever been skunked, so that shows you the type of show this captain brings to his clients. There is also some good snook fishing on this side of the country as well.