Caribbean - Barra del Colorado, Tortuguero

The northeastern part of Costa Rica is often referred to as the ‘Venice of Costa Rica’. While it is certainly not as built up or developed as its Italian counterpart, once you arrive it is very easy to see how it got that nickname. Accessible only by small plane or boat, canals and rivers take the place of roads while boats and canoes take the place of cars. Together the Tortuguero National Park and the 400,000 acre Barra del Colorado Nature Reserve make up one of the largest virgin lowland rainforests in the world.

This area has long been popular among nature lovers and eco-travelers as the natural beauty and incredible amount of wildlife are hard to find anywhere else in the world. Certainly one of the reasons this is a protected area and part of the reason it is so popular is the sea turtles that return here every year to nest. Four different types of turtles nest here each year – the hawksbill, loggerhead, green turtle, and the huge leatherbacks. Besides the huge assortment of monkeys and birds that are also found here, it is a very common site to see crocodiles sunning themselves along the banks of the canals. With all this wildlife, this mix of quiet canals, unexplored lagoons, and the open Caribbean Sea makes for a perfect fishing destination. The Rio San Juan, which runs from Lake Nicaragua all the way until it empties into the Caribbean Sea, is where most of the best fishing is found.

Without a doubt the main attraction for anglers heading to the Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica is the huge tarpon that are found here. Appropriately named the ‘silver king’, these beasts average 100-120 lbs and can reach mammoth proportions of 200 lbs! Besides their sheer size, what makes these fish a favorite among sport fisherman is their strength and fighting ability. A tarpon may actually be the most difficult game fish to boat because the fight can last for hours and they are experts at throwing hooks. Extremely hard runs and spectacular jumps of 6-7 ft into the air are what make tarpon fishing so popular. While the tarpon are found in the Rio San Juan and near its mouth in the Caribbean there are also plenty of other options in the canals and lagoons. Machaca, mojarra, and the delicious guapote are all found in large quantities here. In-shore fishing and fishing at lagoons like Agua Dulce are also great spots to find huge snook. Of course if you are looking for something different or just prefer off-shore fishing, with a quick 40 minute run you can be fishing for tuna, wahoo, dorado, and sailfish out in the Caribbean.