Sports and tourism fishing

Costa Rica is classified as one of the best sport fishing destinations in Central America, and is visited by thousands of tourists from around the world that come to the country to enjoy this world-class sport. The sport and tourism fishing industry is well developed throughout the country, with prestigious and reliable tour operators on both the Caribbean and on Pacific coasts that take sports fishermen and fisherwomen to enjoy amazing fishing adventures both near the coasts, and farther out to sea. These highly specialized operators offer fishing packages or days in fully registered boats which have professional equipment and experienced captains and sailors who will take tourists to the best places for every season of the year so that your fishing day or season will be a success.

Since Costa Rica is a small country, both coasts are easily and quickly accessible by land or air. It is possible to travel from San José, the capital, to the Pacific coast in one hour, and to the Caribbean in two and a half hours.

Costa Rica has two international airports, one in Alajuela in the central part of the country, and another one in Liberia, in the Northwestern region of the country, only 30 minutes away from the Pacific Ocean. Two national internal airlines can carry sports fishermen and fisherwomen to more distant places, where they can be ready for action in less than thirty to forty-five minutes.

Costa Rica is a country with an enormous spirit of conservation for sustainable use of species. In the case of species such as billfish, including the different species of marlins and sailfish, there is catch and release fishing, and captains are highly trained so that tourists may take a photo but with the fish in the water to make their release easy without causing any damage to the fish.

Other species may be taken, and some lodges will be happy to prepare them for your lunch or dinner.

It is important for both local and foreign fishermen and fisherwomen to remember that in Costa Rica they must carry their current fishing license to fish from a boat. Licenses or carnets may be acquired through the Web page of INCOPESCA (the Costa Rican Fishing and Aquiculture Institute), at www.incopesca.go.cr, or in any Regional Office of this Institution.

There are two sports fishing clubs in San José which organize tournaments and activities throughout the year: the Club Amateur de Pesca, and the Club Nacional de Pesca. There are other smaller clubs in different parts of the country.