Anything fishing in Costa Rica!!

New Shark Finning Law in Costa Rica Not So Noble After All

August 6th, 2008 Posted in Fishing News | 1 Comment »

Costa Rica has become one of the world’s leading icons for peace, stability, and environmental friendliness.  In 1948 they were the first country in the world to abolish their army and today over 20% of the country is protected by nature reserves and national parks.  Costa Rica ranks fifth in the world in the Environmental Performance Index and was recently named the world’s “Most Ethical Destination” according to Ethical Travel (www.ethicaltraveler.org).  That is extremely high praise for this small Central American country and many Costa Ricans are understandably very proud of that worldwide recognition.  However all is not as perfect as it seems in this tropical paradise, and perhaps with a little more investigating the Environmental Performance Index and Ethical Travel might not be so quick to heap all this praise upon Costa Rica. Read the rest of this entry »

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Holiday Fishing Vacations to Costa Rica Still Available!

August 2nd, 2008 Posted in Fishing News | No Comments »

For those of you who got a late start planning your 2008 holiday vacation, there is some good news.  Even though it is August and we are just 4 months away from the peak travel season in Costa Rica, there are still some great properties with availability left over the Christmas and New Year’s time frame.  Due to the smaller, boutique style hotels here and the immense and ever growing popularity of Costa Rica, each year people must book their holiday vacations earlier and earlier.  That said, it is always possible to find a few hidden gems out there or get lucky and book right after someone else cancels their vacation.  The other option, which is much easier and less stressful, is to book a pre-reserved holiday block from Hooked Up Sport Fishing. Read the rest of this entry »

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Book Your Flights to Costa Rica Early

July 23rd, 2008 Posted in Fishing Tips | 1 Comment »

Our fishing tip of the month is really as simple as that - book your flights to Costa Rica early.  Although it may seem like a typical sales ploy, now more than ever it is imperative that you secure your flights to Costa Rica as early as you can during the vacation planning process.  Every year hotels and fishing trips during the high season and peak holiday weeks are reserved earlier and earlier, but that was generally not a problem as long as you knew how the game worked.  Now however the airlines have the ultimate trump card in the travel industry - higher prices and fewer flights.  What that could mean is after you spend all this time planning a perfect vacation and secure the perfect hotel, you may pay more than you imagined for flights or not be able to get to Costa Rica on the days you wanted to anyway! Read the rest of this entry »

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Tamarindo Fishing Report - July 2008

July 22nd, 2008 Posted in Fishing Reports | No Comments »

The latest fishing report out of Tamarindo is more along the lines of what we expect from the Guanacaste region during the green season - quantity and quality.  Fred Helm, his father Fred Sr., and uncle Steve Brown all made their first trip to Costa Rica in mid-July and stayed at the beautiful Paradisus Playa Conchal.  They were all a bit apprehensive at first and had some reservations as to the quality of the resort where they would be staying and if the fishing would be any good during the “rainy season”.  I explained to him how the fishing is actually better during the green season in this part of the country due to flat seas and more bait fish, and after a few weeks of convincing he finally booked his trip and was ready to come down.  Being avid fishermen themselves in San Diego, CA, we did not want to dissapoint them so we sent them out with our best captain - Randy Wilson and his 38′ Topaz named the Talking Fish. Read the rest of this entry »

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Trouble for Sports Fishermen in Costa Rica?

July 10th, 2008 Posted in Fishing News | No Comments »

When people hear the words ‘Costa Rica’, images like the rainforest, beautiful beaches, great sports fishing, and a peaceful country without an army pop up.  But clashes between fishermen on the high seas?  You have to be joking, right?  Unfortunately not.  This past month there have be some ugly run-ins between commercial fishing boats and tourist sport fishing boats on the Pacific side of Costa Rica.  In June alone there were three such incidents in Costa Rica and another one was reported in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.   Could it be that the ocean, which covers 2/3 of the planet, is not big enough for all of us? Read the rest of this entry »

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Costa Rica Kayak Fishing Report - June 2008

