Throughout much of the U.S., winter coats are required, chimneys need to be swept, and boats need to be winterized. When temperatures plummet, one’s mind wanders toward warm sun and beach getaways.
It’s the time of year when big dorado provide plenty for Christmas dinner tables for the fishing crews in Nosara, Costa Rica.
Since the rainy season ended in early November, large schools of dorado have been stacked up like cordwood. Also, sailfish and the occasional marlin stalk these mahi-mahi meals.
Our expectation is that the dorado will continue to feed until late March, when schools of yellowfin tuna move in from the north to replace them. Once these tasty ahis show up, gangs of spinning dolphins will show us the way, and the tuna bite will intensify until early September, when we stop fishing.
All of our offshore marlin, yellowfin, and dorado follow schools of bait that move from north to south along the Pacific coast.
In contrast, our inshore fishery doesn’t depend on bait migration patterns. Instead, our secluded port of Garza Bay is fed by local mountain rivers. When the cool, nutrient-rich river water collides with the warm, fast-moving saltwater of the Pacific, conditions are perfect for localized swarms of baitfish to form.
It’s not unusual for these monsters to weigh upwards of 60 pounds yet still ascend the water column to strike on the surface using this “homegrown” bait.
The Roosterfish Are In An Especially Catchable Mood After A Cool Evening’s Rain Floods The Estuary.
The captains of FishingNosara have been catching excellent fish since the season began, whether onshore or offshore. On the 32-foot Wanderer, angler Brian Stafford and his fellow firefighters caught a big batch of dorado right off the bat. It’s a great sign that this season will be “fishtastic” when we catch these big beasts on the first day.
With Christmas Day right around the corner, it is the perfect time to give the gift of fishing to friends and family.
Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals are great for expanding your angler arsenal. If you have a youngster, give them a tackle box and a starter reel.
Come on down to Nosara and challenge yourself to catch the baddest fish in the world.
Sources: coastalanglermag
