Quepos, Costa Rica

Fishing Seasons

A breakdown of what types of fish should be biting each month.  I can't promise you a

Marlin during November, but I can tell you that it is definitely possible!

Quepos is known for it's amazing abundance of fish, especially huge Pacific Sailfish. If you go fishing anytime in December through March and sometimes April you will almost definitely boat at least one... hopefully about 20!

Of course the true prized catch of any dedicated angler, a Marlin, can be caught at a slightly different time of year. We see a lot of Marlin running in September, October and November, just before the Sails start running.  

Football sized Tuna can be caught year round, with the occasional 100-200 pound beast caught every year. I don't even think that I could eat that much sashimi.  

It is always nice to come home with a Dorado (Mahi Mahi), which are an amazing fight and a tasty treat. Anywhere from 10 to more than 65 pounds, Dorado have been laid into hard by the commercial boats in the last few years but are still caught on a regular basis. We see these fish the most in the latter months of the calendar year as the rains come and wash the debris from the river that the Dorado like to pile up under.

If it is not a Sailfish, Dorado or a Marlin that you are seeking, then it is probably a Roosterfish. An amazing, beautiful and hard fish to find, Roosterfish are caught year round in Quepos. They are generally caught off of rock formations and at river mouths. 

Although very popular in South Florida and many other places in the world, Pacific Snook fishing has only been popular as a main target in Quepos, Costa Rica as of late. Could be because they are catching 50+ pound Snook regularly! That's just a litte bigger than under the docks in S. Fla. The snook bite in Quepos is year 'round but depends heavily on the moon and the tides.

January 

Enero 

During January and February, the Sailfishing in Quepos, Costa Rica is arguably the best in the entire world. In this month there is a good chance of releasing 10-15 Sailfish in one day. The Dorado bite is also really good in January, with a great chance of taking home enough fillets to make dinner for the entire family... and the crew on the boat... and anyone else at the dock that eats Dorado. If bottom fishing is your thing, you're looking at taking home some Snapper or a sought after Roosterfish.

Blue Marlin:

Black Marlin:

Pacific Sailfish:

Dorado:

Snapper:

Yellowfin Tuna:

Roosterfish: 

February

Febrero 

As previously stated, February is known to be one of the busiest months of the season for Pacific Sailfish. This month is also great for Dorado, Snapper and Roosterfish. It is not uncommon to catch a Sailfish, Dorado and Yellowfin Tuna all in one day in February. Add a Marlin and you've got a Costa Rican grand slam!

Blue Marlin:

Black Marlin:

Pacific Sailfish:

Dorado:

Snapper:

Yellowfin Tuna:

Roosterfish: 

March

Marzo 

In March we are still banging out the super Sailfish days and finding a charter is a little bit easier. This is usually about the time when business slows down just a tad but the fishing is still pumping. I really like to fish in March and have had great luck. As a matter of fact, this past March when Daina and I got engaged, we ran into Sails, Huge Dorado, two different types of Snapper, some Amberjack and also landed 2 Roosterfish on the way in. Not a bad day overall.

Blue Marlin:

Black Marlin:

Pacific Sailfish:

Dorado:

Snapper:

Yellowfin Tuna:

Roosterfish: 

April

Abril 

April is usually still slamming, but starts to slow down towards the end. I have locked into a Blue Marlin once or twice (once) off of Quepos in April, which is not uncommon. A pretty interesting thing happens as April fades into May... the Sailfishing drops off and the Blue Marlin begin to really hit hard. A Pacific Blue Marlin can weigh around 250lbs and will be a really fun experience if you missed Sailfish season due to a broken pinky toe or something. Quick fact: a Marlin can swim over 100 yards in  about 4 seconds.  (About 55mph)

Blue Marlin:

Black Marlin:

Pacific Sailfish:

Dorado:

Snapper:

Yellowfin Tuna:

Roosterfish: 

May

Mayo 

May is when we have a short pickup on the bite of Blue Marlin. The reports in May generally don't come back without at least a raise on a Blue each day. We also have a pickup in the Black Marlin bite in May... which can reach over 15ft long and weigh over 1,200lbs. (Black Marlin have been recorded weighing over 1,470lbs) Unfortunately, the commercial longliners often kill Marlin with their chosen methods of fishing, so boats have begun to go farther and farther out on a Marlin expedition. If you would like to fish for a Marlin off of Quepos, you should check out the boats in the Quepos Fleet and choose a fast boat, and probably one with twin engines. It can sometimes be a long haul.

