Costa Rica

The past two weeks at Costa Rica ‘s Rio Colorado have definitely been one for the books. Although the fishing started off a little slow in the first couple of days, with only a few opportunities to convert, once it gained momentum, it never slowed down again. I’ve already given a breakdown of the events over the two weeks, but there were a couple of moments that really stood out to me. Over the next couple of weeks, I’ll post a short update about each of these, as they certainly deserve a special mention!

A Spectacular Start to the Final Day

The first one that comes to mind was actually the final fish on the final afternoon of our trip. The day started in spectacular style, with Marco landing two enormous tarpon in as many casts. But more on that in a future post. The morning was fantastic, with several fish landed, but after a much-needed break for lunch, we were back on the water again. Some heavy weather started moving in, and after all the action, Marco decided he’d had enough and was happy to spend the final afternoon relaxing in camp with a book. I mean, I don’t blame him – after the week he’d had, and especially the morning, there wasn’t much more for him to achieve!

The Perfect Fishing Conditions in Costa Rica

Anyway, the sea started picking up due to some offshore wind, and for the first time during our stay, we actually had some swell. The nice thing about fishing in Costa Rica at this time of year is that, with hurricane season further north, it almost sucks all the moisture and energy from this part of the Caribbean, leaving the water almost completely flat. It’s a dreamy situation because a rough sea makes fighting these big tarpon ten times harder.

During the morning session, we could see plenty of fish moving, smashing bait, etc. But with the sea picking up, we didn’t see a fish move. So, we decided to focus on an area that offered a bit more shelter. Once in position, our trusty skipper, David, killed the motor and bellowed his famous “¡Vamos chicos! Come to papa, big yellow belly!”

The Tarpon Chaos and Triumph

With Marco off the boat, guest Mark Bielovich insisted we try to get a fish with him, so I told David to get stuck in. He is quite a character, and it’s always a pleasure to see someone so fired up, no matter how tough the conditions can be.

About three casts in, Mark went tight with a tarpon, but it didn’t stick. Just a bit of finger burn, one jump, and gone. The next moment, David hooked into a solid jack. Once hooked, he passed the rod to Mark so he could manoeuvre the boat while I grabbed it. After releasing the jack, David moved us back to where we started our drift. Mark was first into the water, and not even four strips in, the line went super tight, followed by a massive explosion behind the boat.

Now, I must mention that Mark is no rookie when it comes to catching big fish. It’s really fun watching someone with tons of experience keep their cool during the tarpon chaos, set a solid hook, and then take control! The fish jumped a few more times and then went deep into the backing. During the fight, we both commented that we hadn’t broken a single rod during our stay – which is a pretty good stat! When under severe pressure, it doesn’t take much to break a rod on the side of the gunnel, which often happens when a big fish gets close to the boat – a combination of stubborn fish and a very tired and desperate angler, if that makes sense.

The Unexpected Finish

The fight continued for another 40 minutes, and finally, the fish was close. The choppy sea made it tough to manage, but David kept control of the boat. The fish seemed to be ready when, out of nowhere, as tarpon do, it decided to dive underneath the boat at lightning speed. Mark tried to compensate, but it happened so fast, and before we knew it, the rod was broken! Murphy’s Law, right? The fish was furious by this point and made a real run for it. It took some quick thinking, and before we could say anything, David pulled the cords out of his shorts and tied the rod back together. We had a proper laugh, but it worked. Slowly, Mark worked the fish back to the boat, and finally, David managed to grab it by the lower jaw. SUCCESS!

It was tricky to get good photos with the sea being such a mess, but we managed a couple of quick shots before releasing the fish. We cracked open a beer and decided to end the trip on that note.

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