{Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders} Re: Costa Rica - Help!

I've fished a couple of times in Panama and Costa Rica, always with guides, though have made some inshore/small fish excursions when other stuff has been slow. Also have picked up some second hand tips on how to do a brief DIY like you describe. First of all, believe the advice others have offered is solid, and would add a couple of things. If you really are only going to have one day or less, then a big piece of the enjoyment will be just getting out and catching ... something. Snook would be awesome, but small jacks (especially horse eyes), and fish like blue runners and small barracuda are often much more plentiful, willing, and they are strong ( the jacks in particular). On some stretches of beach, even near populated spots, the small jacks can be found chasing bait right in the surf early/late. The outflows others have mentioned would be even better spots. Those are probably your best bets if shore-bound and on foot. Boat is better option for size and variety of fish, but to get someone who knows how to put a light tackle fisherman, not to mention a fly fisherman, on fish can cost. Hiring a panga man means, as others have said, you must be responsible for assuring your safety. Look for rips, rock piles, or follow a shrimp boat as suggested. Gear at least an 8 wt, probably floating or intermediate/slow sink tip. Believe which one matters a lot less than your ability to cast a ways, especially if beach bound. Leader either a level piece of 20 lb flouro with about 2 feet of 40 or 50 lb flouro bite tippet, or if you want to be fancier, 4 feet of 40, 3 feet of 20, then 18 inches of bite tippet. Flies small 2-4 inch sardine patterns and sardine looking clousers. However, for jacks and snook and roosters (boat) you'll want the hooks to have a fairly deep bite. Easterners often tie them on hooks that are a bit small. I'm all for fly fishing but if you're open to spin fishing then a 3 piece 8-17 lb class spinning rod with 30 lb braid, 50 lb flouro leader, and small 3-5 inch saltwater poppers and swimmers will give a lot more reach and flexibility from shore. Heresy, I know. If you are boat fishing I would go up a notch in gear weights. Note when you fly out of Costa Rica all the loaded reels, sharps, tools, and rolls of line/leader must be in your checked luggage. They WILL NOT let you carry them on and it's a big hassle for the uninitiated at security. (Sharps is normal, but Costa Rica seems weird about the reels/line/leader, and small non-sharp tools like hemostats). Tight lines and Pura Vida. - Paul

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