Los Sueños Fishing Charter: Inshore vs Offshore — How to Choose

The most common question we get from guests planning a fishing day out of Los Sueños Marina isn’t about which captain to book or what month to go. It’s simpler than that: should I do inshore or offshore?

It’s also the question most charter websites skip over, jumping straight to pricing and availability. So here’s a real answer.

The Short Version

Pick inshore if: You’re fishing with kids, first-timers, or anyone who gets seasick. You want constant action over trophy fish. You have a half-day or just want to ease into sportfishing. Your budget is under $1,200.

Pick offshore if: You’ve come specifically to catch sailfish or marlin. You want the full blue-water experience: long runs, heavy tackle, big fish. Your group has some sea legs. You have a full day and the budget to match.

Both options run out of Los Sueños Marina: one of the most active sportfishing hubs in Central America. The difference is what’s on the end of your line and how far from land you’re willing to go to find it.

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Inshore Fishing at Los Sueños

Inshore means you’re staying within roughly 5 miles of the coast: fishing near rocky points, river mouths, estuaries, and reef structures along the Central Pacific shoreline. The water is calmer, the runs are short, and the action tends to be more consistent.

What You’re Catching

Roosterfish are the prize. Distinctive, prehistoric-looking, and relentless fighters, the comb-like dorsal fin alone makes for a great photo. They patrol the rocky sections of coastline between Herradura and Jacó year-round. Roosterfish are caught in any month, but the green season (May–November) often produces the highest numbers as baitfish concentrate near rocky points. December through March can also be excellent when the water clears after the rains. The one slower window is the peak of the wet season (late October into early November) when river runoff muddies the nearshore water temporarily.

Snook are the other inshore trophy species, particularly near river mouths and mangrove edges. They’re notoriously temperamental: you can work an area for two hours without a bite and then have three on in 20 minutes. When they’re on, they’re on.

Red snapper and cubera snapper round out the table-fare options. These fish will hit near reef structures and rocky bottoms. Cubera snapper grow large: fish in the 30–50 pound range aren’t unusual, and they pull hard.

Jack crevalle are everywhere and hit everything. They’re not the glamour species, but they fight hard out of proportion to their size and they’ll keep a light rod busy when the snapper aren’t cooperating. Good for beginners who want to know what fighting a fish feels like before the big stuff shows up.

Spanish mackerel also appear in the inshore mix: fast, aggressive, and good eating.

What the Trip Looks Like

Most inshore charters run 4 to 6 hours, a true half-day. You’re off the dock by 7 AM and back before noon, or out at noon and in by 5 PM.

The boats are smaller center consoles or mid-size sportfishers. Lighter tackle: spinning gear, 20- to 30-pound setups, sometimes even fly rods for roosterfish. The fishing is technical in a way that offshore isn’t: you’re reading shoreline features, positioning on structure, casting to specific spots rather than dragging lures in open water.

The water stays calm inshore. If someone in your group has any concerns about rough seas, inshore solves that problem. It’s also the better choice for kids: more action, shorter attention spans accommodated, and no three-hour run to the fishing grounds.

Inshore Season

Year-round. The green season (May–November) is often the better roosterfish window: baitfish stack up nearshore and the fish feed aggressively. December through March can also produce excellent action once the water clears. Snapper and jacks hold up well in any season. The river mouths are particularly productive in October and November when water levels are high from the rains.

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Offshore Fishing at Los Sueños

Offshore means running 15 to 40+ miles out into open Pacific water to find the blue-water species that live in the deep. This is the fishing that put Los Sueños on the map, the reason serious anglers from the United States, Canada, and Europe book specific travel dates around it.

What You’re Catching

Pacific sailfish are the signature species. They’re abundant, they eat aggressively, and a released sailfish on light tackle is as satisfying as it gets in sportfishing. Peak season runs December through April, when boats routinely release 5 to 15+ fish per day. During the Signature Triple Crown tournament weeks, the fleet as a whole releases over 1,000 sailfish in three days.

Blue marlin and striped marlin are present November through April. Striped marlin in particular peak in November and December: these months offer the best shot at a Grand Slam (three billfish species in a single day). Marlin are bigger, slower to bite, and a longer fight than sailfish. They’re why serious anglers clear their schedules for a Los Sueños trip.

Dorado (mahi-mahi) take over from June through September. Schools stack up under floating debris lines in warm water: you find a line of weed and there are fish under it. Dorado are one of the most exciting light-tackle offshore species: they eat surface lures, they jump, and they’re excellent table fare.

Yellowfin tuna peak in the same June–October window, with fish running 40 to 150+ pounds. A big yellowfin on 50-pound tackle is a full upper-body workout. Some boats dedicate full days specifically to tuna during peak season.

Wahoo appear year-round but more consistently in the transition months (May, November). They’re fast: very fast, and cut through leaders if the captain isn’t running the right setup.

