Sportfishing in Costa Rica.......Hints on how to find the Fish!

With well over 750 miles of coastline to explore, anglers coming to Costa Rica have a multitude of options to try their luck for both inshore and offshore sport fishing in this marine rich part of the world. It’s a big ocean out there, and if you don't know what you are doing you can spend a whole day driving around burning expensive gas and finding absolutely nothing to put a bite on a hook! The main key to a successful day of offshore or inshore fishing is frankly knowing where and how to find the fish!

Naturally, there is no substitute for local expertise when it comes to finding fish, they live and breath the sport and no one

wants you to have a good fishing day more than your Captain and First Mate, so count on them for the best results! Every good captain knows where to find the fish, but if you are out for a day on your own, or if you are practicing to become the next best fishing captain for your next lifetime, you may find the following information helpful while exploring some new (or old) fishing grounds.
The first and foremost important tip for finding the fish is watch for Variation. Variation can come in several forms, some of them very obvious and others more subtle, so here are some helpful hints for you in case you are headed out for a day of great fishing action!

Los Corrientes (The currents)
The most tried and true method to finding gamefish in Costa Rica is fishing in “los corrientes”. These currents can be

spotted by a subtle change in color and in the temperature of the water. Baitfish and predators tend to be more plentiful in these currents, so an experienced captain will generally work the edges of “los corrientes” to see how the action is going before moving on to other options. When fishing from the areas of Quepos, Jaco, or Herradura, charters will find “los corrientes” about twenty-five to thirty miles offshore during peak billfish season and will generally head that direction to start their day. For that reason, it is almost always recommended to plan at least a 3/4 to Full Day of fishing to allow enough time to get into the really thick action!

Ocean Floor Geography
Invisible to the naked eye, the underwater geopgraphic structures such as canyons, reefs and other natural formations can increase

the flow of ocean currents, increasing the chance of good angling or even extreme angling in particular areas. The rapidly moving currents can trap bait fish allowing the large game fish to move in seeking an easy feeding session on the trapped bait. Similar to the seasonal currents, these fish rich currents are often found by looking for subtle changes in the water color or surface ocean temperatures. Professional and experienced Sport Fishing Charter Captains for the Costa Rican shores will always have one eye on the bottom (think GPS) and one eye on the surface looking for those subtle changes that are going to lead them to their prize.

Floating Debris
The rainy season in Costa Rica may not be the favored months for hooking the larger Gamefish (though they are prevelent year round,

so don't let the rainy season scare you away!), but it is the hottest time of year for Dorado, including Bull Dorado which can often times come in weighing over fifty pounds! Since the heavy rains in the mountains of Costa Rica run out the local rivers located in the Quepos, Jaco and

Herradura areas, the experienced fisherman knows that fish love structure and obstacles, even temporary formations resulting from debris washing out to sea from the rain swollen rivers, so its always a good idea to head that way. Fishing deep around areas such as weed lines, floating pallets, or logs can yield a great Dorado hit, meaning a possible great dinner will be on the table that night! Other game fish can be found beneath the debris as well, so this is an area that is especially worth an anglers undivided attention!!

Underwater Structure
Wrecks and reefs provide structure or should we say a vacation home getaway for large bottom fish including Cubera Snapper and Grouper. This so called structure is also home to plankton and other small organisms that serve to attract baitfish which in turn attract the bigger game fish on the prowl for an easy meal. Keep in mind.....the main structure area may be overfished, while potential surrounding "satellite" sites around the structure can often be teaming with life as well, so keep your eyes and your fishing lines open. Larger Gamefish often hang out at these quieter satellite sites, so work that whole area for best results.

Slicks

Its a big ocean out there, but sometimes you can see obvious "slicks" on the surface, so keep your eye out for any and all oily slicks on the water's surface since these can often be a good sign for hungry for action anglers. Big game fish such as Dorado, Tuna, Marlin and Sailfish when feeding are chasing bait fish to the surface which releases fish oils, resulting in the "slicks" that you may witness. If you are lucky, this very slick could hold the trophy catch you have been seeking!

Birds

Offshore birds are always fishing in Costa Rica, so it is always a good idea to keep an eye on the sky as well! Searching for bait pods, tuna feeding, or trolling Billfish, pay particular attention to the many Frigate Birds who are great spotters, especially those that are circling in one particular location. The experienced fishing guide knows that even a lone Frigate Bird can lead you to a trophy Tuna, Marlin or Sailfish.

