Fishing Calender
Fish
The Golfo Dulce and the Pacific Ocean in front of Cabo Matapalo offer an almost unique combination of in- and offshore fishing. The gulf with its existing reefs and numerous river deltas is an inshore paradise for Roosterfish, Cubera Snapper, Amberjack, Snook and many other species of world-record size. At the exit of the gulf the seabed goes down to over 1,000 fathoms within just a few miles. This is the area where Blue and Black Marlin, Sailfish, Yellowfin Tuna and Dorado can be found.
Judging from the experience of the past few years, there is no real distinction between high and low season. Particularly the inshore fishing is excellent almost all year long. And while there are months with higher concentration of fish out on the ocean, we have noticed that the individual fish species turn up in waves in front of the coastline. We often had weeks, when we saw Blue Marlins behind the boat on a daily basis, which should not even have been there at all according to commonly held ideas about the season. The same phenomenon can be observed with the big Yellowfins in the 100- to 250-pound class that sometimes attack the coastal waters like an army. Only to move on a few days later.
That is why the table below can only be used as a rough point of reference. On any day of the year, you have a true chance to encounter any kind of fish!
Fishing is just one half of what a day at sea consists of. The "boat" experience, the ambiance on board, the shoptalk about equipment and techniques and the many things that can be observed, make up the other half of the day. During our fishing days in front of Cabo Matapalo, we are often accompanied by big schools of Dolphins, different whale species, sea turtles, and innumerable seabirds. Cabo Matapalo Sportfishing strictly practices catch-and-release on all billfish. As far as other species of fish are concerned, we also recommend the judicious handling of resources.
Any fish that is caught belongs to the boat. However, it goes without saying that our guests may have a fish they caught prepared for their evening meal at the lodge. Inshore, we mainly fish with live bait or cast spinners or poppers along the rocks, reefs and small fish schools. Out on the ocean, we either troll lures or dead bait, use the bait-and-switch technique with live and dead bait or else with a fly. In addition to the great variety of fish species in front of our "door," the sea around the Peninsula de Osa also has the great advantage of having rather smooth and calm waters, which allows us to go where we think the fish are, even if it means going a little farther.
