That’s Fishin’- February 2018
By Benn Gilmour
February can only be described as a HOT HOT HOT time for Offshore fishing here in Quepos. It is perhaps the Number 1 month in the calendar for Sailfish and is why thousands of Anglers from around the world descend on Quepos to hook up with one of our great captains and experience our amazing fishery. If you have always dreamt of catching a Billfish then you have come to the right place and you could not have timed it better than coming here in February. Big Pacific Sailfish in the 70-140lb range will be available 20+ miles off our coastline. Blue, Black and Striped Marlin will be in the mix also, as well as Yellow Fin Tuna and Dorado. If you want to target the big Pelagic’s such as Sailfish & Marlin, a full day (8-9 hour) Offshore trip is the best option to give you adequate time on the water and increase your chances of landing a dream catch. Check out some of the photos of our happy Anglers from the past month or so releasing their trophy Marlin & Sailfish catches. They will not be forgetting their experience in a hurry!
INSHORE FISHING REPORT
The Inshore bite literally exploded in January! The river mouths at Parrita, Naranjo, and Savegre all produced some fantastic fishing with some excellent species variety! Roosterfish, Snook, all types of Snappers, Mackerel, Jacks and some monster Tripletail were all caught in great numbers. Our friends at IDRA 2 Sportfishing caught a 29lb Tripletail which was the largest many people had ever seen landed out of Quepos, a true monster for this species & we literally had to check the record books to see if it was a record. Sardines have been plentiful throughout January and this should continue through February and maintain a solid bite in the Inshore waters around Quepos. Captains will still head to the river mouths to target big Snook and other species but if a BIG Roosterfish is on your bucket list then head into the deeper water at the Rocks and Islands around Quepos where the Big Roosters hang out. A live Lookdown livebait is one of the best baits out there for a big Roosterfish.
Don’t forget that there is a 50lb plus Roosterfish swimming around the waters of Quepos with an electronic tracking tag attached close to its anal fin. We deployed this tag in mid-2017 along with 3 other electronic tags which were deployed in Roosterfish by Gray Fishtag Research throughout Costa Rica. If any Anglers are lucky enough to catch these fish, the tag should be retrieved, the fish released immediately and you can either contact me or the guys at Gray Fishtag Research grayfishtagresearch.org to return the tag so that the important data it holds can be recorded. Costa are awarding two pairs of awesome Costa Sunglasses to the person who returns the tag so keep your eyes peeled guys and be lucky!
COOK YOUR CATCH AT AGUA AZUL!
Agua Azul has achieved legendary status over the years in Manuel Antonio with locals and visitors alike. You will not find a place in the Quepos/Manuel Antonio area with more hospitable hosts, truly first class hospitality. Whilst they might be famous for their 1-2lb Big Ass Burgers, Agua Azul knock up some fantastic seafood fare also and are experts at turning your catch of the day into a meal you will not forget. Be sure to head there for some cold ones for sunset before enjoying your hard earnt catch. Whatever your catch may be: Tuna, Dorado, Snook, Corvina, Snapper — the guys at Agua Azul will take care of you and you will not regret it!
2018 FISHING TOURNAMENT DATES FOR YOUR DIARIES!
The first tournament of the year, the Pelagic Rockstar, took place in January (full report to follow next month) and the next tournaments here at the Marina Pez Vela are:
March 14-17 Quepos Billfish Cup
April 12-14 Marina Pez Vela Open
April 15-20 Offshore World Championships