That’s Fishin’ – January 2022

A huge Happy New Year to all of our readers and visitors from around the world. I hope you enjoy this month’s edition for your update on all things fishing in the Quepos & Manuel Antonio area and I wish you tight lines for the year ahead!

THE WAIT IS OVER……….IT’S PELAGIC ROCKSTAR TIME!!!

It’s time to dust off those blow up guitars, don your punk-rocker wig and get yourselves down to the Marina Pez Vela for the PARTY OF THE YEAR on the weekend of January 14-16th. The PELAGIC ROCKSTAR is THE HIGHLIGHT on the Costa Rica tournament calendar and this year’s event looks set to award a staggering ONE MILLION DOLLARS in prize money making it the richest fishing tournament in Central America! There is a large boat category, small boat category, as well as Jackpots for Billfish, Tuna, Mahi, and much more. Registration is open until the day before the tournament and whether you want to fish in the event or just want to come down to the Marina to enjoy the LIVE MUSIC and TOURNAMENT VIBE, we hope to see you there!

OFFSHORE FISHING

January marks the start of our peak Sailfish season and from now through April will provide some of the best Sail-fishing on the planet. Releasing double digit Sailfish is not uncommon at this time of year and when the bite is really on some simply incredible numbers of Sailfish are caught. 100% of the Sailfish caught by Sport Fisherman in Costa Rica are catch & release with programs such as GRAY FISHTAG RESEARCH & THE BILLFISH FOUNDATION supporting Fish Tagging and Research efforts to help us better understand the migratory patterns of these fish. In addition to Sailfish, January is also excellent for Marlin with Blue, Black, and Striped Marlin all being caught. Good numbers of YELLOWFIN TUNA and DORADO will be out there also and expect chances of catching some really large Tuna & Dorado this month.

INSHORE FISHING

January is the perfect time to go Inshore fishing here, our dry season is from December through April, when the weather is most stable, seas are calm and there are plenty of options for Inshore fishing in the waters surrounding Quepos. We have an abundance of bait fish in the area at this time of year. Sardines are the primary bait fish but we also get Lookdowns, Blue Runners, Goggle Eyes, and Bonitos which all work great Inshore. The Roosterfishing around Quepos is simply world class. Our beaches are home to lots of small to mid-sized Roosterfish whilst larger specimens are typically targeted close to the rocks and islands in deeper water. Snook, Snapper, Corvina, Jacks, Mackerel, Blue Fin Trevally, Grouper, Tripletail, and more can all be caught on Inshore charters here. A half day trip is a great way to get the family and kids on the water or a full day trip is perfect for those looking for a longer adventure. We have some excellent charter boats in the Marina Pez Vela that provide Inshore charters, check out CHLOE FRIJOLE, GOOD DAY, IDRA 2, CAPTAIN SKY, MUCHO FISHO, MIRSE AZUL, & COCODRILLO if you would like an Inshore charter.

2021 DORADO DERBY DOS

November was just a blast here at the Marina Pez Vela with back-to-back Dorado tournaments held on the weekends of Nov 13th & 20th. A 65lb Bull Dorado took home the top prize for TEAM OFFENSIVE during the first tournament whilst a 44lb Dorado took home the honours for Capt. Kachi’s TEAM HATTA DREAMS during the DORADO DERBY DOS. 56 boats joined the first event and 38 boats fished the second event, making it a hugely successful event and a firm favourite of many Quepenos!

DORADO DERBY DOS (Nov 20th) RESULTS
Hatta Dreams 44lb Dorado
Stress Reliever 43lb Dorado
Pez Loco 38lb Dorado

QUEPOS TACKLE SHOP

We are delighted that Quepos Tackle Shop has recently relocated to the Marina Pez Vela, finally bringing a one-stop tackle store right here at the Marina. They open daily from 6am to 6pm and have a top-quality selection of all the finest Fishing tackle needed for fishing both Offshore and Inshore, as well as plenty of tackle such as lures, line, and rod and reel combos ideal for fishing our local Beaches & Rivers. Drop in and say hi to Marsha and her excellent team who are waiting to help you.

2022 TOURNAMENT DATES

We have a host of AWESOME fishing tournaments to look forward to over the coming months here at the Marina Pez Vela & would love to hear from you if you would like to get involved! marinapezvela.com/tournaments/

January 15-16 Pelagic Rockstar
February 5 Roosterfish Rodeo
February 17-19 Pescadora Billfish Championship (Ladies Only)
March 5 Sailfish Slam
March 24-27 Pelagic Pura Vida Blue Marlin Classic (New event!)
April 22-23 Marina Pez Vela Open
April 25-29 Offshore World Championship
June 18 Summer Solstice Shootout

Tight Lines & I hope to see you out there!

Benn Gilmour
Jackpot Sport Fishing, Marina Pez Vela, Quepos