Marlin Fishingfrom Los Sueños
Blue, black and striped marlin all show up off Costa Rica's Central Pacific. Here's what a marlin day on a 28-ft boat looks like.
When they bite
| Species | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue marlinOffshore | Good | Good | Good | Possible | Possible | Good | Good | Possible | Possible | To confirm | Possible | Possible |
| Black marlinOffshore | Possible | To confirm | Possible | To confirm | Possible | Possible | Possible | Possible | To confirm | To confirm | To confirm | To confirm |
| Striped marlinOffshore | Possible | Possible | Possible | To confirm | Possible | To confirm | To confirm | To confirm | To confirm | To confirm | Possible | To confirm |
- Peak
- Good
- Possible
- To confirm
Which trip?
Full Day9 h · departs 7:00 AM · US$1,400 per boat
Marlin are found offshore, often far out, so this is a full-day trip.
See the full day trip →How they're fished
Marlin are fished by trolling offshore, out where the continental shelf drops into deep water. A spread of big lures, and natural baits on circle hooks, is pulled at trolling speed while the crew watches for a fish behind the boat.
Blue, black and striped marlin each have their own season, and none of them is guaranteed on a given day. A full day gives you the time to run out to the deep water and fish it properly.
Catch and release
Costa Rica's fisheries law declares sailfish and blue, black and striped marlin species of sport and tourism interest (Law 8436, article 76), and sport fishing here treats them as catch and release: they go back to the sea.
Good practice, as recommended by the IGFA and FECOP, starts with circle hooks on natural baits, which hook the fish in the corner of the mouth instead of deep inside. The fish stays in the water the whole time: photos are taken at the side of the boat, the hook comes out (or the leader is cut as close to it as possible) and the fish is held facing forward until it swims off on its own.
Sources: Fisheries and Aquaculture Law 8436 (INCOPESCA) · IGFA release guidelines · FECOP, Costa Rica's sport fishing federation
Book your
Full Day
Tell us your date and group size and we'll confirm availability. We meet you at the dock in Playa Herradura, about 15 minutes north of Jacó.