Tarpon Fishing in Costa Rica

This prehistoric fish dates back to the time of dinosaurs. In our opinion, they are one of the most unique and exciting game fish in the world.

The reason to target tarpon is simple – they're a challenge to land and a joy to watch in action. Once hooked, tarpon can leap up to ten feet out of the water and will do long, hard runs until they exhaust themselves.

Nicknamed “the silver king,” tarpon are recognizable by their size, pronounced lower jaw, and iconic bright silver coloring.

These beasts have jaws made almost entirely out of bone and their gill plates are razor sharp. The challenge of both hooking and landing them is what makes this fish so special.

Tarpon naturally feed on different types of animals. In Costa Rica, crabs, shrimp, sardines and baby turtles are their primary prey. They’re so huge they often swallow their prey whole in a giant sucking motion.

A member of the herring family, Costa Rica's tarpon are only targeted on the Caribbean coast. They're large compared to other parts of the world, averaging some 80 to 100 pounds, although anglers have landed tarpons coming in at over 200 pounds. 

The world record tarpon - 286 pounds - was caught over the border in Nicaragua.

The most common method of tarpon fishing in Costa Rica is to cast topwater plugs or bump troll a live or dead bait along the bottom. They can also be caught by casting with spoons, jigging, and even fly fishing.

Tarpon can be a real treat to both experienced anglers and beginners. If you're looking to try something new or want to plan a world-class Tarpon fishing vacation in Costa Rica, just pick the package that suits you best.

Tarpon are found up and down Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast as well as inland in freshwater rivers and lagoons.

They like shallow, warm tropical waters. However, Tarpon can “gulp” air from the surface of the water. This allows them to swim in brackish and freshwater to breed and spawn without threat from predators.

The best spots for fishing Tarpon are the Northeast Caribbean coast. They're also found in the Caño Negro Reserve in the North Central area of Costa Rica.

The waters of the Barra del Colorado Wildlife Refuge and Tortuguero also provide an excellent hunting ground.

On any normal day, you could hook up at least ten tarpon. The real challenge is the release, and great hook-up numbers help with that.

Tarpon live year-round in Costa Rica since they don’t migrate here. The fishing seasons depend more on the weather and sea conditions than the fish themselves.

The best months are late-January to early-May. Then again in the Caribbean’s dry season from September to early November.

Other months like July, August, December, and January can also produce fish. But due to the rain and stormy conditions, access to the prime waters can be tough.

If you’d like to try your hand at tarpon fishing, let us know. Our tailor-made fishing packages can be customized to your fishing needs.

Simply contact us with any questions and we’ll gladly help.