Costa Rica – Tarpon

Costa Rica has long been a haven for adventurous anglers in search of the Silver King. Throughout Costa Rica’s history as a fly fishing destination, the fishing has remained at a very high level, and its consistency is phenomenal.

The Rio Colorado, just south of the Nicaragua border, is considered the home of the Tarpon. Every year in the months of September and October, extreme numbers of tarpon congregate at the mouth of the Rio Colorado, feeding aggressively on the abundant herring which occur in this area during these periods.

Most tarpon run in the 60 to 180lb range, and every week there are a few fish that reach the 180 to 200lb mark. The fishing takes place in and around the river mouth, or along dirty water lines a short distance offshore. Finding rolling tarpon, and casting at balls of aggressively feeding fish are the name of the game. Accounts of presenting flies to balls of 30 to 40 feeding tarpon are not uncommon.