Los Suenos, Costa Rica July Report

[EpicFishingCR]

Los Suenos, Costa Rica -- July 2012

July turned out to be a busy month for me here, with some excellent fishing. The weather has been mostly cooperative most days sunny/ partly cloudy turning cloudy late day with showers 4 to 5 days a week, mostly late afternoon or evening.

We have had some days with wind, but usually lays down offshore, and bad mornings seem to turn into beautiful afternoons.

My 33’ L&H walkaround has arrived, and we are working on flagging it here in CR so it will be totally legal for charter by mid-October, I have done a few “sea trial” trips with friends, and it is an absolute dream to fish on. Comfortable, good seating, shade (even air conditioned cabin) enclosed helm area to protect from wind and rain, fighting chairs, great ride and one of the best fishing platforms I have ever fished. 27kt cruise as well.


OFFSHORE
While not red hot high numbers, July offered consistent billfish bite throughout the month, most days we and other boats were averaging 2-8 bites per day from mostly sailfish and occasional marlins, some days were better.

There have been certain areas holding pods of sails which you could work all day, and end up on the higher end of the bite spectrum, but I personally choose to chase yellowfin tunas this time of year, so I go out searching for them rather than just sit and work for a few sails.

Sailfish number over the next few months is typically just a 2-8 bites per day but consistent. However last October we had a great sailfish bite the first 2 weeks of October.

Marlin bite is varies throughout the year, we can have excellent opportunities at any time

Finding the spinner dolphins and Yellowfin tunas means a few good hours of intense fishing- throwing poppers and Live baits on top of them – providing some of the best fishing action you will experience anywhere.

When we find a good pod of spinners, with hungry tunas, It is usually no problem to catch 10 or more decent sized ones (50-60LB) in 2 or 3 hours- the only limiting factor is how long it takes to reel them in. there are a few bigger ones mixed in, just a matter of getting the lucky bite from your bait or popper landing in front of a big one. The biggest we caught this month was a good 150lb, and there should be more bigger ones getting caught over the next couple months.

One of our better days this month we killed about 15 tunas (averaging 50-60lb) (most on live baits, a few on poppers), and released 4 or 5 more, as we had no more space or ice for them. We also caught 1 sail that day.

The yellowfin bite should remain good here through October.

Mahi Mahi/ Dorado is typically good this time of year but we have not been seeing many of them in the past few weeks, but that all could change by finding one good log loaded up.

The Mahi Bite typically improves from now until November.


Floating Logs this time of year can be like hitting the Jackpot, and fill your day with plenty of action. Many of the marlin caught this time of year are caught trolling around, or livebaiting on a log which is stocked up with baitfish.

It is common to get several shots at marlin off one log floating offshore this time of year. Capt. John Pearson of the private 66 Viking GOOD TIMES, went 9 for 10 on blue marlin around a log about 50 miles out on July 25. They will be loaded with small yellowfins, (1-10lbs) skipjack, bonitos, mahi, jacks and more, which can provide hours of light tackle fun.


INSHORE
Most of my trips were offshore this month, but we did have several good fun days inshore. The inshore fishing in July provides a wide variety of species to pursue and plenty of consistent action. Roosterfish, snappers, aj’s, jacks, mackerel, all can be caught live baiting, or with jigs and lures, there are also a plentiful number of small wahoo in the 10-30lb range on the inshore reefs which are easiest caught by trolling small lures, islander/ bally combos etc. and on occasion will hit popper casts on spin rods. The inshore fishing provides consistent action here year round.

Some July photos from aboard the 31 Contender La Vida and the 33 L&H (yet to be named)