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Sailfish, mahimahi action on Pacific; Caribbean fishing improves with weather

The weather has been nearly perfect throughout Costa Rica. The winds have died down on the northern Pacific coast, and the sun has been shining on the Caribbean side after heavy rains earlier this month.

The fishing has been good all along the Pacific coast, with most boats averaging a handful of sailfish and a few mahimahi each day. The lucky ones have also been catching some marlin. The fishing on the Caribbean side is improving with the weather, and they are catching snook and tarpon.

Northern Pacific

Shimmering: A Pacific sailfish shows its colors.

Photo courtesy of Jerry “Bubba” Hallstrom

Capt. Skeet Warren on the Bushwacker in Flamingo took a group out for some offshore fishing. One couple caught their first sailfish. They also caught a handful of mahimahi for the grill and had a great time.

Capt. Lee Keidel on the Kingpin in Tamarindo reports calm seas and a short run to the fishing grounds. Sailfish, mahimahi and wahoo are providing the most action, with a few marlin sightings. The near-shore fishing for snapper and grouper has been steady, but the roosterfish bite has been a bit slower than usual.

The Gamefisher II and Capt. Richard Chellemi have been fishing in the Flamingo and Carrillo area, catching sailfish, mahimahi, wahoo and a few striped and blue marlin. The half-day inshore trips are getting some grouper, snapper, jack and more.

Jim and Teri Webster, from the U.S. state of Oregon, fished two days out of Carrillo aboard the Flamingo II with Capt. Gene Watson. The first day, they caught four good mahimahi but had no billfish shots. They scored big the second day, releasing two blue marlin, one striped marlin and one sailfish – the first slam for the Flamingo II this year, and the Websters’ first marlin release.

Central Pacific

Congratulations to the captain and crew of the Cerveza out of Los Sueños Marina. They took first place is the 2010 Los Sueños Signature Billfish Series Tournament. The Big Oh finished in second place and The Hook finished third. Forty-two boats entered the three-day event and released 676 sailfish and 12 marlin. They also caught a load of mahimahi, but they don’t count in the tourney, so for these guys they were a nuisance.

Capt. James Smith and the crew of the Dragin Fly have been working hard and averaging four to eight sailfish per day, a few mahimahi and even a few yellowfin tuna. They also caught a couple of marlin recently.

Ocean Adventures and Capt. Dana Thomas report a steady bite, averaging five or six sailfish and a few mahimahi each day. They have also been doing some bottom fishing for grouper and snapper, and report a good bite for fish in the 10- to 25-pound range.

Capt. Dave Mothershead on the Miss Behavin’ broke off a 400-pound blue marlin recently just 20 miles offshore, and ended the day with four sailfish and two mahimahi.

The crew on the J-Barrilete in Bahía Herradura has been keeping busy, averaging two to five sailfish per day and a few mahimahi. They’ve also done some inshore fishing and report a below-average roosterfish bite.

The folks from Bluewater Sportfishing in Quepos report some good fishing. The Blue Water II caught five sailfish and a 500-pound marlin recently, while the Blue Water III caught eight sailfish and a nice marlin with a group that fished a couple of full days offshore.

The guys from JP Sportfishing have been fishing out of Quepos and Los Sueños on the Wild Lady and the Sea Lady. They’ve been catching anywhere from two to seven sailfish and mahimahi per day. They also picked up a marlin and a couple of roosterfish recently.

Southern Pacific

Bob Baker of Golfito Sportfishing reports some good action and flat seas in Zancudo. There have been good numbers of sailfish and mahimahi and even some yellowfin tuna offshore. The marlin have been popping up here and there but seem to have full bellies and are just curious. The inshore fishing for snapper has been good, and they’ve also been catching some roosterfish.

Northern Region

Lee Swidler took Joe Cambia of kayakfishingmagazine.net to the north-central waters for some inland light tackle fishing. They fished the Río Niño, catching a bunch of machaca, and then moved over to Caño Negro for some tarpon fishing.

Philippe Tisseaux of San Carlos Sport Fishing welcomed some return guests for tarpon fishing on the Río San Juan in Nicaragua. They all caught and safely released tarpon between 80 and 150 pounds. They also fished the Solentiname Islands, catching average numbers of guapote and lots of mojarra.

Caribbean

Diann Sánchez of Río Colorado Lodge reports some great snook fishing recently. Return guest Wally Lebrun caught three snook over 10 pounds. With the weather and tarpon fishing improving, they hooked 22 tarpon in three days.

Capt. Eddie Brown on the Bullshark in Tortuguero reports some beautiful weather and flat seas on the northern Caribbean coast. They’ve been catching good numbers of fat snook and hooking a handful of tarpon each day.
Please send fishing reports, photos and comments to Jerry “Bubba” Hallstrom at , or call 2778-7217 in Costa Rica or 1-800-9SAILFISH from the United States. To post reports and photos on The Tico Times’ online fishing forum, go to http://www.ticotimes.net/fishingforum.