Sportfishing the Papagayo!

The fishing in the Gulf of Papagayo…Playa del Coco and Playa Hermosa area in the province of Guanacaste is amazing!

Not only are we situated right in the heart of some of the best fishing, diving and snorkeling in the area, but we are also a short thirty to forty-minute boat ride to the Catalina Islands in the South and a sixty to ninety-minute boat ride to Bat Islands (Isla Murcielagos) in the North.

The Gulf of Papagayo begins up North in the Bat Islands area…Los Arcos and ends at Punta Gorda and the Catalinas area.

In our area, there are two seasons… We have the dry season which generally starts in November and ends in March. The dry season is the Costa Rican summer. It is a beautiful time of year to visit and fish in this area. The mountains explode with vibrant colorful flowers, sunsets are epic and the evenings are fresh and great for stargazing. The water can be a bit cooler with temperatures averaging 74 degrees with cooler thermoclines of 65 degrees. It can also be windy this time of year making choppy surface conditions. The water is rich with nutrients (plankton), which is what keeps all the fish Happy!

We also have the rainy season which begins in April and ends in November. Rainy season normally starts with a couple of rain showers a week, progressing to sunny mornings with afternoon rain showers and ending the day with fabulous sunsets. September and October are the months for the heaviest rains. The landscape is lush and green, very tropical. The water is warmer this time of year averaging 78-85 degrees with some thermoclines. The ocean is calm and not much wind… making it the perfect time of year to be out on the water fishing.

The half day fishing package (five hours) includes fishing gear, beer, sodas and snacks. Full day (eight hours) charters include light lunch, extra drinks and snacks. These packages are for up to four fishermen. The price depends on the trip. The fishing license is $15 extra per person and is good for eight days. We can add the price of the fishing license to your package and purchase the license for you or you can purchase the license yourself by visiting the INCOPESCA website. If you purchased the license yourself, you will need to bring it with you on the days you are fishing.

You are welcome to bring extra snacks or special drinks on board. You should also bring a hat and light covering for protection from the sun. You should also bring sunscreen, it is best to bring this from your home, as it is expensive in Costa Rica. If you choose to use aerosol sunscreen please use care when applying and spray onto your hands and rub it on. Aerosol sunscreen makes the boat surface dangerously slippery.  NOTE: All passengers on the boat must have a current fishing license and a copy of your passport’s photo page and visa stamp page.