Tarpon Fishing Seasons in Costa Rica

The key to a great Tarpon Fishing Trip is fishing during your peak seasons!

Trips to Target Tarpon

These are samples of customizable packages that focus on fishing Tarpon.

Your Custom Vacation Package Includes More than Fishing

Every trip we provide is you-nique. Pricing, accommodation and tour options depend on travel dates and your final destinations. Our quotes always include the following:

• ‘Meet & Greet’ Airport Service.
• English-speaking drivers.
• Private ground transfers or charter flights.
• Accommodations: pick between hotels, rentals, resorts or fishing lodges.
• Private fishing charters.
• Guided tours (English-speaking guides).
• Meals (as stated in each itinerary).
• 24/7 In-country support.
• Taxes.
• Transaction fees.
• 100% Satisfaction Guarantee.

Where to Target Tarpon

Tarpon are only found on the Caribbean Coast, making Tortuguero your ideal location.

The Best Tarpon Fishing in Costa Rica

This prehistoric fish dates back to the time of dinosaurs. In our opinion, they are one of the most unique and exciting game fish in the world.

The reason Tarpon are targeted is simple – they are a challenge to land and a joy to watch in action. Once hooked, Tarpon leap up to ten feet out of the water and will do long hard runs until they exhaust themselves.

Properly nicknamed “the silver king,” Tarpon are recognizable by their size, pronounced lower jaw, and iconic bright silver coloring.

These beasts have jaws almost entirely made of bone and their gill plates are razor sharp. The challenge of both hooking and landing them is what makes this fish so special.

Tarpon naturally feed on different types of animals. In Costa Rica, crabs, shrimp, sardines and baby turtles are their primary prey. They’re so huge they often swallow their prey whole in a giant sucking motion.

A member of the herring family, Tarpon in Costa Rica are only targeted on the Caribbean coast. They are large compared to other parts of the world, averaging in the 80-100 lb range. However, anglers have landed Tarpon over 200 lbs. The world record at 286 lbs was caught over the border in Nicaragua.

How to Catch Tarpon?

The most common practice to fish Tarpon in Costa Rica is casting topwater plugs or bump trolling a live or dead bait along the bottom. They can also be caught by casting with spoons, jigging, and even fly fishing.

Tarpon can be a real treat to both experienced anglers and beginners. If you are looking to try something new or want to plan a world-class Tarpon fishing vacation in Costa Rica, just pick the package that suits you best.

Where to Go for Tarpon Fishing?

Tarpon are found up and down Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast as well as inland in freshwater rivers and lagoons.

They like shallow, warm tropical waters. However, Tarpon can “gulp” air from the surface of the water. This allows them to swim in brackish and freshwater to breed & spawn without threat from predators.

The best spots for fishing Tarpon are the Northeast Caribbean coast. They are also found in the Caño Negro Reserve which is in the North Central area of Costa Rica.

The waters of Barra del Colorado Wildlife Refuge and Tortuguero also provide an excellent hunting ground.

On any normal day, you could hook up 10 Tarpon or more. The real challenge is the release and great hook-up numbers help with that.

What's the Best Time to Catch Tarpon in Costa Rica?

Tarpon are here all year-round in Costa Rica since they don’t migrate here. The fishing seasons depend more on the weather and sea conditions than the fish themselves.

The best months are late January to early May. Then again in the Caribbean’s dry season from September to early November.

Other months like July, August, December, and January can produce fish. But due to the rain and stormy conditions, access to the prime waters can be tough.

If you’d like to try your hand at tarpon fishing, let us know. Our tailor-made fishing packages can be customized to your fishing needs.

Simply contact us with any questions and we’ll gladly help.