Costa Rica has two coasts, and the weather in the north is very different from the south. So the best month to fish depends on where you go. This calendar shows the patterns most captains agree on, region by region. Calendars online often disagree, so we only list what several sources share, plus what we see ourselves in Sámara.
Two seasons, two coasts
On the Pacific side, the dry season runs from December to April, and the rainy, or green, season from May to November. Rain usually comes in the afternoon, and September and October are the wettest months. The Caribbean side works differently: it can rain in most months, and September and October are often the driest and calmest. Guanacaste, in the northwest, is the driest region in the country.
North Pacific: Guanacaste
From about November to March, strong winds called the Papagayo blow across the far north, most of all near the Gulf of Papagayo, with a peak around February. The wind comes in surges that last a few days. Many boats in the far north fish their best offshore months from May to August or September, when the wind is quiet and sailfish, marlin, mahi-mahi and tuna are around. Roosterfish are caught all year along the coast.
Sámara and the Nicoya coast
Sámara is further south than the windiest part of Guanacaste. Here, sailfish are best from December to April and marlin from March to May, and August can also be good for marlin. Tuna, mahi-mahi and snapper are strong in the green season, and roosterfish are here all year. Wind still comes in January and early February, usually for two to four days at a time. Our boats are out of the water in September and October. Our month-by-month guide for Sámara has the details.
Central Pacific: Los Sueños and Quepos
The central Pacific is known for sailfish. The main season usually starts in December and lasts through April, and many captains see another good bite in the middle of the year. Some of the country's big billfish tournaments are held here, from January to March.
South Pacific: Golfito and the Osa Peninsula
Many fishing lodges in the south are open from about November to April or June. Sailfish numbers are usually best from January to April. Roosterfish, cubera snapper and other inshore fish are caught all year in the south.
Caribbean: tarpon and snook
On the Caribbean coast, the main fish are tarpon and snook. Tarpon come in two runs: roughly February to May, and again from September into November, when the sea at the river mouths is often calmer. July and August, the rainiest months there, are usually the hardest. Snook are best in spring and again from September to November, and a run of small snook, called calba, arrives around November and December.
How to use this calendar
These are patterns, not promises. The weather changes from year to year, and a good captain will tell you honestly what to expect for your dates. If you are coming to Sámara, send us your dates and we will tell you what we are seeing.