With prices high and time limited during a Costa Rica visit, when fishing offshore in our gamefish rich waters of Costa Rica, the

importance of local expertise cannot be overstated. Natural underwater geographic structures are consistent and well know and local Costa Rica Fishing Guides now have the ability to record the best fishing spots to GPS, giving them the edge when fishing for big game fish in these open waters.....something someone who does not live in the area is never going to know about. In addition, an experienced captain and mate will have developed keen eyes and experience, with some experienced Captains and First Mates able to spot schooling Tuna miles away just by looking for disturbed water and many of the other hints listed above.

So on your next Sportfish outing while fishing in Costa Rica (or wherever!), keep the above hints in mind for best results, and

be sure to find out more about Pacific fish species, fishing seasons, fishing reports, and the local weather conditions beforehand by checking out our link on fishing in the Quepos, Costa Rica area via your local Costa Rica Vacation House Rental or Costa Rica Hotel, where they are happy to steer you in the right direction for an unforgettable day of Game fishing in an area that still boasts some 17 IGFA World Records! You could be the next World Record Holder!! FISH ON!!!!

Author:
Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and owns and operates her own Costa Rica Vacation Rental Home business at Manuel Antonio Rental Homes!

New Quepos Costa Rica Marina Pez Vela still Struggling to Catch a Wave

Quepos, Costa Rica’s Marina Pez Vela is approaching two years of operation in 2012, but where are the jobs and the growth we were promised? After a slow start, the marina’s supporters hope for a pick up in business, if only the economy would put some wind in it’s sails. Harold Lovelady, the Marina’s owner/designer originally planned this as his retirement project, but it hasn’t been all smooth sailing. For more information, read on……

The residents of the Costa Rican port “city” of Quepos, a sleepy little town located 4k North of the world famous Manuel Antonio National Park, have been eagerly awaiting the economic boom they had hoped to see when the building of the World Class Marina Pez Vela was first proposed. The dilapidated old pier, originally built by the United Fruit Company, had become an eyesore, so a new marina was not only badly needed, but was the new hope to generate tourism to our area. The original antiquated pier was designed to accommodate the exportation of bananas back in the 50’s and 60’s, with the remote Quepos town being used as a base camp for the administration of the extensive surrounding banana plantations (they have since been converted to African Palm Plantations). Unfortunately, most area residents are still waiting for the economic benefits that were promised when the Marina Pez Vela originally broke ground. Plagued by the continued slow economic climate and lower tourism numbers, the construction of the Marina has been no ride down easy street.

“Initially there was a lot of resistance, but now it’s clear sailing,” said Harry Bodaan, owner of the Mansion Inn Hotel in Manuel Antonio and president of the Quepos and Aguirre Chamber of Commerce. “Everybody recognizes the fact that a marina the size of Pez Vela is going to bring an enormous amount of business to Quepos. A lot of investors have come to Manuel Antonio because of it … The development of Pez Vela will change the face of this part of the central Pacific.”, expressed Mr. Bodaan last year.

While there has been general support of the on-going construction of the Marina by the local citizens and business owners, the expected financial and tourist boost, with the expected accompanying job opportunities it would create, have yet to be realized. At this time, only about 20 people work at the marina facility, mostly in sales and cleaning or security positions. Though not giving up all hope, the towns of Quepos and Manuel Antonio, with their many nearby Costa Rica hotels, dining establishments, souvenier shops and other small businesses lament that the project as yet to attract the added business so badly needed in this struggling tourist mecca.

The beautiful views of the fairly vacant, yet handsomely designed crescent-shaped marina beckon to those boating, yachting and water enthusiasts that flock to the area to enjoy World Class Sport Fishing, Sailing and Snorkeling tours, as well as excellent Surfing, Jet Ski Excursions, Kayaking Trips and many other adventurous or relaxing water sports. It would seem that further growth would be in inevitable, though the stalled economies around the world are surely holding up the eventual plan. Only a handful of slips are currently rented or owned, but according to the owner Mr. Harold Lovelady, inquiries about owning a slip or investing in the project have remained steady.

