Marlin biting daily in Southern Zone

After spending weeks on the bottom of the totem pole, the Pacific Southern Zone came alive this week. Marlin has become a daily occurrence. The fish are not monsters; they run 200-300 pounds apiece. But for an angler who has never felt the power of these fish, it is quite an adrenalin rush.

There are also a few dorado and sails roaming the southern waters, but the dorado has not returned in the pre-red tide numbers that were around a couple of weeks ago. Matapalo Rock and Iguana reef were on fire Thursday with big roosterfish, snapper and amberjack. Sheena Branton from Ft. Lauderdale released a 60-pound rooster and brought a 40-pound amberjack in for dinner.

Quepos and the Los Sueños area also reported marlin and a sail here and there. There weren’t many boats on the water, but an angler checked in at Primo Tackle in Herradura and reported a good bite of small dorado at Punta Leona. Guanacaste was quiet this week.

The ocean kicked up on the Caribbean side, slowing the tarpon fishing despite the many fish remaining in the area. Eddie Brown reported a good snook and snapper bite at the Tortuguero river mouth, and to the north, anglers were still taking snook off the beach at Agua Dulce north of Barra del Colorado.

The red tide that has been scattered all along the Pacific side has been clearing up in most areas, and the fishing should continue to improve.