Marlin in Costa Rica

Costa Rica Fishing Information on Pacific and Atlantic Coast Marlin that are caught and released in Costa Rica

Costa Rica Pacific Marlin

Pacific Blue Marlin

The most frequent of the marlins taken in Costa Rica, three to five hundred pounders are frequently landed.

Costa Rica has yet to see a grander, although several fish over 900 lbs have been taken and fish over 1000 lbs have been hooked and lost.

Black Marlin

Also taken in the same waters. Several fish over 700 lbs. have been recorded and it has been reported that much larger fish have been hooked up

Striped Marlin

The fish that those lucky enough to have taken grand slams in this country are looking for. These brilliant fighters average around 150 to 200 lbs.

Costa Rica Atlantic Marlin

Atlantic Blue

No one knows for sure the exact season in Costa Rica because marlin fishing on the east coast has mostly been done experimentally, but February thru September seems to be more productive.

One operator tried unsuccessfully in a location south of Limon but most sightings have been between Tortuguero and Barra del Colorado.

White Marlin

On a rare occasions a white marlin has been hooked by anglers fishing for sails or wahoo.

A sailboat cruising 25 miles off the coast radioed the local lodges one day to say that white marlin were free jumping everywhere around his boat.

You are killing me, fish . . . But you have a right to. Never have I seen a greater, or more beautiful or calmer or more noble thing than you, brother. Come on and kill me".

Anyone who has witnessed a marlin lit up in a purple hue, its bill slicing through the surface like a mad swordsman, knows Ernest Hemingway wrote from his heart Santiago's line from "The Old Man and the Sea."

Marlin are one of the most prized and sought after game fish in the world. Costa Rica is fortunate enough to have five different types of marlin roaming its cobalt seas. One unique thing about Costa Rica is that marlin can be taken any month of the year.

For those set on fishing marlin in Costa Rica, go to the Pacific coast, but for the adventuresome, some operators on the Caribbean side offer blue water fishing for . . . Who really knows what's out there on the Caribbean side?