Harold Lovelady, is the owner and mastermind behind the Marina Pez Vela. Lovelady, originally retired from the state of Texas after a career in telecommunications, arrived to the town of Quepos some 11+ years ago, with his boat and the ex-pat dream of spending his golden years fishing in what he considers to be “the best fishing location in the world.” After only a short time, he realized the growing need for a marina in the small, but busy tourist town of Quepos; and thus…. the idea of building Marina Pez Vela was born.

Not a man to think small, Lovelady’s original idea took some 11 years to come to fruition and resulted in the soon to be World Class facility of the Marina Pez Vela. A professionally planned 55+ acre state-of-the-art marina, it officially opened it’s first phase in 2010. Located just north of the old United Fruit Company pier in downtown Quepos, this beautiful Marina is not hard to spot, as it can be found just past the main sea wall when entering the famous town of Quepos. Watching on the right side of the road, visitors will spot the thousands of short, stout breakwater plugs based on technologies utilized for the very first time in Costa Rica, these plugs are called Cofferdams. Cofferdams are natural material-filled cellular steel structures, the largest of which measures 18.5 meters in diameter and the smallest 12 meters in diameter. These unique breakwater structures are specially designed to resist the strong ocean waves of the Pacific, enabling the marina’s inner slips and docking areas to remain safe from the dangerous seasonal storms that have been known to sink dozens of expensive charter fishing boats and yachts in this area in years past.

“It started as a small project, but as more people expressed interest in a marina, we had to redesign the original plan to accommodate the potential demand,” Lovelady said. “It was evident we needed to make a larger, world-class marina. So that’s how it turned out.”

The Marina Pez Vela, which officially opened its 97 docking slips in 2010, is still in the first phase of development. In coming years, the marina plans to build a total of 303 slips, a boatyard for maintenance and repairs, a retail shopping center, condominiums and a luxury hotel, all within the confines of the marina’s currently mostly empty lot. The marina’s initial slips are being rented or have been bought by travelers from around the world to include Russia, South Africa, Europe and the USA, to name a few.

Quepos, having suffered for decades with a dilapidated third world pier with unsafe, substandard facilities that were damaging the environment, Mr. Lovelady explained that when a large yacht comes in to fill up with gas, somewhere between 10,000-50,000gallons of diesel fuel is pumped into a single boat. Something that previously caused potential safety and environmental hazards, the marina now provides a formal fuel dock, charging an environmental fee on top of the cost of fuel which is deposited into a fund just in case there is ever a need for clean up of any potential accidents or spills. Another grand potential the facility will likely provide is in terms of the marina’s boatyard. Once finished, this one-of-a-kind facility, will service and repair boats of all types and sizes and will serve as the only facility of its kind on the Pacific coastline of Central and South America. “The boatyard will have 5-ton and 200-ton travel lifts. Between the two of them, it will allow us to pull a boat out of the water up to about the length of 135-feet.” Lovelady said. “We will be able to fix anything that’s broken on anybody’s boat that comes in.”

The majority of boats coming into the Marina Pez Vela are currently tourist yachts and sport fishing charters that work in the area year round. A study in 2008 by the non-profit Billfish Foundation found that fishing tourism generated some $600 million for the Costa Rican economy, accounting for approximately 2% of the country’s GDP (gross domestic product), employing directly and indirectly an estimated 63,000 people. With numbers like that, it is obvious that this project has a huge potential to change the face and reputation of the small town of Quepos.

In addition to jobs that cater to the sport fishing and tourism industry, the Marina is expected to eventually provide work for government positions as well, as members of the Public Works and Transport Ministry and Immigration will all work out of an office near the boat entrance to Pez Vela. Government officials will be responsible to check the boats and their passengers, using the marina to monitor for illegal activity, conduct safety inspections, and ensure that the vessels carry proper documentation and licensing. With the interest to also host offices for the Costa Rican Health and Finance Ministries, the marina slips are equipped with an industrial waste water pump that transports boat waste to a treatment plant, where the waste is broken down and the grey water reused. This is an important aspect of the Marina’s ecological goal to avoid potential health and environmental hazards that a large marina facility could create when in full operation.

As more boats make the Marina their home, anticipation continues to grow in the Quepos and Manuel Antonio areas. According to Marina operators, with the completion of phase three – the hotels, condos and shopping center – an estimated 3,000 direct and indirect jobs would be created by the Marina by the year 2014.

