Fishing in Puntarenas Province

Spanning the length of Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, Puntarenas Province is a vast and ecologically rich region that is home to diverse fisheries, ranging from deep offshore canyons to surf-pounded beaches, wild estuaries, and pristine rivers. The climate is tropical, and mild enough throughout the year - to stress it, Costa Ricans say they don’t have dry and rain seasons, but rather dry and green seasons. As far as tourism is concerned, Puntarenas is it is somewhat less developed than the Guanakaste province it borders, but the northern part of the province does have adequate infrastructure for tourism and sportfishing is well-developed, especially around Quepos and Jacó, where modern marinas, expert captains, and luxury accommodations make trip planning easy and rewarding.

Puntarenas offers world-class offshore fishing, inshore fishing, surfcasting, and even freshwater fishing in jungle rivers. The Pacific coast is best known for its offshore sportfishing, with the central and southern coast providing fast access to pelagic species thanks to deep ocean drop-offs. The Marina Pez Vela in Quepos is a world-renowned sportfishing hub, hosting major billfish tournaments each year. Inshore fishing is equally impressive, with a variety of habitat from rocky shorelines, sandy beeches, islands, and reefs systems. The best part of Puntarenas is that it’s one of the few places where the deep ocean drop begins only a short ride from the shore, which enables the charter captains to combine offshore and inshore adventures in one outing. Not that you have to, but you can.

Puntarenas is famous for its sailfish, especially from December through April, when massive numbers gather off the coast. These acrobatic billfish are joined by blue marlin, black marlin, striped marlin, and yellowfin tuna in deep waters. Dorado (mahi-mahi) and wahoo round out the offshore lineup, providing fast action and great eating. Inshore, the star attraction is the roosterfish, one of Costa Rica’s most iconic and hard-fighting species, commonly caught near rocky points and beaches. Other inshore targets include cubera snapper, amberjack, jack crevalle, barracuda, and sierra mackerel. Near estuaries and river mouths, anglers also encounter snook, mangrove snapper, and even tarpon in select locations, especially closer to the border with Panama.

For offshore pelagics, trolling is the go-to technique, using skirted lures, rigged ballyhoo, teasers, and dredges. Many charter boats in Quepos and Golfito are equipped with outriggers and top-end tackle, offering catch-and-release sailfish and marlin trips tailored to IGFA standards. Live baiting and chunking are used when targeting tuna or deeper-holding species. Inshore fishing employs live bait, poppers, and jigs, especially for roosterfish and snapper. Light tackle spinning setups are ideal for casting near rocks and structure, while fly fishing for roosterfish and jacks is gaining popularity among experienced anglers. Surfcasters use heavy spinning rods, plugs, or bait rigs for snook and jacks along high-energy beaches. In the jungle rivers and estuaries of the south, anglers use light tackle or fly rods to fish mangrove-lined channels, especially at high tide.