Blue Marlin:

Black Marlin:

Pacific Sailfish:

Dorado:

Snapper:

Yellowfin Tuna:

Roosterfish: 

June

Junio 

June in Quepos is a "yeah, let's go fishing and have a good time, who knows what the hell we'll catch" kind of month. When you leave the docks, be prepared for anything. You could be up to catch a 100lb+ Yellowfin Tuna as this is the month that usually starts the Tuna bite. According to Luna Tours, about a dozen or so 200lb+ YFT are taken each year off the coast of Quepos! 

Blue Marlin:

Black Marlin:

Pacific Sailfish:

Dorado:

Snapper:

Yellowfin Tuna:

Roosterfish: 

July

Julio 

July is a very easy time for most people to plan a trip to Costa Rica. While the fishing for Sailfish in July can be pretty slow, you might have some luck of hooking up with a Blue or Black... or possibly a YFT or a Roosterfish. Tuna are biting now, and Dorado are piling up under the debris from the rivers... it is rainy season. Sails are also usually hanging around under the debris also, feeding on all of the bait underneath. Keep an eye on the reports and feel this month out.

Blue Marlin:

Black Marlin:

Pacific Sailfish:

Dorado:

Snapper:

Yellowfin Tuna:

Roosterfish: 

August

Augusto 

August is a great month for Tuna, Dorado and the occasional Sailfish. Remember, Marlin, Sailfish, Rooster and a ton of other inshore species can be caught year round.

Blue Marlin:

Black Marlin:

Pacific Sailfish:

Dorado:

Snapper:

Yellowfin Tuna:

Roosterfish: 

September

Septiembre 

September is the beginning of the Marlin months. This is a great time to book a big boat and go Marlin hunting. A few day trip might be in order here, especially if they are as thick as the 2007 season. The Marlin were everywhere!

Blue Marlin:

Black Marlin:

Pacific Sailfish:

Dorado:

Snapper:

Yellowfin Tuna:

Roosterfish: 

October

October... the Marlin are still holding strong. We are right in the middle of peak season to catch a Blue or Black Marlin at this time. Boats often report 3-5 bites per day during these times.

Blue Marlin:

Black Marlin:

Pacific Sailfish:

Dorado:

Snapper:

Yellowfin Tuna:

Roosterfish: 

November

Noviembre 

Billfish galore! If you are looking to catch a Blue Marlin, Black Marlin or a Sailfish you are looking in the right month. Although the full on bite for Sailfish does not usually start until December or even January, there is still a pretty good bite going on. And add in the full blown Marlin bite and you could be in for a bammer!

Blue Marlin:

Black Marlin:

Pacific Sailfish:

Dorado:

Snapper:

Yellowfin Tuna:

Roosterfish: 

December

Diciembre 

December starts the offical Sailfish migration. A ridiculous abundance of thees fish move north to the Pacific Coast starting just before or during December and leave around February or March. Sailfishing during this time can yield 10-20 Sails per day! This will leave a grown man whimpering, raiding the fridge and searching for a cigar. But what a good whimper. You all know that good whimper.

Blue Marlin:

Black Marlin:

Pacific Sailfish:

Dorado:

Snapper:

Yellowfin Tuna:

Roosterfish: 

I have posted the species most targeted in the Quepos area. I hope you find this breakdown of species and the hot times to catch them. Email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it with any questions.