FISHING

Roosterfish of the Pacific

The gentle ocean swell turns to an iridescent turquoise as it softly rolls across the volcanic rock. There is a faint twitch of the rod tip as the live blue runner swims benignly amongst the underwater structure. Suddenly the rod tip begins a drum roll-like action as the blue runner becomes excited. "You have a happy bait," says Captain Alvaro Munoz. "Be patient and be ready, something is after it."

The line goes tight and the surface erupts as a huge comb-like fin cuts through the blue water. In a half-second it changes direction and charges forward again. "Gallo, gallo!," Munoz yells out using the Spanish term for roosterfish. "He took it! Hit him!"

Twenty pound test line screams from the reel as the "gallo" takes off on a long run. Forty five minutes of tug of war later, Munoz lip gaffs a 60 pound roosterfish, removes the hook and sets it free.

 

Roosterfish are one of the most sought after and exciting fishes of the inshore species that roam the entire west coast of Costa Rica. Averaging 15 to 20 pounds, forty pounders are common, and fish over 80 pounds have been taken in Costa Rican waters.

Volcanic rock outcrops are one of their favorite hangouts, but they also roam behind the surflines and near the mouths of rivers that flow into the Pacific. There is no season that is better than another and roosters can be taken year round. A member of the jack family, they are edible but not considered a prime food fish.

Fishing Methods
Live bait such as a feisty blue runner or a hearty small mullet will produce the most roosters. It is best to free-line them with no weight on the line and give them a second or two after the take before setting the hook. Trolling Rapalas or similar lures will also take roosterfish as well as slow trolling belly baits on skirts. This usually produces the smaller fish in the 15 to 20 pound range.  

Roosterfish are one of the most difficult fish to fool on a fly. Usually a blue runner is free-lined without a hook and the roosterfish drawn to the boat and the fly presented.

  

This can be an aggravating process because these intelligent fish will often turn their nose on a fly. When they take one, however, it is a battle to be remembered for a lifetime.
Favorite Locations For Roosterfish

 

Bat Islands - Near the Nicaraguan border, this group of Islands are a reasonable run for boats leaving out of ports north of Flamingo. There are good numbers of roosters, snappers and wahoo to be taken here.

Catalina Islands - A short run out of Flamingo, the Catalinas don't hold the same numbers of fish as the Bat Islands to the north but many a respectable catch has been taken here.

 

Matapalo Rock - Located at the northern side of the mouth of Golfo Dulce, this area has left many a traveling angler returning home with many stories of giant roosterfish. Large cubera snapper, groupers, and amberjacks call Matapalo their home and occasionally a mako shark will surprise an angler when skyrockets 10 feet in the air after taking a bait.

  

Quepos - The rock piles near Manuel Antonio produce good numbers of roosterfish as well as jacks, snapper and mackerel. The river mouths between Quepos and Dominical also produce good numbers of roosters as well as big black snook.

 

Drake Bay- The endless structure that runs the coastline as well as the reef inside Cano Island make this one of the prime locations to look for roosterfish. There is less fishing pressure here than in other parts of the country due to the small number of boats and the difficulty in reaching this area.

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