What the Trip Looks Like

A full-day offshore charter runs 8 to 10 hours. You leave the dock at 6:30–7:00 AM and return by 3–4 PM. The run to the fishing grounds takes 30 to 60 minutes depending on where the captain wants to work; Los Sueños has a genuine geographic advantage: the continental shelf drops off quickly here, so boats are fishing in 1,000-foot-plus water within 30–40 minutes of leaving the dock. At some Pacific marinas, reaching those depths means a 90-minute run.

The boats are bigger: 35 to 52-foot sportfishing yachts with fighting chairs, outriggers, and full galleys. Most have air-conditioned cabins for the run out and back. Tackle is heavier: 50- to 80-pound rigs for billfish, with lighter gear ready if dorado or tuna show up.

Billfish (sailfish and marlin) are strictly catch-and-release. It’s both regulation and culture at Los Sueños, and the fleet takes it seriously. If you want to keep fish to eat, dorado, tuna, wahoo, and snapper are all fair game. Your mate will fillet the catch at the dock.

Offshore Season

Peak season is December through April for sailfish and marlin. Dorado and tuna peak June through September. There’s genuinely no dead month: it just depends on what you’re targeting. See the Los Sueños fishing guide for the full seasonal calendar.

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Inshore vs. Offshore: Side-by-Side

	Inshore	Offshore
Species	Roosterfish, snook, red snapper, cubera snapper, jack crevalle, Spanish mackerel	Sailfish, marlin, dorado/mahi-mahi, yellowfin tuna, wahoo
Trip Length	Half-day (4–6 hrs)	Full day (8–10 hrs)
Cost Range	$765–$1,100 (per boat)	$1,150–$4,000+ (per boat, size-dependent)
Best For	Families, beginners, kids, action-seekers	Serious anglers, bucket-list moments, groups with sea legs
Peak Season	Year-round; best May–Nov for roosterfish	Sailfish/marlin: Nov–Apr; Dorado/tuna: Jun–Sep
Experience Level	None required; beginner-friendly	None required, but physically demanding on big fish
Seas/Comfort	Calm (minimal swell, coastal protection	Open ocean) swells can run 3–6 feet, motion sickness possible

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What It Costs (Broken Down Honestly)

Charter pricing in Los Sueños is quoted per boat, not per person. That’s important: it means you’re splitting the cost across your group.

Inshore Half-Day

• Smaller center consoles (up to 4 anglers): $765–$825
• Mid-size sportfishers (up to 6 anglers): $900–$1,100
• Split four ways on a smaller boat: roughly $190–$210 per person

Offshore Full-Day

• 27–31 foot center consoles: $1,150–$1,550
• 35–43 foot sportfishers: $2,400–$2,920
• 47–52 foot sportfishing yachts: $3,100–$4,000+
• Split six ways on a mid-size boat: roughly $400–$490 per person

All prices are subject to 13% Costa Rican tax on top.

What’s Included

Most charters include: captain and mate, all tackle and rigging, bait (live and artificial), and (on full-day offshore trips) lunch, water, sodas, and beer. The boats are fully equipped; you don’t need to bring a rod.

What’s Not Included

• Crew tip: 15–20% of the charter cost is standard. Budget $150–$400 for a full-day offshore trip on a mid-size boat.
• Fishing license: Each angler needs their own license (more on that below).
• Drinks on inshore half-days: Some smaller boats don’t include food/drinks for half-day trips. Ask when you book.
• Fish processing: Most mates will fillet your catch dockside at no charge. If you want vacuum sealing or delivery, there’s usually a small fee.

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Fishing Licenses: What You Actually Need

Every person who fishes needs a sport fishing license issued by INCOPESCA (Costa Rica’s government fisheries institute). This applies to tourists, not just locals.

Cost (as of 2024–2025):

• 8-day license: ~$17 USD
• 30-day license: ~$28 USD

At Los Sueños, INCOPESCA representatives are typically present at the marina on departure days, so you can get your license at the dock the morning of your trip. Bring your passport. You’ll need it. Most charter operators will handle the paperwork for you; confirm when you book whether the license is arranged or if you need to sort it yourself.

You can also purchase a license online in advance at the INCOPESCA website (incopesca.go.cr). Print a copy and bring it with your passport.

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How to Book

Los Sueños Marina has one of the most competitive charter fleets in Central America: dozens of boats, ranging from open center consoles to 50-foot tournament yachts. That’s the good news. The not-so-good news is that the good captains book up fast, especially December through April and during Triple Crown tournament weeks.

If you’re staying with Nest Stays, our concierge handles charter arrangements as part of your trip: no commissions, no markups. Tell us your dates, group size, what you want to target, and your budget, and we’ll match you with the right boat and captain. We know who’s fishing well right now and which crews work best with families versus experienced anglers. It saves you an afternoon of research and back-and-forth emails with the marina.

Book early. If your trip falls between Christmas and Easter, or overlaps with any Triple Crown tournament leg, lock in your charter before you finalize your flights. The best boats go first.

For more planning context: seasonal calendar, what to bring, what a full day offshore looks like: see our complete Los Sueños fishing guide and the best time to visit Los Sueños.

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