In the meantime, Costa Rica hotel owners in the popular tourist-dependent areas of Quepos and Manuel Antonio, can only bide their time and hope that the many potential marina visitors will help fill the area’s estimated 2,000 available rooms, as well as dine in the many restaurants available in the area. Unfortunately, for now……small businesses that line the 4k road between Quepos and Manuel Antonio National Park will have to be content to limp along struggling with a stagnant economy that has been the root cause of some of the slowest years for the tourism industry in Costa Rica’s history, as well as slowing the final phases of construction on our beautiful new Marina Pez Vela.

How can you help? Send tourists to our area, as they are the biggest boost to our local economy we can hope for! Happy Sailing!!

Author:
Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

Your lucky day? A bit about the Gambling Industry in Costa Rica.

Costa Rica, though not generally the first choice for a gambling themed vacation, has over the last few years continued growing as a new destination for those that enjoy playing their hand at poker, especially the popular Texas Hold-em. Few know that there are now prestigious International tournaments held in Costa Rica several times a year, with a decent selection of smaller tournaments found throughout the country year round. The larger tournaments now attract a number of Internationally recognized players, driving the stakes higher and bringing the excitement to a completely new level.

Historically, the gambling industry has always generated high-revenues, even more so when located in already popular tourist destinations. With Costa Rica’s continued growth as one of these popular tourist destinations, the tourism industry has served to fuel the success of Costa Rica’s burgeoning gambling industry.

Whether dealing with an online sports betting operation or visiting one of the 30+ Costa Rican Casinos, employees are almost always young, good looking, averaging between 18-30 years old, and earning anywhere from $600 to $1,800 USD a month. Since the average Costa Rican salary hovers around $400 USD per month, jobs in the gambling industry can be very attractive for those willing to work the demanding hours.

Costa Rica has a wide range of games to choose from, many with a set of rules unique to Costa Rica itself. The most popular Casino game found in Costa Rica is “21”, also referred to as “Rummy”. This is played similar to Blackjack, but with some of those special Tico rules applied. To start, you’re dealt two cards. You may request another card, or stay with the two you have if you are close to 21. Equal to Blackjack, the goal is to get as close to 21 as possible, without going over. Face cards count as 10 and Aces count as 1 or 11, but here is where the twist kicks in……if your first three cards are three of a kind, or a straight (ex: 6, 7, & 8 of the same suit), you have a “Rummy”, and the payout doubles. If you’re lucky enough to have your three of a kind consist of all 7’s, this adds to 21 and results in an even higher payout. Unfortunately, if you happen to get 21 with just the two original cards, or get five cards without surpassing 21, in Costa Rica, there is no double payout, as is common in many other International casinos. Also, splitting pairs is permitted, as well as doubling down is permitted. In many cases you may find yourself losing on a push with the dealer, as the odds generally lean heavily towards the house.

In most of the bigger Costa Rica Casino facilities you will find rows of the typical Vegas Style coin and Electronic Slot Machines, Electronic Poker Machines, Canasta (aka: Roulette), Caribbean Stud Poker, Pai Gow Poker, Craps, Mini-Baccarat, Rummy Blackjack and Tute Poker, a Costa Rican favorite.

Costa Rica’s gambling industry is not without controversy, and has garnered some additional unwanted attention and scrutiny in the last few years. Recently, legislation was presented requiring new casino regulations restricting operating hours to no more than 12 per day, along with limiting the number of machines and tables for both new and existing resort facilities. While existing operators have since challenged the law, they warn it is still likely to have a material effect as the majority of the proposals are expected to eventually pass.

To be more specific, the Costa Rican Government enacted Decree no. 34581 at the end of June 2008, two months after then Vice-President Laura Chinchilla, since voted in as President of the Republic of Costa Rica on February 7, 2010, stated her intention to subject the country’s casino industry to more stringent regulations, specifically in the wake of the announced entry to the gambling market of Russian casino developer Storm International, rumored to be engaged in a sophisticated form of organized crime.

Chinchilla, also serving at the time as the Minister of Justice to Costa Rica, promised that these new regulations would “restrict the industry, rather than encourage it.” The final Decree emphasized that casinos “must be understood as an incentive for tourism” and that “it is in the public interest to regulate the operation of casinos so that their functioning serves to stimulate tourism in the country, without causing moral damage.”

