This area, known as Guanacaste, is Costa Rica’s hottest and driest region. It receives just 65 inches of rain a year and one can expect hot and sunny weather every month of the year. Due to its idealic weather and beautiful white sand beaches this is also the most popular destination for tourists and beach goers. In recent years several high end all-inclusive resorts have been built, not to mention one of the best Four Seasons in the world.
Besides the beautiful beaches, what attracts fisherman here is the excellent inshore fishing and proximity to spectacular deep sea fishing. This is the most western point of Costa Rica, so the continental shelf and deep waters are only a quick 30 minute run away. That of course means less sitting and more fishing for you! With a rocky, volcanic coastline and several islands this is also an ideal spot for in-shore fishing.
Tamarindo has quickly become one of Costa Rica’s most popular beach towns and continues to grow with new restaurants and hotels every year. It is also one of the top two surfing beaches in Costa Rica. If billfish is your game you are only a quick 30 minute run out to deep blue Pacific waters where it’s not uncommon to raise several sailfish in one day. These waters are so full of life that when you are fishing off shore it is common to see sea turtles, shrimp boats, and even whales. One of the highlights of fishing here is bringing your catch back to one of the restaurants right on the beach and eating it for dinner just a few hours later. Though Tamarindo has amazing deep sea fishing just minutes away, the in-shore fishing doesn’t fall far behind. Whether you are fishing for roosterfish and grouper at “The Reef”, an underwater volcanic reef, or fishing for tuna and dorado at the Catalina Islands the action is always good.
Ocotal is much more tranquil and less-developed than Tamarindo. It is known for its great scuba diving and protected beaches inside the beautiful Gulf of Papagayo. Ocotal is located on the southern end of the gulf, which is home to some of the largest number of roosterfish in Costa Rica. From here you can fish the Catalina Islands to the south or go north and fish along the gorgeous shorelines of the Santa Elena National Park. Some of the hot spots for in-shore fishing just minutes from the mooring are Punta Gorda, the underwater reef of Las Barras, and the several islands inside the golf where wahoo, huge roosterfish, and even sailfish are found. Should you decide to venture out of the gulf to chase yellow-fin tuna or marlin you’ll only be about 40 minutes away. Being one of the last stops before the Nicaraguan border, this is one of the best spots to catch marlin on their yearly migration.
