Fishing Report 2018 – Samara Beach
Fishing Report – Samara, Costa Rica
Action and Variety
We are pleased to report that this season has been a very successful one. We landed a wide variety of species: Roosterfish, Cubera Snapper, Jackcrevalle, Grouper, Mackerel, Amberjack, Wahoo, Sailfish and Marlin and others. Overall, inshore has been much better than offshore. This year not too many Sailfish were around compared to the year 2016. We have seen more Marlin than Sailfish though. Usually, it is the opposite way around.
Kicking off the Season with lots of Mahi Mahi in November and December 2017
This season we started off with lots of Mahi Mahi (Dorado), primary caught inshore and trolling lures. November and December is Dorado season, especially after a strong rainy season, which we definitely had in 2017.
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January and February – the months when we are fully in the dry season and when the weather is spectacular
This is the time of the year when the big Pacific Sailfish begin to move in. In dry season Dorado were still here, not in the numbers we saw in November and December and you have to go offshore to find them. We landed one here and there as the dry season progressed. After March they tend to disappear.
Tunas have been always around and we have caught plenty. The numbers of tunas actually increase in April and May when greason season starts. Just a couple days ago we caught a 47 lbs Yellowfin Tuna offshore using live sardines this time. To catch bigger Tuna you need to go offshore. If we cannot find live bait we use big, brightly colored top water plugs, and casting or trolling speed jigs and cedar plugs. However, slowly trolling live sardines or live bonita has proven to work much better.
Surf fishing in April
Surf fishing in April this year has turned out to be not too bad: “We went to the most beautiful and uncrowded beach I have ever seen. There were corbina herding baitfish right off the rocks. I hooked 2, landed one and caught a shark as well. The second day was not as successful. Surf fishing can be tough, I highly recommend this trip for people with some surf or shore fishing experience and who are aware that sometimes nature doesn’t cooperate with your plans to catch a ton of fish in a few hours.” Mark Nell, fishing customer, April 2018
Fishing Seasons
In very general – and this is probably what you read researching on the internet – the fishing seasons in Costa Rica are divided into High Season (November-
In the Samara and Carrillo area we can definitely say that fishing is good all year-round. Fishing can be meh, decent and shocking good in every month, except for those days or weeks when the weather is bad and heavy rains dominate. The chances for bad weather are higher during the months of September and October. That said, fishing season in our area starts in November and slows down by the end of August.
Tight lines, Capt. Frank