The new regulations, not widely enforced at this time, largely conform to those measures previously proposed by then Vice-President Chinchilla, and implemented by the then standing President Oscar Arias. These regulations extended limitations of normal operating hours from 6pm until 6am, where in Chinchilla had previously declared all casinos in Costa Rica would be restricted to only operating from 6pm to 2am. The softening of her position may have been brought on by the imminent elimination of approximately 3000 jobs which would have been eliminated right in the middle of the ongoing global recession registering record numbers of unemployed. To this day, casinos pretty much work the hours they want, as there is no solid regulation in place.

Nonetheless, the Decree does impose major restrictions on new casino projects to be built in the country, limiting such projects to 3-star hotels or above, having a minimum 60-room capacity, and not permitting any stand alone gambling operations to be built. The new decree also contains strict limits on the number of slot machines and gaming tables permitted in gambling establishments, capping them at 10 tables total and no more than 60 machines for a 60-room hotel. Operators are permitted to add an additional machine for each room above this 60-room capacity, with an extra gaming table for each additional 10 rooms will be permitted as well. Though overall restrictions will limit the size of the gaming section of any developing property to no more than 15% of the total area of construction.

Once a loosely regulated industry, now prior to opening, casinos will have to obtain the approval of Costa Rica’s Ministry of Public Security that recently declared gambling a “sickness”, as well as authorization from local authorities and permits by ICT, the governing tourism board that will partially serve as a watchdog.

As if this part wasn’t touchy enough, Costa Rica is home to more than 200 online gambling companies. Due to the absence of legislation aimed directly at online gambling, the operations of Costa Rica-based gaming companies are for the most part not subject to the regulations, monitoring, and testing to which most offshore governments subject their licensees. Most of these companies are, or at least were self-regulated. With the lack of an official entity to recognize license holders, there is presently no betting or gaming tax. Instead, companies operate under a "data processing" license.

In September 2007, the PAC (Partido Accion Ciudadana) introduced a bill that would tax Casino and Sportsbooks Operations based on the number of employees on their payroll. The annual tax would kick in on operations with at least 10 employees charging a fee based on the total number of employees. They were also seeking to set a licensing scheme in place that would require Online Casinos and Sportsbooks to register with the Economic, Industry and Commerce Ministry. The Costa Rica Finance Ministry is proposing a 2 percent tax on income earned by the gambling industry. The government believes it can generate $85 million as a result, something that would help fill the government coffers which have suffered as the global economic crisis grinds on.

Jorge Hidalgo, vice president of the Costa Rican Association of Casinos, said the industry is among the hardest hit by the recession. "Activity has fallen about 35 percent, and in addition to that we have fewer work hours and have had to let go about 500 employees," he said.

Government officials have refuted any notion that Costa Rica’s move to tax and regulate gaming was related to the country’s inclusion alongside a list of countries that failed to meet international tax standards that was published by the Paris-based Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in April 2009.

Costa Rica’s reputation as an online gaming jurisdiction has also suffered significantly since the United States’ crack down on gaming websites that has encompassed both the 2006 passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) and the collapse of Costa Rica-based and London-listed operator BetonSports who’s former-chief executive David Carruthers pleaded guilty to violations of US gambling law following his 2006 arrest in Dallas, Texas while in transit between London and his Costa Rican home.

In the end, the future of the gambling industry in Costa Rica remains strong, but with eventual tougher regulations and limitations. Unfortunately, it will not be able to regulate the daily gamble that exists in Costa Rica when it comes to dealing with bad drivers, pot holed roads, ever rising prices, government red tape, the rising rate of crime, the fluctuating value of the colon, teak farm investments, real estate transactions, or any of the many risky endeavors we gamble with every day while living in the land of Pura Vida!

For your convenience, Byblos Resort & Casino offers all the amentities of a 3-Star Boutique Adventure Resort while maintaining it´s Jungle Ambiance. Enjoy Wildlife & Ocean Views, our Poolside Bistro Restaurant, Billfish Sportsbar & Grill and the Byblos Air Conditioned Casino. Centrally located to Beach, Park, Tours, Spas & Restaurants.

Author: Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.