TARPON FLY FISHING TRIP

The fame that Costa Rica has gained within the angling world as an important destination for sportfishers has benefitted many lodges and promoted areas that were considered very productive. The desire to experience catching trophy fish on both the Atlantic and Pacific has become the prime lure for anglers. Our desire is to offer flyfishing trips to remote areas on the Caribbean coast that have a more traditional method of tarpon fly fishing involving sight fishing and casting to cruising or feeding tarpon. Here we usually expect to find smaller fish in ranges from 7 to 40 lbs. though larger fish in the 150 lb. sizes are also regularly hooked and released. For this fishing possibility, we undertake fly fishing trips to Caño Negro / Rio Frio, the Rio Parismina and the Gandoca Lagoon / Rio Sixaola.

The Caño Negro / Rio Frio trip begins with an early departure from San Jose and a four hour drive heading north over the mountains and onto the plains of San Carlos. A   breakfast stop is had in Muelle before driving to the village of Caño Negro which is situated within a wetlands wildlife reserve. Being within the control of the National Parks Service, there is a seasonal restriction which closes all fishing from March to July. Our best fishing is expected in August and then also in the period from January to February. With the flooded lagoons existing in August, the schools of tarpon are found cruising about searching for baitfish in the calm clear tea colored water of the shallow lagoons. When the lagoons begin to empty into the Rio Frio in January and February, there is a feeding frenzy on baitfish and a concentration of tarpon found at the outlets of the small canals. This presents some of the most exciting tarpon fishing to be found anywhere and a pleasure using fly rods and surface flies.

After checking into the local cabins, we have lunch before beginning our afternoon fishing with 10 or 12 weight rods and sink-tip floating lines, using large Whistler or Clouser pattern flies in Yellow / Orange, Silver White / Blue and Orange / Black.

If the conditions are suitable, casting large poppers can result in some very exciting surface fishing as the hooked tarpon usually jump a lot more in the shallower fresh water.

The calm atmosphere of the early morning fishing period on the Rio Frio creates an ambiance very suitable to the flyfisher and eco-angler. Tarpon can be found feeding in the bigger pools and varied wildlife active with the splendor of the dawn blanketed by the low mist drifting across the swampland. This is the most productive time to fish having the comfortable morning cool making fighting these big fish a lot more tolerable with less physical stress.