Fishing Forecast for April and May 2016

Report Date: March 1, 2016

Welcome to the April and May fishing forecast for Jaco and Los Suenos, Costa Rica. We have had a bit of an unusual fishing season so far this year. Our sailfish numbers have been very good, but a little slower than last year's banner numbers. We have had 5 record breaking years in a row for sailfish, so this is no biggie it is still world class fishing.

We have had plentiful and consistent yellowfin tunas filling in any gap in the action over past few months. Plenty around on almost daily basis.

The Dorado never seemed to show in any good consistent numbers, since a poor showing back in their peak season of October & November, and still remain scarce. But there have been good numbers of marlin around and some excellent fishing inshore for rooster fish and Cubera snappers.

As we move towards April and May, we have some excellent opportunities approaching.

The very peak sailfish bite over past few years has been in late March and April. It is not uncommon to get 50 or more bites a day if you are in the right place. The big numbers sailfish tend to hang around offshore through April and into early may when they begin to taper off. As the sailfish numbers begin to decline (there are always a few around).

May begins the transition to green season, which is often an excellent time for Marlin and yellowfin tunas offshore. The green season rains begins to flush out wood and debris accumulated in the dry riverbeds and creeks, which eventually makes it way offshore. Finding a good log holding bait, like bonitos and small yellowfins is one of the best scenarios for getting multiple marlin shots.

Larger yellowfins will be common around pods of spinner or spotted dolphins. Flocks of birds diving near the porpoises is an almost sure giveaway of tunas in the area, and it is also common to find marlin nearby looking for a yellowfin for dinner.

Inshore fishing should remain good for rooster fish and snappers. In shallow depths and nearshore reefs and the bottom fishing and deep dropping tends to start getting very good in May and improves over the following months for grouper and silky snappers.

Also the Elusive black marlin begins to show up on inshore reefs March-Sept. The black Marlin is truly the top prize catch for most offshore anglers, for is size, rarity, and tendency to put on a great acrobatic show Right close behind the boat making great photo opportunity. I would not say they are common here but they are possible for anglers with the patience to give it a shot.

Capt Michael MJ Alligood
[email protected]
US 561-459-5355
CR Cell or text 011-506-8718-2357

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