TYPES OF FISHES

SAILFISH

If Costa Rica is known for its fish, the sailfish is what makes it famous. There are tournaments held during the months of June and July when the spectacular sight of the flying sailfish may be seen. Though not as powerful as the marlin, the sailfish manages to have a fair share of admirers. Los Suenos is where the maximum amount of sailfish can be found and the concentration is highest in the months ranging from December to March. The best thing about this variety is that it is available round the year.

YELLOW FIN TUNA

Another fish that is widely available in Costa Rica is yellow fin tuna. Usually the ones to be found are the size of a football but the maximum weight can reach up to 300 pounds. The fish are famous amongst anglers due to its capacity to fight. Available from January ill June or July, yellow fin tuna can be found in plenty off the Central Pacific in spring and early summer.

DORADO

Dorado is amongst the popular varieties of fish available in Costa Rica. Also called dolphin fish or mahi mahi this fish is a great swimmer and records say that it can reach a speed of 50mph in little time. Available throughout the year, the concentration is seen to increase from the month of May to November when rivers get flooded with rain water. This variety generally travels on massive scales and anglers might find it difficult to catch the larger billfish if it is hiding under a shoal of Dorado.

MARLIN

The Marlin happens to be one of the most popular varieties of fish in Costa Rica. Most of them are either blue or black in color and the weight can go up to a maximum of 600 pounds. It is because of its sheer power and persistence that anglers worldwide prize this variety. The place to find the best of the lot is Los Suenos in the Central Pacific. The most amount of marlin fishing is done in the southern and central areas from December to April. Though the small, striped variety is fished throughout the year, the black colored marlin makes the most number of appearances in the months of April and May.

SNAPPER

A number of species of snapper is available in Costa Rica. Snappers are shallow water fish that prefer to make the rocky bottom their refuge where they can feed on enough bait fish and have protection. Weighing over 100 pounds, the cubera is the largest of the snappers. Among the Pacific variety, the dog snapper is the largest with the world record of 78 pounds held by one of its kind in a resort in Costa Rica. All available species are tough fighters and the smaller variety makes for a delicious meal but the larger ones are often found to be coarse.

ROOSTERFISH

Found widely in Costa Rica, Roosterfish exists at moderate depths in sandy bottoms. The world record was set at 114 pounds caught off Baja, Mexico and it exists till date. But speculators are of the opinion that in all probability the next record holder will belong to Costa Rica. They are available throughout the year but a greater density is found in the Papagayo Bay area from November to March.  The reason behind this may be the fact that more boats set out to fish in this region and it is likely that the fish like the shoreline in this region. Here they are found at a depth of 50 to 60 feet of water.

WAHOO

Summer seasons in Costa Rica witness the appearance of Wahoo in the Pacific Cast region. This fish variety is essentially a loner and does not travel in schools that contain more than six fish. They can be initially sighted in the month of May with the number of appearances gaining significant increase in the months of July and August. Found mostly in rocky parts, the Wahoo is said to be the fastest fish in water by several experts. The initial run of the Wahoo during the process of hooking often causes drags on reels to wear off.