The marlin have been active in the Southern Zone this week. Anglers who were worried about the bite on the full moon found that the fish still wanted to come out and play. Historically in the past few years, the fishing has slowed on the December full moon but has been good on the January moon. This year wasn’t any different. Besides marlin, the sailfish came to the party – not in large numbers, but most anglers returned to port with sailfish checked off their bucket list.
Bill McMenemy of Straight Up Sportfishing checked in from Los Sueños to say the moon did affect the fish a little in that region, but they are managing a few sails and caught and released a 300-pound blue marlin. His recent catches include four wahoo, a beautiful 60-pound dorado and yellowfin tuna.
Offshore fishing has slowed on the northern Pacific coast, although the winds died down last week. The offshore water quality is excellent, so the bite should return any day. Inside, anglers are getting some nice roosterfish and jacks.
The wind also quit blowing on the Caribbean side, and boats are once again fishing outside. The tarpon bite has resumed, but, as is often the case, anglers are having trouble keeping them hooked up. A few calba, a smaller species of snook, are still biting, and bigger snook are being taken by those who work the river mouths.
Todd Staley is the fishing manager at Crocodile Bay Resort in Puerto Jiménez, on southwestern Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula. Skippers, operators and anglers are invited to email fishing reports by Wednesday of each week to todd@crocodilebay.com. To post reports and photos on The Tico Times’ online fishing forum, go to wordpress-257819-2837440.cloudwaysapps.com/Weekend/Fishing/Fishing-Forum.
