Other Local Fish Species In Costa Rica
Corvina
(Sea Bass)
Corvina or sea bass are found inshore around rocks, rivermouths, or in tidal estuaries. They are very similar to the seatrout found in the Gulf of Mexico, and eastern seaboard of the United States, but grow to a larger size. They are excellent food quality with tender mild white fillets.
Grouper
Many types of grouper may be caught while fishing from Los Suenos. From tiny cabrillas that are often caught while baitfishing along the rocks, to the large broomtails and goliath groupers which may grow to several hundred pounds.
They are all excellent food quality and can be caught on live bait, dead bait (squid or fish), or jigs fished around rocky structure, reefs and wrecks from 50 to over 400 ft deep.
Jacks
There are several species of jacks which inhabit costa ricas pacific waters. Jack crevalles, Horse eye Jacks, and trevallys are some on the most common ones caught inshore fishing. They are strong fighters especially on light tackle. They can be caught on live bait, jigs, poppers, or lures. Most are 10-30lbs. Food quality is poor.
Amberjack
The amberjack is and extremely tough fighting fish from the Jack family. It is a heavy built torpedo shaped fish found throughout the worlds oceans and grows in excess of 100 lbs.
They can be caught several different techniques, live baiting, dead bait, and jigging. It often lives around wrecks and rocky structures and usually runs for cover when hooked. Good food quality.
Cero Mackeral
Cero Mackeral a fast toothy fish regually caught inshore. Relative to the king mackeral, and spanish mackeral of the Atlantic, and looks very similar.
Readily attacks live baits, especially small silver ones, trolled lures, spoons, jigs and poppers. Most average 3-15 lbs. Good food quality.
Snook
Snook inhabit tidal estuaries and rivermouths flowing into the ocean. They are another bass type fish, ambush predators which lay in wait for a bitfish to swim by.
They can be caught on poppers, jigs, rapalas, and live bait such as sardines and mullet. They are excellent eating.
Wahoo
Wahoo are a beatiful silver with irridecent blue vertical stripes torpedo shape fish. The are reported to be one of the fastest fish in the ocean capable of bursts speed in excess of 70 mph.
They are one of the less common species to catch here, one reason is they are toothy fish requiring wire leaders and most boats offshore are pulling monofilament leaders intended for billfish.
They can be quite common during green season, June-November, at inshore rockpiles and reefs. They grow in excess of 100lbs , but most here are less than 50. It is possible to catch several small to midsized hoo’s 10-40lbs in a day if specifically targeting them with sub surface lures with wire leaders.
They firm white meat is excellent food quality, and make excellent sashimi, one of the best.