July 7th, 2008 Posted in Fishing Reports | No Comments »

The green season continues to deliver superb fishing in the Guanacaste region of Costa Rica so far in 2008.  The green season in Costa Rica actually follows the MLB season pretty closely, and the All-Star break in baseball means we are about halfway through the green season here in Costa Rica.  That’s good news to some, but bad news to us anglers who are enjoying some great fishing.  Last month Bill Tuomela from Cape Canaveral, FL came down on his first trip to Costa Rica and wanted to try our kayak fishing.  He is actually one of our more experienced guests to try it, but as he suspected, he was amazed by Costa Rica’s famous roosterfish and learned even more about the sport he already loved. Read the rest of this entry »

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Crocodile Bay Fishing Report - June 2008

June 25th, 2008 Posted in Fishing Reports | No Comments »

Almost every year the marlin show up to Crocodile Bay in time for summer vacation, and this year has been no different.  Todd Staley, the fishing director and living legend at Crocodile Bay, reports that a marlin has been seen just about every day this month.  Besides the large numbers of the ‘lady in the blue dress’, there has also been a lot of variety and a possible new IGFA record.  Jeffery Adams, 16, caught one of the biggest rock snappers ever seen in those waters. The fish was just under 17 lbs and faught for fifteen minutes. Pending verification from the IGFA, Jeffery will be in the record book for the largest all tackle catch for Barred Pargo, the fish’s official name. Read the rest of this entry »

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June Fishing Report - Manuel Antonio

June 24th, 2008 Posted in Fishing Reports | No Comments »

In a month that typically showcases calm seas, afternoon rain showers, and a second marlin run, this June was not a good one for fishing in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica.  At first there was a case of the dreaded “red tide”, and then Costa Rica’s first ever tropical storm, Alma.  The red tide is another name for an algal bloom,  where algae accumulate near the surface in a dense mass.  This algae is actually a single celled organism named phytoplankton which with their pigments can change color to create a red or pink floating mass.  The bad news for anglers is that the fishing is generally poor when there is a red tide.  The slow fishing may attributed to one of the causes of the red tide, agricultural run-off and water pollution.  The algal bloom has been tied to an increase in agricultural run-off and excess pollution due to more phosphates and nitrates in the water.  Whatever the case may be, the fish seem to know either by water temperature or quality to stay away when the red tide comes in. Read the rest of this entry »

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Keys to Multiple Sailfish Hook Ups

June 10th, 2008 Posted in Fishing Tips | No Comments »

By now, Costa Rica is already a well established international hot spot for sport fishing.  Billfish can be caught any month of the year, sailfish can be found on both coasts, and can all but be guaranteed during the peak season.  There are multiple international fishing tournaments from December through March and stories of boats hauling double digit numbers of sailfish in a day are not uncommon.  A surprising number of people have also been lucky enough to experience the exciting multiple hook up.  For those who are unfamiliar with this event, as the name implies it occurs when two or more sailfish are hooked up by the same boat at the same time.  This certainly involves a bit of luck with being in the right spot at the right time, but there are a few things you can do to increase your chances of this happening the next time you are out. Read the rest of this entry »

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Costa Rica Green Season Specials!

June 8th, 2008 Posted in Fishing News | 4 Comments »

May 1st annually marks the start of the low season for tourism in Costa Rica which means lower rates and fantastic hotel specials.  The low season in Costa Rica runs from May 1st to to December 1st, which also coincides with the green season weather.  While sometimes referred to as ‘the rainy season’, that name tends to create a false image of monsoon rains and no sunshine which couldn’t be farther from the truth.  While it is true that afternoon rain showers are common during the green season, a typical day will start off hot and sunny and then an afternoon shower around 2-3 PM will cool things off just in time for an afternoon nap or a cold drink after a long day of fishing.  Many people who have been to Costa Rica actually prefer to travel during the green season as it means lower rates, less crowds, and the country turns a beautiful vibrant green after going five months without rain.  Read the rest of this entry »

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