Sportfishing seasons

Tarpon: all year round, high season from December through May.

Snook: peaks from March- May and again September - end November

Kingfish, Spanish and Cero Mackerel, Jack Crevalle, Barracuda: abundant close to shore any time the ocean is flat.  

Fat snook (calba): peaks from mid-Nov to late Jan, but often appears earlier

Billfish, Atlantic sailfish and occasional blue marlin: almost anytime of the year. Most are caught February - September.

Dorado: just outside river mouths throughout year. Best fishing is when the river runoff carries out debris that forms inshore trash lines.

Tripletail: January - June.  

Wahoo: plentiful on the outside from early February to mid- June

Marlin: found every month of the year, especially from Nov to early March, reducing April - early June, and picking up August-September

Sailfish: throughout the year, peak season May-August. Slowest months August-November, with September as the lowest.

Wahoo: season starts with rains in May, peaks July- August. Caught around rocky points and islands, sometimes offshore.

Roosterfish: available all year. In Papagayo Bay more are caught November - March. Roosters like the structure of the shoreline and islands, usually found in 50-60 feet of water.  

Tuna: peaks from August-October. Yellowfin and bigeye tuna are located at Catalina Island (30 minutes offshore) where schools of 12-20 pounders are abundant. Frequent large concentrations of 40-60 pound tuna. Many 200-400 pounders caught each year.

Marlin: October is best month, also good Sept &November. Blues and rare blacks can sometimes be found anytime of the year.

Sailfish: best from the mid-December to end-April when they begin moving north. A few sailfish always appear June-September.

Wahoo: not frequent around Quepos, but in late June - early August they can be located on Drake's Bay and Cafe Island

Dorado: starts with winter rains late in May that wash debris from the river mouths creating the inshore trash lines that dolphins like.

Tuna: easily found throughout year along the Pacific coast, more plentiful June-Sept. Most are 8-12 pounders, some catches are 100-200 pounds.

Snook: found in many river mouths along the coast, like the Sierpe River and Lagoon. Best months July - November during heavy rainy season.  

Roosterfish: better in river mouths of Parrita, Palo Seco, and Damas, and around Dominical and Drake's Bay. Best fishing June - early September.

Marlin: peaks August-December.  If the water temperature is up, can pick up occasional striped, blue or black.

Sailfish: peaks December-March. Slows from April to early June, increases again August-September.

Tuna: best fishing for 100-pound and up yellowfin follows the marlin and sailfish season, but schools can be found almost always.

Dorado: best late May- October when rivers are flowing full.

Wahoo: not abundant, can be sometimes caught during the year around the structure off Matapalo Cape.

Roosterfish: virtually any month of year. Region is famous for big roosters.

Snook: all year, best from mid- May through July and in January/February.