You know the maxim: The worst day of fishing is better than the best day of work. Are you an avid angler a bit tired of being confined to local lakes and rivers? Think about winter fishing. Cold days on a frozen lake or crystal clear tropical days. Hard decision to make? Not!!! Trade in your Chapstick and runny nose for suntan lotion, shorts and a flowered shirt, hop a jet to Costa Rica and enjoy fishing like you have never thought possible. Costa Rica fishing is exactly what the doctor orders for winter time blues.

Of course, you can always just fish close to home. A trout weighing one whole pound can be fun to catch. Three minutes of fighting the little guy after two hours of sitting over the ice. Now, compare that with catching the little trout’s cousin (literally, its cousin), the awesome marlin, weighing in at hundreds of pounds and battling you for three-and-a-half hours!

A great place for a Costa Rica fishing vacation is its North Pacific coast. This area is called the “Gold Coast” because of its amenities and is easilyconveniently reached. There is a new international airport at Liberia, Costa Rica, just minutes from the North Pacific Coast and your adventure. You will find the fishing centers of Flamingo and Tamarindo with miles of great beaches and lots of Costa Rica attractions. If you are looking for sails, travel to this coast between May and August for the best fishing, though these fish are here year-round. From August to October, you might come into large schools of tuna with some weighing up to 400 pounds and lots exceeding 60 pounds. Catch the shoreline-dwelling roosterfish here November to March not far from the Bay of Papagayo. You also have a splendid chance of hooking large marlin, wahoo, and brightly colored dorado fish.

If you are looking for billfish, the spectacular Central Pacific coast is where you should head. Between December to April, travel to Quepos or the Los Suenos Marina for a guided charter to angle in deep offshore waters for battling marlin and sailfish. Sometimes, you will also find schools of tuna and other fish as well. The colorful dorado fish can be caught from May through October. If you explore closer to shore, you might find yourself fighting wahoo, roosters, snapper, and snook.

Golfo Dulce, Drake Bay, and Puerto Jiminez are three places to consider when fishing along the South Pacific coast down to Panama. When the waters are warmer, you have a great chance at hooking marlin or sails. For the best inland fishing in the country, go to the Golfo Dulce area. It is a haven for many species of fish because of its rocky bottom and many coves. You will find barracuda, grouper, tasty sea bass, snapper, amberjack, wahoo, and even roosters here. You will not be let down if you angle in these areas!

The Caribbean coast of Costa Rica is home to the world-famous Tortuguero and Barra del Colorado fishing centers up to Nicaragua. The seas here can be very choppy but on a day where the waters are flat, this is a deep sea angler’s dream spot! From/Between May to November, the valuable tarpon fish is plentiful here, and they can grow up to two hundred. If you are very lucky, you might land a rare Atlantic sail. This is also a great place for really big. Jack Crevalle, guapote, giant grouper, and tripletail can also be caught here. And, be sure to visit the world famous green sea turtle nesting beaches at Tortuguero.

Whether you are a pro or just an avid fisherman, Costa Rica fishing offers an outstanding, unique experience. Bear in mind that many species of fish migrate throughout the waters. There are plenty of outfitters and sportfishing vacation packages offered for every fishing area in Costa Rica. If you want to get in the sun and have a great time fishing in the tropics, you cannot go wrong with Costa Rica.

The writer lives in sunny Costa Rica and has a popular website about Costa Rica Vacations. For thousands of sportsfolk, Costa Rica Fishing is the highlight of their Costa Rica trip.